We Love Grand Chateau

[Bogeygirl]

About to leave Vegas after 3 nights here at Grand Chateau - we're heading to Canyon Villas for a much anticipated relaxing week. First time at Grand Chateau and loved it. Its your quiet oasis literally minutes from the strip. I'd guess its a short city block but only a 5 minute walk to the Harmon Street entrance of the Miracle Mile shops. And that factors in waiting for the traffic light.

We booked a 1 bed villa on DC points and had specified a high floor in our pre-arrival email. We ended up in the new tower on the 28th floor with a partial Strip view - south end looking towards New York, New York, Excalibur MGM etc. Its a lovely suite and everything seems almost brand new. Our flight on Southwest from Buffalo landed at 9:30am so we ended up having to wait until almost 3 to get our room. The front desk said they were having big turnover that day. During our entire time here I don't think we saw one other person on this floor. And another plus - the property is super quiet. We didn't hear a thing from our suite.

A bonus is having a pretty big Starbucks in the lobby. But its too bad they will not accept a Starbucks card.

All in all a great 3 days - we're not gamblers so this is about as much time as we can take in Vegas! Canyon Villas here we come!

 

[chris5]

About to leave Vegas after 3 nights here at Grand Chateau - we're heading to Canyon Villas for a much anticipated relaxing week. First time at Grand Chateau and loved it. Its your quiet oasis literally minutes from the strip. I'd guess its a short city block but only a 5 minute walk to the Harmon Street entrance of the Miracle Mile shops. And that factors in waiting for the traffic light.

We booked a 1 bed villa on DC points and had specified a high floor in our pre-arrival email. We ended up in the new tower on the 28th floor with a partial Strip view - south end looking towards New York, New York, Excalibur MGM etc. Its a lovely suite and everything seems almost brand new. Our flight on Southwest from Buffalo landed at 9:30am so we ended up having to wait until almost 3 to get our room. The front desk said they were having big turnover that day. During our entire time here I don't think we saw one other person on this floor. And another plus - the property is super quiet. We didn't hear a thing from our suite.

A bonus is having a pretty big Starbucks in the lobby. But its too bad they will not accept a Starbucks card.

All in all a great 3 days - we're not gamblers so this is about as much time as we can take in Vegas! Canyon Villas here we come!

We're at Grand Chateau for the next couple of days, arrived last Wednesday and leaving the upcoming Tuesday. We've been here before in 2010 and 2012. And in the past few years, the place has really changed: the fitness center, new 5th floor pool, and the expanded lobby weren't here the last time we stayed and they're splendid additions. We also like the valet parking system as well, where you just scan your parking ticket in the lobby for the parking attendant to bring up your car with the wait time reflected on a computer monitor. (The only negative thing we have to say about our visit here is that the resort kitchen appliances appear to be cheap, white builder grade GE appliances, a drawback if you're doing any cooking or dishwashing in the room.)

We're not big gamblers either, but we like to play once and a while and not be hammered with slots all around you when you're back in your lodging. We took in the Frederick Da Silva's Paranormal show at Ballys yesterday and it was an amazing show -- I highly recommend it.

Funny that you're heading to Canyon Villas now. We did somewhat of a reverse trip from yours. We went to Canyon Villas-Sedona/Flagstaff-Grand Canyon-Las Vegas. (When we were in Canyon Villas, Sept 26-30, the weather was brutally hot; hope you get better weather than us!)

The highlight of our trip so far has been our 3 days in the Grand Canyon. Even though the weather didn't cooperate with us most of the time, with showers occurring throughout our stay, the South Rim views were stunning and we're glad we made it there. Also, the trip from Sedona to Flagtaff, from 89A, had great road views. As retirees with the Annual Lifetime National Parks Pass, we took full advantage of the National Parks and Monuments on our trip out here.

 

[AlmostRetired]

We are waiting to hear back from a ROFR for an EOYO. Hope we get it if not we will keep trying.

