I have stayed at Sandcastle Suites the past 5 years with 4 people. We will be going this year with maybe 5 or 6. Ages ranging from 5 to 41. I was just thinking of getting a cottage this time around. Would like to hear about some experiences using the cottage. Is it correct that they do not have turn down service. Also how is the noise factor in the cottages compared to the Sandcastle Suites. Any other information would be extremely help full. Thank-you.
Lighthouse Point only cleaning service is garbage removal. You'll find a towel exchange for used towels (the cabin will have approximately 1,000 towels in it FWIW). TVs in the cabins last year were still tubes, whereas Sandcastle has flat screens in both the "living room" and the bedroom. I don't think there's a hugely significant difference in noise, but then I live in an urban environment and am less affected by it. The cabins are essentially prefab trailer homes, and as such, weather events like rain or wind will be louder than they would be in a huge concrete hotel like Sandcastle. Additional items that have an effect my opinion of the cabins:
-Longer walk to the park, if you plan to walk
-Trying to get someone at the desk at off hours can be nigh impossible. I've tried. I'm not even necessarily talking 2AM either
-My stay in one last year (#13) featured a water leak, mice (rats?) inside that ate food, and unleashed dogs running around outside
Now, I don't believe that experience would be totally replicated if you got a cottage. I've never heard people previously complain about mice in them, for instance, so we may have been an isolated incident that stemmed from staying at one early in the year before they had gotten things properly together. Also, for a big group, the cabin is really more ideal. The deck isn't screened in (there's +/- there depending on time of year) and the floor plan is much larger, plus you have more beds.
My suggestion is that if you are visiting very early in the year, Sandcastle is less convenient for a group of that size, but would be less likely to be in a state of screwed up flux that could cause you headaches. If you're visiting in June->August, I'd probably say that things should be good at Light House Point, and it may be a reasonable pick.
I have stayed in both and I prefer lighthouse point. I think it feels a bit more private being in a stand alone building(trailer) and let's you have a bit more fun with it. A major drawback is each of those units at lighthouse point has a tiny hot water heater. I forget the size but somewhere in the 25 gallon area which makes showering difficult for a large group. You can always send the kids to the shower house but that's not as fun for adults.
A group the size of yours I recommend the cabins over the cottages due to the sleeping arrangements. Bedroom, two futons, and a loft for the kids. You lose being on the lake but I find it much more comfortable. One last note, if you pick the cabins ask for one of the older ones closer to mean streak. They have much better natural shade and feel more isolated.
We have stayed at the hotel Breakers as well as the cottages. Thought the hotel was, frankly, terrible. The old dame needs a facelift.
Stayed at the cottages last year and, well, while not a 5 star experience it was much better than the hotel. It is self-catering so you have to plan accordingly but, again, it's better in my experience. We're staying in a cabin again this year.
They are pre-fab but WTH... you're not there to stay in the cabin. However, the weather can be a bit dicey. Last year we enjoyed a massive thunderstorm that gave us a 5" rainfall overnight and it was wild! Loud! The kids slept through it but I didn't! Hah! No worries. I made them breakfast and sent them to the park early and took a nap and met up with them later!
You'll have to do a bit of walking to get to and from the park but they have a shuttle that comes on a schedule (remember to tip the driver). My kids use it and are fine with it.
Have fun.
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