Ka'anapali Shores - thumbs up as an alternate to KBC for Club members

[T_R_Oglodyte]

So here we are in a beautiful one-bedroom ocean view unit at Ka'anapali Shores, next door to Ka'anapali Beach Club. Solid recommendation. The view is comparable to what you would have from one of the north facing units in the KBC building closest to the water. You have access to all of the facilities of both Ka'anapali Shores and Ka'anapali Beach Club. Our unit has a full kitchen and W/D in unit. Nicely furnished.

We've stayed at KBC before, and it's like staying at a hotel. Ka'anapali Shores is much more like a traditional timeshare - it's a one bedroom condo, not a one-bedroom hotel suite.

When we did our search, both KBC and Ka'anapali Shores came up as options. We decided on KS, because it seemed to more amenable to our desires, and the points were less than a KBC ocean view. We would come back to KS over KBC in a heartbeat.

 

[csalter2]

Trying to Make that choice now

So here we are in a beautiful one-bedroom ocean view unit at Ka'anapali Shores, next door to Ka'anapali Beach Club. Solid recommendation. The view is comparable to what you would have from one of the north facing units in the KBC building closest to the water. You have access to all of the facilities of both Ka'anapali Shores and Ka'anapali Beach Club. Our unit has a full kitchen and W/D in unit. Nicely furnished.

We've stayed at KBC before, and it's like staying at a hotel. Ka'anapali Shores is much more like a traditional timeshare - it's a one bedroom condo, not a one-bedroom hotel suite.

When we did our search, both KBC and Ka'anapali Shores came up as options. We decided on KS, because it seemed to more amenable to our desires, and the points were less than a KBC ocean view. We would come back to KS over KBC in a heartbeat.

I am considering KS, but I had a friend stay there and while I was at KBC. It seemed as if the rooms were smaller at KS. KBC and KS are right next door to each other but you have to go to the KBC side to go to the beach as there are rocks on the KS beachfront. I can't remember how the size of the balconies compare to KBC's. Could you tell me?
Does it have a stove?

Have you seen a two bedroom?

Thank you.

 

[HatTrick]

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I am considering KS, but I had a friend stay there and while I was at KBC. It seemed as if the rooms were smaller at KS. KBC and KS are right next door to each other but you have to go to the KBC side to go to the beach as there are rocks on the KS beachfront. I can't remember how the size of the balconies compare to KBC's. Could you tell me?
Does it have a stove?

Have you seen a two bedroom?

Thank you.

The beach is identical to KBC. As I type this I am watching the sun rise as I sit on a 30-ft wide strip of sand.

As I mentioned our unit has a full kitchen. That means stove with oven, not cooktop.

Yes the units are smaller, but they do not have that wasted space in the silly oversized bathroom that KBC has.

Lanais are smaller.

 

[IslandDaze]

So here we are in a beautiful one-bedroom ocean view unit at Ka'anapali Shores, next door to Ka'anapali Beach Club. Solid recommendation. The view is comparable to what you would have from one of the north facing units in the KBC building closest to the water. You have access to all of the facilities of both Ka'anapali Shores and Ka'anapali Beach Club. Our unit has a full kitchen and W/D in unit. Nicely furnished.

We've stayed at KBC before, and it's like staying at a hotel. Ka'anapali Shores is much more like a traditional timeshare - it's a one bedroom condo, not a one-bedroom hotel suite.

When we did our search, both KBC and Ka'anapali Shores came up as options. We decided on KS, because it seemed to more amenable to our desires, and the points were less than a KBC ocean view. We would come back to KS over KBC in a heartbeat.

I've wondered about KS. We have always stayed at KBC. Thanks for the review. I think I would give KS a try. KBC is pretty nice though. The downsides to KBC for me are poor food options and the ocean off the beach is always at red-flag danger level when we go in summer (of course the danger level will be the same for KS and KBC) which doesn't stop people from going in the water.

