Vistana Villages question

[dioxide45]

I'm heading to SVV in August. I have a 3BR in St Augustine booked. I remember reading somewhere that all 3BR in St Augustine are in building 25...is this correct? If not, any suggestions on building requests?

I looked at all the site plans for each of the buildings and I think you are right, only building 25 has three bedroom units in St Augustine. There are only 10 units and only on floors two through six. First floor is the Marketplace, The Link and the Fitness Center. Seventh floor is the sales gallery. There are two units on each floor in the middle bend. They are made up of a two bedroom and deluxe one bedroom unit.

 

[GTLINZ]

Just got back from my getaway at SVV.

@dioxide45 thanks for the tips. What a fabulous resort - the grounds and especially the main pool area are amazing. No Marriott timeshare pool complex compares except Lakeshore - and this is much easier to get into.

We got a 2nd floor room in Amelia and it was very nice - older but newly refurbed.

Just a few oddball things i noticed. The repaint on the main building is very sharp - looks much better than a lot of the pics i saw. The bella complex and lake waterfalls are amazing - will be the best place to stay after they get a refurb. But I would not really mind staying in any section - not a long walk to the main pool. The activities were a nice touch. Will be taking family back there in the future.

Any idea on when a refurb will happen? There are a lot of buildings ...

 

[jp10558]

Just got back from my getaway at SVV.

@dioxide45 thanks for the tips. What a fabulous resort - the grounds and especially the main pool area are amazing. No Marriott timeshare pool complex compares except Lakeshore - and this is much easier to get into.

We got a 2nd floor room in Amelia and it was very nice - older but newly refurbed.

Just a few oddball things i noticed. The repaint on the main building is very sharp - looks much better than a lot of the pics i saw. The bella complex and lake waterfalls are amazing - will be the best place to stay after they get a refurb. But I would not really mind staying in any section - not a long walk to the main pool. The activities were a nice touch. Will be taking family back there in the future.

Any idea on when a refurb will happen? There are a lot of buildings ...

I was reasonably happy in early December in Key West - but the mildew smell was very strong. Otherwise I enjoyed the place, though Key West is a haul in the cold from the Sauna / Steam room or the hot tub / main pool.

 

[dioxide45]

Just got back from my getaway at SVV.

@dioxide45 thanks for the tips. What a fabulous resort - the grounds and especially the main pool area are amazing. No Marriott timeshare pool complex compares except Lakeshore - and this is much easier to get into.

We got a 2nd floor room in Amelia and it was very nice - older but newly refurbed.

Just a few oddball things i noticed. The repaint on the main building is very sharp - looks much better than a lot of the pics i saw. The bella complex and lake waterfalls are amazing - will be the best place to stay after they get a refurb. But I would not really mind staying in any section - not a long walk to the main pool. The activities were a nice touch. Will be taking family back there in the future.

Any idea on when a refurb will happen? There are a lot of buildings ...

I've heard that the Bella refurb may not happen till 2026.

 

[dioxide45]

I was reasonably happy in early December in Key West - but the mildew smell was very strong. Otherwise I enjoyed the place, though Key West is a haul in the cold from the Sauna / Steam room or the hot tub / main pool.

I thought there was a sauna/steam room in the locker rooms of the Key West Clubhouse. Perhaps not. The Key West pool has a small hot tub.

 

[jp10558]

I thought there was a sauna/steam room in the locker rooms of the Key West Clubhouse. Perhaps not. The Key West pool has a small hot tub.

Huh, we missed it somehow. Well, if we ever go back maybe I'll remember lol.

 

[dioxide45]

Huh, we missed it somehow. Well, if we ever go back maybe I'll remember lol.

When I watched your video of the resort, you entered the Key West Pool area on the opposite side of where the hot tub is. it is behind a tree on the other side, but not hard to see when you are closer to it. It didn't seem that you walked all the way around the Key West Pool.

 

[kozykritter]

I just returned from 3 weeks at SVV in a small one bedroom in Key West in building 16. I asked to be as far away as possible from I-Drive because I hate car noise and this and building 17 next to it are that. The positives were I liked the layout of the unit/overall style of decor, and I enjoyed my view into the woods because there was no noise from happy pool goers/activities. The staff was also exceedingly nice. However most everything else had some issues. The carpet was stained and frayed in spots and had a weird long divot underneath it near the dining area that someone with any kind of balance issues could easily have a problem with/cause a fall. The dining table chairs were uncomfortable to sit in for any period of time and had their fake leather seat material flaking off everywhere. The outside of the fridge look like somebody had been beating on it. The tissues and toilet paper were like sandpaper and the paper towels thin and non-absorbent and pulled into little pieces when you try to get them off the roll. Cell phone service was non-existent, and the Wi-Fi was terrible with it only being available on one wall behind the TV in the living room (The router must have been in the adjoining premium one bedroom unit). There was no evidence of renovation going on in Key West or anywhere in the resort (The Hub has no renovation notices either).

I work remotely so I had to solve some problems quickly, namely buying a travel router and sticking it on that one wall, which gave me a decent though not always consistent signal throughout the room to do my work and sometimes stream some internet content in the bedroom on the other end of the unit, though my Teams/Zoom video calls had to be limited to audio only (but could screen share). I bought a padded folding chair from Lowes and loaded it up with pillows so I could sit and work, and bought tissues and toilet paper that wouldn't cause my body irritation. In the category of items beyond SVV's control, there's a helicopter pad 1 mi south of the resort next to the 7-Eleven (added since my last visit) and between the hours of 10:00 and 6:00 there are numerous helicopters per hour that fly at very low altitude over the resort. In addition, just beyond the south border of the resort, they've got some kind of site construction going on behind the Popeyes and self storage and you can hear the beep beep beep of heavy equipment all day long. That's the full report!

