# Our son's Sands of Kahana unit assignment



## rickandcindy23 (Jun 2, 2014)

I was able to get into Sands of Kahana, two back to back weeks in a 3 bedroom on an II exchange.  It was more than a year ago that the exchanges were just sitting online for 6/1/2014 and 6/8/2014.  I was thrilled for our son (middle child) because he has never been to Maui, and he has a fiancé and is 35 years old, so a perfect age to really enjoy a trip to Maui. 

Our son was assigned a penthouse ocean view unit for his stay.  I am thrilled for him.  He is in awe of the place.  I am very happy for him to get one of the best units available.  He has friends and their children joining him during the middle of the stay. 

This brings me to my reason for this post.  We used to own at Sands of Kahana, bought it cheap on the resale market, and our second stay was to be oceanfront.  We were excited to get oceanfront.  But we had a terrible unit assignment, literally the first floor above the barbecue grills and very close to the parking garage's open area.  We were closest to the honking of horns and the yelling in the middle of the night, waking our son and daughter-in-law from their sleep.  

People come back drunk from downtown Lahaina or a luau and literally yell at one another from the outside hallways, and there is no air conditioning, so windows are open.  

We were in the oceanfront bedroom and couldn't hear a thing.  Our son didn't sleep well at all.  Our daughter-in-law is a sound sleeper, so she only woke up with the louder yelling and honking.   

So exchangers get the great units at SOK.  Owners are paying outrageous MF's and get worse assignments.  I sold my week for about exactly what I paid for it.  Good riddance.  But I wouldn't hesitate to exchange into SOK, if we didn't already own a unit where our view is guaranteed at a resort down the street.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jun 3, 2014)

I think the SOK owners are so annoyed, they are unable to express their annoyance.  I will do it for you: "Bah, so wrong, unfair, and what the heck?"  

Okay, so I did it for you.  

But our son is enjoying his stay, and he has been asked to a timeshare sales presentation.  What a surprise.


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## BJRSanDiego (Jun 4, 2014)

Rick and Cindy,

We own there too.  I've read that the owners generally get some preference over exchangers and renters in regards to view assignment.  For the 3 BR units, there are only a handful that are ocean front, although many are ocean view.  But not all of the ocean front are necessarily the same, as you found out.  

Although I like the place, I think that one of the drawbacks is the lack of airconditioning and its effect on noise transmission.  If the units had A/C, then they could use better sound-reducing windows instead of the jalousie windows.  Also, people would not need to keep all of the windows open at night.  Then if people were in a noisier area (generally the lower floors -- like you were - - and/or close to lower Honoapiilani road, they could just close their windows.  Of course, they would need to pass along the electricity costs to either the owners or have a daily/weekly surcharge for usage.  But I've wondered about the noise of all of those AC units and how that noise may also create problems (law of unintended consequences).    

Right now the BOD is very much controlled by employees of the management company.  I think that some people - - perhaps yourself included - - have got frustrated with some of the negative aspects of the resort.  I know that you sold your unit as a result of your own frustrations.  I think that it would be to everyone's benefit, including the mgmt. company to get some new outside blood into the BOD.  Also, there is no reason why a better owner representation cannot work harmoniously and effectively with the mgmt. company.

I've posted on here about other SOK things and haven't received much comment/feedback.  I have a suspicion that there may only be a dozen SOK TUG members.


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## talkamotta (Jun 6, 2014)

Ive own SOK for years now.  Each time the unit has been for me or for one of my children.....we get ocean front. I have never been disappointed with my units.  When I trade it into SFX and I need to call the resort for my week I reserved, I tell SOK that I am depositing into SFX.   I would bet that they get garden view or maybe ocean view.  

Owners should  have preference and the best units.  Most people who trade into SOK arent paying the high mfs that we do as owners.


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## MOXJO7282 (Jun 8, 2014)

These are not a bad location in Maui and from what I've heard some of the OF units are quite nice but no AC is just a deal breaker for us.  We're going in July for the first time next month and I've sorry trade winds or not there has to be AC.


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## Kona Lovers (Jun 14, 2014)

We used to own at Kahana Falls, across the street, and although the view is obstructed, the units are quite nice, and with AC, which is a must for us as we have to be able to control the temp as we're all asthmatics.  I thought once of buying SOK also for the view, but for us, too, the no AC was the deal breaker.


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## Sugarcubesea (May 21, 2016)

Hi,  I had been meaning to ask you this for awhile, but did you call a week before to request a high floor, Ocean View Room?  thanks




rickandcindy23 said:


> I was able to get into Sands of Kahana, two back to back weeks in a 3 bedroom on an II exchange.  It was more than a year ago that the exchanges were just sitting online for 6/1/2014 and 6/8/2014.  I was thrilled for our son (middle child) because he has never been to Maui, and he has a fiancé and is 35 years old, so a perfect age to really enjoy a trip to Maui.
> 
> Our son was assigned a penthouse ocean view unit for his stay.  I am thrilled for him.  He is in awe of the place.  I am very happy for him to get one of the best units available.  He has friends and their children joining him during the middle of the stay.
> 
> ...


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## Sugarcubesea (May 21, 2016)

Hi,  I had been meaning to ask you this for awhile, but did you call SOK a week before to request a high floor, Ocean View Room?  thanks




rickandcindy23 said:


> I was able to get into Sands of Kahana, two back to back weeks in a 3 bedroom on an II exchange.  It was more than a year ago that the exchanges were just sitting online for 6/1/2014 and 6/8/2014.  I was thrilled for our son (middle child) because he has never been to Maui, and he has a fiancé and is 35 years old, so a perfect age to really enjoy a trip to Maui.
> 
> Our son was assigned a penthouse ocean view unit for his stay.  I am thrilled for him.  He is in awe of the place.  I am very happy for him to get one of the best units available.  He has friends and their children joining him during the middle of the stay.
> 
> ...


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## LisaH (May 22, 2016)

At SOK, my understanding is you own the type of unit (1, 2, and 3 bedroom), not the view category. They rotate you from year to year (oceanfront, ocean view, mountain view). In my case of owning a 1 BR, all units are on the lower floor (at least that's what I was told), so views were never great when we used our own week. However, once we exchanged into a 2 BR, we were placed in an oceanfront unit on higher floor. I sold my week right after the exchange...


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## rickandcindy23 (May 22, 2016)

Sugarcubesea said:


> Hi,  I had been meaning to ask you this for awhile, but did you call SOK a week before to request a high floor, Ocean View Room?  thanks



We sure didn't!


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## Sugarcubesea (May 22, 2016)

I'm exchanging in and was trying to figure out if it would be worthwhile to call a week prior to ask for a high floor and OV for the 3 bedroom exchange?




LisaH said:


> At SOK, my understanding is you own the type of unit (1, 2, and 3 bedroom), not the view category. They rotate you from year to year (oceanfront, ocean view, mountain view). In my case of owning a 1 BR, all units are on the lower floor (at least that's what I was told), so views were never great when we used our own week. However, once we exchanged into a 2 BR, we were placed in an oceanfront unit on higher floor. I sold my week right after the exchange...


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## LisaH (May 22, 2016)

Sugarcubesea said:


> I'm exchanging in and was trying to figure out if it would be worthwhile to call a week prior to ask for a high floor and OV for the 3 bedroom exchange?



I don't remember we did but I guess it won't hurt.


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