Christmas In Virginia

Best Things Nearby:
The resort activities on site.

Best Things About the Resort:
The location within the resort. Deer wandered nearby every day. It wasn't uncommon to walk out on the deck and see two or more deer grazing.

Resort Experience:
We checked into the cilla and immediately found that the fireplace wasn't working (it was 15 degrees out that night) and the light over the dining room table was out. We called and they came quickly. They fixed the light that night, but the fireplace was not fixed until morning, though they did come early to fix it. The villa was ok, but was not Gold Crown standard (we knew this when we reserved it) and, as such, didn't quite measure up to what we were used to in size or furnishings.

The required cleaning before we left was unusual to us and made me wonder about the cleanliness of the unit when we arrived. The cleaning comment card that was there for us was dated August 2003, but we were there in December.

Overall, it was okay, but we will book at a different timeshare next time we visit Massanutten.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Fair
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

Snow tubing was great. The lanes were fast enough to be thrilling but not scary. Having divided lanes made it feel more secure knowing that you were going in one direction. The ride back up on the lift was part of the fun. A slow ride to enjoy the view. It did not snow while we were there, but they would blow snow at night and kept the lanes open every day. If you decide to try this one, make sure your hat is on tight.

Horseback riding is located on the resort but is not owned by the resort. We took the one-hour trail ride and were disappointed. The horses all had to ride in a straight line, which meant that you felt like you were all alone on your horse. You had little communication with others in your group. The trail was very muddy and worn and the ride was through the wooded area, so there was no view to see. If you've never ridden horses very much or in any other way, it may be okay, but all of us have ridden a lot. It is not something we would do again.

The craft and activity classes were great. You must purchase the Activity Card when you check in and you receive discounted or free attendance in many (but not all) of the classes. Even the ones that are still full-price were well worth it and none of them were over $12 per person. We did basket weaving, candle making, fleece hats, caricature drawing, swing dancing, aromatherapy facials, and glass etching. We would have done more, but classes filled quickly and we didn't make reservations in time for some. These classes made the entire week a really fun family time together.

This is the first time any of us have skied and the experience was great. We didn't take the classes (we don't know if that was good or bad), but everyone seemed to catch on okay. Our teens caught on VERY QUICKLY and helped us older folks out with some pointers. We only went skiing in the night sessions because of lack of experience (we didn't know how long we might want to devote just to skiing), cost (cheaper for night session only), and because we did tons of other things in the daytime. It is an experience we will repeat, hopefully soon.