Grand Luxxe NV renovation

[WEAVER9710]

I traded, back in November, into a 4BR residence club room for July 2018 through interval. I just received an email that the 4br units will be undergoing extensive renovations and they have offered to accommodate me in two-two bedroom side by side units "at no additional cost". Looking at their website, it appears that two 2br units are far inferior to the 4br residence club unit. It's very frustrating since I have 8 other people going who have already booked flights. I have never been to this resort so can anyone let me know about the 2 br units vs the 4br?

 

[Eric B]

You would want to ask what 2 BR units they would be; side-by-side ones could be suites, spas or lofts. The villa units aren’t really side-by-sideable because they’re on the corners of the buildings with suites in between.

You can see the different unit types on the Vidanta web site.

 

[PamMo]

Sorry to hear that, WEAVER9710. It's so disappointing and frustrating to have a resort change a reservation you've been planning on for months!

We just came home from a vacation in a 4BR residence suite in GL-NV, and it was a fabulous unit. It was a step up in luxury from our last stay in a top floor corner 3BR spa suite in Tower 4, which I thought at the time was the most incredible timeshare accommodation I'd ever seen. I've heard many of the 2BR's are very nice, too, but I haven't stayed in one. I visited someone in a loft unit, though, and the living area was really nice!

I plan an annual trip for my sisters to get together, and they loved sharing the big open living areas inside and out in the 4BR suite. We live all over the country so spent our vacation time with lots of togetherness and talking. Looking at possible positives, I think having two 2BR units would give you and your guests more privacy than the 4BR, and you'd get an extra dipping pool on the deck, so maybe it would work out well? At least I hope so for your sake. Hopefully you can get some direction from Tuggers who know the resort well to get assigned really great suites!

 

[winnipiseogee]

Sitting on the balcony of a 4br unit in GL-NV right now (and experiencing the joys of the renovation - haven’t really had an elevator at all this week) It’s our first time in one of these units although we’ve stayed at the 2bedroom units before. The bad news is that the 4br unit really is way better than 2, 2bedroom units. Way better.

The good news is that the 2bedroom units are still amazing units and until this week some of the nicest hotel rooms we’ve ever stayed in (and we used to be rather spoiled) So your situation sucks but I’d take their offer and still come down. The property is insane. Try insisting on tower 5 so that you have access to the rooftop pool and restaurant. The view is amazing.

Interestingly the spaces are phenomenal in the 4bedrooms but the kitchen are much more poorly stocked than the 2 bedroom units. We have young kids and normally cook all of our dinners in the room but we’ve had to rely on room service because the kitchen just doesn’t work well for food prep. I guess they think the people in 4bedroom units have enough money that they don’t need to cook.

One other benefit of the 2-2 bedrooms is that will give you a little more privacy. As nice as the 4bedroom unit is it would be a bit much to have 10people in the room together for the entire week. The 2bedroom units we’ve stayed in previously had separate kitchenettes and sitting rooms for the second bedroom. So with 2 units you had 4 living areas outside of the bedrooms. In the 4 bedroom unit you only have one large living space.

Hope that helps

 

[Eric B]

Tower 5 doesn’t have any 2 BR units, I believe.

 

[hellolani]

Tower 5 is all 1 BR and studio lofts. The 4BRs are in the Residence tower and they should have their own rooftop pool, skypool, I think? I check into a 4BR on May 5th, and have never stayed in one before. Planning to cook the whole week, any tips on what I'll need to bring? Is there at least a pot, a pan and a sharp knife?

 

[winnipiseogee]

There are pots and pans that are pretty decent. Only one knife and its not remotely sharp. No paring knives or steak knives. No vegetable peeler. The biggest issue is no bowls. The only bowls are cereal bowls and they are only big enough to beat 3 or 4 eggs at a time. I was going to run to walmart and get a few cheap mixing bowls but it never happened. The kitchen itself is beautiful - just wish I had stuff to use it!

