# Harbour Lakes - Which building to request? Any tips?



## lmkucala (Jan 29, 2011)

We will be there next week in a 2BR on an Interval Exchange.   We would like one of the newer renovated units and also prefer 1st floor.   We are not picky as to being by the pool, etc.  I've also heard that some of the units you can see the fireworks from Seaworld which would be nice. 

Any ideas which building we should request?  

Also how do you go about requesting a unit?  Do you just email them before you arrive?  I'm hoping since it's off season we won't have too much trouble getting a decent building/room.

Any other tips would be welcome also!

Thanks!
Lisa


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## dioxide45 (Jan 30, 2011)

lmkucala said:


> We will be there next week in a 2BR on an Interval Exchange.   We would like one of the newer renovated units and also prefer 1st floor.   We are not picky as to being by the pool, etc.  I've also heard that some of the units you can see the fireworks from Seaworld which would be nice.



If you are wanting 1st floor, fireworks view won't really be possible. For that you would want a high floor. However I don't really know what fireworks they are talking about at SeaWorld. Perhaps they have a small display and when we were at SeaWorld a couple years ago they had a show, but no massive fireworks. Just a small ground show with some fountain fireworks. Large fireworks wouldn't bode well for the animals that call SeaWorld home.



> Any ideas which building we should request?
> 
> Also how do you go about requesting a unit?  Do you just email them before you arrive?  I'm hoping since it's off season we won't have too much trouble getting a decent building/room.
> 
> ...



Call the resort directly. The phone number should be on your confirmation. If not, just look it up on Marriott.com. Give them your request. The resort is small, so it is hard to get a bad unit. The four newest buildings will be the most up to date, but those are probably the most requested units.


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## lmkucala (Jan 30, 2011)

dioxide45 said:


> The four newest buildings will be the most up to date, but those are probably the most requested units.



Thanks!  Any idea which are the newest buildings?  Or better yet which buildings have NOT recently been refurbished?


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## dioxide45 (Jan 30, 2011)

Building 28 and 29 are the second newest buildings at the resort. If you look at this map you will see a building that is green in color to the right of 28 and 29. This map is several years old and not updated to show that that building in green is now complete. The new buildings are 30 and 31 and were opened in 2008.

The oldest building at Harbour Lake is only 10 years old. So no buildings have undergone complete refurbishment yet. Only 14 and 15 and 30 and 31 are up to current Marriott standards of stainless steel appliances and new Marriott bedding packages. Buildings 10, 12, and 13 should be getting these upgrades now (Jan/Feb 2011).

Buildings 12 and 13 are closest to the main pool, so that may be a good option if you want to be close to the pool. Of course that would be contingent on them being open for occupancy and you may have some noise from the upgrades if they are. But really none of the buildings are a far walk at Harbour Lake.


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## bkaz (Mar 7, 2011)

Just wanted to add that we have not had great luck with requests at Harbour Lakes the last couple of trips...doing an exchange with Interval...not as owners.  Just returned and had the same experience as we did last year - had called the week before and requested a low floor in building 28 or 29.  When we arrived last year we were on the 5th floor of building 30...so neither request was fulfilled.  This year when we arrived the woman looked at our room and our request and said our requests had not been fulfilled and then started typing.  I said we could wait a while for a room to become available, but she said it wouldn't make any difference.  After a few minutes she was able to give us a first floor room in building 15.  She said that there were too many owner requests for building 28/29 and that no units were available.

I understand that requests are not guaranteed...and that we are exchanging, not owning...but it was still disappointing so I just wanted others to be aware of that so they didn't get their hopes up.  Building 15 was in good shape, but the highway noise is noticable in this building...even inside with the windows closed...as there is no pool noise to cancel it out.


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## amyhwang (Mar 7, 2011)

Maybe it's because my husband is Marriott platinum, but we got exactly our request - as well as early check-in and the room was ready!  We got a completely renovated unit (well, it had all new soft goods and the kitchen was immaculate) and I think it was building 29 IIRC.  We got the top floor, which I wanted as well.  The bedding, furniture, and carpets were all brand new and spotless.  The tv's were not plasma or whatever, but I don't care.  The beds were so comfortable!!!  They were obviously BRAND NEW mattresses - whew!  Way better than Grande Vista.

I asked for a top floor unit, as last year we stayed at Grande Vista in a ground floor unit.  It was really dirty - we couldn't keep the floor clean!  I mopped daily (I'm a clean freak) and the dirt just blew in.  It was also desperately needing renovation, but did the trick for us so we were fine with it.  Can't complain either way on a getaway (both were).

Harbour Lake does have elevators, so if that's a concern, I'd go a bit higher than ground floor.  It also may be quieter (we never heard any noise).


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## Hal (Mar 21, 2011)

We are staying at Harbour Lake this Easter. When I phoned to request a renovated block, I was told that 5 of the 9 blocks have now been renovated/upgraded to the MVCI standard.


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## sbeck22 (Jul 29, 2011)

dioxide45 said:


> Building 28 and 29 are the second newest buildings at the resort. If you look at this map you will see a building that is green in color to the right of 28 and 29. This map is several years old and not updated to show that that building in green is now complete. The new buildings are 30 and 31 and were opened in 2008.
> 
> The oldest building at Harbour Lake is only 10 years old. So no buildings have undergone complete refurbishment yet. Only 14 and 15 and 30 and 31 are up to current Marriott standards of stainless steel appliances and new Marriott bedding packages. Buildings 10, 12, and 13 should be getting these upgrades now (Jan/Feb 2011).
> 
> Buildings 12 and 13 are closest to the main pool, so that may be a good option if you want to be close to the pool. Of course that would be contingent on them being open for occupancy and you may have some noise from the upgrades if they are. But really none of the buildings are a far walk at Harbour Lake.



Getting closer to our Harbour Lakes trip.

Do I take this to mean 28-29 are not the best anymore?  I called with a different question and ended up talking to room control.  So I put in for high floor in 29.  Is that not the best.  To me 30-31 seems better re-reading this thread.  I wasn't prepared to put that request in since we aren't going for over a month.

Just wondering the current status of the blocks.  I now also have a brother and sister coming with their families.     

Just looking for any updates.


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## jjluhman (Sep 5, 2011)

Does anyone have updates for this property?  I am going in October.  I have five units booked and hope to have all of us in the same building.  We have small children and would like to be close to the pools.  Are building 12 & 13 the best to request?  Is refurbishing complete?

Thanks!!


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## kds4 (Sep 7, 2011)

We just returned from a stay at Harbour Lake. We had 2 units, both in Building 13. Despite requesting Bldgs 12 or 13 in advance twice (because I called rooms control ahead of time, and because they called back days later to confirm our bldg request), they still tried to put us in a different building. We settled for 2 units near each other, as we could not get units next to each other. We were on the 6th floor, our friends stayed in the other unit on the 5th floor. Both units overlooked the pirate ship pool. The refurbed units look very good. Nice improvements. We did note items missing from the kitchens of both units and had to call more than once to get missing cooking utensils and tupperware food storage containers sent up. Overall a good stay and would recommend those buildings.


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