Does anyone know which building this might be in Ko Olina?

[rosepointe]

I was just wondering if anyone has an idea what building area or view this might be? We own oceanside at the Surf Club (and I know it probably does not make a difference when trading) and I usually call ahead with a request if it is possible. We would like to be near adult pools. No children coming on this trip with us.
Thanks,
Sue

Confirmed To:
Marriott's Ko Olina • MKO
Unit: ZZAB (2 bedrooms)
Week: 45

 

[frank808]

Would be a mountain view. With this code I would say it would be in the moana or kona buildings. I think naia tower uses TOVI code but am not certain.

 

[LAX Mom]

ZZAB is island/mountain view. With that view I usually request high floor. Some of the mountain view units in the Kona building actually have a decent view of the ocean. Your best option is to get something on a high floor overlooking the 1st pool. Ko'Olina doesn't have any pools for adults only.

 

[frank808]

LAX Mom....being a frequent trader into MKO I would like to pick your brain for some info. I also trade into MKO (about 6 times this year alone with another week at the end of July). I only get low floors regardless of view. I have even gotten the same unit twice this year. Its a "ocean view" in kona tower that looks into palm trees on the 3rd floor. I really donot see how it can be an ocean view but probably garden/pool view. Well the resort is GREAT no matter what view I get.
I was just wondering if I purchased an ocean view and became an owner at MKO. Do you think I be getting a higher floor on a EXCHANGE that has ocean view assigned to it? If anyone has an answer, please chime in. thank you

 

[slum808]

Frank, you might get a better room in July with the opening of the second half of the Naia tower. My family just exchanged into a OV and got an OV 5th floor facing Lagoon 4. They loved the room.

 

[LAX Mom]

LAX Mom....being a frequent trader into MKO I would like to pick your brain for some info. I also trade into MKO (about 6 times this year alone with another week at the end of July). I only get low floors regardless of view. I have even gotten the same unit twice this year. Its a "ocean view" in kona tower that looks into palm trees on the 3rd floor. I really donot see how it can be an ocean view but probably garden/pool view. Well the resort is GREAT no matter what view I get.
I was just wondering if I purchased an ocean view and became an owner at MKO. Do you think I be getting a higher floor on a EXCHANGE that has ocean view assigned to it? If anyone has an answer, please chime in. thank you

I think Ko'Olina gives priority on views to Ko'Olina owners, first to those using their own weeks and then to owners who have exchanged in to Ko'Olina.

My experience has been similar to yours. I own Marriotts, but not at Ko'Olina. I ended up on lower floors many times. I might have an ocean view unit, but it would be one of the worst ocean views. I always request high floor and have had some very nice views from the 8th, 9th and even 14th floor. It all depends on how many owners they have occupying their weeks when you are there.

Beautiful resort and I've never been unhappy with my units. One time they offered to move me the next day, but by then I decided I liked the privacy and quiet of our unit facing the refinery.

 

[Werner Weiss]

I was just wondering if anyone has an idea what building area or view this might be? We own oceanside at the Surf Club (and I know it probably does not make a difference when trading) and I usually call ahead with a request if it is possible. We would like to be near adult pools. No children coming on this trip with us.
Thanks,
Sue

Confirmed To:
Marriott's Ko Olina • MKO
Unit: ZZAB (2 bedrooms)
Week: 45

This a full 2BR/2BA (both parts of a lock-off 1BR+studio) villa, Island View, at Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club.

You could stay in a villa in any of the three towers (the original Hale Kona, Hale Moana toward the back of the property, or Hale Naia which is the newest.)

In comparison, if you had exchanged into TOVI, which is a dedicated (non-lock-off) 2BR/2BA, Island View, you could only be in the Naia because it's the only tower with TOVI villas.

At Ko Olina, there are four specific villa categories. You're supposed to get the category you exchange into:

Ocean View Penthouse (higher ceiling and nobody above you)
Island View Penthouse (higher ceiling and nobody above you)
Ocean View
Island View

For an Island View villa, I think the most important thing is to get a higher floor. The parking decks are at the bases of the towers. From a high floor, you really won't notice the parking unless you look straight down.

You won't get the top floor because you don't have a Penthouse. Ko Olina owners have first priority during the villa assignment process, so I would't count on a very high floor either.

If I were in your shoes, I would request a villa on the highest available floor, regardless of the building. Make sure they note that you are a Marriott owner, not just a II exchanger from a non-Marriott property; that might help.

You wrote that you "would like to be near adult pools." Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club does not have adults-only pools or any sort of quiet pool that children avoid.

The photos below show an example of an Island View from the Moana Tower and how the bottom floors are right above the parking decks.

 

[BocaBoy]

Ko Olina always puts owners on higher floors than exchangers (unless the owner wants a lower floor, of course). Being an owner pretty much guarantees that you will not get a "palm tree view" where you could see the ocean only if the trees were not there.