 

[bizaro86]

Did anyone suggest a time line on when this would be done? We are going in the fall and would prefer to know sooner rather than later if it's going to be an issue.

 

[leth1212]

I received the same email on friday saying the same thing, just hard to imagine such a new building will need major renovation already. My concern is there's so many different kind of 2 bedrooms variations in Grand Luxxe, try to figure out which one I will be getting in last week of august is impossible and II has no idea either. As we all know from some well know facts that we will get the worst view, construction site and lower floor from exchange guests, just hope that since we were exchanged into the residence club and hopefully will get 2 bedroom residence club loft units.

 

[lorribarnes]

We are going in June in 4br units. Did they say when this is starting? We do not have any emails or anything.

 

[lorribarnes]

we are scheduled for June 3-July 5th. The first week is in a two bedroom unit and then we move to 4 bedroom untis. Do you know when the reno is going to start on the 4 bedroom units? is the pool going to be worked on? thank you for your help.

Sitting on the balcony of a 4br unit in GL-NV right now (and experiencing the joys of the renovation - haven’t really had an elevator at all this week) It’s our first time in one of these units although we’ve stayed at the 2bedroom units before. The bad news is that the 4br unit really is way better than 2, 2bedroom units. Way better.

The good news is that the 2bedroom units are still amazing units and until this week some of the nicest hotel rooms we’ve ever stayed in (and we used to be rather spoiled) So your situation sucks but I’d take their offer and still come down. The property is insane. Try insisting on tower 5 so that you have access to the rooftop pool and restaurant. The view is amazing.

Interestingly the spaces are phenomenal in the 4bedrooms but the kitchen are much more poorly stocked than the 2 bedroom units. We have young kids and normally cook all of our dinners in the room but we’ve had to rely on room service because the kitchen just doesn’t work well for food prep. I guess they think the people in 4bedroom units have enough money that they don’t need to cook.

One other benefit of the 2-2 bedrooms is that will give you a little more privacy. As nice as the 4bedroom unit is it would be a bit much to have 10people in the room together for the entire week. The 2bedroom units we’ve stayed in previously had separate kitchenettes and sitting rooms for the second bedroom. So with 2 units you had 4 living areas outside of the bedrooms. In the 4 bedroom unit you only have one large living space.

Hope that helps

 

[WEAVER9710]

They didn't give me any specific info on the renovations. We are scheduled to get there on July 13th.

 

[amanven]

I would think there would be some kind of renovations going on at GL-NV at almost any time of the year. Does Vidanta post anything like a renovation schedule on their webside so a person knows what areas of the resort or which units might be under renovation at any given time?

 

[WEAVER9710]

Well, I've informed everyone of our downgrade. While disappointed that we won't get the 4 bdrm, everyone is still excited to go. I'm just hoping Vidanta takes into consideration what we had originally booked when assigning us rooms.

I have a question about charging to the bands. How will this work with 9 people all under my reservation. Can certain bands be put under a different credit card? That's how they did it for us at Disney. There are 4 people leaving a couple days earlier than the rest, so I'm hoping it's easy to differentiate charges.

 

[NiteMaire]

Well, I've informed everyone of our downgrade. While disappointed that we won't get the 4 bdrm, everyone is still excited to go. I'm just hoping Vidanta takes into consideration what we had originally booked when assigning us rooms.

I have a question about charging to the bands. How will this work with 9 people all under my reservation. Can certain bands be put under a different credit card? That's how they did it for us at Disney. There are 4 people leaving a couple days earlier than the rest, so I'm hoping it's easy to differentiate charges.

Yes. Let's say you are in Room 100. You can set up 100-1, 100-2, etc. When a room charge is made, just say, put it on Room 100-2, and it'll get charged to that account. You may want to ask about the per person per day charges. I can't remember if it all goes to one account or not.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

You may want to ask about the per person per day charges. I can't remember if it all goes to one account or not.

