Myrtle Beach Message Board

If you assume there is a phone in your room, there may be but you better ask and ask if it is available to use. The years that there was a phone to use I always used a calling card which I purchased to make long distance calls if I called family once or twice a week. I know the majority of people have cell phones. I do too but here's a problem I had. One time we rented a place, it had a phone but it wasn't working. When i went to the rental agency they assured me it would be taken care of and it wasn't. The reason I needed a land line was because the unit I stayed in, basically the whole side of the building I was in did not pick up reception for cell phones I was told. So if there was an emergent matter at home, oh well, the front desk couldn't get me on the land line and my family couldn't reach me on my cell or room phone. That was 5 years ago.

Move on to now , this year 2010. First time I rented thru VRBO. I assumed again the room would have a phone to use. Hey this only happened 1 year that a room didn't have a working phone in 2005. Well, this place this year did not have a phone at all in the room. Now this is 2010. You think there would be a phone. Yes, I have a cell phone and was able to use it from this room this time. Otherwise we'd be back to the first scenario.

Now I feel really guilty. My husband's sister and her family vacationed the same year as us one time. We stayed a few miles apart. She said she couldn't call us because she said it didn't have a working phone. Of course I say they just don't want bothered. But not so. Seems unimportant to some but to me it's important. I'm like what if this happens and this and this and they can't reach me????????

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Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first and the lesson afterwards.
Author unknown

I could be wrong, but I believe resorts charge homeowners who "VRBO" a substantial fee to hook into the resort's PBX system. With the proliferation of cellphones, some owners probably think it is a wasted expense. I have never had a non-working phone when booking direct with a resort, but... you never know. Definitely a great question to ask when booking.

We are in the same boat.... cellphone, aircards, even the hotel wifi have very poor signals in so many rooms.

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"If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, go home and examine your conscience." - Woodrow Wilson

We were surprised to find no phone when we stayed at a rental house at Ocean Lakes Family Campground the first time. Our cell phones worked but we had to stand outside to use them.

I always make sure my family has the main number if we're staying at a resort. Most are good about delivering emergency messages if needed, and you can always check at the desk for non-emergency messages.

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Myrtle Beach Travel Park - 1992
Apache Campground - 1993
Ocean Lakes Family Campground - 1994-2006, June 2009
Lakewood RV Resort - August 2007
Dayton House - December 2007
Dunes Village - 12/27/08-01/03/09

And remember when pay phones were everywhere -- even phone booths. Often you had to stand in line to use them. They've all disappeared.

5 years ago our cell phone had intermittent issues in MB with usage, but I think those days are over. Even driving through VA/WV this year, we had bars all the way through those states, when in years past, we did not. (Can you hear me now?) I don't think much about landlines in our hotel rooms, because the main person who calls me is there with me! I don't use my cell much, but have it if I need to call anyone.

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LISA

SeaWatch Resort 2010
Monterey Bay 2007
Dayton House 2005
Crown Reef Resort 1998
Palace Resort 1997
Bluewater resort 1994

No landline phone at my house, but I point this out to folks who rent so they are prepared. We get great cell phone reception. My former winter renters used to get the phone line connected to have internet service but I bet those days are over as well with cable and DSL.

My kids walk outside our front door with Ipods to pick up wireless signal coming from the hotels when they want to connect to net. Personally I do not want to be "connected" while on vacation.

Oh and by the way, I also threw out that typewriter, VCR, and cassette player I had for the enjoyment of my renters. I still have puzzles and board games, they are timeless!

I guess we are the odd ones out, we don't have cell phones . We have to have a room with a phone and we usually ask before we book. I really need to make it to the 21st century !

Scott and Denise

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Scott and Denise

lol Scott I knew we had a lot in common. Dave and I don't have a cell phone either. We have had them in the past but really didn't use them enough so we gave up.

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A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Winston Churchill.

Glad I made so many aware of this phone issue. By the way, the cell phone I have had for the last 2 years is a trac phone. It gets great service everywhere, and of course I only wanted one for emergencies. For all the more I use it , I pay 80.00 per year. I have to buy a card every 3 months to add minutes and unused minutes carry over.

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Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first and the lesson afterwards.
Author unknown