Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort questions

[snackyx]

If anyone is familiar with this resort, can you provide any insight on the following:

1. How are the view categories determined in the North Buildings? The rooms are built at a 45 degree angle to maximize views, but what rooms are ocean view and which are ocean front?
2. Any preferences between the two complexes (north and south)? Any noticeable pluses or minutes on either.?
3. I’m on Maui now staying at MOC— I’m looking to add a third Hawaii week to my portfolio ( I own two weeks at MKO) needless to say I am looking at resale. The Westin sales guy told me ( of course) that Marriott is buying up all resales via ROFR—any idea how close to the truth this is. Are resale contracts going through?
4. Any general or specific thoughts/comments are purchasing into this property. I do like the Westin properties better than MOC, which are hotel conversions in the main building. The two villas they built are much nicer, but I just prefer the Westin property.

As always, thanks in advance for the wealth of knowledge that is shared on these boards— the members here have made my timeshare education much easier over the years!

Moderator Note: Thread moved to Vistana forum. <-- SueDonJ

 

[10spro]

We just bought resale at the South less than a year ago. Same sales pressure telling us we could never buy resale because Marriott/Vistana would not allow ROFR to pass. It's just not true, and I went back to tell them so after we closed on our new week, but they would not see me. We are thrilled with our purchase. We also like prefer WKORV over MOC. We chose the South, just liked the vibe there better than North. We actually stayed at both properties which helped us decide. If you search here on TUG somewhere there is a color-coded property map of both North and South showing location of the different view categories.

 

[grgs]

You might want to have this moved to the Vistana section.

In terms of view designation and unit numbers see:

WKORV: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/wkorv-unit-map-w-numbers.77371/

WKORV-N: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/wkorv-n-unit-map-w-numbers.77373/

 

[LahainaMoon]

We were told by a sales person in December that no resale purchases are going through, that Vistana is exercising ROFR on every sale. We promptly went out and made a resale offer on a WKORVN oceanfront. Vistana waived ROFR within a few days. The sales people are not telling the truth. Surprise!

You can look at the maps of the buildings at WKORV and WKORVN on the Vistana website to see the views. At north buildings 5 and 8 are all oceanfront. At south, just the endcaps on buildings 2 and 3 are oceanfront.

 

[10spro]

At south, just the endcaps on buildings 2 and 3 are oceanfront.

Well worth it!

 

[PamMo]

Just to clarify, Bldg 8 is all oceanfront, but not all of Bldg 5 is oceanfront.

Building 5

Island View
5119/17, 5120/18, 5121/23, 5122/24,
5219/17, 5220/18, 5221/23, 5222/24,
5319/17, 5320/18, 5321/23, 5322/24,
5419/17, 5420/18, 5421/23, 5422/24,
5519/17, 5520/18, 5521/23, 5522/24,
5619/17, 5620/18, 5621/23, 5622/24.

Ocean Front
5101/02, 5103/04, 5106/05, 5108/07, 5110/09, 5111/12, 5114/13, 5115/16,
5201/02, 5203/04, 5406/05, 5208/07, 5210/09, 5211/12, 5214/13, 5215/16,
5301/02, 5303/04, 5306/05, 5308/07, 5310/09, 5311/12, 5314/13, 5315/16,
5401/02, 5403/04, 5406/05, 5408/07, 5410/09, 5411/12, 5414/13, 5416/16,
5501/02, 5503/04, 5506/05, 5508/07, 5510/09, 5511/12, 5514/13, 5515/16,
5601/02, 5603/04, 5606/05, 5608/07, 5610/09, 5611/12, 5614/13, 5615/16.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

It's all down to personal preference. If I was paying an OF premium I would only buy at the S as in my opinion only 5 of the 15 2BR units designated as OF at the N are close to being OF so you only really have a 1 in 3 chance of reserving what you paid for. Some of the others (#5x07-5x12) are even directly behind/over the bar. Again, just in my opinion most of the OV units at both S and N are no better located than most of the IV units at N but do seem to command higher sale/resale value. General opinion is to avoid IV at S. N studios have full lanais v Juliette balconies only at the S but the S units are slightly bigger than those at the N.

I find 'the vibe' at both about the same. They are both full of chair hogs

 

[snackyx]

Thanks for all the great info. Does it matter if you own at north or south concerning pool usage and towel check outs/ room charges?

Also, what size balconies do the one and two bedrooms units at south have? What is the difference in size with a Juliette balcony versus “full” balcony (it was mentioned the south units are all Juliette’s).

 

[snackyx]

...a one other thing: can someone clarify the MF at south. 2B OV annual is about $2700 and 2B OF annual is about $3600? Is that correct? In the north units the MF for 2B OV or OF are about the same, approximately $2900?

 

[phofusion]

...a one other thing: can someone clarify the MF at south. 2B OV annual is about $2700 and 2B OF annual is about $3600? Is that correct? In the north units the MF for 2B OV or OF are about the same, approximately $2900?

The south has two categories of OF, one is Deluxe which is slightly larger and on the corners of the building so not as "direct ocean front" as the center. The other is OF Center/direct.

The deluxe having more square footage incur a higher annual maintenance fee and because of this and not being as direct OF as the center units, resell for less ... typically around $5-10k less.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DeniseM]

Correction: the Oceanfront Deluxe units have two Lanais: a large lanai that directly faces the ocean, with the same exact view as the center units, and a 2nd lanai on the studio that faces north or south, looking up or down the beach.

