Week in VA Beach

A May 2002 trip to Virginia Beach by Stephen K

VIRGINIA BEACH IS NOT FOR LOVERS BUT GREAT FOR FAMILIES

  • 4 reviews

Week in VA BeachBest of IgoUgo

Overview

Beach is large, clean, and has good quality sand (as opposed to grey sand in NJ, where we are from). Boardwalk is wide and clean with no retail (hotels only). Stores on street and not boardwalk, so much nicer than Atlantic City!

Quick Tips:

Be prepared for crowds during holiday periods and don't panic when you see/hear an air force jet fly overhead every 5 minutes.

Best Way To Get Around:

Must have a car. Walking is easy but better restaurants are not walking distance from "oceanside" area of VA Beach.
Best Things Nearby:
Beach
Restaurants
Boardwalk
Shopping

Best Things About the Resort:
Right on beach; great views from hotel suites. Each unit has nice size living area facing ocean.

Resort Experience:
Barclay Towers is classified as a "Resort Of International Distinction". That's a step below Gold Crown and it shows.

We exchanged a unit in Maui, Hawaii (Gold Crown, Kahana Falls) for Barclay but only as a last resort (ha ha) since our first choice in locations weren't available.

The facilities are fine but I would rank this hotel a "3-star" and I'm used to 4 or 5-star units. The bedroom is right off the hallway, so if you're a light sleeper, be prepared for noise.

The kitchen has a full fridge and a microwave but a tiny dishwasher and the laundry room down the hall had a broken dry for most the week. We didn't complain about the dryer because we didn't need to use it.

The staff was excellent but I don't go to a hotel for the staff. The indoor pool was small and the whirlpool and steamroom even smaller (used both when nobody around).

The best thing about staying at the Barclay was it's location. They are far enough away from the "downtown" area to avoid most of the crowds. Great for small families (didn't test out the sofa bed).

My mixed feelings for my trip are mostly towards VA Beach and not hotel. The resort area is trying too hard to entice families (it's illegal to swear in public) which isn't a bad thing, just a bit "overkill". Definitely not a location for same sex couples like us unless you have kids, then be prepared for some southern folks staring at you.

  • Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
  • Activities: Good
  • Amenities: Very Good
  • Unit Satisfaction: Good
  • Family Friendliness: Excellent
  • Service: Very Good
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by Stephen K on May 29, 2002

Barclay Towers
809 Atlantic Avenue Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451
(757) 491-2700

Rockafeller'sBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

EXCELLENT FOOD

A must visit for anyone staying in VA Beach. Was worth the wait (30 minutes) for a table.

Have the Oysters Rockefeller appetizer! Worth the price ($7.95) and best ones I ate all week!!!

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Stephen K on May 29, 2002

Rockafeller's
308 Mediterranean Ave Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451
(757) 422-5654

Aldo's RistoranteBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Best restaurant in Virginia Beach! Not for young children but families ok if children not fussy in restaurants.

Food was excellent; service the best! Has an award-winning Wine List and many can be ordered by the glass as well.

Not overly priced but more than $15 for most entrees. All ala carte but worth every penny.

We both ordered a dinner special and dessert. Took half the food home for another day (lunch later that week, courtesy of our fridge and microwave at the timeshare). Ordered a dessert to go and they wrapped everything well. Gave us a nice bag with handles to carry it all home.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Stephen K on May 29, 2002

Aldo's Ristorante
1860 Laskin Road Virginia Beach, Virginia 23454
757/491-1111

About the Writer

Stephen K
Stephen K
Mount Laurel, New Jersey

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