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#12651 - 08/17/04 02:59 PM Estes Park Resort Review
Forum Host
WorldMark Forum


Have you stayed at Estes Park? Here's your chance to tell other WorldMark owners what it's really like. How big is the pool, how hot is the hot tub? How are the units laid out? What do you wish you had known before you left home?

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#58985 - 12/30/19 12:47 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: Forum Host]
mathbees Offline


Registered: 01/12/13
Posts: 1
I am currently in a Presidential Suite in building 17. After we checked in we found out the private hot tub is no longer here (community hot tubs are still available). We enjoyed the private hot tub on our last trip to Estes Park and we were looking forward to it on this trip. I inquired about it at the registration desk and was told that "the owners voted to have them removed." Interesting.

Today I wandered over to building 16 and could clearly see the private hot tub on the deck. So either I was given bad information when I checked, or they haven't removed that one yet. Either way, if you are checking into the Presidential Suite here, make sure to ask for the one with the hot tub.


Edited by mathbees (12/30/19 12:55 PM)

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#58888 - 08/08/19 01:52 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: Forum Host]
TroyandBeverly Offline


Registered: 05/08/19
Posts: 2
We just finished a stay at Estes Park July 22nd - Aug. 5th. We reserved two 2-bedroom condos. We had one on the ground floor of building 17 and one on the upper floor of building 18. However, THESE ROOMS WERE VERY DIFFERENT!!! The room in building 18 was less desirable as it was much smaller than the one in building 17 and it did not have a balcony. This is disclosed somewhat when you reserve 2-bedroom condo's here, but can be very disappointing when you pay the same amount of points.

Overall, this is a very nice location and we enjoyed the Rocky Mountain Park and all the hikes that were available and would do this again.

Just another note about the Park. If you plan to go in the morning, you need to go early or you may be turned away from popular destinations like Bear Lake, where most of the hiking trails are. Free shuttles are also available, for those that can plan well and are okay riding on buses.

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#58879 - 07/25/19 06:47 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: Forum Host]
mawman Offline


Registered: 09/02/04
Posts: 17
Loc: Idaho
My wife & I just returned from a 9 night, 8 day stay at Estes Park. What an amazing place. First the negative: We took our mtn bikes hoping to be able to just ride downtown. While it's doable, the streets are narrow and not really bike, or walking friendly. We did walk to town twice. the best way is to cross the WM one way bridge and proceed that route because Riverside DR. is extremely narrow. We did get to use our bikes at Hermit Park. They have some fun single tracks.We had room 18101 which looked right up the Big Thompson River. Great room. We saw 2 6x6 bull elk across the river, 2 cow elk cross the river & 1 black bear all from the picnic table. Our hikes included Mt Ida (what else for 2 IDAhoans). It was spectacular. We saw a large herd of Ram bighorns right on the trail and summited at 12,889'. That's the highest we've ever been. Our second hike was via Wild Basin. We were upset we had to park clear out on the hwy as this adds 4 miles roundtrip to the hike. However, one of our bucket list animals was a moose. My wife spotted a bull bedded 50 yards off the trail a mile into the hike. We would have driven right by with ideal parking. Ouzel Falls was about 50' high and worth the effort. Plus there are 2-3 smaller falls on the way. Our final hike was probably my favorite hike of my life. (We've been to Canmore & done Lake Louise, and hiked all over the Sawtooth mountains of central Idaho)We hiked into Black Lake. This hike starts off pretty crowded but once you get in a few miles the crowds thin out. The scenery just keeps getting better and better and better. Black Lake is stunning. It sits in a big basin with snowy peaks all around and 2 waterfalls.
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Mariner Village, Eagle Crest, Running Y, McCall, Bear Lake, Wolf Creek, Midway, St. George, Coral Baja, Steamboat, Las Vegas, 7th Mountain Resort, Kehei, Canmore, Estes Park, Kapaa Shores

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#58867 - 07/13/19 06:19 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: Forum Host]
junior Offline


