Oceanaire Resort Hotel - Virginia Beach

[bjakeski]

Hi All,
We received confirmation from Interval International that we have a week confirmed in a 1 bedroom suite at Oceanaire Resort Hotel - Virginia Beach - We did tour the property last year and it did seem quite upscale and looked like a great place to stay - Can anyone answer a few questions?

1 - What is the chance we will end up with ocean view on an exchange through II?

2 - Do all suites, even city view, have balconies?

3 - Is the living room, pull out sofa bed comfortable and easy enough to close / open up daily?

4 - Is there ample space in the parking tower that they charge &10.00 a day to utilize?

5 - Is the suite ample for 2 adults and and 2 boys, 11 and 8?

6 - With a timeshare exchange is there any housekeeping included?

Are there any red flags for this property?

Thanks for any prompt responses - We need to accept or deny by 8:00PM this evening.

Bill

 

[silentg]

There is one review of this resort on TUG resort reviews. It is from 2015.check trip advisor or contact the resort. They will be able to answer your questions. Have a great time.
Silentg

 

[tschwa2]

I can answer some of these. It doesn't look like Ocean Aire has city views. There is ocean front or ocean view. So you should have some type of view. I believe all 1 br's will have a balcony. There is ample space. It is a public lot on top of being for OceanAire and OCB. Timeshare exchangers are just getting a discount on the daily fee with in and out privileges. I haven't stayed at OceanAire but OCB's one bedroom are smaller than your typical 1 BR timeshare. It certainly doable with 2 children but I wouldn't call it ample room. No Housekeeping.
I think that DRI now charges a resort fee that may or may not include the parking fee. I think it may be $20-$25 per day. In the past the off season parking fee made me think twice about OCB and Oceanaire especially in the off season but ultimately it wouldn't usually stop me. With a daily resort fee I haven't really entertained the idea of staying in any of the DRI Virginia Beach Properties with the exception of maybe an AC during April-early October.

 

[RLS50]

Hi All,
We received confirmation from Interval International that we have a week confirmed in a 1 bedroom suite at Oceanaire Resort Hotel - Virginia Beach - We did tour the property last year and it did seem quite upscale and looked like a great place to stay - Can anyone answer a few questions?

1 - What is the chance we will end up with ocean view on an exchange through II?

2 - Do all suites, even city view, have balconies?

3 - Is the living room, pull out sofa bed comfortable and easy enough to close / open up daily?

4 - Is there ample space in the parking tower that they charge &10.00 a day to utilize?

5 - Is the suite ample for 2 adults and and 2 boys, 11 and 8?

6 - With a timeshare exchange is there any housekeeping included?

Are there any red flags for this property?

Thanks for any prompt responses - We need to accept or deny by 8:00PM this evening.

Bill

Bill,

Can you confirm Oceanaire or OBC? Depending on which one the answers slightly differ. Here is my responses based on Oceanaire...

1 - What is the chance we will end up with ocean view on an exchange through II?

If this is Oceanaire, you are guaranteed a balcony with a view. At OBC, the city view rooms don't have a balcony at all. Depending on if this is a true 1BR vs. a 1BR lockoff, and which room you are assigned and which floor, your ocean view could be outstanding or you may need to lean over the railing to see the ocean. You could also be looking at the Ocean Beach Club building 75 feet away if your room is on the south side of Oceanaire.


2 - Do all suites, even city view, have balconies?

There is no such thing as a "city view" at Oceanaire. That is an OBC designation. If your trade (this is II right?) is into Oceanaire (OCI) instead of Ocean Beach Club (OCB) you will not get a city view room. City view rooms at OBC have no balconies at all, unless it is the city view penthouse suites, which do have balconies.


3 - Is the living room, pull out sofa bed comfortable and easy enough to close / open up daily?

Good question. If Oceanaire, the furniture there is newer and better shape. It isn't the greatest sleeper sofa ever, but wasn't terrible either.


4 - Is there ample space in the parking tower that they charge &10.00 a day to utilize?

