Arrived at WKORV yesterday

[luv_maui]

We arrived mid afternoon yesterday, so not a lot to report. Our friends are OV owners and reserved exactly 12 months out first thing in the morning. We're on the 6th floor of building two overlooking the pool and ocean. So, that time stamp did work this time.

At check-in there's we found out there's now valet parking for only $9/day. I thought about it for just a split second and said - NOT. We had dinner poolside and our kids (between 6-12) eat free between 5:30pm - 9(?) pm. This made the meal somewhat affordable. We were hungry after the long plane ride (6 hours) from Oregon. The couple sitting behind my son and I at the end of the plane ride asked if I knew if I was planning to get a workout on this flight? I must have accessed our carry-ons in the overhead at least 20 times - not kidding here. Well......I love my kids. We also rented one of those portable elecontronic players on Hawaiian airlines for $15 (came with two headphones), so my kids could watch from a selection of movies, TV shows, music, etc. Great idea and it helped pass the 6 hours quickly for them in between me getting snack food, stuffed animals, books, IPOD, Nintendo DS, etc.

The 4 of us are in the lockoff side. We're very thankful our WKORV owners invited us to stay with them during Oregon's spring break. I went to the 24/7Safeway grocery store last night and must have had about 30-40 plastic bags full of groceries. I was buying for both families and our friends arrived about 6 hours after us using FF miles. I had a bellman help me because it would have taken me forever to bring up all those groceries just a couple bags at a time. Then, I had to go back to Safeway because I bought regular pop instead of diet. I made a special effort to buy regular and avoided the diet since I really thought it said regular but my wife pointed out where the list did say "diet." I was rushing since I must have been in that Safeway store for maybe 90 minutes. The cart was so full that I needed two carts to wheel it out in order to not crush all the bread and other soft food.

Well.....I can't use the in-room internet connection since the family is sleeping, so I thought I'd check out the business center (also open 24/7) with printer access. I'll try the wi-fi later as well to see where it all works.

Our intermediate car could barely hold all the luggage for the four of us. The kids in the back had luggage in between them. We would normally would have stopped at Costco on K-Mart to pick up some things but needed to really unload our luggage first. I'm with Denise, I could have gotten by with just carry-ons, but with kids, well....... did I say I love my family. We had a checked piece with just shoes!

It was so comfortable walking in shorts and the sun was just so beautiful when we arrived. The temperature on the car stated 79 and it moved to 85 by the time we got to WKORV.

Well.......bye for now.

 

[Transit]

Hope you have a pleasant stay is sounds as if it was a trial getting there.

 

[Denise L]

Sounds like an awesome view/villa and nice weather, too ! Enjoy your stay! Great friends you have to invite you along to Maui! I hope that you have a great time!

 

[luv_maui]

Absolutely beautiful day. An occasional shower for maybe 5 minutes or so. The beach was fantastic, however, my son cut his foot on some rocks pretty good. I talked to the first Westin person I saw near our building and he suggested calling security and they would send someone up toour room right away. We made our way up to our room, washed off his foot and about 10 minutes later someone from security with a first aid kit attended to my son. First some hydrogen peroxide, then some cleaning of sand off the wound, some antiobiotic stuff and then a very big band-aid. He got my son's name, date of birth, what happened and then left. We thanked him for his help and then off he went.

High speed internet works well in the room. The wi-fi in the lobby worked and then part way out to the pool. It didn't work too far away from the lobby.

Early this morning we checked out the workout room and game room. Very nice exercise room here in building 2. It was quite busy at 6:30am which kind of surprised me. Those individual TVs would make working out easier, on the cardio equipment.

Tomorrow looks like more of paradise pool side. I thought about attending the presentation here, but not sure if my spouse will go for it this time.

All the best pool chairs were practically gone at 7am this morning. I initially couldn't figure out how people had pool tools to cover chairs when the pool shack was closed. I guess you can get pool towels at the check-in desk as well. There's a limit of 2 pool towels per person and they were enforcing it at the pool shack yesterday because my spouse could only get two.

 

[luv_maui]

Pool chairs have been getting snagged earlier and earlier. Today There were quite a few snagged at 6am since I got there at 6:15am. They were pink taping towels on chairs that were unattended for a while. We even had three of our chairs' towels removed.

Our mid-week tidy did NOT include a replenish of kitchen or laundry supplies. I assumed it did, but was told no after calling service express.

 

[Denise L]

Pool chairs have been getting snagged earlier and earlier. Today There were quite a few snagged at 6am since I got there at 6:15am. They were pink taping towels on chairs that were unattended for a while. We even had three of our chairs' towels removed.

Our mid-week tidy did NOT include a replenish of kitchen or laundry supplies. I assumed it did, but was told no after calling service express.