Registered: 07/05/10
Posts: 12
Loc: Oregon
What are the Studio Hotel rooms like?
_________________________
Eagle Crest(3x), Oceanside(2), Windsor(3), Running Y(2), Seaside(15x), Gleneden(3), Angels Camp, McCall,Birch Bay, Depoe Bay, Arrow Point, Leavenworth, San Diego-MV, St George, L. Beach, Discovery Bay

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#56373 - 10/24/15 03:12 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: DandJHansen]
cotraveller Offline


Registered: 03/18/04
Posts: 504
Loc: Colorado
Originally Posted By: DandJHansen
You can imagine the looks of the teacher and other students as her close ups were of an elk about 6 feet away while everyone else had to settle for close ups of cats and dogs.


I would caution anyone going to Estes Park (or any other area where wild animals are present), 6 feet away from an elk is WAY TOO CLOSE! They are wild animals and although they may seem docile they can become very aggressive when annoyed. From the Rocky Mountain National Park web site - Large bull elk may stand five feet high at the shoulder, weigh 900 pounds and run at speeds up to 35 miles per hour.

Keep your distance and use a telephoto lens for closeup pictures.
_________________________
Fred in Colorado
WorldMark Resort Photo Gallery

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#56361 - 10/20/15 08:12 AM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: Forum Host]
DandJHansen Offline


Registered: 01/04/11
Posts: 30
Loc: Ogden, Utah
Just finished a weekend in Estes Park Colorado. We had a 2 bedroom on the ground level in building 18. Mostly good things to be said but a couple of things for futures users. We arrived about 7;00 pm after spending the after noon in RMNP and taking many pictures of the Elk Herds just inside the park gate. Check-in was quick and we were able to park right outside our room. The room was nice and already warm, a little too room, we had to turn the heat down before going to bed. Evening temps were in the 40's so it was nice to have heat but having it set at 75 was a little too warm for us. The size of the kitchen area is kind of small, fridge, sink and stove are so close to each other, that only one person could really work in there. On the second night the BBQ by our door did not work but there are enough close by that I just used the next one. That was our only negatives.

We loved that the pool is heated so we swam both nights there and my wife and I also enjoyed the hot tub close to building 18. With the cool air, the hot water felt so nice. During the day we spent our time hiking and exploring the National Park. We also visited downtown Estes and enjoyed some of the local fudge. One of the cool things was the "resident" bull elk that we saw every day. The first night he was eating grass right next to building 15. My daughter has a high school photography class and they needed to take animal shots for the next assignment including close ups. You can imagine the looks of the teacher and other students as her close ups were of an elk about 6 feet away while everyone else had to settle for close ups of cats and dogs. Over all it was a nice short get away and we enjoyed it very much. The hiking was fun, waterfalls beautiful and lots of elk to be seen. I was also able to get over 12 geocaches in the area which made the trip that much more fun!
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DeLayne
Oceanside,Anaheim,Bear Lake-2X,WYellowstone,Wolf Creek,St.George-2X,Kona HI,Kapaa HI,VI Royal Kuhio-HI,Midway,McCall,RunningY,Mariner Village,Birch Bay,Victoria,Discovery Bay,Steamboat,Estes

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#55311 - 10/29/14 05:20 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: Forum Host]
fisherman Offline


Registered: 12/01/05
Posts: 15
Loc: Las Vegas
My wife and 4 adult daughters are going to this location in mid-April 2015. Just wondering what type of weather can they expect and what is their to do here in April? Any hints, tidbits would be appreciated.

