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Upcoming week at WKORVN - having 2nd toughts

hvanv0405

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I booked our reservation a year ago. . . we became owners Oct 07 for EOY and this will be our first stay on the North side.

I also found an owner to rent their unit to my sisters family (but that was booked only 3 months in advance).

My brother-in-law called last night concerned about reading "No Oven" on the North side.

This started me reading up on both properties and wondering if we might be better off seeing if we could stay on the South property (since larger and has oven on 1bd side).

I've hear the rooms are assigned from CA and only about 3 days prior to check-in. A couple questions. .

1) Does anyone have a "special" number I should be calling about upgrades or to find out what room we're being assigned.

2) Being owners on the North side could we request South side rooms?

3) Could we possibly get better views and higher floor on the South or are we best off just keeping our North side and asking for best possible views?


TIA for any ideas and suggestions.
- Heather
 

DeniseM

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I
1) Does anyone have a "special" number I should be calling about upgrades or to find out what room we're being assigned.

They won't tell you anything until you check-in, and upgrades primarily go to Elite owners, but definitely ask at check-in. What did you request when you made your reservation?

2) Being owners on the North side could we request South side rooms?

No - and I wouldn't do it any way - they are two different resorts and if you own at WKORVN, moving to WKORV means a Staroptions exchange. As an exchanger, you lose all rights to your deeded view.

3) Could we possibly get better views and higher floor on the South or are we best off just keeping our North side and asking for best possible views?

I don't think you will have to option to move to the other resort - you only are guaranteed your deeded view at the resort you own.
 

DavidW

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I own at South and stayed at North last year. It was great.

I think only the studio units don't have the full oven.

As far as view, I was told the best go to whoever booked their res. sooner. If you cancel and try to rebook at South, you'll go to the bottom of the list.
 

hvanv0405

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wasn't planning on rebooking or anything, just thought about requesting the other side if better views available and if allowed.


I know someone from my area that just returned from Maui. She has a mother-in-law that works for Starwood so she got a special employee rate for like $229 or something for oceanview on the North side.

I received an email that they asked about upgrades and were given OF in bld 8! (and NOT owners - in a follow up email she said she was told the resort was only 80% full)

her exact comment

"i just had to tell u that everything is absolutely perfect here. no glitches w/flight. it left seattle on time and arrived here forty mins early. we made ourselves do costco and walmart, then headed right here. check in staff was sooo nice. the place is heaven. much nicer than my husband expected. we are in rm 8210. very private and ocean front. so the bell hop brings all our groceries.. up to the room. We are unpacked by 2pm and we walk out on the lanai and a mom and baby whale are giving a show literally 200 yrds from shore right in front of our room. people were snorkeling out to see them and a kyak went right up to them. i know your not supposed to do that though but it didnt scare them off. Anyways thanks for the tips. it sure worked out for us. I honestely expected surly staff which is often a given at resorts in my exp here but everyone is genuinely nice... which makes all the diff in the world when you arrive."
 

hvanv0405

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thought this might also have some usfull info about the spa. Same friend wrote (they were their 2nd week of Jan):


Hi. I just wanted to let u know a few things about the ocean front room in bldg. 8. On the plus side it is more private sitting on the balcony. Not as many walkers as the walking path ends shortly after this building. View of ocean was terrific. Fun watching whales.

On the minus. There is never direct sun so u wont see a sunrise or sunset nor will you be able to lay out to bronze on your lanai. On windy days the lanai was too windy. It was not windy every day but on days it was you really couldnt comfortabaly eat on your lanai or talk on the phone.

The rooms facing the pool area are less private but you are protected from the wind and would get more sun. The buildings are designed to really provide wind protection by the beach pool.

Another tip. The westin spa is for use only if you are getting treatments but.. the steam room on the south side was not opperational while we were there so we were able to use the one at the spa. Let me tell u it is heavenly. My husband used it every day. Ask for them to set u up w a locker. He had everything he needed to shower, shave.. all in the spa and it was free. The robes they give u at the spa are to die for. They are in the locker set up.

We found the food to be very reasonable and service very good. Ate one thing that was no good and that was hot wings at the pool. They tasted like rubber.

If u are looking for privacy, sun and ocean front, I think the best rooms would be on the south property buildings 2 or 3, rooms ending in 30 or31 on a higher floor. I did not see the inside of the south rooms but im sure they are nice.

We were never contacted for any sales pitch nor did I see obnouxious sales persons around the property. Was very low key. Staff were helpful, nice and first rate. I had not one complaint for my entire stay.
 

