Resort Club at Great Gorge

We had a two bedroom that was a 1bd on the ground floor and a loft bedroom on a second floor. There was a bathroom on the top floor, but the circular stairwell was not well designed for kids. In order to get into the unit we had to go up about 20 steps, so this is not a good resort for handicapped people. I would be very careful if this is a concern, you would need a ground floor unit for sure.

We did not care much for the unit. It was functional, but dark, had only a queen size bed in the MBR and no TV in the MBR. The dishes were put away in the cabinets dirty (yuk!!)and everything needed to be rewashed. The dryer was broken and not fixed during the week that we were there although we reported it several times. We requested a crib 3 times, but finally gave up. It was OK because they wanted to charge us $10 a day anyway.

The grounds were very nice to walk around (if you like hills), and the golf course looked beautiful. The recreation center is fantastic. They have a full gym and an outdoor pool that was heated to 90 degrees. It was great to be in the pool and enjoy the view. Part of the outdoor pool area is being removed because they are building hotel units that are being sold as investment properties with owners sharing in a rental pool of hotel renters. I do not know how this will effect the experience.

The area is beautiful and will change your idea of NJ if you have only been on the New Jersey Turnpike. They have a ski resort close by, skiing last year was poor, but it looks like the snow is better this year. Several public golf courses look fantastic, but they cost about $75-$100 per round. We went to pick apples at Masker orchard and it was a great time. I also went to a Yankee game and the stadium was 1 1/2 hour drive from the resort with some traffic. You can get a commuter bus from nearby Warwick, NY or down the road in NJ.

Bottom line is that it is a nice area, reasonably close to NYC and the rooms are functional but not luxurious. If you like to golf or ski you would probably enjoy the area in season.

Upstairs was also very large, full of light, and well equipped. The living room had a sofa, loveseat and tv. A dining table with 8 chairs was by sliding doors leading to an upper level deck. The kitchen had all appliances including dishwasher, gas stove, microwave, toaster, blender and plenty of dishware and utensils. There was a full box of Cascade, paper towels, handiwipes and a scouring sponge. A small bedroom off the kitchen had a single bed with a trundle bed underneath. (There was no door to this bedroom however). A hallway led to a bedroom with a queen size bed, a bathroom, and a closet housing a washer/dryer unit. Both bathrooms were basic - small sink with small vanity, toilet and tub. There was an abundance of towels and washcloths stored under the vanity.

The unit was clean. The only complaints we could have were 1) the beds were too soft and 2) there was no towel rack or shelves in the bathroom so hanging up the towels and storing the toiletries became a problem. There was plenty of soap and shampoo/conditioner bottles. Across from the resort is a horse stable where we took a trail ride. The horses were gentle for us beginners and the trail guide was very good. The trail went up and down the mountain, through the woods and by the golf course.

We don't golf, but our unit was right on the course and the golfers were busy all day long. They had carts and the course appeared to be very well maintained.

Many of the units in this complex are privately owned and lived in year round. Other units are rented. There were more owned units than timeshare units. The entire complex was well maintained and clean.

The spa facilities are gorgeous. There are 3 outdoor pools, two of them were cold, but one of them is heated and feels great in the cool mountain night air. One of the outdoor pools had a 12 ft cliff that the kids enjoyed jumping from. The indoor pool has 2 waterfalls and a cave that the kids enjoyed. There are 2 jacuzzi pools, one is much hotter than the other. There are saunas and steam rooms and complete locker rooms with showers. There are spa facilities such as tanning and massage rooms which we did not use. There is an outside poolside cocktail bar also.

There is a complete workout gym with every kind of exercise equipment imaginable, and enough machines to assure no waiting. There is a full indoor basketball court, indoor tennis courts, racquetball courts and an indoor running track. My kids loved this area. There are exercise and aquatic classes offered during the week at no cost. There is a restaurant in the spa building, and a pizzeria in the convenience store. There is also a deli in the convenience store that will make breakfast sandwiches to order.

Down the road is Mountain Creek, a large water park. The rides there are the fastest water rides we have ever been on. There is a lot of climbing up hills at the park, so be prepared for sore calves the next day! The rides are thrilling even for seasoned teenagers. My boys particularly liked the Tarzan Swing. Also at Mountain Creek is a skateboard park, a BMX bike park, and bike rental upgrades. You can rent a bike, get on the gondola, ride up to the top of the mountain (1040 ft) and ride the trails down. It looked dangerous to me, but I was told you can also just ride around the trails on the top of the mountain and then take the gondola back down with the bike. We rode the gondola to the top and the view is magnificent! Also included in the admission to the park is miniature golf, and it is one of the prettiest courses I've seen, with brooks and waterfalls throughout.

We made the trip from the George Washington Bridge in about an hour, which probably accounts for the claim "one hour to New York City" however I guess this claim is misleading to those who want to go to the city to sightsee.

This resort is great for families with children and for adults also. However there are many, many stairs all over, even at the spa. It is not suitable for people who cannot do a lot of walking. 

The kitchen was complete with all of the dishes and cooking materials one would need. We spend most of our time on the road, so we only prepared breakfast and one supper.

The resort is a spa, so folks who want to R&R have plenty of opportunities to do that. We used it as a jumping off point for NYC, so we didn't use the facilities. There is a small grocery/pizza parlor combination, as well as a nicer restaurant on the location. In addition, there are several nice, though not fancy, restaurants nearby (including my all-time favorite: Dunkin Donuts).

The staff was very helpful in giving directions and we checked in very quickly and smoothly.

One caution: The literature II sent out suggested New York City was an hour away. Not so! We drove a couple of times to the ferry in Wehauken (sp?); it was a two-hour drive on the weekend. We took a bus from a nearby town (about a 20-minute drive to the bus); the trip was 2 hours from the pickup to the terminal in NYC. Our best method proved to be a drive down to Dover (about 40 minutes as long as we avoided rush hour); the trip was a little over an hour from Dover to Penn Station and quite relaxing. If your goal is to see NYC, better try for the Manhattan Club if you can get it or just get a hotel room in the city. 

There are a couple of nearby towns and supermarkets to buy anything you need, or forgot to bring. The fall and spring were off-season and very quiet. (exactly why we picked that time of year.) We even did some fishing in the lakes on the resort. Good bass and trout in the lakes and ponds. Lots of restaurants in the area. This mountain area supports lots of wildlife, don't be surprised to see bobcats or an occasional bear in the area. We think its a great resort. The only concern is to make sure you have an entry way that is ground level if you cant climb stairs. Some of the units you need to be a mountain goat to climb up.

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