Usually. I have read complaints on TripAdvisor of people who claim the parking garage was full. We have never experienced that and we have traveled there in May, June, August, September, and October. It might happen but we have never had a problem personally.


5 - Is the suite ample for 2 adults and and 2 boys, 11 and 8?

Probably. The 1BR/1BA units at Oceanaire are slightly larger than at OBC. Whether you will feel it is big enough for you or not is hard to say.


6 - With a timeshare exchange is there any housekeeping included?

DRI has implemented some policies since they took over that have been very poorly received and seem like really bad ideas. One is that they do not provide any housekeeping unless you want to pay an extra fee. There are washer/dryers on every other floor that can be used, but you will need quarters


Are there any red flags for this property?

Maybe. The potential of Oceanaire and Ocean Beach Club is tremendous. They are located at one of the best locations on the VB boardwalk, with plenty of dining options and restaurants nearby. Our family very much enjoys VB and we are owners at both Oceanaire and OBC. But so far we are not fans of Diamond Resorts and we feel their management of the property has not been nearly as good as what we hoped.

DRI is going to charge you a daily resort fee of $20 per day and you will find that WiFi either works poorly or doesn't work at all. Take a mobile hotspot. Also, I think the decision by DRI to eliminate daily housekeeping and try to charge for it was a terrible decision. It is almost anti-hospitality in my opinion. The real issue with that decision is that it would not be such a big deal if each unit has it's own Washer/Dryer like most Marriott's provide, or Westin's, and even Diamond provides this at some of their properties. But Oceanaire / OBC were never designed / intended to operate with no regular housekeeping. It is a bad policy implemented without the required upgrades (washers / dryers) to support it.

I think you almost have to try it out and decide if those red flags matter to you or not. And if you do go, and they do matter, make sure you leave that explicit feedback when you leave on your survey.

I'll say this, based on our experiences so far, if Marriott was the management company for Oceanaire and Ocean Beach Club (instead of Diamond), this resort would be far more popular than it is right now, and be one of the top ranked options in Virginia Beach hands down.

Outside of that, the area and beach is beautiful, the location is outstanding, and your children could have a great time depending on what time of the year you go.

 

[tschwa2]

So the $20 per day resort fee is on top of the $10 per day parking- so essentially $30 per day or $210 per week or is it $20 pd/$140 pw inclusive of parking?

 

[RLS50]

So the $20 per day resort fee is on top of the $10 per day parking- so essentially $30 per day or $210 per week or is it $20 pd/$140 pw inclusive of parking?

Here is how I understand it, although I strongly encourage one to call the resort directly to verify...since we are owners...and not II traders or travelers who have booked online thru Orbitz, Booking, etc.

II Traders
Daily Parking $10
Daily Housekeeping (optional) $30ish

Travelers booking online
Daily Parking $10
Daily Resort Fee $20ish
Daily Housekeeping (optional) $30ish

If that is the case, you can see how most people who book online and pay rack rates would think that is crazy when they can go right next door to the Marriott or Hilton and pay a similar rate or less, and get super strong WiFi, daily housekeeping included, and free parking or cheaper parking. Although they won't get a full kitchen with stove and full sized fridge.

For this a person will also unfortunately find that WiFi is terrible. Oceanaire and OBC has maybe the worst, or one of the worst WiFi signals on the entire boardwalk. This is not an exaggeration as we have now stayed at a number of other places along the boardwalk.

One of the reasons Oceanaire and OBC has been tanking in social media reviews is that travelers who book there go and find out there are now so many DRI added daily fees, for so little in return, many feel like they are getting price gouged.

I personally don't care about the daily parking fee. It is a city garage and even if Oceanaire / OBC are making a couple bucks off of it, the city of VB is getting $7 or $8 of that $10 charge. The Marriott on 37th street charges $7 per day for parking. What I consider egregious is the newly implemented Daily Resort Fee and Daily Housekeeping Fees when WiFi is terrible and you don't provide people a Washer/Dryer in their unit to wash their own towels, etc.

JMO

 

[bjakeski]

Bill,

Can you confirm Oceanaire or OBC? Depending on which one the answers slightly differ. Here is my responses based on Oceanaire...