DeniseM

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Heather - they are two completely different resorts. Each resort has their own separate registration desk. If you are moved to the other resort, where you are not an owner, you will most likely lose your owner's preference for your deeded view. At the south resort, that means you could end up with a highway view.

Just to clarify a little more - When you made your reservation, a time stamp went on the reservation and that determines your place in the pecking order for a good view. Let's say you made your Resv. at 360 days out. That means that everyone who made a reservation after you is lower on the list. If you give up that reservation now, and move to the other resort, you will have no priority for view at all.
 
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DeniseM

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Yes, but the IV at North is considerably better, plus you still have priority within the IV units. IV at WKORV includes the side of Bldg. 4 which faces the highway.

See Bldg. 4 on this map - the even numbered units face the parking lot and highway - the ocean is on the other side of the Bldg, across a parking lot.
 
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WalnutBaron

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You may wish to check the TUG resort ratings for WKORVN. The latest review there actually mentions the small oven issue. The reviewer is an owner of a 2BR lockout unit and says he had to cut their pizza into smaller sections in order to get it cooked in the small oven.
 

hvanv0405

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thanks for the info. . i had read reviews where people were unhappy with one room so they were switched to a different room on another property.

I understand they are two different resorts but guess I wasn't fully thinking about ownership and was wondering if any owners had experienced anything similar (asking for different room). . now thinking back I'm pretty sure everything I previously read was from non-owners that had just booked a room via orbitz or other outlets (rules are probably a bit different for them).

again, this all came about because my sisters family was getting very concerned about not having an oven. . .my dad is paying for their accomodations so they'll just have to be happy with whatever they get :)

We leave in two weeks and I've stayed at the Sheraton and WKORV (on the promo pkg) and this will be my 3rd trip in the last 3.5 yrs but first at the WKORVN.

This is the first time we're bringing our kids (two boys age 6) and my sister & brother-in-law and their 3 kids (7, 12, 13) have NEVER been there and i think are getting a bit stressed about a "vacation".

The closest thing they've ever taken to a family trip was 3 days to Anaheim and Disneyland. . .i keep trying to tell them this is totally different and will be like any other trip they've ever had or thought about. . .just a relaxing place (completely opposite of the hectic disneyland area).

I just can't wait to see their expression when they walk in their room(s). My dad & step mom will have a studio unit (since we referred them as owners). They've been to all the islands and many other countries but usually never 5 star resorts so this will surely be an unforgettable experience for us all.
 

hvanv0405

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You may wish to check the TUG resort ratings for WKORVN. The latest review there actually mentions the small oven issue. The reviewer is an owner of a 2BR lockout unit and says he had to cut their pizza into smaller sections in order to get it cooked in the small oven.

thats the one i saw that made me realize they didn't have full ovens :(

i've heard they can be hard to figure out as well. Cooking for 3 kids that eat a good amount could get difficult with a super small oven space/microwave.
 

LisaRex

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That reviewer was me. Yes, there is no full oven on the north side on either side. But you do have a convection/microwave oven that can be used to actually cook things. It is a bit tricky to figure out how it works, but it wasn't like it ruined my vacation.

Personally, I think it was a little nervy of your BIL to cause you anxiety over his free room. Just tell him that being able to figure out appliances is what separates us from the monkeys and go and enjoy yourselves.
 

Scott & Laura

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Wkorv Vs Wkorvn

Hello;

We own at bothe resorts.

My wife loves the North much better than WKORV. I like the south.
The South is layed out more like a Hotel and North is broken up and quieter. I'm used to staying in Hotels so I do get bumfuzzled at times with the turns and such at North.

Yes you can bake. We have found at the WKORV that we tend to cook too big of meals and throw a lot of food away. We are adjusting to the Microwave convection oven and are finding it works okay, and we tend to cook more of wwhat we eat.

The pool winds and is really fun and quiet at the North, at WKORV its more of just a big centralized pool.

As I write this I think I love the North as much also.

We purchased the North from the contractor and our salesman talked us out of buying an OV. He said he bought their and because we were elite we could upgrade, but even if not the IV was better for us and OV would be a waste of money. As it turns out he is correct.

We have been upgraded on the days of arrival. We have learned to travel on off days as its quieter and the airlines are more apt to upgarde and give cheaper tickets.

You will be glad you stayed at the North. I personally like smaller rooms, in upgraded rooms at Hotels and such, sometimes my stuff gets scattered hither and yon and its a mess. In smaller rooms I keep things organized and they are cozier. I find at Mauiwe are on the go so much that conveniently finding things is a plus.

Scott
 
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