Wow, is it that crowded? Is it Spring Break folks from all over? Is everyone sitting on their chairs at 6:15 AM?

A couple of reviews (mine included) have mentioned no replenishment of laundry or kitchen supplies before. We just picked up those supplies at Safeway for the week.

 

[Courts]

Keep us posted on the weather.

We were there March 9 to 23rd and had only three days without rain, however, only three days were completely rained out.

Guess we were lucky to get chairs at 8 am.

 

[luv_maui]

Weather has been just beautiful - an occasional shower/rain but just for a few minutes. They have extra pool chairs (not padded but a thin plastic/vinyl?) stacked in case needed. They have aome out between building 2 and the lobby walk path.

I usually make it down by about 6 - 6:30 and can get our usual spot, but there are certainly others that get there earlier since the front row between the restaurant and pool always seem to be gone when I get down there.

 

[DavidnRobin]

WKORV owners should ask WKORV staff to enforce the chair situation. When we were in November - the same thing - people would claim chairs, and for hours they would never be used (if at all) , Or if they were used - people would leave their towels on them so you couldn't tell they were now available.

 

[Negma]

This is one of my pet peeves. It would be easy to inform people at check in of the pool policy. If towels or chairs are left unattended for 1 hour (or whatever), the chair will be considered as open. Another option would be there is no saving of chair period. This is even worse in Atlantis.

 

[saluki]

I totally agree. Between the early morning drive-by chair-grabbing (then not showing up for hours) & the people too lazy/inconsiderate to drop their towels in the return bin when they're finished, it is highly aggravating.

 

[formerhater]

The chair issue was in full effect last week. We prefer the beach to the pool so it wasn't a huge issue for us, but staff clearly paid no attention to the scores of unattended "saved" chairs.

 

[luv_maui]

They appear to be enforcing the pool policy. I've seen them take a whole row of empty chairs with simply towels on them. Today I read the first 7 chapters of the Bible from the new testament of Matthew while I waited for the rest of my group to join me by the lounge chairs. We usually have at least one person there with the chairs.

Today it was a small yellow sticky on the chair to indicate when they came by last.

 

[barndweller]

They appear to be enforcing the pool policy.

Yeah!!

Pool chair saving. This is my biggest pet peeve. Those who do this are jerks! Pure & simple. Their complete disregard of the rules and the "I'm entitled" attitude is an example of the rapid deterioration of common courtesy in our society today. I have zero respect for these people and zero tolerance for the practice. My policy is the same as the resorts'. If there is no actual person occupying a chair, it's open to anyone.

If you are someone who does this, STOP. Don't continue to be "one of those people."

 

[luv_maui]

Yeah!!

Pool chair saving. This is my biggest pet peeve. Those who do this are jerks! Pure & simple. Their complete disregard of the rules and the "I'm entitled" attitude is an example of the rapid deterioration of common courtesy in our society today. I have zero respect for these people and zero tolerance for the practice. My policy is the same as the resorts'. If there is no actual person occupying a chair, it's open to anyone.

If you are someone who does this, STOP. Don't continue to be "one of those people."

I have to disagree. What if you're going into the pool for a short swim or if you're going to BBQ for lunch. I just don't like those reserving chairs and not occupying for hours. I think the one hour rule is to take into account that you could be in the pool, going to the bathroom, going back to your room for something, etc.

 

[barndweller]

We all know that those carefully placed towels or a single flip flop shoe are not placed on a chair because the occupant is going to the potty!! I have absolutely no problem with folks who are using the chair but have gone for a dip in the pool. It is pretty obvious to most anyone when a chair is actually being occupied. It is rarely a single chair & there are other party members. I do have a problem with people who LEAVE to go to lunch. That is no better than the jerks who go down at 6am to "save" chairs. NO RESERVING CHAIRS, PERIOD. If you care so much about having your chosen chair, bring your damn lunch with you. Or send one of your party to bring lunch back while the rest of you remain. If you want a particular chair for the day, you had better be in it ALL day. Or it is fair game for anyone who IS ACTUALLY THERE. That is the reason this practice has become so pervasive. Everyone keeps stretching what THEY think is okay. It is simply not okay. Rant over.:ignore:

 

[DavidnRobin]

or just tell someone close by that you will be back in a few minutes (some of us travel as a couple only...)

 

[mepiccolo]

I completely agree with Luv Maui- it is very inconsiderate and self-centered to leave a pool-side chair reserved but unattended "in case" the person wants to ever come back to the pool area and occupy it.

Last year every single damn day all the chairs around the kiddie pool were not being used but they all had towels on them. We were normally down there 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours and no one came back in that time period EVER. Unfortunately that meant my husband and I had to just sit at the side of the kiddie pool because our kids are too little to not be nearby in the pool area.