Mike & Terry

Oceanside (10),San Diego, Branson, Angels Camp, La Paloma (4), Anahiem, New Orleans (2), Depoe Bay, Cabo
_________________________
Fisherman

Mike & Terry

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#55241 - 10/06/14 09:28 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: Forum Host]
gigharbor007 Offline


Registered: 11/26/05
Posts: 50
Loc: West o' The Narrows
Estes Park was our base of operations for a great week in and around RMNP. We enjoyed the Whisk(e)y Lounge at The Stanley, The Other Side restaurant for two dinners and The Egg & I for a breakfast. We did a bunch of hiking in the Park (Sky Pond is great!) and an overnight in The Never Summer Wilderness (Baker-Bowen Loop - awesome!). The resort is really nice, tucked right on the river - definitely get a 2 BR for the view and they are newer. After hiking all day it sure is nice to come home to a comfortable condo... Highly recommended!
_________________________
It's all about the journey! LV-Blvd 9, LV-Spencer 3, Kapaa, Birch Bay 2, Windsor 2, Camlin 12, Indio 3, Phx 5, S. Diego all 3, Estes Pk, SF 2, Reunion, WVR-AP Wanaka, hotels in Italy and Charleston SC

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#54396 - 03/27/14 07:22 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: ]
sbranch Offline


Registered: 07/12/10
Posts: 1
Loc: Oregon
My family and I decided last year to come to Estes Park for Spring Break. We drove from Salem Oregon to Estes Park in one day. Whew!!! what a drive! We arrived around midnight to a smiling face and a warm welcome. We stepped into our room (3Bedroom Deluxe) to find a spacious open floor plan with a Western/Mountainous theme.
Warning #1. Unless you take Highway 36, you are in for a winding and slow drive to Estes Park. We did not know this to begin with and were a bit car sick with the drive up from the Fort Collins area.
Highway 36 has been down for maintenance do to the flooding in 2013. We did expect 36 to be down and the Colorado crews were in top form fixing Highway 36. We used highway 7 for going to and from Denver and Boulder. Highway 7 was a better drive than the trip up from the Fort Collins area.
The rooms were in great shape and the beds were firm but have a memory foam topper which made them very comfortable.
Overall this was a great stay with the wildlife outside (deer and elk) and the numerous geocache site throughout Estes Park.
We will definitely come here again...with a two day drive from Oregon!
This is a beautiful area, small town feel with very friendly people. You are remote from other areas of Colorado. Spring Break for Colorado and Oregon happened to land on the same week but this area did not see the impact from Colorado families. We did see and visit with several other Oregon families. I hope this quick post helps with your decision to come here. If you have further questions, please let us know, I will be happy to answer any of your questions regarding this Worldmark location.

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#54271 - 02/24/14 08:23 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: ]
wzwang128 Offline


Registered: 08/12/07
Posts: 13
Loc: CA
Decided to visit a friend in Colorado mid Dec. We stayed at Estes Park for the first part of our vacation. We got the 2 bedroom unit. It was smaller than other units we've stayed in, but it was still nice and cozy. Being next to the creek was also really relaxing.
The staff was really friendly. The game room was really big, but didn't have the air hocky we were hoping for, so, we made do with the foosball table.
The little downtown down the hill was really interesting. Had alot of toffee stores and tiny stores selling clothing and hand crafts. There were a few restaurants also.
It was an enjoyable stay.

Photos of the unit at:
https://www.facebook.com/counselor.lin/photos?ref=br_rs#!/wzwang128/media_set?set=a.10151997227818670.1073741885.547063669&type=3
_________________________
Enjoy it all, while you can.

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#49550 - 01/30/13 05:11 AM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: ]
JimandJan Offline


Registered: 05/06/08
Posts: 7
Loc: Wyoming
We have stayed here numerous times -- due only to it being the closest resort to our home. Overall, it does not have the true outdoorsy or Colorado "feeling". The water flowing nearby is far from a river....creek at best -- but, it is a nice thing to have. The staff has always been very good. Nice, personal yet professional. Unless you get a unit overlooking the creek, the views are not good/nice --- the parking lot, a road or the neighbor's backyard (yes, there are homes/yards right across the street). The resort is a short distance from the quaint town of Estes Park --- very neat place...fun, plenty of shopping and some good food. The interiors are very nice...clean and comfortable with a rustic feel. The smaller units lack some of the amenities. It's a good place to call "home" while visiting the area; just don't expect seclusion, the mountain feel or resort action.

