Forgot the link, sorry.

beverly

Here is a link that might be useful: Magnolia Park Retreat

Is that rental car distance from Birmingham airport, Bev? I'd come but must share with another person who has their snoring badge or is completely deaf.

I'd love to see Culman. Would your Mom come?

It is about 30 minutes from the airport in Birmingham 90 minutes to Cullman. Mom won't make it, she won't leave her mom alone for more than a few hours. The rooms are 2 bedroom "apartments" that sleep 4. I do have my snoring badge and can snore as loudly as the next person.

beverly

April 1st is Palm Sunday.

Please explain the "apartment" set up - how many bathrooms?

Place looks lovely - snow on the ground??? :~)

Beverly ~ Do we have to dress up in the South? lol

I received this reply from Elizabeth at Magnolia park:

"Actually, the majority of my rooms have 4 beds in each apartment.

Two double beds in the front room, and one double and one twin in the back bedroom. All 4 share the bathroom.

I do have one apartment that has two three sleeping rooms and 5 beds. The front room has two double beds, one bedroom has 2 twin beds, and the other has one double and most people consider it a private sleeping room.

Depending on total head count, you can sometimes decrease the number per apartment and have more private sleeping rooms, but there is a cleaning and restocking fee for adding an apartment that is not needed, (i.e. � 16 people requires only 4 apartments but the group wants the extra apartment / s and will add the extra fee among all members. The additional fee is $75 per apartment)."

If anyone wishes to be home for Palm Sunday, we can start on Wed and end on Sat, or they can leave on Sat. I can stay Wed - Sunday, too. There is an additional charge of $50 for the extra day.

beverly

Sign me up!

I'm in! I can bring suitcases when I fly into Birmingham!

DH said he would go.....any other DH's thinking about it? That would mean serious thought on sleeping arrangements.

SharonG/FL

I'll be at FIL's 90th birthday celebration that week.
Think I would prefer to hold out for one of your retreats with separate bedrooms anyway so its ok I can't do this one.

Kate

I only wish I could do a 2nd retreat/trip in one year. Alas, can't ask DH to take more time off of work to stay home with the kids for benefit of my 'hobby'.

I do need to tell everyone that at Camp Cheerio this year, we hit the max on rooms if they are to remain 'private'... They took some rooms away from general use in order to give more staff members permanent rooms.

Now, that's not saying there isn't plenty of space. It just means those of us that are able, will need to consider roommates if we have that many campers coming. We evaluated the sewing space this year and deemed it possible to have up to 20 quilters without being to squooshed in.

We can also evaluate the use of the cabins (of which there are plenty) but I believe these do not have linens provided, and I'm not sure about bathroom arrangements. I can certainly check into that if need be.

You go girls! Retreat & these forums friends are such WONDERFUL experiences!!!

Thinking about the math of all this, am I correct that they charge $75 for an extra apt? If only two took one place, each has private room and shares bath. That only adds $37.50 for whole weekend to have a private room. That seems really doable with all this private room talk. Does she have enough units to put only two per apt. for some of us?

I interpret $75.00 added to EACH apt for the extra apt where there is less than 4 people per apt.
15 people will require an extra apt based on 4 people per apt. and each apt cost will increase by $75.00-not just the extra apt with less people.
I hope I have interpreted it incorrectly.
I would also like a private room and sharing a bath with one other is very agreeable - sharing a bath with 4 other people is not something I really want to do.

I have sent her an E-mail for verification. I think there is a $75 only for the extra apartment. Each apartment has 2 bedrooms with 2 beds and 1 bath each. So 4/apartment would be 1 per bed, 2 per room with a shared bath.

beverly

I think Linda is correct - I looked at the wording on their website, and it is clear the additional $75.00 is for that extra room.

"Please note that the cost is per person and is based on 4 occupants per apartment. If you desire an additional room above the number required for your group, then an additional fee of $75.00 will apply for the clean-up and stocking of that room."

Based on that, I am interested in sharing an apt with one other person and paying the higher amt.

Forgot to add, nope, we don't dress up in the south. Tees and jeans will be just fine.

beverly

I thought Tees and Jeans was dressing up!!

I heard back from Elizabeth at Magnolia Park about the extra apartment:

"... to answer your questions, we have a total of 7 apartments that we use.

5 have the four beds (three double, and one single)

1 has 5 beds (three double and two singles and is a larger apartment).

And 1 has 3 beds (all double size)

And to answer your question about the $75. Fee, Yes and Yes.

We have some groups that are willing to divide the extra apartment fees among all members in order to gain the extra beds and space.

And we have some that basically tells the person wanting a private room that they are responsible for the extra fee and they can choose who does or does not room with them. I also have some that pay the fee to have a whole apartment to themselves if the number count allows one to be available."

Each apartment has 2 rooms, except the large one which has 3. There is a minimum of 15 to book so in theory most could share an apartment and still have a private room.

I will start a new thread for official sign-ups. Please also send me an e-mail if you are interested.

beverly

I checked on average weather conditions for late March/early April. http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USAL0054 shows average high around low 70s, ave. low high 40s. I'm not sure if this is of interest to many of you but to me it's quite important.