I've walked over to Ka'anapali Shores from KBC and had breakfast at the KS restaurant near the pool. I really enjoy the KS restaurant for breakfast -- nice setting, good food, friendly service, prices ok. I would always choose the KS restaurant for breakfast over KBC.

I would disagree with your view that staying at KBC is like staying at a hotel. To me it's a timeshare and more like a condo. The 1 BR units I've stayed in are exceptionally roomy, nicely furnished, and come with a kitchen which you won't find at a hotel.

It sounds like the one thing KBC doesn't have that KS does is a washer and dryer in the room. No big deal for a short stay I can walk down the hall if I need to.

I'm mostly satisfied with KBC since I like the units there and can walk to KS for breakfast at their restaurant and I don't use the balcony much.

I am considering KS, but I had a friend stay there and while I was at KBC. It seemed as if the rooms were smaller at KS. KBC and KS are right next door to each other but you have to go to the KBC side to go to the beach as there are rocks on the KS beachfront. I can't remember how the size of the balconies compare to KBC's. Could you tell me?

I don't think it's an issue to go from the KS beachfront to the KBC beachfront. It's only a few steps away.

I've only stayed at KBC but I have looked across to the KS. People seemed to use the balconies more at KS. I'm not sure why. Most of the balconies at KBC rooms strike me as a bit narrow. Maybe the ones at KS are wider? However, a two bedroom corner unit at the back of KBC my sister stayed in had an awesomely huge balcony -- but it was it the back with no ocean view. I think KBC has some corner units in the middle that face the ocean that have large wrap-around balconies.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

My comments about KBC being more like a resort and KS more like a timeshare reflect personal preferences. To me, a resort hotel is where you check in and the site is designed to provide activities for you, on-site. In contrast, a vacation condo is where you arrive and what you essentially get is home-like accommodations - pretty much the same as what you would get if you lived in a condo as your primary residence. I expect a swimming pool, fitness center, and reservations desk. My "home" has a full kitchen where I prepare meals. It has a washer and dryer for laundry. In that regard, KS matches much more of my desires than does KBC.

*****

And a few more added comments. The beach at Ka'anapali waxes and wanes seasonally. At this time of year it is at it's peak. During the winter it typically loses much of it's sand. KS is really the last resort on the generally contiguous stretch of sand that defines Ka'anapali. Even now, at peak season, looking north along the coast from KS, the shoreline is just occasional pockets of sand. So I can see how, during low sand periods, KS beach might be bereft of sand.

Also, according to sales personnel at KBC (sales personnel, so caution is warranted), the inventory arrangement with KS is just a temporary relationship arranged through DRI marketing to bring more people to the presentations at KBC as they work through the added inventory they acquired due to water intrusion related defaults at Point at Poipu. It does not part of a program by DRI to expend member reservation options, as was the now-terminated relationship with Hapimag. If so, too bad; as one can tell we like KS more than KBC.

 

[IslandDaze]

Also, according to sales personnel at KBC (sales personnel, so caution is warranted), the inventory arrangement with KS is just a temporary relationship arranged through DRI marketing to bring more people to the presentations at KBC as they work through the added inventory they acquired due to water intrusion related defaults at Point at Poipu. It does not part of a program by DRI to expend member reservation options, as was the now-terminated relationship with Hapimag. If so, too bad; as one can tell we like KS more than KBC.

Interesting. Out of curiosity, how far in advance did you book your current stay? When I search for KS availability for the next year I find very few dates available for a week stay. Mainly around holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, which fits with the explanation you were given. If it's a peak period and KBC needs more capacity for prospects they partner with KS. If KBC has plenty of room they don't need to funnel people to KS.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Interesting. Out of curiosity, how far in advance did you book your current stay? When I search for KS availability for the next year I find very few dates available for a week stay. Mainly around holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, which fits with the explanation you were given. If it's a peak period and KBC needs more capacity for prospects they partner with KS. If KBC has plenty of room they don't need to funnel people to KS.

I don't recall the exact date. I'm pretty sure it was about four or five months ago.