 

[dioxide45]

I just returned from 3 weeks at SVV in a small one bedroom in Key West in building 16. I asked to be as far away as possible from I-Drive because I hate car noise and this and building 17 next to it are that. The positives were I liked the layout of the unit/overall style of decor, and I enjoyed my view into the woods because there was no noise from happy pool goers/activities. The staff was also exceedingly nice. However most everything else had some issues. The carpet was stained and frayed in spots and had a weird long divot underneath it near the dining area that someone with any kind of balance issues could easily have a problem with/cause a fall. The dining table chairs were uncomfortable to sit in for any period of time and had their fake leather seat material flaking off everywhere. The outside of the fridge look like somebody had been beating on it. The tissues and toilet paper were like sandpaper and the paper towels thin and non-absorbent and pulled into little pieces when you try to get them off the roll. Cell phone service was non-existent, and the Wi-Fi was terrible with it only being available on one wall behind the TV in the living room (The router must have been in the adjoining premium one bedroom unit). There was no evidence of renovation going on in Key West or anywhere in the resort (The Hub has no renovation notices either).

I work remotely so I had to solve some problems quickly, namely buying a travel router and sticking it on that one wall, which gave me a decent though not always consistent signal throughout the room to do my work and sometimes stream some internet content in the bedroom on the other end of the unit, though my Teams/Zoom video calls had to be limited to audio only (but could screen share). I bought a padded folding chair from Lowes and loaded it up with pillows so I could sit and work, and bought tissues and toilet paper that wouldn't cause my body irritation. In the category of items beyond SVV's control, there's a helicopter pad 1 mi south of the resort next to the 7-Eleven (added since my last visit) and between the hours of 10:00 and 6:00 there are numerous helicopters per hour that fly at very low altitude over the resort. In addition, just beyond the south border of the resort, they've got some kind of site construction going on behind the Popeyes and self storage and you can hear the beep beep beep of heavy equipment all day long. That's the full report!

That't too bad about all the issues. SVV always had great WiFi for us. In fact I remember speed tests in the 200Mb/s just a few years ago. I recall a couple years ago during one of the owner forums they said they would be changing out the WiFi. Not sure if they called it an upgrade. I know they messed around with the WiFi at Sheraton Vistana Resort a couple years ago and completely ruined it. We haven't been back there because of the constant reports of bad WiFi. I seem to recall a router behind the chair in the living room of the small 1BR units, but perhaps since the change that isn't there anymore. Though we also mostly stay in Amelia now due to it being close to the entrance and the road noise doesn't bother us all that much.

I suspect construction noise will be a lot worse as the area is really getting built up and Marriott Vacations sold off the plot of land that was to be the South Beach phase. I think that is adjacent to the area you are referencing regarding current construction.

I would have asked for a move to a different unit with a three week long stay. Perhaps they could have got you into one with better WiFi. We always have a travel router with us and have sometimes had to use it as a tether with our iPhone to get good internet. This was an issue at Westgate Towers. That wouldn't work if cell reception is bad.

As for the helicopter pad down the road. I don't recall when they built that but I remember helicopters flying over ever since I bought my drone in 2021. I have to always keep an eye out for them even though they fly much higher than I do and my controller is always warning me of nearby manned aircraft.

 

[Troyrissa]

I’m headed to SVV in a few weeks. I didn’t know there was a sauna. Where is it located?

 

[dioxide45]

I’m headed to SVV in a few weeks. I didn’t know there was a sauna. Where is it located?

I am not even sure where it is. I don't remember seeing it myself and we have been there more than 20 times. I think there may be some in the Key West Clubhouse fitness center, but I am not really sure. Perhaps they are up near the Fitness Center in Bella. Perhaps @jp10558 can confirm where they are at.

 

[jp10558]

I am not even sure where it is. I don't remember seeing it myself and we have been there more than 20 times. I think there may be some in the Key West Clubhouse fitness center, but I am not really sure. Perhaps they are up near the Fitness Center in Bella. Perhaps @jp10558 can confirm where they are at.

It's hidden inside the fitness center near the main check-in location and pool - I think that's Bella. You go through the exercise machines and around a corner and there they are.

 

[GTLINZ]

Wifi in Amelia had no issues. There was road noise, but at night it was fine. Would gladly stay there again.

 

[GTLINZ]

I was reasonably happy in early December in Key West - but the mildew smell was very strong. Otherwise I enjoyed the place, though Key West is a haul in the cold from the Sauna / Steam room or the hot tub / main pool.

I am very alergic to mold so i could not stay there. Were you on the first floor ? (which tends to be moldy - so my first request always).

 

[jp10558]

I am very alergic to mold so i could not stay there. Were you on the first floor ? (which tends to be moldy - so my first request always).

3rd floor in bld13. I'm beginning to think I maybe should have complained, but I already was an II getaway and requested buildings 13+ so... I was a little leery of complaining.

 

[dioxide45]

I thought that the Key West phase recently went through a soft goods refurbishment. Perhaps it didn't.

 

[ocdb8r]

According to this site, Key West was supposed to have a soft good refurb in 2023.

Resort Updates

Key West Pool Bar - now open, offering food and beverages (added on select days in 2022, made full-service for 2023) The Key West villas soft renovation is scheduled for September - December 2023 ...

vistanavillages.weebly.com

 

[kozykritter]

Maybe it did. The couch was in great condition and clean and the furniture wasn't scratched up. It's possible that it just got beaten down in the year and a half from constant use and abuse. The carpet was definitely a problem in spots and one of the four dining room chairs had the entire seat surface flaking off everywhere onto the floor. The front of the fridge was discolored. It could just be some specific items that didn't wear well.