Thanks everyone for the feedback on my other mini reports.
I think between all of us, we can spruce up this thread. LOL! Although...I almost hesitate because then EVERYONE will want to come here and it will be too crowded. LOL!
Anyway...we were upgraded to club level at check in. We were greeted from ME with the news that we were the Beach Club Family of the Day!
And later, we found out about the room upgrade. I don't want to downplay how excited we were, because BELIEVE me, we were EXCITED
. But I hate making it a big deal about it on a board like this because it can't happen for everyone...and I don't want others to feel unhappy over their vacations. You know?
I am able to make a mini report of the lounge and I took pictures. The lounge is not huge. You walk in and there are tables on the left side. The right side is divided with the children's area closest to the entrance and the kitchen farthest from the entrance. Here's the lounge as seen from the kitchen:
The flat panel tv generally is tuned to news or sports. No HGTV for me.
Here's the lounge as seen from the children's area
I do believe that there is a very shallow balcony out those patio doors, but I don't recall if there were a couple chairs out there or not. I would think there would have to be...but it was too hot to think of not sitting in a/c!
Here's the children's area
Ahhh. I see that I did not get such a great shop of the little table and chairs that are there. The chairs are child sized rattan patio furniture type chairs. Really cute. Child height table. This tv was generally showing the Disney Channel. That door is the door to the kitchen. That green cloth napkin covered wheeled tray is where you leave your dirty dishes when you are finished.
Here's the kitchen
No, not too big. It could get crowded here and in the dining area...especially at the key times of day, which I will get into shortly.
Here's the drink bar
Notice the trays on the bottom shelf for help in carrying your selections back to your room, or wherever. The sodas were well stocked. It may look like a small offering but they replenished it A LOT. I am not a soda drinker, but I noticed that it was NEVER empty or lacking choice. Iced tea and lemonade were also always available. At breakfast, there was also orange, apple, and cranberry juice, skim milk, and whole milk. Hot water and coffee were always available, as was the little hot beverage machine which made lattes, mochas, hot chocolate. Not bad. Not Starbucks, but not bad. One single big bottle of Evian and Perrier were also always available. There were no little bottles of water to grab.
Breakfast offerings:
bagels, croissants, light cream cheese, regular cream cheese, butter, peanut butter, strawberry jam, grape jelly (little packets of all of these), whole apple, whole orange, whole banana, fruit loop type cereal, rice crispy type cereal, raisin bran type cereal, cut honeydew, cut watermelon, cut canteloupe, mini blueberry muffins, banana bread, Krispy Kreme donuts (glazed, chocolate glazed with sprinkles, and jam filled).
The one time we were around for late morning/early lunchish time (on check out day), the lounge was closed at that time.
Afternoon snack offerings:
mini pretzels, cheddar flavored goldfish crackers, mixed nuts, same whole fruit, bags of white cheddar flavored popcorn, chocolate pudding, and maybe cookies (chocolate chip, sugar, oatmeal raisin).
Evening offerings would vary each day. They actually have a schedule and a menu. At 5:00 pm the evening offering began. Could be crowded. I know what they had for 3 days.
Sunday: RIBS!!! (Yes, they were GOOD!), clam chowder (IT was good), black olive hummus (kalamata olives), onion dip, pita bread triangles, garlic bread, veggie platter, and cheese platter with nice variety and red grapes.
Monday: Make your own Spinach Dip...you know the kind...hot cheesy, creamy, spinach dip...YUM!...they had tomatoes, raw red onions, and something else that you could stir into the dip, if you desired, chicken noodle soup, sun dried tomato hummus, pita bread, garlic bread, marinaded mozzerella balls, marinaded grape tomatoes, marinaded asparagus, cheese platter, olive platter.
Tuesday: Pasta primavera (penne pasta with tomato sauce and spring veggies), chicken noodle soup, sun dried tomato hummus, pita bread, garlic bread, marinaded mozzerella balls, marinaded grape tomatoes, marinaded asparagus, cheese platter, olive platter.
Evening drinks: Sometimes would vary, but generally, included Sam Adams Light, Sam Adams Summer Ale, Heinekin, Amstel Light, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, White Zin, and Syrah.
Late evening offerings begin at 8:00 pm. Dessert time! Small pastries on big platter, with a variety that included eclairs, mini mocha cakes, mini german chocolate cakes, a tube shaped thing (cannoli?), mini chocolate mousse tart, mini light brown colored mousse tart (peanut butter?), cookies (chocolate chip, sugar, oatmeal raisin).
Oh! those crustables were offered all the time too.
Late evening drinks: bye bye beer, wine stayed, and after dinner drinks were added and varied and included Kahlua, Baileys, Grand Marnier, and Courvoissier.
It would get quite crowded here at breakfast time and 5 pm. Most other times, it was come and go. All the staff were excellent, cheerful, helpful, and totally pleasant.
Any questions?