I agree with you Karen.
It was a long hard decision to go ahead and complete after also being involved in the legal group for a year. We completed in March 2010 and haven’t looked back. Since then we have had a number of holidays (weekends and weeks) with family and friends and after each time feel that we made the right decision. Although the 1 nagging doubt was the issue of the non-completion of the club house.
I’ve seen Calidona gradually run down the resort since the turn of the year obviously struggling to keep it going due to lack of funds, and sometimes thought that the decision was wrong especially after my visit in April where the golf course was in its worst condition and the driving range had been closed along with the release of the range employees, and the burglaries did leave doubt in my mind. But, on visiting in July there was a definite different feel to the development: the golf course was in fantastic condition, watered every day (even the rough was being watered). The effort in clearing up the flood mess on the course and in the residential areas (our pool had been emptied and cleaned of a significant amount of mud/debris) and the addition of bars (thanks, by the way, to Roy’s lobbying) for the underground waste to deter the burglars left a very positive feeling.
Now that Calidona have resumed work on the club house and it appears a Spa/swimming pool and possibly a gym will be included, then I feel that will remove that 1 nagging doubt . When you see the view from the aborted Phase 3 (behind the club house) and knowing that the club house view will be similar, then I think the building will be very impressive. If it is, as reported, going to be better than Roda’s version, then it has to be good.
This latest development can only be positive, especially in a country (and region) where so many developments (golf or otherwise) are not getting the banks support.
I, for one, will be supporting the club house and gleefully paying for my golf when complete.
What is missing:
- Commercial centre: Why ? when Corvera town has 2 small supermarkets (one stocked to its limits), both of which offer fantastically friendly service, butcher, DIY (hardware store), hairdressers, pharmacist, numerous fine cafés and bars, fishmonger (fabulous fresh fish), Sunday market (esp. the olives and fruit/veg). So why another centre to compete when there is no need. Personally, I would rather shop in a small Spanish town than in a sanitised commercial shopping “centre”.
- Hotel: In this economic climate no company, be it De Vere or otherwise, will not be building a hotel.
Other points:
- Airport 4 kms away, walkable in fact !
- Paramount - potential
- High speed rail link at airport - potential
- Equestrian facilities – all around the area.
- Cycling – 20 kms and being passed by about ½ dozen cars – compare that to middle Hertfordshire !
- Golf courses – choices galore, and quality
- Beaches – clean with kms of them.
I appreciate that the resort is not 100% what we all signed up for, but the World has changed so much in the last 4 years (and will probably not be the same again) and somehow it would be impossible for any developer to offer that 100% given the current climate.
But to all non-completers, take a flight, visit and witness what the resort/Calidona has to offer on top of the IVA discount.
Kenny