Unfortunately the "I am entitled" attitude in people seems to come out even more when they are on vacation. These self-centered people seem to forget other people also are on their vacations and a little courtesy would go a long way in making it pleasurable for every one. I saw this attitude from: my neighbors who insisted on leaving their trash bag right outside of our front door instead of theirs (we were in the center..but still come on!) I had 2 kids in diapers and I was SO tempted to leave a trash bag full of dirty diapers leaning on their front door by the middle of the week), the reserving the pool-side lounges and never coming around to use it hoarding, the parents who let their kids jump in and out of the jacuzzi with NO supervision while other adult guests there are trying to relax, the person smoking on the lanai below us so we got all their smoke onto our balcony. What ever happened to treat others the way you would like to be treated?

 

[barndweller]

Yeah, I sit on a pool chair at 6:30am reading my Bible all the time. Everyone is "entitled" to the use of the pool chairs. The people that sneak down at 6am to put a towel on a chair are no better than someone cutting in a line at Disneyland or zooming up beside the lane full of cars heading to an off-ramp & cutting in at the last minute. Those who have enjoyed a lounge during the morning & then go to lunch, leaving all their crap strewn on the chairs, are no better. Explain to me why that is alright? It is selfish & inconsiderate. ADMIT IT. It is no different than the people who light up a cigarette at the pool or on their balcony or patio when people are close and may be bothered by the smell. Inconsiderate, selfish, self-centered. If you want the chair, then park your keester in it, people. Read the Bible or read Payton Place, I don't care. Just park yourself in the darn chair. And keep it there or the chair is mine! I've had it with this "yeah, but" stuff. Yeah, but, what if I just want to run back to the room? Yeah, but, I just want to get some lunch. Balderdash! You're hogging the chair all day and you know it. I won't play that stupid game. You leave your stuff on a chair at dark-o-clock am & it ain't gonna be there when you show up at 10am if I'm around. You leave to go eat, wham, that chair is mine. You want a chair reserved for your butt alone, you'd better bring your own from home.

 

[rocky]

I love barndweller. She's right. I always go down to the pool and take whatever towel draped chair I want. My husband just dies when I do it. Personally, I love to do it. And no one has ever said a word to me about it.

 

[Denise L]

All this talk of lounge chairs is making me rethink our Easter week trip for 2008...maybe we should just go to WKORV at a less busy time and avoid the hassle .

Last year, we brought our stuff from the room and put it on the lawn by a tree or on a chair by the BBQs. No one used those spots. Then we would go to the beach or swim, and retrieve our items later. This worked out okay.

 

[ciscogizmo1]

All this talk of lounge chairs is making me rethink our Easter week trip for 2008...maybe we should just go to WKORV at a less busy time and avoid the hassle .

Last year, we brought our stuff from the room and put it on the lawn by a tree or on a chair by the BBQs. No one used those spots. Then we would go to the beach or swim, and retrieve our items later. This worked out okay.

Isn't the North side suppose to be opened by then. Maybe the chair hogs will move pools.

We've only been in the summer and we haven't had an issue with the pools chairs. However, we do spend the majority of our time at the beach. I can tell that many people sitting at the pool chairs aren't guests which I think causes part of the problem. For example, last summer my nephew who was staying at condo down the road came to our pool every day whether he was invited or not. He thought the chicks were hotter here. Anyways, we went to their pool one day and nobody was at it. So I think some how they need to get the pool hoppers out of there. And, maybe that will alleviate the problem.

 

[pointsjunkie]

they should do the wrist band thing like they do at the atlantis.it's very easy to see people who do not belong. it's funny , the pool at harborside is never crowded. we go to the atlantis once or twice and then the rest of the week we stay at harborside. The kids go to the atlantis and the beach.

 

[ciscogizmo1]

they should do the wrist band thing like they do at the atlantis.it's very easy to see people who do not belong. it's funny , the pool at harborside is never crowded. we go to the atlantis once or twice and then the rest of the week we stay at harborside. The kids go to the atlantis and the beach.

Last summer they had a wrist band that you got at the top of the slide. To get it all you had to do was say your room number. Well our nephew would use our room number. Also the wrist band was only for the slide pretty much.

At the Marriott Ko'Olina they had wrist bands for just hanging out in the pool area. You really don't need it there but I guess they just wanted to make sure.

Also, I wonder how many people invite others people to the pool that are staying elsewhere. One day we saw about 15 girls enter one unit. So I want to believe not all those girls were staying in the unit but they were visiting from other condos.

 

[BradC]

At the Marriott Ko'Olina they had wrist bands for just hanging out in the pool area.

You can always spot a Marriott owner by the funny tan line on their wrist.