 

[DeniseM]

Also, what size balconies do the one and two bedrooms units at south have? What is the difference in size with a Juliette balcony versus “full” balcony (it was mentioned the south units are all Juliette’s).

Clarification: The "Juliette balconies" are only on the island view and ocean view STUDIOS. They are about a foot deep.

 

[snackyx]

Clarification: The "Juliette balconies" are only on the island view and ocean view STUDIOS. They are about a foot deep.
View attachment 45999

View attachment 46000

When purchasing resale, these units appear to just be listed as oceanfront— how do you know if it is OF or OF deluxe? Are the higher MF only on the deluxe and not the center units? Is it safe to assume if the MF is about $3700 it is a deluxe unit? Are the MF on the center unit the same as an OV2b?

 

[DeniseM]

how do you know if it is OF or OF deluxe? Because it is named Oceanfront Deluxe - however a reseller's Ad may not disclose that.

Are the higher MF only on the deluxe and not the center units? YES

Is it safe to assume if the MF is about $3700 it is a deluxe unit? I believe so.

Are the MF on the center unit the same as an OV2b? YES (I just confirmed this) It's about $2,600 all in (the SVN fee can vary & there is an optional $20 fee)

 

[phofusion]

Correction: the Oceanfront Deluxe units have two Lanais: a large lanai that directly faces the ocean, with the same exact view as the center units, and a 2nd lanai on the studio that faces north or south, looking up or down the beach.

View attachment 46001

Thanks for elaborating. Ive just read that the deluxe OF views werent as direct. Like if you were to look out from the balcony you'd have to turn your head a little ... lol I guess some ppl are super picky.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DeniseM]

You don't have to turn your head at all - the large lanai faces directly at the ocean. That may have been a comment about an OF unit in the North section, because they are all at an angle.

 

[5finny]

I have an exchange at WKORVN
It is a staroption 81,000 non-home resort reservation labeled "Studio Premium Villa, Oceanfront "
I have read numerous threads on the view and the Lanai
I am still confused
Can someone clarify for me what type of view I might expect and what type of Patio/Lanai I might have?

 

[DeniseM]

Your confirmation is in the NORTH towers - this discussion is about the south section.

The North section has a wide range of oceanfront views in bldg. 5 & 8:

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

Thanks for all the great info. Does it matter if you own at north or south concerning pool usage and towel check outs/ room charges?

Also, what size balconies do the one and two bedrooms units at south have? What is the difference in size with a Juliette balcony versus “full” balcony (it was mentioned the south units are all Juliette’s).

Last time I tried it you could charge to your room at any of the Westin villa properties and at the Westin/Sheraton hotels. Don't know if any of that changed since the Marriott merger. Pools and towels are shared at WKORV and WKORVN. I think using the Nanea pool was curtailed at the start of Covid and I don't know if it's been restored.

A balcony is something you can stand on while your beau serenades you from below. A lanai is something you can sit out on a chair (x2 plus a small table at WKORVN studios, x4 plus a dining table at most 1BR, bigger I think on the OF). 2BR don't have a connected lanai, the 1BR side has one and the studio side has one (or a balcony).

 

[5finny]

I don't mean to get off topic but are some of the WKORVN -NORTH "Studio Premium Villa, Oceanfront " views parking lot or otherwise poor views?

 

[DeniseM]

Did you look at the map I posted? - the pink area is ocean front. The North section actually has no lanais facing the parking lot.

 

[DeniseM]

Last time I tried it you could charge to your room at any of the Westin villa properties and at the Westin/Sheraton hotels.

Have you actually done this? The timeshares and hotels don't share amenities to my knowledge.

 

[vacationtime1]

I don't mean to get off topic but are some of the WKORVN -NORTH "Studio Premium Villa, Oceanfront " views parking lot or otherwise poor views?

Three or four of them -- ground floor in building 5 -- look into the back of Pailolo restaurant (the beach bar). Those units never should have been coded OF. There are about 90 OF studio units, so your chances of getting one of the bad ones is pretty low.

 

[5finny]

Did you look at the map I posted? - the pink area is ocean front. The North section actually has no lanais facing the parking lot.

I did and I appreciate the info
From the maps I would think that with the exception of possible trees or shrubbery blocking an ocean view on lower floors I should have a good ocean view which will probably be angled
In reading other threads it seemed that there were poorer Studio Premium Villa, Oceanfront views in the North section and that Studio Premium Villa, Oceanfront units were located in different areas of the Buildings than other Oceanfront Studio Villas-the maps don't seem to make any such distinction
If it appears that I am being dense I apologize

 

[echino]

I did and I appreciate the info
From the maps I would think that with the exception of possible trees or shrubbery blocking an ocean view on lower floors I should have a good ocean view which will probably be angled
In reading other threads it seemed that there were poorer Studio Premium Villa, Oceanfront views in the North section and that Studio Premium Villa, Oceanfront units were located in different areas of the Buildings than other Oceanfront Studio Villas-the maps don't seem to make any such distinction
If it appears that I am being dense I apologize

There is only one type of studios at the North. There is no "premium" and "non-premium". They are all "premium".