 

[frank808]

Frank, you might get a better room in July with the opening of the second half of the Naia tower. My family just exchanged into a OV and got an OV 5th floor facing Lagoon 4. They lo
ved the room.

I only wish it were true. We checked out last nonth june just as they were opening naia tower units. Checked back in this Sunday with oceanview unit and got the exact same unit in moana tower. All I can see is the pool and palm trees until Sunday.
I will have to see what unit I get when we check in next Friday for another week in oceanview.

 

[gblotter]

The parking lot views are assigned to Encore package reservations in addition to exchangers.

Some friends accompanied us to Ko Olina two years ago using an Encore package (they had their own unit). The parking lot view shown in the photo above is exactly what they received. They protested vigorously to no avail.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

The parking lot views are assigned to Encore package reservations in addition to exchangers.

Some friends accompanied us to Ko Olina two years ago using an Encore package (they had their own unit). The parking lot view shown in the photo above is exactly what they received. They protested vigorously to no avail.

The plus side to this location is that it's easy to get out in the event of an emergency. Also, spending your time in the elevator is very limited....



.

 

[rosepointe]

Thank you all for the responses. I was just curious about the layout and room locations. We had a great mountain view in Maui a few years ago and we were very happy with it. Since we will be going to Austrailia from Hawaii to begin a 30 day cruise to Asia we will get to see plenty of ocean....a hard job but someone has to do it.

I do call ahead to the room assigner(s) and request the best they can give and let them know that we are a Marriott trade and would love a high floor if they can make it work. I certainly understand owners requests are priorty.

We are looking forward to this stop as we begin our 20th anniversary present to eachother....

If anyone knows of an inexpensive hotel to stay at for 1 night near the resort please let us know if not I might just PL at the A/P for the night before we get into Ko Olina.

Thank Again,
Sue

 

[alhanna]

There is one pool designated as a "reflection, quiet" pool. There were some very young children in it but the pool was much more quiet than the other two pools. It is the middle pool.

 

[javabean]

We have stayed at the Courtyard Wakikki, 400 Royal Hawaiian Ave, (a block or two from the beach and main drag) for two nights between stays at KoOlina and Kauai Beach Club. It was just fine for the purpose but I would never recommend that a family plan their entire Hawaiian vacation around this location. We used MR points. Flyertalk.com has an entire thread on which building and view to request at that location.

 

[mkahanek]

LAX Mom....being a frequent trader into MKO I would like to pick your brain for some info. I also trade into MKO (about 6 times this year alone with another week at the end of July). I only get low floors regardless of view. I have even gotten the same unit twice this year. Its a "ocean view" in kona tower that looks into palm trees on the 3rd floor. I really donot see how it can be an ocean view but probably garden/pool view. Well the resort is GREAT no matter what view I get.
I was just wondering if I purchased an ocean view and became an owner at MKO. Do you think I be getting a higher floor on a EXCHANGE that has ocean view assigned to it? If anyone has an answer, please chime in. thank you

Frank,

I believe owning there does carry some weight. I own a mountain view. I re-traded my mountain view studio and got a 2BR Ocean View last September. I also fronted the stay with a 1 night Marriott Reward point stay. For the one night they put my in an "ocean view" studio on the ground floor. Their plan was simply to unlock the 1BR for my 2BR stay.

I went to the front desk and politely told them that I expected better than ground floor in that I own there at MKO. I told them I would rather have a high floor mountain than a ground floor ocean and that I thought owning at MKO would give me higher than 6. The manager on duty agreed. She would see what she could do.

As I was driving to the airport to pick up the rest of my party, I got a call from the manager and she had secured me a 2BR on the 8th floor of Moana. Ocean View.

So yes. I think if you own a week there then you carry a bit more weight.

 

[mkahanek]

The parking lot views are assigned to Encore package reservations in addition to exchangers.

Some friends accompanied us to Ko Olina two years ago using an Encore package (they had their own unit). The parking lot view shown in the photo above is exactly what they received. They protested vigorously to no avail.

Kind of a double edged sword. Yea. MKO owners should get the better views. But, if you paid $$ for a second peak and a hope from Marriott to purchase. Exactly how would this view tease you enough to pull the trigger?

 

[rosepointe]

We have stayed at the Courtyard Wakikki, 400 Royal Hawaiian Ave, (a block or two from the beach and main drag) for two nights between stays at KoOlina and Kauai Beach Club. It was just fine for the purpose but I would never recommend that a family plan their entire Hawaiian vacation around this location. We used MR points. Flyertalk.com has an entire thread on which building and view to request at that location.

Thanks. We get in at 4pm so I don't want to spend a fortune for one night. I have pricelined resorts before and got great hotels for 120 per night...The Outrigger and The Sheraton. So we are looking for something low price and it can even be near the a/p.

I did check the resort but nothing is available.

Will check out the Courtyard.

I am a member of Flyer Talk and I still cannot navigate their system well. It has so much info

Sue