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#45265 - 05/26/11 09:48 AM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: cotraveller]
clementine Offline


Registered: 04/22/11
Posts: 2
I live in Loveland and though the Big Thompson Canyon which Highway 34 runs through from I-25 Loveland to Estes Park is a steep canyon I don't think you would find the road intimidating... there are low guard rails but the road way is not very elevated from the river... so there are no really intimidating drop offs. Just go slow and keep on your side of the road... we had a very cool & wet May so rocks on the road can be expected... (nothing you can do about falling ones ! ) Trail Ridge Road in RMNP is not expected to open until mid June due to the continuing snows we are having at that altitude - now that road can be intimidating to some - but the views are magnificent...

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#45264 - 05/26/11 08:31 AM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: travelhawk]
cotraveller Offline


Registered: 03/18/04
Posts: 504
Loc: Colorado
Originally Posted By: travelhawk
I love driving, but realized during my Sedona, Arizona trip (on Highway 89a alongside Canyon Creek) that I can't drive 2 lane roads (oncoming traffic in one of the lanes) with steep canyon drop offs.

Do the freeways leading from the Denver airport to Estes Park have 2-3 lanes per side or are there sharp curves with narrow 2 lane roads containing low or no guard rails? If the roads are a bit scary, is there a shuttle?

Thanks in advance


If you follow the driving directions in the resort brochure that is online, the last 20 miles from Lyons to Estes Park is a 2 lane mountain road. There are several alternate routes to Estes Park (I-25 to Loveland and then US-34 west for example), but all of them will involve about the same amount of 2 lane highway. The route through Loveland follows the Big Thompson Canyon into Estes Park and may have less high views that the other routes.

All of the routes would be classified as an open mountain roads. I wouldn't call any of them scary but I will add that I have lived in Colorado for a long time and am accustomed to driving the Colorado mountain roads.

You probably could find a shuttle from the airport to Estes Park, but you really need a car once you get there to fully explore and enjoy the area.
_________________________
Fred in Colorado
WorldMark Resort Photo Gallery

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#45260 - 05/25/11 07:05 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: bckpkr1979]
travelhawk Offline


Registered: 03/14/11
Posts: 2
Loc: USA
I love driving, but realized during my Sedona, Arizona trip (on Highway 89a alongside Canyon Creek) that I can't drive 2 lane roads (oncoming traffic in one of the lanes) with steep canyon drop offs.

Do the freeways leading from the Denver airport to Estes Park have 2-3 lanes per side or are there sharp curves with narrow 2 lane roads containing low or no guard rails? If the roads are a bit scary, is there a shuttle?

Thanks in advance
_________________________
WorldMark Trips: Oceanside, San Diego, Mission Valley, Galena, Branson, Rancho Vistoso
Next: Depoe Bay

WVR Trips: Nashville, Fairfield Glade, Tamarack
RCI Exch: Sedona Pines

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#44806 - 03/29/11 04:46 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: rchristy]
bckpkr1979 Offline


Registered: 03/29/11
Posts: 7
Loc: Kansas City, MO
Hi, Robin:

I will be at this location in late May as well. I called the resort a month or so ago and the wonderful staff informed me that units would be assigned (best view) based on how far in advance the reservation was made.

I stayed at this location previously in a studio unit and a two-bedroom (King,Queen) unit. The studio unit did not have a view, however, the two-bed unit faced west towards the steam/river and the mountains. Both units were wonderful!

Take care,
Rachael
_________________________
WM Resorts Visited: Leavenworth, WA; Whistler-Cascade Lodge, BC; Vancouver, BC; Victoria, BC; Branson, MO; Lake of the Ozarks, MO; Estes Park, CO, Seaside, OR

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#44760 - 03/24/11 02:35 PM Re: Estes Park Resort Review [Re: ]
rchristy Offline


Registered: 05/29/04
Posts: 78
We are comming fron the East Coast and were wondering if it makes a big differerance in what type of unit you get in Estes Park (2Br Queen, 2 BR Twin, or one of the 3BR unites) as far as best location and view.
We will be there near the end of May.
Thanks, Robin

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