 

[BocaBoy]

About to leave Vegas after 3 nights here at Grand Chateau - we're heading to Canyon Villas for a much anticipated relaxing week. First time at Grand Chateau and loved it. Its your quiet oasis literally minutes from the strip. I'd guess its a short city block but only a 5 minute walk to the Harmon Street entrance of the Miracle Mile shops. And that factors in waiting for the traffic light.

We booked a 1 bed villa on DC points and had specified a high floor in our pre-arrival email. We ended up in the new tower on the 28th floor with a partial Strip view - south end looking towards New York, New York, Excalibur MGM etc. Its a lovely suite and everything seems almost brand new. Our flight on Southwest from Buffalo landed at 9:30am so we ended up having to wait until almost 3 to get our room. The front desk said they were having big turnover that day. During our entire time here I don't think we saw one other person on this floor. And another plus - the property is super quiet. We didn't hear a thing from our suite.

A bonus is having a pretty big Starbucks in the lobby. But its too bad they will not accept a Starbucks card.

I agree with everything you say, except that if it takes 5 minutes to get across Harmon to the Miracle Mile, you must include more than waiting for the traffic light. Maybe the Grand Chateau elevator and the traffic light makes it 5 minutes from your room to the Miracle Mile. (Or maybe it just seems that way to me.) Super convenient in any event.

 

[classiclincoln]

Used the lock off portion of our unit in July. Had a blast! Review is in the Marketplace and would definitely return.

 

[Bogeygirl]

The only negative thing we have to say about our visit here is that the resort kitchen appliances appear to be cheap, white builder grade GE appliances, a drawback if you're doing any cooking or dishwashing in the room.

Which tower/floor are you on? Our appliances were all stainless steel.

 

[dougp26364]

About to leave Vegas after 3 nights here at Grand Chateau - we're heading to Canyon Villas for a much anticipated relaxing week. First time at Grand Chateau and loved it. Its your quiet oasis literally minutes from the strip. I'd guess its a short city block but only a 5 minute walk to the Harmon Street entrance of the Miracle Mile shops. And that factors in waiting for the traffic light.

We booked a 1 bed villa on DC points and had specified a high floor in our pre-arrival email. We ended up in the new tower on the 28th floor with a partial Strip view - south end looking towards New York, New York, Excalibur MGM etc. Its a lovely suite and everything seems almost brand new. Our flight on Southwest from Buffalo landed at 9:30am so we ended up having to wait until almost 3 to get our room. The front desk said they were having big turnover that day. During our entire time here I don't think we saw one other person on this floor. And another plus - the property is super quiet. We didn't hear a thing from our suite.

A bonus is having a pretty big Starbucks in the lobby. But its too bad they will not accept a Starbucks card.

All in all a great 3 days - we're not gamblers so this is about as much time as we can take in Vegas! Canyon Villas here we come!

Typically, when you find a "Starbucks" that doesn't accept the Starbucks cards for payment, you've only found a coffee shop that "proudly" serves Starbucks coffee.

Across the street at HGVC Elera there is a "true" Starbucks store, which, of course, accepts Starbucks cards. Most MVCI resorts that have a Marketplace "proudly" serve Starbucks coffee and will make many of the Starbucks specialty drinks. They are not, however, official Starbucks stores and I suspect the coffee shop in Grand Chateau is the same, not an official Starbucks store.

 

[Mamianka]

Typically, when you find a "Starbucks" that doesn't accept the Starbucks cards for payment, you've only found a coffee shop that "proudly" serves Starbucks coffee.

Across the street at HGVC Elera there is a "true" Starbucks store, which, of course, accepts Starbucks cards. Most MVCI resorts that have a Marketplace "proudly" serve Starbucks coffee and will make many of the Starbucks specialty drinks. They are not, however, official Starbucks stores and I suspect the coffee shop in Grand Chateau is the same, not an official Starbucks store.

And then there are those who will take my APP for payment - but will not honor any rewards (free coffee, free muffin, etc.) when on your app. So there must be tiers of franchising - just like Marriott has tiers . . .

