Well, we have been here for a week. It is not perfect, but they are trying. It is clean, and the staff is very friendly and helpful. They have been responsive to any requests, and the daily housekeeping has been very good. I know there are many who gave up their timeshares here out of frustration with the conditions and prior management. Compared to the horror stories of Mullet Bay, Caravanserai, and the Towers we are OK with the way things are. It is certainly not the place that we originally envisioned when we first bought here. The biggest loss was the beach, but that was not the fault of the resort. We have not been to the bar in the afternoon or evening, but plan on checking it out this week. I have attached some photos.
Before we bought at Flamingo back in 1999 we wanted to tour Sapphire. When we arrived for the tour they said since we had already toured Flamingo they wouldn't allow us to take the tour. We left and ended up buying at Flamingo. Their refusal to let us take the tour worked out well for us.
Too funny Scuba, in 1996 we also wanted to take a tour at Sapphire and they told us "no Canadians, you don't buy". So off we went to OBBR where we DID purchase and have been very happy ever since.
Several years later we traded into Sapphire and immediately knew that they had done us a favour denying us that tour. We were in tower 2 where everything was fine but the problems were already starting to emerge in tower 1 and we spoke with many unhappy owners. The rest is history.
Similar story - In 1997 we traded into the Sapphire for a week. They stuck us in the only ground floor room right next to the small shop they had - think it was in Building 1. Door slammed every time someone walked in or out. We had to keep the curtains closed cuz the pool deck chairs were right outside our window. Refused to move us. Moved to the Flamingo the next week and bought pre-construction in Building 4. Been going every year since, health and hurricane damage permitting
Here are some pictures of the room. This is an end unit in building 3. There are 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 balconies, and a washer dryer. There are electronic safes in the bedrooms. There is no oven, but it has a cook-top, microwave, refrigerator, and dishwasher. The couch turns into a bed, so you could sleep 6.
Thanks for the pictures. The kitchen looks very nice. When Royal Palm and Flamingo put in white appliances, I thought that was quite tacky. And having a washer/dryer in the unit is very nice. Do all units there have a washer/dryer?
Carol, Re: washer/dryer. No, the majority of units do not have w/d. That was one of the advantages when we upgraded many years ago. It makes it much easier to pack (for me, anyway); the wife, not so much.
"When Royal Palm and Flamingo put in white appliances, I thought that was quite tacky." White is easier to maintain than stainless steel. We have SS at home and constantly having to wipe it down for fingerprints and such. It's not like your living there full time.
Scuba--you always defend Flamingo, even when they do tacky things.
Not tacky just practical. Incidentally all the 2 bed lockout units at Flamingo have a washer/dryer in each of the lockout rooms in building 3,4 and 6. A couple units in building 7 on the point also have them.
Personally speaking, I’m with Scuba on this one.I’d far prefer white over stainless but in all honesty, I could really care less - white or stainless since I’m only there for a brief stay.
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
When people say "bought" do they mean you actually get a legal deed in your name, or is just another timeshare and they let you think you are a "owner" and you own some time but nothing else? Nothing wrong with Timeshare if they price was right and the fees reasonable. The property looks like a mess but it could be so much nicer with just a little money and time for maintenance and better management.
I would say "bought" means you paid money and got something (usage time) in return. That would be a purchase. It was used correctly in this situation. "Own" might be a diffent issue
Beachside has always had white appliances. The problem with Flamingo and Royal Palm is that they used to have stainless until they did the refurb, and then they went back to cheaper appliances, and that Scubaman defends them, regardless of what they do..
Not defending anyone in this conversation, but they may have chosen the white appliances because of easier maintenance especially for the housekeepers and not dependent on the price. There would not be much price deference when purchasing in such large quantities and there may have been more availability in White. I wonder if Royal Palm made the same decision?
"The problem with Flamingo and Royal Palm is that they used to have stainless until they did the refurb" Wrong. I don't remember all units in Flamingo being stainless before Irma. What's it matter to you anyway. You're not an owner and I can't recall you ever staying there.
Regardless of the color of the W/D, Sapphire has a laundry room with washers and dryers available for all guests to use free of charge! We have taken advantage of the amenity the last few years!
Scuba, our friends own 2 weeks in 7302 on the point and their washer/dryer were removed during last renovations. All hook ups were sheet rocked over. They never re-installed lights on big patio or under the counters. Big peninsula with countertop was removed also, they have hardly any counter space now. They cheapened up everything as much as they could.
That's a shame it happened as all those point units were and are one of a kind units. Unique floor plans and amenities. If they have that week and it was in it before then they need to demand it like it was before. The problem they had with the reconstruction after Irma was there were no prior plans to go by to tell what the rooms originally had in them.. Our walk through patio fence didn't have the door to go from unit A to B like we had before on 3302AB but after I sent them pictures and original floor plan from our contract they put it in.. Our top floor point unit 7502 was actually improved with that renovation. Still have under counter lighting in ours. I have no regrets with any of our fixed week units. The grounds and property never looked this good before. Irma did us a favor.
They brought it up to the management and the explanation they were given that the washer and dryers were there against a building code and now they have to comply, so they removed them. Could be a BS answer. Do you have them in your unit?
We booked six weeks at Sapphire from January to mid February, 2024. We stayed last in January/Bebruary 2023 for two months at the old Caravanserai, now a BnB. We toured Sapphire twice, the staff were very friendly. We got a great unit 1535 sq. ft with in-suite laundry, oven, 2 BR, 21/2 baths, 3 decks for a great price. The place has all the amenities, including a gym, great pool, pool bar/restaurant, etc; We would never stay again anywhere on the the other side of Maho beach into Beacon Hill. I went for many walks to Karakter and never felt safe. I met a man from the states and he was so upset because his rental car got stolen after a couple of days in his unit, it was close to BSV. What we like about Sapphire is that it is far enough from the airport noise, walsing distance to Jordan Village, Mullet Bay, Cupecoy Beach and Porto Cupecoy.
They brought it up to the management and the explanation they were given that the washer and dryers were there against a building code and now they have to comply, so they removed them. Could be a BS answer. Do you have them in your unit?
No never did before Irma in 7502 but still are in all units in building 3,4 and 6. I think the reason given was BS only because the contractor responsible for the rebuild had no knowledge of what was there before and it was easier to give that excuse. I at least had a balcony floor plan for 3302AB to prove my point and Flamingo was quick to rectify it.
I think your unit at Sapphire looks great! We stayed there a long time ago, and liked it. My only complaint would be the shower. Getting in and out of that bathtub would be somewhat difficult for me.
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