The Case for Renting Resort Vacation Rentals
Featuring Eagle Crest Resort, Redmond, OR
Some of the reviews we have read about the hotel at Eagle Crest Resort have been mixed. The major negative comments are about cost. If you are really looking for value for your vacation dollar, why not check out condo and townhome vacation rentals directly from owners or their agents. You will save big time and still be in the lap of luxury! Actually, we think the resort hotel is nice enough, the resort facilities and grounds are well managed and the resort itself is, well, spectacular.
Individual vacation rental owners at the resort offer rates ranging from $100 - $300 per night for 2 or 3 bedroom townhomes or actual vacation homes, many on the golf courses. They include privileges at the 3 resort recreational centers. No expensive double occupancy or quad occupancy rules. You can usually save from 50% to 70% or even more. So where do you find these rentals?
At Eagle Crest Resort, we do business with and recommend Birdie 18 Guesthouses at Eagle Crest Resort. They are reliable and they do an excellent job. But there are several vacation rental web directories out there where vacation rental owners list. All you have to do is put in a search term such as "eagle crest condo with hot tub" and all kinds of websites will pop up. Take your pick. Is it safe to rent from owners? Absolutely. But here are some tips that will keep you happy and the owners happy too. 1) make sure the owner has a valid Deschutes County room tax collection number (its the law and if the owner is not complying, who knows what else you may be in for). 2) ask for and review the owner's rental policies - this will avoid unpleasant misunderstandings. 3) ask for a detailed quotation so there are no surprises. 4) get a written confirmation that your reservation has been confirmed. 5) make sure you are comfortable with the cancellation policies. 6) please check in and out on time - the housekeepers need this time to do their thing.
Enough said, here's some info about this great resort: Roughly divided into 3 development phases, Eagle Crest Resort is huge but not massive. The resort has a lot to offer. There are 3 golf courses, 3 recreational centers, bike trails that never seem to end and plenty for the kids to do, a restaurant and much more. The older development (1989) contains the Resort Golf Course and the hotel and conference centers along with a plentitude of soccer fields, horse paddocks, swimming pools and children's play areas. The new conference center puts Eagle Crest Resort high on the list of Bend Oregon resort for business events. The older part of the resort is primarily made up of timeshare condos whereas the newer Ridge development is made up of condos and homes. Condos are scattered in clusters and some border the Deschutes River. A snack bar and a restaurant are located in a commercial complex near the hotel just off Cline Falls Road.
Farther up the hill, of this nearby Bend Oregon resort, the newer Ridge development of Eagle Crest Resort features the championship Ridge Golf Course, the Challenge Golf Course, the Ridge Sports Center and swimming pool, and the Ridge Pro Shop with an 18 hole grass putting course, and the usual real estate sales offices. Most of the condo's (which in reality are townhomes) are right on the golf course. There is also a retirement community as one of the several communities in this development. Outside the Ridge Sports Center is a spacious BBQ and covered picnic area with volley ball, horseshoe pits, etc. You can review all of this when you get here. Farther up Cline Butte, the newest Eagle Crest Resort development is referred to as Lakeside (there's a small man-made lake by the sports center and swimming pool). This development does not have a golf course and features private housing. If you are planning on a retirement home, you may want to review this area and read some articles.The newer conference center has 5431 square feet to accommodate business meetings, banquets or exhibits. Meeting rooms can be divided and will seat over 425. Full catered meals are available. This makes Eagle Crest Resort a competitive nearby Bend Oregon resort destination.
A common thread that you read about in articles and reviews of Eagle Crest Resort is how often this serene resort is overlooked by people vacationing in the Bend area of Central Oregon. It's not overcrowded and it is convenient to just about everything. While it isn't the best kept vacation secret around, the advantages of staying at Eagle Crest Resort are well worth looking into.