Mamianka

 

[Fern Modena]

Starbucks stores which are *inside* other venues, REAL Starbucks stores, do not have to accept the Starbucks cards for payment. Maybe the coffee shop in Marriott isn't Starbucks, I don't know, I've never seen it. But I know of several REAL Starbucks stores which don't, or didn't at one time. At one time the one on the second floor at Harrah's didn't, and neither did the one in the Southwest terminal at LAS. I think the airport one does now.

Fern

Typically, when you find a "Starbucks" that doesn't accept the Starbucks cards for payment, you've only found a coffee shop that "proudly" serves Starbucks coffee.

Across the street at HGVC Elera there is a "true" Starbucks store, which, of course, accepts Starbucks cards. Most MVCI resorts that have a Marketplace "proudly" serve Starbucks coffee and will make many of the Starbucks specialty drinks. They are not, however, official Starbucks stores and I suspect the coffee shop in Grand Chateau is the same, not an official Starbucks store.

 

[chris5]

Which tower/floor are you on? Our appliances were all stainless steel.

I'm in the first tower, 12th floor.

Regarding Starbucks, when we first came to Vegas, around 1997, I don't recall a Starbucks Company store anywhere on the Strip. We been Starbucks shareholders for many years so we pay attention to this stuff.

Starbucks Company stores are owned by Starbucks, are generally free-standing, and have full Starbucks reward program benefits. Starbucks licenses stores to other merchants to include on their premises, such as Target, Safeway and various hotel chains, but licensed stores do not provide full Starbucks reward program benefits. If you see a Starbucks in a hotel or even in some airports or malls, you have to ask if the operation is a company or licensed store.

Later years up to 2012, I believe there was only one Starbucks Company store on the Strip, on the second floor of a retail operation near the Coca Cola Store near MGM Grand. (We would generally hit the Starbucks Company Store at the Fashion Mall.) There were always licensed stores at Planet Hollywood and other Casinos/Resorts.

On our current visit, we were surprised to see lots of free-standing Company Stores on the Strip. They seemed to have sprung up all over the place. I really like the one outside of Ballys.

 

[Fern Modena]

There was actually one about a hundred or two hundred feet off The Strip, not sure exactly where, but I think near Cathedral, just a bit before the Riviera going downtown way. It was (and I think still is) in a shopping center which runs perpendicular to The Strip. It had a small parking lot where you could park and run in. I don't get that way anymore, so as I said, I'm not sure it is still there, but think it is. I know it was there as early as 2002, and perhaps earlier than that. There was also the one in Harrah's around this time, too, but that was a licensed store most likely. The one near The Strip was/is a Company Store.

Fern

I'm in the first tower, 12th floor.

Regarding Starbucks, when we first came to Vegas, around 1997, I don't recall a Starbucks Company store anywhere on the Strip. We been Starbucks shareholders for many years so we pay attention to this stuff.

Later years up to 2012, I believe there was only one Starbucks Company store on the Strip, on the second floor of a retail operation near the Coca Cola Store near MGM Grand. (We would generally hit the Starbucks Company Store at the Fashion Mall.) There were always licensed stores at Planet Hollywood and other Casinos/Resorts.

On our current visit, we were surprised to see lots of free-standing Company Stores on the Strip. They seemed to have sprung up all over the place. I really like the one outside of Ballys.

 

[dougp26364]

This is what I find on the Grand Chateau website: 
The Marketplace
•Other
•Perfect for snacks, cold drinks, ice cream and necessities. Featuring Starbucks coffee, specialty espresso drinks and more.


Granted that, even though we own there, I haven't walked into the building since tower 3's been completed along with the lobby renovations. For that matter, Marriott may not have their website up to date. But generally speaking, every Marriott we've stayed at that has had a Marketplace has "featured" Starbucks coffee and I've never had them accept our Starbucks card, been able to pay using the mobile app to pay or earned stars for purchases. Maybe they're a franchise, I don't know, but if Grand Chateau has a Starbucks franchise it's different from every MVCI resort we've stayed at, and as owners in the system we've stayed at one or two.