1 - What is the chance we will end up with ocean view on an exchange through II?

If this is Oceanaire, you are guaranteed a balcony with a view. At OBC, the city view rooms don't have a balcony at all. Depending on if this is a true 1BR vs. a 1BR lockoff, and which room you are assigned and which floor, your ocean view could be outstanding or you may need to lean over the railing to see the ocean. You could also be looking at the Ocean Beach Club building 75 feet away if your room is on the south side of Oceanaire.


2 - Do all suites, even city view, have balconies?

There is no such thing as a "city view" at Oceanaire. That is an OBC designation. If your trade (this is II right?) is into Oceanaire (OCI) instead of Ocean Beach Club (OCB) you will not get a city view room. City view rooms at OBC have no balconies at all, unless it is the city view penthouse suites, which do have balconies.


3 - Is the living room, pull out sofa bed comfortable and easy enough to close / open up daily?

Good question. If Oceanaire, the furniture there is newer and better shape. It isn't the greatest sleeper sofa ever, but wasn't terrible either.


4 - Is there ample space in the parking tower that they charge &10.00 a day to utilize?

Usually. I have read complaints on TripAdvisor of people who claim the parking garage was full. We have never experienced that and we have traveled there in May, June, August, September, and October. It might happen but we have never had a problem personally.


5 - Is the suite ample for 2 adults and and 2 boys, 11 and 8?

Probably. The 1BR/1BA units at Oceanaire are slightly larger than at OBC. Whether you will feel it is big enough for you or not is hard to say.


6 - With a timeshare exchange is there any housekeeping included?

DRI has implemented some policies since they took over that have been very poorly received and seem like really bad ideas. One is that they do not provide any housekeeping unless you want to pay an extra fee. There are washer/dryers on every other floor that can be used, but you will need quarters


Are there any red flags for this property?

Maybe. The potential of Oceanaire and Ocean Beach Club is tremendous. They are located at one of the best locations on the VB boardwalk, with plenty of dining options and restaurants nearby. Our family very much enjoys VB and we are owners at both Oceanaire and OBC. But so far we are not fans of Diamond Resorts and we feel their management of the property has not been nearly as good as what we hoped.

DRI is going to charge you a daily resort fee of $20 per day and you will find that WiFi either works poorly or doesn't work at all. Take a mobile hotspot. Also, I think the decision by DRI to eliminate daily housekeeping and try to charge for it was a terrible decision. It is almost anti-hospitality in my opinion. The real issue with that decision is that it would not be such a big deal if each unit has it's own Washer/Dryer like most Marriott's provide, or Westin's, and even Diamond provides this at some of their properties. But Oceanaire / OBC were never designed / intended to operate with no regular housekeeping. It is a bad policy implemented without the required upgrades (washers / dryers) to support it.

I think you almost have to try it out and decide if those red flags matter to you or not. And if you do go, and they do matter, make sure you leave that explicit feedback when you leave on your survey.

I'll say this, based on our experiences so far, if Marriott was the management company for Oceanaire and Ocean Beach Club (instead of Diamond), this resort would be far more popular than it is right now, and be one of the top ranked options in Virginia Beach hands down.

Outside of that, the area and beach is beautiful, the location is outstanding, and your children could have a great time depending on what time of the year you go.

Thanks RSL50,
Your expertise is greatly appreciated!!

It is through II, and the confirmation does state Oceanaire - I bedroom - 1 bath - We stayed in VB at the Boardwalk Villas last year - That suite was great but had the foldout sofa in the bedroom which meant we could leave it open the entire trip - The only drawback there is that the double bathroom sync was in the bedroom - Any comparisons between the Boardwalk Villas suite and the Oceanaire 1 RR suite would be helpful as well - Everthing at Oceanaire seems great - we did a walk through of the resort with Diamond last year - It was painful but netted us 3 adult tickets to Busch Gardens - It olooked like a nice place to stay - Just want to be sure

Thanks in advance your you previous and future assistance!

Bill

 

[RLS50]

Thanks RSL50,
Your expertise is greatly appreciated!!

