Guard getaways

National Guard, Jun 1999 by Daniel, Lisa

The Pentagon Maintains Discount Hotels at Some of the World's Most Popular Resorts. And They're Not Just for Active-Duty Members

They may well be the best-kept secret in the National Guard: luxury hotels with gourmet meals in the world's most soughtafter destinations, all for what you might pay at a budget hotel in Pittsburgh, Kansas City or Reno.

They're called Armed Forces Recreation Centers and they are among military members' finest benefits.

From Walt Disney World to Waikiki Beach to Southern Bavaria and Seoul, South Korea, Guard members, like their active duty counterparts, reservists, retirees and civilian defense employees, may take advantage of accommodations rivaling five-star hotels, but for less than half the cost.

Robert and Tricia Gould, a major with the Maryland Air National Guard and a first lieutenant in the Florida Air National Guard, respectively, discovered the recreation centers last year after Tricia's brother, an active-component member, passed along a brochure.

Although they had a combined 25 years in the military, the Goulds had never heard of the recreation centers. They decided to take a chance and took their three-year-old and 15month-old to Shades of Green, the military recreation center on the Disney World property, for a vacation in November.

"It's really awesome," said Tricia Gould. "We were kicking ourselves that we didn't find out about it before." The Gould family lived in Jacksonville, Fla., for three years before moving to Maryland last year.

Shades of Green is a 288-room hotel that was the Disney Inn until the Army's Community and Family Support Center reopened it in 1994 as its fifth Armed Forces Recreation Center

Although run by the Army's Hospitality Directorate in Arlington, Va., the centers are all selfsupporting and give no preference to the Army over other services, said Sheryl Mbaye, a directorate spokeswoman.

Shades of Green is located on 29 acres of the Disney resort between two of Disney's PGA Championship 18-hole golf courses. Guests receive discounted rates at the golf courses, which can lower greens fees from $135 to about $45, Shades General Manager James McCrindle said.

Shades guests also may receive discounted tickets to Disney theme parks. Tricia Gould said her family saved about $50 per person over three days by buying tickets at Shades.

Shades of Green includes two heated swimming pools, a children's pool and play area, lighted tennis courts, restaurants, a lounge and a sports bar and video-cassette recorders in the rooms. A 10-minute shuttle ride whisks guests to the theme parks every 30 minutes.

The lush grounds feature oak trees, palm trees, deer, rabbits and alligators and manicured gardens have been the site of weddings, McCrindle said. "It is the most beautiful piece of real estate in all of Walt Disney World," he added.

While McCrindle may be a bit biased, others who tout Shades are not.

Bob Sehlinger, author of "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World," published this year by Macmillan Travel, rated the quality of Shades of Green superior to all but a handful of the most luxurious hotels at Disney.

With five stars being the most superior of hotels, Sehlinger ranked Shades with four-and-ahalf stars - equal to Disney's Boardwalk Villas, Old Key West Resort and Polynesian Resort, all of which average $300 a night per room.

The nightly rate for Shades is $59 for an E-1 through an E-6; $84 for an E-7 through captain; $89 for majors through colonels and $98 for generals. Rates are set by the Army Community and Family Support Center. Room rates do not differ based on amenities or location in the hotel and there are no room preferences based on rank, McCrindle said.

Shades surveys indicate that more than half the guests surveyed would not have visited Orlando if it were not for the hotel, McCrindle said. He attributes that to the low guest prices, which he said is also apparent in who stays there. Seventy-five percent of their active-duty guests are enlisted personnel, he said.

And Shades' guest demographics show that the hotel is underused by National Guard members. Last year's guests were 48 percent active-duty personnel and their families, 27 percent retirees, but only 13 percent Guard and Reserve.

At least two Guard members, however, are on their way to becoming regular guests.

"We are definitely going again this year, it was so nice," Tricia Gould said.

ANOTHER RECREATION CENTER that receives many repeat customers is the Hale Koa, said Sandi Zabriskie, the hotel's marketing manager.

The 817-room Hale Koa, the military's first recreation center which opened in 1975, sits on 72 acres along Waikiki Beach in view of the Ko'olau mountain range in Oahu.

Hotel grounds include the largest expanse of beach at Waikiki and one of the few stretches of green space left along the shore, Zabriskie said. Hale Koa's oversized pool fronts the beach and the hotel includes an adults-only pool and jacuzzi, a fitness trail, sand volleyball, racquetball and tennis courts, weight training, sauna and steam room.