We'll be in Vegas next week. Maybe I'll walk over to see the upgrades. I'd be great if it's a real Starbucks franchise vs the Marketplace featuring Starbucks coffee.

 

[chris5]

This is what I find on the Grand Chateau website: 
The Marketplace
•Other
•Perfect for snacks, cold drinks, ice cream and necessities. Featuring Starbucks coffee, specialty espresso drinks and more.


Granted that, even though we own there, I haven't walked into the building since tower 3's been completed along with the lobby renovations. For that matter, Marriott may not have their website up to date. But generally speaking, every Marriott we've stayed at that has had a Marketplace has "featured" Starbucks coffee and I've never had them accept our Starbucks card, been able to pay using the mobile app to pay or earned stars for purchases. Maybe they're a franchise, I don't know, but if Grand Chateau has a Starbucks franchise it's different from every MVCI resort we've stayed at, and as owners in the system we've stayed at one or two.

We'll be in Vegas next week. Maybe I'll walk over to see the upgrades. I'd be great if it's a real Starbucks franchise vs the Marketplace featuring Starbucks coffee.

I think you're confusing things a bit here. Any retail operation can "feature" Starbucks coffee and some may even have a license from Starbucks to advertise the Starbucks logo in their retail operations as "featuring" Starbucks coffee. (You can also come to my house and I will "feature" Starbucks coffee as well, and I won't trip any licensing or trademark problems with Starbucks if I don't use the Starbucks company logo or registered trademarks.) The Marketplace operations at the Grand Chateau or any other Marriott Marketplace in the Vacation Club is simply not a licensed Starbucks operation -- you could tell this by simply looking at the menu of offerings of any Marketplace operations and compare it to the offerings at a Company or Licensed Starbucks store. Marketplace has all sorts of extra offerings that you will never find at a Starbucks store and Marketplace does not have basic Starbucks items too -- just look at the pastry or coffee offerings.

Starbucks doesn't "franchise" stores in the USA; all Starbucks stores are Company-owned. I believe every Starbucks "licensed" retail operation in the USA, such as those you will find at Barnes & Nobles, Hilton, Target, Safeway, college campuses throughout the country, and, yes, in some Full Service Marriott Hotels, will accept for payment, the Marriott Reward Card or Marriott App, but that payment won't confer any Marriott Reward benefits. So, at a licensed Starbucks operation, you can pay with your Starbucks Reward Card or Mobile App, but you won't get free coffee refills and won't earn any reward stars.

Confused even more now?

 

[dougef]

I have stayed there several times. The new marketplace is quite large and features Starbucks coffee. It is not a Starbucks and you cannot use your Starbucks card and rewards there. There is a "real" Starbucks across the street (across Harmon) if that is what one wants.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We just got back from Grand Chateau and stayed six nights. We were in units 1613 and 1615. We had the 2 bed lockoff.

The appliances were white, and the cabinets in the kitchen were pretty beaten up, but we only cooked breakfast in the unit anyway and ate elsewhere for our lunches and late dinners.

The dishwasher was compact and noisy. We didn't start it until we left for the day after that first time running it.

Loved the location and loved the easy walk to Rainforest Cafe on the strip.

We saw three shows while there, and I highly recommend Terry Fator's show. He won America's Got Talent years ago and is a very good ventriloquist, but the amazing thing is he can sing well without moving his lips. Extraordinary talent.

We saw Donny and Marie and thought the show was almost as good. We also saw Mat Franco's magic show. He won America's Got Talent last year. He was good, but not on the same scale as Cris Angel, I am sure. We haven't seen Cris Angel but our son has.

 

[dougp26364]

I have stayed there several times. The new marketplace is quite large and features Starbucks coffee. It is not a Starbucks and you cannot use your Starbucks card and rewards there. There is a "real" Starbucks across the street (across Harmon) if that is what one wants.

