Best Things Nearby:
Well, that depends on your defintion of "nearby". The resort itself is set in the middle of nowhere near I-15 about 6 miles north of the city of Escondido. So if your definition of "nearby" is walking distance, then besides the resort, the only thing nearby is a Texaco station. But if you use the more typical California definition of "nearby", i.e. "you can drive there in an hour or less", then San Diego, Orange County, and the Pacific Ocean are "nearby".
Best Things About the Resort:
This is definitely the most spacious two-bedroom condo we've ever stayed in. Each area of condos has its own rec room and swimming pool. If you're a golfer, you have your choice of two courses.
Resort Experience:
When we wanted to exchange some Florida time that we were unable to use, we were looking for something in California that was close to Big Bear Lake so we could organize a two week vacation. When the Lawrence Welk Resort was available, we hesitated. I mean, my wife's GRANDMOTHER liked LW but even my parents (the originators of the command "Turn that crap down!") thought he was square. So I checked out the resort web site and saw the pictures of the 1400 sq. ft. villas, the multiple swimming pools and that it was a gold crown resort and decided it looked great and if I had to listen to some accordion music to enjoy it, so be it.
We checked in on a Friday afternoon about a half hour early to beat the rush. We were greeted by a friendly older woman who offered us a piece of candy and inquired where we were from while we waited for the next desk clerk. Check in was smooth and quick. Since we were early we wandered the "shopping plaza" for a half hour until our room was ready. The village consists of a gift store, a clothing store, a small market, and a deli/pizza restaurant. I'm guessing the target demographic for the gift store and clothing store is not the one I'm currently in although I guess it gives me something to look forward to. Is one of the symptoms of advancing years the desire to buy a straw hat and a loud polyester shirt? If so, they got 'em! The market had the basics and also featured an ice cream and fudge shoppe, but the prices were a little steep. It was an OK place to buy a newspaper or a bottle of soda, but better to do your grocery shopping for the week at Safeway about 6 miles down the road.
A quick comment about the employees at the resort: We found all of the older employees to be exceedingly friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic. The younger employees were decidedly the opposite -- maybe they were upset that their parents made them get a job, at the Lawrence Welk Resort no less! The domestic help is all Hispanic and while there is nothing wrong with that, my wife, who speaks some Spanish, had difficulty communicating with the maid to tell her that our son was still sleeping when she came to clean our villa.
The two story villas are divided into three sections: Broadway Hill, Melody Hill, and Harmony Hill. There is also a new section in varying phases of construction and completion called Villas on the Green (this is where the timeshare selling activity is – we declined their invitation for a tour). The original hotel is also on the site and is next to the well-known Mr. W’s Restaurant. Each villa section has its own swimming pool and spa. Broadway Hill and Harmony Hill have recreation rooms with two pool tables, two ping pong tables, and other activities. Melody Hill (where we were) has an exercise room, two tennis courts, and a sauna. The pool at Melody Hill is adults-only until 2 pm.
See Part 2 for information about the villa interior.
- Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
- Activities: Good
- Amenities: Excellent
- Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
- Family Friendliness: Excellent
- Service: Very Good