The Mandalay Shores Resort is a timeshare in Oxnard. We were very lucky to get a reservation through RCI just 2 months before our trip to California. Upon our arrival however, reservation in hand, we were perplexed and upset by what we found...
we arrived at 8 pm at night and learned the office was closed until the next morning. Other guests had come and were waiting in their car for the arrival of the resort housekeeper to let them in their unit. When she arrived, she could not find our reservation, but thankfully gave us a key to a unit and said to check with the office in the am about the mix-up. Meanwhile, we called an assistant manager who said she would come in 35 minutes to straight things out--she never did--instead she called the manager. 15 minutes later the manager called, told us not to unpack and that because he did not have our reservation, we were probable at the wrong resort. We managed to convince him otherwise and we did clarify things in the morning when the office opened, but please, how unprofessional and unfriendly! The manager blamed RCI for not booking the reservation and RCI stated they did. Who to believe? The resort is only 7 units, so we understand why there is not a manager onsite, but it would have helped to have this information, with office hours in our RCI packet. Poorly organized.
The resort itself is nicely situated in an area of private homes, feet from the ocean--but don't even think of swimming there--the riptides are brutal. The pool is not well maintained. There was a couple of ducks who seemed to think it was their own private pond. The hot tub was nice, but is on an hour timer, so plan to fire it up on your own an hour or two before using. The unit is a cutsy beach colored motif, cheaply furnished. The queen-sized bed in the master bedroom is only a full, and is way too soft with low quality bedding. The towels are paper thin, but plentiful. The television in the living room is maybe a 20 inch older set, poorly appointed in slightly lopsided rattan shelving. The tv in the master bedroom is, can you believe, on a bureau in the closet, and is a 15 inch set. I realize these are not major issues, but compared to other timeshares we have stayed in, these accomodations were definitely sub-standard. Still, I would return here for the solitude and the beauty of the surrounding area. There is so much to do and see, we had a blast. So if you are considering a timeshare trade here, go for it. Just remember: Check in before 6 pm, pack some good linen, and appreciate your own bed when you get home!