Help, Marriott Maui Ocean Club or Westin Nanea Ocean Villas?

[Shiba]

Currently exchanged into MOC, but drew the short end of the stick with island view limited kitchen. A unit is available with the same dates at Westin Nanea. We’ve never been to Maui. Who has the better pool(s)? We like to hang out by the pool at least two days of our vacation. No kids on this trip. Help us decide MOC or the Westin?

 

[DeniseM]

Nanea units are full-size condos, and they are much newer and have fully equipped kitchens - as you may know, MOC units are repurposed hotel rooms. I'd definitely go with Nanea.

 

[siesta]

I think MOC has a better pool than Nanea, but staying at Nanea you can use the pools at WKORV and WKORVN too.

We prefer the part of the beach by the Westin timeshares.

 

[alwysonvac]

Nanea has better units (full kitchen with washer and dryer) along with a nice pool.

MOC is a hotel conversion without a full kitchen (no in room washer/dryer). But MOC has lots of pools.

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/oggwo-the-westin-nanea-ocean-villas-kaanapali/overview/

Maui Vacation Rentals | Marriott Maui Ocean Club - Molokai, Maui

Enjoy our convenient wet bar area, separate living and sleeping areas and complimentary Wi-Fi when you book a spacious one- or two-bedroom suite.

www.marriott.com

 

[JIMinNC]

The answer to your question may depend on what is most important to you. If the unit itself (and the kitchen) is most important, then Westin Nanea may be the best for you. If location and proximity to restaurants that you can walk to is more important, then Marriott's Maui Ocean Club may be the better choice.

Nanea is located on North Kaanapali Beach, and is an easy walk to Duke's Beach House restaurant (one of our Maui favorites) at the Honua Kai condos, but I think that's about the only restaurant option up there. By contrast Maui Ocean Club is on South Kaanapali and is a short walk to many great places. Longhi's is right there in Maui Ocean Club, Ulu Kitchen by Merriman is about a 5-7 minute walk up the Beachwalk at the Westin hotel, and about 10 minutes up the beach is Whaler's Village with Hula Grill, Leilani's, and Monkeypod. You may be able to take a roundabout walk and walk to these places from Westin Nanea, but it would be a much longer and more circuitous route.

We eat out almost every meal when traveling, so the limited kitchens at Marriott's Maui Ocean Club is not a negative at all for us. But if you are the type of travelers that prefers to eat in, then Nanea may suit you better.

 

[djohnst1]

The Westin resorts on North Ka’anapali Beach have a free shuttle to Whalers Village and the Cannery. Makes it easy.

 

[vacationtime1]

The problem with Nanea is that about 15% of the Resort View units look out at a multi-story parking garage. We go to Hawaii to look at the ocean, not a parking garage. We spend a lot of time on the lanai, and a garage view would seriously impact our level of enjoyment.

Some views at MOC are also lousy, but you get to see your view category in advance (as you noted). If it were me, I would be re-exchanging for MOC until I got an OV or OF room.

 

[Shiba]

Thanks for all your insights its much appreciated. The kitchen is not that all important to me, don't mind the community kitchen as long as it's not too busy. At least we won't have bacon smell in the unit. Community laundry is fine too, I'll get it done all at once.

I'm more concerned about the crappy island view and have a suspicion I'll be looking at the dumpsters. What are the odds that MOC will put us in a different view room? I'll be good with garden view. We spend some time on the lanai, but mostly we like hanging around the beach especially at sunset. Since Maui is a new place for us we will be exploring the island during the day and probably in the hot tub afterwards. That's why the pool area is important to us.

Is there a way to see what view you're getting in II before you confirm the exchange?

 

[pspercy]

We’re at Nanea now and own at MOC which is next week’s digs
MOC pool is much larger than at Nanea, preferable in my opinion. Island view units at MOC vary but they’re only at floors two and three so overlook anything on the ground, third floor is a better view of west Maui hills with golf course in the foreground.
IV or OV you’ll have a great trip !

 

[GrayFal]

Is there a way to see what view you're getting in II before you confirm the exchange?

No, but when you are in the lowest view categories what do you have to lose by EPlus-ing? I rolled the dice at KBC and got an oceanfront unit.

 

[Shiba]

That’s my problem I used my last ePlus on MOC and I would have to retrade at this point. Don’t necessarily want to pay another fee to end up in the same view category.

 

[mjm1]

That’s my problem I used my last ePlus on MOC and I would have to retrade at this point. Don’t necessarily want to pay another fee to end up in the same view category.

You would be fine either way, so sticking with MOC should be good. The pools are very good and we really enjoy being able to simply walk along the beach to Whaler’s Village, etc.

 

[Chrispee]

Someone more knowledgable should confirm, but if my memory serves me correctly I've exchanged into both "garden view" and "island view" at MOC. The island view I got was indeed a fairly crappy view of the back parking lot. The garden view was a nice one overlooking the sports court. I've also been lucky enough to trade into ocean view and ocean front units there and they have been incredible views.

Personally I'd pay a full retrade and head to Nanea if I received either of the bottom two categories. You're not likely to get a great view at Nanea either but the units are a step above in quality. Also you could easily justify the full retrade fee if you just cooked a couple of extra meals in the wonderful full kitchen the Nanea units have.

 

[alwysonvac]

Definitely make reservations if you plan to eat at Whaler’s Village. In late March, it was a mob scene at dinner time.