I believe the pp/pd charge is (now) paid at check in.

In Feb 2018 at MP-PV - Marina I paid ( $7 / old fee for this property ) at at check in on a RCI exchange . Our 2 sons were leaving on flights a day earlier so I was charged less / by giving this information .

Charging at check in makes sense : with the new fee & the 25% credit for restaurant etc. charges done at check out .

 

[WEAVER9710]

I just wanted to write a follow up to my original post. We arrived expecting to be placed in the two - two bedroom units. At check-in i was told that we were being placed back into the original 4 bedroom that I booked. We ended up with a beautiful 6th floor 4 bedroom residence. We had a wonderful vacation and I can't praise the resort staff enough for the level of service that we received.

I can confirm that there is an extensive renovation going on in the residence building. The front half of the building is currently closed for renovation. It appears that the building is made up of 36 4 bedroom units, so there are currently 18 open and 18 being renovated. I was told that after the renovation to the front half they would close the back half and renovate them. They are also working on a walkway from the residence building to the building IV pool. It looks like it will be finished in a couple weeks.

 

[bizaro86]

I just wanted to write a follow up to my original post. We arrived expecting to be placed in the two - two bedroom units. At check-in i was told that we were being placed back into the original 4 bedroom that I booked. We ended up with a beautiful 6th floor 4 bedroom residence. We had a wonderful vacation and I can't praise the resort staff enough for the level of service that we received.

I can confirm that there is an extensive renovation going on in the residence building. The front half of the building is currently closed for renovation. It appears that the building is made up of 36 4 bedroom units, so there are currently 18 open and 18 being renovated. I was told that after the renovation to the front half they would close the back half and renovate them. They are also working on a walkway from the residence building to the building IV pool. It looks like it will be finished in a couple weeks.

Thanks very much for the update! I appreciate it very much. Hopefully we still get a 4 bedroom for our trip this fall...

 

[TheHappyWanderer]

Thanks for the update. So it sounds like they are planning to renovate the 18 back half units this summer, right after finishing the 18 front units. Or are the 18 back half units to be renovated next but at a later date? Thanks!

 

[WEAVER9710]

It sounded like they would start renovating the back half as soon as the front half are finished. The goal is for all units to be renovated by their high season in December. I would guess that the back renovations would be going on in the fall. I was told that there would be a lobby for the front 18 units and a separate lobby for the back 18. Not sure how it was originally set up, since this was my first trip there.

 

[WineMeUp123]

It sounded like they would start renovating the back half as soon as the front half are finished. The goal is for all units to be renovated by their high season in December. I would guess that the back renovations would be going on in the fall. I was told that there would be a lobby for the front 18 units and a separate lobby for the back 18. Not sure how it was originally set up, since this was my first trip there.

WEAVER, did you make your reservation prior to the increase in the resort fee to the $30 pp/pd? We made our trade through RCI Platinum back in February and are scheduled to stay there end of September, coming up soon. At that time, there was no Resort Fee. I am wondering if they charged you the resort fee once you got there or did they waive the fee? And we also got the call about a month ago saying there was construction and we had to move into a 3BD unit, but the following week they called us back and said we are back into our 4BD unit. Thanks!

 

[Eric B]

Just stayed there in an older RCI exchange without a fee and they honored it.

 

[whitewater]

WEAVER, did you make your reservation prior to the increase in the resort fee to the $30 pp/pd? We made our trade through RCI Platinum back in February and are scheduled to stay there end of September, coming up soon. At that time, there was no Resort Fee. I am wondering if they charged you the resort fee once you got there or did they waive the fee? And we also got the call about a month ago saying there was construction and we had to move into a 3BD unit, but the following week they called us back and said we are back into our 4BD unit. Thanks!

vidanta will honor the fees if any based on what is on your reservation. take a copy and keep a copy for when you check out. 2x I've stayed with lower fees (pre fee hike) and both times they have honored with no questions.