That's really my point. Just because Starbucks is served/featured doesn't make it a Starbucks. I have yet to see a Starbucks, franchised or otherwise, at an MVC resort. Just the Marketplace which features expresso drinks made with Starbucks coffee.

In the end it's splitting hairs. Most of the time the drinks they make are close enough to pass for what I get at Starbucks. Every now and then the barista isn't as well versed at making the drinks as they are at the "real" Starbucks (for lack of a better word).

Apparently the Starbucks in the lobby of Elera in the Miracle Mile Shops is a franchised Starbucks. You can, however, use your card there and buy all the Starbucks branded merchandise your heart might desire.

 

[Old Hickory]

The highlight of our trip so far has been our 3 days in the Grand Canyon. Even though the weather didn't cooperate with us most of the time, with showers occurring throughout our stay, the South Rim views were stunning and we're glad we made it there.

About how long a drive is it from Las Vegas to the South Rim? I'm debating which MVC is best for a side trip to the South Rim. Phoenix or Las Vegas?

 

[enma]

About how long a drive is it from Las Vegas to the South Rim? I'm debating which MVC is best for a side trip to the South Rim. Phoenix or Las Vegas?

We did a day trip to the South Rim. Was a long day, about 14hr day. I want to say it was about 5 hrs one way. Was worth it though.

 

[Fasttr]

About how long a drive is it from Las Vegas to the South Rim? I'm debating which MVC is best for a side trip to the South Rim. Phoenix or Las Vegas?

We did a day trip to the South Rim. Was a long day, about 14hr day. I want to say it was about 5 hrs one way. Was worth it though.

THIS link seems to agree with your 5 hour estimate....and it also appears that Phoenix would be approximately 1 hour closer.

 

[Old Hickory]

We did a day trip to the South Rim. Was a long day, about 14hr day. I want to say it was about 5 hrs one way. Was worth it though.

Yes. That's what I was thinking. Long day yet worth it, still.

 

[chalee94]

I agree with everything you say, except that if it takes 5 minutes to get across Harmon to the Miracle Mile, you must include more than waiting for the traffic light. Maybe the Grand Chateau elevator and the traffic light makes it 5 minutes from your room to the Miracle Mile. (Or maybe it just seems that way to me.) Super convenient in any event.

I would agree with this. I considered it "right across the street" from the miracle mile shops.

About how long a drive is it from Las Vegas to the South Rim? I'm debating which MVC is best for a side trip to the South Rim. Phoenix or Las Vegas?

it's up to you, but I would consider vegas and the grand canyon separate destinations rather than trying to combine them...

 

[rickandcindy23]

We visited Valley of Fire and Lake Mead/ Hoover Dam in one day. It was a fairly long day of driving but we had a RAV4, so it was at least a comfy car. The drive was worth it for the two of us because we love national and state parks.

 

[chris5]

About how long a drive is it from Las Vegas to the South Rim? I'm debating which MVC is best for a side trip to the South Rim. Phoenix or Las Vegas?

It took us 4.5 hours, South Rim to Las Vegas, with a stop/break. I wouldn't recommend a "day trip" to the Grand Canyon. To appreciate most of the South Rim, I think you need 2-3 days of good weather. And that's just taking in the views of the South Rim, wandering around a few places in the Villages and Visitor Center, and dining there. (We avoided long entry lines for the most part because we entered the Park very early and weather was generally bad for us, but on our last day of visiting when we had gorgeous weather, the entry lines were quite long as we were leaving the Park during late morning -- I guess you can spend 30-45 minutes waiting to get into the Park!)

It took us 5 hours, Las Vegas to the Sky Harbor Airport/Phoenix, with a stop/break.

 

[Ty1on]

Check out Wyndham Flagstaff. It's about a 4 hour drive from Grand Chateau, and about an hour and a half from there to GC. One night in the resort, make a day in beautiful Flagstaff, then a day in GC with an early start, then back to LV. A half hour more driving and you don't have to do a one day turnaround.