It is through II, and the confirmation does state Oceanaire - I bedroom - 1 bath - We stayed in VB at the Boardwalk Villas last year - That suite was great but had the foldout sofa in the bedroom which meant we could leave it open the entire trip - The only drawback there is that the double bathroom sync was in the bedroom - Any comparisons between the Boardwalk Villas suite and the Oceanaire 1 RR suite would be helpful as well - Everthing at Oceanaire seems great - we did a walk through of the resort with Diamond last year - It was painful but netted us 3 adult tickets to Busch Gardens - It olooked like a nice place to stay - Just want to be sure

Thanks in advance your you previous and future assistance!

Bill

Bill,

We briefly owned a larger1BR/1BA (sleeps 6) at Boardwalk Villas. We really liked the space and the floor to ceiling windows were awesome. And the kitchen upgrades were really well done. The new kitchens at Boardwalk Villas are among the nicest in VB oceanfront in our opinion. We did not care for the bathroom configuration, but the main reason we sold is that we have to have an outdoor pool. It is just a must have for our family based on our needs.

Our family really loved the OBC and Oceanaire complex, and we purchased when it was owned by Gold Key. Gold Key wasn't perfect but the staff always seemed great and the location can't be beat (in our opinion).

The rooms and decor at OBC and Oceanaire are more modern, and Oceanaire specifically has been getting upgraded as DRI's flagship property in VB. Your boys would probably love the pool complex there if it is warm enough to swim when you go.

Based on your comments about touring the property, I strongly encourage you to stay at Oceanaire if you can. Not because I can guarantee you will like it as much as we do, but I think one has to stay at a spot to really know whether it works for you or not.

That is just our opinion.

 

[bjakeski]

Thanks again,

We only get away, for a week, once a year so we always strive for a perfect fit - Does the bathroom at Oceanaire contain the sink area? - That was the one big drawback at Boardwalk - Also, in dealing with II and the folks at Oceanaire, is there any way to request our way to the outstanding view as opposed to the sister hotel wall 75 feet away? - Our confirmation states - Accommodations - 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom - Accommodating - 4 privately 4 maximum - Lastly we have a Friday check in - not sure if that has any affect on the view we will receive

Thanks again for reinforcing our decision!!

Bill

 

[RLS50]

Thanks again,

We only get away, for a week, once a year so we always strive for a perfect fit - Does the bathroom at Oceanaire contain the sink area? - That was the one big drawback at Boardwalk - Also, in dealing with II and the folks at Oceanaire, is there any way to request our way to the outstanding view as opposed to the sister hotel wall 75 feet away? - Our confirmation states - Accommodations - 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom - Accommodating - 4 privately 4 maximum - Lastly we have a Friday check in - not sure if that has any affect on the view we will receive

Thanks again for reinforcing our decision!!

Bill

The sink area is definitely inside the bathroom at Oceanaire. For 1BR units there are 2 sink bowls, and for Studios there is 1 sink bowl.

As far as room location requests coming in on a trade thru II, you can always request it of course, but you have to go knowing you might get located on the south side of the building. There are too many unknown variables such as occupancy during the week you go, or even who you are asking. We went last summer and one of our units was an II trade (trade made in 2015 when it was Gold Key rules), and the first associate I asked with my room request was totally uninterested in us (she was brand new and didn't even understand what I was asking), but then another senior associate who overheard the conversation stepped in and helped us get almost exactly what we were looking for. However, we were owners there so we did have some priority over non-owners coming in thru II.

Another factor is that just being on the south side isn't necessarily a negative thing. If you look at pictures of the Oceanaire it juts out farther than OBC, so if you have an ocean view 1BR closer to the oceanfront there is less impact of being directly across from the OBC buildings.

 

[malmit]

We own a 2 bedroom lockout unit at Villas at the Boardwalk in VA Beach and the units are normal/nice bathrooms sink, toilet, and tub are all in the bathroom for both rooms. There is an ocean front balcony in the main unit which we enjoy watching the Sunday and Weds fireworks from. Our kids love staying there every year.