Thursday, January 30, 2014

Four Ways To Avoid Being Ripped Off In Timeshare---Or Anything Else

1.  Don't make any quick decisions

2.  Understand that the salesperson is just that-a salesperson, not your friend and perhaps not operating with your best interests

3.  Don't do business with any company that contacts you first-phone call, email, direct mail etc.

4.  Do your homework and be on guard with any timeshare transaction-buying, selling, transferring, renting, etc.


Any tips you'd add?



Friday, January 17, 2014

Steve Burton Reviews The Langdale Estate


This development was one of the earliest timeshare resorts in the United Kingdom having been in existence for over thirty years. It is my guess that if ever there was a vote to decide the best timeshare resort in the United Kingdom that the Langdale development would be voted the best timeshare resort in the country.

It comprises four resorts that are affiliated with RCI. They are as follows Langdale (2215) Chapel Stile Apartments at Langdale (2194) Elterwater Hall at Langdale (2215) and Aroma@ Langdale(C866) I have stayed on five separate occasions at this resort four times at the main Langdale development(2194) and once at Elterwater Hall at Langdale(2215)

I believe that this development is the most successful timeshare resort in the country and by that I mean that unlike most timeshare resorts that have a significant number of units for resale often at almost give away prices this resort has only a limited number of timeshares up for resale and often their owners are making a profit from the resale of their weeks which is far from common occurrence in other timeshare developments. The main reason for this is the location of the resort with many of the lodges overlooking a tarn(small lake) or are located by the side of a fast running beck(stream) The other reasons are the high standard of the lodges and apartments and the superb on site swimming pool and spa. I have not stayed at Chapel Stile Apartments but I am familiar with its location just a few hundred yards from the main resort and in the same building as Wainwrights Pub which was named after the famous fell walker and guide book author the late Alfred Wainwright. The local Co op store is located just a few yards from these apartments which makes it a very convenient location for shopping for groceries. There are ten apartments at Chapel Stile and my understanding is that they are of the same high standard as the lodges at the main Langdale development. I have stayed once at Elterwater Hall at Langdale. There are several apartments in this development which is a large converted property just a couple of minutes walk from the main development. The apartment I stayed in was superb with a sunken Roman bath it rates as possibly the finest timeshare apartment that I have stayed in during my thirty four years of timeshare ownership.

I believe in being honest in my timeshare reviews so I must point out to my American readers that Langdale is located in the English Lake district in Cumbria and due to its location it is in the wettest part of England with an average of over eighty inches of rain each year. In fact there are around two hundred days each year when rain falls for part of the day in this region. On average there are one hundred and forty five dry days and twenty days when it will snow.

There are two pubs located close to this resort they are the Brittania Inn which is to be found within yards of the rear entrance to the resort. This pub serves great fish and chips. The other pub as mentioned previously is Wainwrights which is a few minutes walk from the Langdale Estate.

Many people come here for the walking if like myself you prefer a fairly flat walk then the walk by the river to Chesters tearoom is to be recommended. If you like hill walking then the walks up Scafell Pikes, Helvellyn, Skiddaw and Langdale Pikes are popular with many walkers. I particularly like the walk around Tarn Howes which is scenic and not too difficult in terms of hill walking.

I guess as always its a matter of personal choice as to which of the nearby towns and villages are best to visit. My personal favourite is Grasmere which is a charming village right in the heart of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria. It was once the home of the world famous poet William Wordsworth. If you go there it is possible to visit two of his former homes Dove Cottage and Rydal Mount. Other places of interest that are worth a visit are Ambleside, Windermere, Hawkshead, Bowness,Coniston, and Keswick. The last three places are located by the lakes Windermere, Coniston and Derwent Water. If you visit Coniston ask one of the locals about the lady in the lake case that was solved by the police a few years ago. I should also mention the famous author Beatrix Potter who wrote children's books most especially The tale of Peter Rabbit. She lived in the Lake District for much of her life and left much of her estate to the National Trust which helped in keeping much of the Lake District as a National Park.

One last point I should mention is that all year round this resort is in high demand from RCI members so its important that you put on an on going search as soon as possible so to give yourself a reasonable chance of an exchange confirmation for this highly sought after timeshare resort.