TS Today - Creating a Vision for the Future of Vacation Ownership Issue #96 Nov/Dec, 2007 | Page 16
TimeSharing Today
Page 16
Nov/Dec, 2007
French Lick Springs Villas, French Lick, IN: Two Reports
By Wm. V. Burgess, Westminster, CO
We had heard of French Lick as an
old-fashioned, late 19th century or early 20th
century resort that had faded into memory
then was brought back into popular mention as the Southern Indiana hometown
of NBA superstar Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics.
Larry Bird is still very much an icon
around French Lick. His old home near the
railroad track still stands (complete with
basketball backboard fastened above the
garage door), he is depicted in a mural on
one of the downtown buildings, and his
new home just outside of town is a popular photo stop for travelers.
As we discovered, however, when we
checked into our RCI exchange unit at
French Lick Springs Villas, there is lots
more going on, both inside and outside
the main part of town. The condominiums
are located on a hilltop just behind the
world-famous French Lick Resort Hotel
and near the town center.
The Villas complex is in two sections,
one built in the early 1980’s and the newer
section completed in the mid-1990’s. All
are two-bedroom units that can accommodate up to eight persons each.
Our master bedroom had a king-sized
bed, a 19" TV, and separate bathroom
shared with occupants of the second bedroom. The second bedroom had two twin
beds, a mirrored dresser, and no TV. There
were two sleeper sofas, one in the downstairs living room and the other in the upstairs loft area.
The living room was spacious. The
furniture and the carpet looked new. There
was a fireplace (free wood in fall and winter!), a 30" TV with cable channels, a full
size sleeper sofa, coffee table, an easy
chair, and a love seat with double ottoman.
A separate dining area next to the living room seats up to six persons. Three
more could be seated at the breakfast bar
between the dining area and the kitchen.
Our unit had a full kitchen with a fourburner range, oven, microwave oven, dish-
washer, garbage disposal, full size refrigerator/freezer, and a countertop built-in
grill. Table service for eight was provided
along with a toaster, blender, coffee maker
(coffee filters, too!), electric can opener,
and all pots, pans, baking sheets, mixing
bowls, utensils, detergent, and paper towels. A washer and dryer were housed in a
downstairs closet. A second downstairs
closet held the vacuum sweeper, brooms,
mops, etc.
The ne plus ultra for the unit was a
sauna and a Jacuzzi tub in the downstairs
bathroom. Upstairs between the two bedrooms was another full bath with shower,
tub, and vanity but no hair dryer (we put
that item on our suggestion list).
Also, in the upstairs loft area was full
size sleeper sofa, reading lamp, and a card/
game table with four chairs. Off the game
area was an upstairs deck perfectly
screened from the neighboring unit and
covering an identically sized deck below
just outside the main floor dining area.
The Villas staff was very hospitable
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