Tagalong Golf Resort - Birchwood

My wife and I rented a condo over memorial weekend through VRBO. Awesome accommodations for a nice price! You are within walking distance of the golf course or the lake. This chain of lakes is three for the price of one, good for fishing or recreational boating. This resort is just a great place to relax and unwind I highly recommend it. Also go through VRBO, cheaper and much easier.

I had a fantastic experience at the golf course. I rented unit 306 for a week and found it to be very nice and spacious, perfect for our group of six. The highlight was the stunning view of the lake and the beautiful sunsets over the bay.

Here's what happened: We made a reservation for our group of 12 at 5 p.m. and arrived at 7 p.m. on a Friday. There are only about 10 tables total between the dining room and patio, so we were seated right away. The waitress informed us that service would be a bit slow due to new staff, but we had no idea how challenging it would be. By 8:30 p.m., we still hadn't received our second round of drinks, which we ordered as soon as the first ones were served. After waiting 40 minutes for our food, the server finally came out to inform us that some items were no longer on the menu, which we should have been notified about right away. We're still waiting for our meals, and I don't expect them anytime soon. I wish I at least had a drink to ease the wait, but I'm still waiting for my second tequila soda. As of now, it’s 9 p.m., and our group didn’t plan to spend this long here. Some of the ladies are actually buying sweatshirts from the pro shop while we wait for our fish. We still haven't received our second round of drinks. I truly hope this place can get their act together.

For instance, the kitchen has a note stating that the dishes have been washed but not sanitized. Really? Thanks for rinsing them and then putting dirty utensils back in the drawers. That feels totally normal – not. You're expected to wash the provided dishes before using them, and then you’re asked to clean the kitchen and wash all the dishes before you leave. Why is this our responsibility? Isn’t this a resort? As for towels, they provide a limited number and inform you that if you need more, you'll have to bring your own. How accommodating! Regarding trash, you’re required to take out your own garbage before checking out. Seriously?! At a resort?! The bed linens are also disappointing. They’re thin and worn, and I even found strands of hair on the comforter. Gross. Given the high rates, I wish they would raise their standards to ensure a more satisfying experience for guests. It feels like the owners have lost touch with what hospitality means these days, charging guests exorbitant rates while expecting them to do the work themselves during their vacation.

After another 10 minutes, we managed to flag down a server to place our orders. The staff was clearly overwhelmed, running around and visibly sweating. When we inquired about our options, we were told that anything other than the fish special would take a while to prepare since it was already made. We wisely opted for the fish. However, when it arrived 20 minutes later, it was dry and lacking flavor—quite disappointing. When the server asked how our meals were, we expressed our dissatisfaction, and they offered to take off $1.00 per person from the bill. I ended up with a stomach ache later that night, though I'm not certain it was related to the meal. Overall, I won’t be returning here again.