WKORV—Would they make me move units?

[sdtugger]

I am working on trying to get seven nights straight at WKORV. I can book an ocean view 2 bedroom for nights1-5 and night 7. I can also book a studio ocean view for night 6. I am wondering if they would let me keep the studio for 7 nights straight under that scenario? If so, we would book another studio for night six for part of our group. But, the majority of our group would not need to move or be homeless. The other option is to book an island view 2 bedroom at WKORVN for the last two nights. But, we are looking for ways to avoid having to move a baby in the group and being homeless around nap time. Thanks for any thoughts!

One source of confusion is the names for the studios. The 2 bedroom ocean view just says that. But, there are deluxe ov and premium ov studios. I presume one of those connects to the 2 bedroom. But, I don’t know which one …

 

[DeniseM]

Unless it's Oceanfront, "Deluxe" means it is the lock-off portion of a Deluxe 2 bdm, at the end of Bldg. 4. I don't like that location in Bldg. 4, behind the beach park & parking lot, and on the driveway. See the yellow end of Bldg. 4 below.

Premium Oceanview just means that it is the standard studio lock-off, but has the potential for a better location in bldg. 2 or 3.

Island view units face the parking lot on the back of Bldg. 4 - see green area below.

The resort will not guarantee any kind of reservation combining, so you won't know until check-in.

 

[sdtugger]

Thank you. So, if the 2 bedroom ocean view doesn’t say deluxe or premium, how can I tell which it is?

I suspected that they would not guarantee being in the same unit. But, if they are the same type of unit before and after, I am wondering if others have been allowed to stay and not move? Another way to ask it would be—would you opt for the WKORV option or would you move to the WKORVN island view 2 bedroom instead for the last 2 nights?

 

[DeniseM]

If it doesn't say "deluxe," it's a regular 2 bdm lock-off: left - standard 2 bdm, right - deluxe 2 bdm. The deluxe is actually a little larger - the graphic below just makes it look smaller.

If the budget allows, consider an over-lap night to avoid moving the baby at nap time.

 

[sdtugger]

I decided to call WKORV. I explained that I had nights 1-5 in an ocean view 2 bedroom, night 6 in an ocean view studio, and night 7 in an ocean view 2 bedroom. None of the reservations are deluxe, so they should all be the same type of room. I explained that I hoped to stay in the studio all 7 nights.

The response was that they would try to keep us in the same studio all 7 nights to avoid cleaning. In addition, she said that she was submitting a request to "block" the rooms so that the studio stays together for 7 nights. Of course, she said that nothing was guaranteed. But, she seemed very positive that it was possible, if not likely.

So, now I have to decide if "likely" is good enough. The nightmare scenario would be finding out at the last minute that we have to move twice. But, the positive of "likely" being able to stay put may be enough to outweigh the risk.

Has anyone faced this sort of thing at WKORV before?

 

[Ken555]

Plan for the worst and be happy when it’s anything else. I’ve learned that they always are upbeat when calling about room locations and when checking in they have no record of the request. Don’t expect much and you’ll have a great time; expect more and especially if you tell your party of this possibility and you may not be a happy camper.

 

[sdtugger]

Quick update: I searched today and found the missing one bedroom that I needed. Yay! That means that I now have all of the units required for seven days in a two bedroom ocean view. At this point, I think it would be very hard for them to move us even though we have four separate reservations covering the seven days. The units are identical in description. So, I am going to ask for them to be together and hope for the best.

 

[bizaro86]

My experience in a similar situation was that they made me move: "because someone else was blocked in that room". My entreaty on the phone/at-checkin to give me the worst of the rooms I was entitled to and not make me move wasn't needed. YMMV, obviously, and one would think they'd prefer not to spend on cleaning multiple units.

 

[YYJMSP]

The trade off is that room being blocked off likely means someone else has an "overlapping" reservation with your multiple reservations

If the other person has a single 7 day booking, it seems unfair to have them be the one moving during their stay if you're the one with multiple shorter bookings with the "leftover" days between other bookings...

I suspect one of you has to move to make all the pieces line up...

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

Quick update: I searched today and found the missing one bedroom that I needed. Yay! That means that I now have all of the units required for seven days in a two bedroom ocean view. At this point, I think it would be very hard for them to move us even though we have four separate reservations covering the seven days. The units are identical in description. So, I am going to ask for them to be together and hope for the best.

I hope you are successful and I think they will try their best to accommodate you but as mentioned I fear it may not be possible. You don't mention what day your trip starts on which also might factor into the jigsaw puzzle.

PS What if they move heaven and earth to give you a 7 day contiguous stay in a 2BR but you end up with one of the worst views/positions at the resort? How would you feel then?

 

[vacation dreaming]

Quick update: I searched today and found the missing one bedroom that I needed. Yay! That means that I now have all of the units required for seven days in a two bedroom ocean view. At this point, I think it would be very hard for them to move us even though we have four separate reservations covering the seven days. The units are identical in description. So, I am going to ask for them to be together and hope for the best.

This property historically places people based on timestamp. You do not have a great timestamp for the missing one bedroom you just reserved. In my experience, you will have to move. Like others have said, I would not expect them to prioritize keeping you in the same unit over other people’s reservations. This property just doesn’t have the history of making that a priority even though it would save on housekeeping. I agree they will do it if it doesn’t disrupt other reservations, but the property is typically at capacity. Maybe if you are going off season and they have extra space it will work.

 

[bizaro86]

This property historically places people based on timestamp. You do not have a great timestamp for the missing one bedroom you just reserved. In my experience, you will have to move. Like others have said, I would not expect them to prioritize keeping you in the same unit over other people’s reservations. This property just doesn’t have the history of making that a priority even though it would save on housekeeping. I agree they will do it if it doesn’t disrupt other reservations, but the property is typically at capacity. Maybe if you are going off season and they have extra space it will work.

I think this is poor management, even though I agree it's likely the outcome. Every day they have X units come open and X people checking in. You could absolutely keep someone in the same unit for multiple reservations, because that unit is one of the available ones every time, since they're checking out.

I agree it's fair for the person requesting that accommodation to get the worst of the units, because that results in someone else getting upgrade (vs downgraded, which would be unfair).

Making that change would save money (lower MF) and improve guest satisfaction (both the people who don't have to move and the people who get a slightly better unit location as a result).

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

I think this is poor management, even though I agree it's likely the outcome. Every day they have X units come open and X people checking in. You could absolutely keep someone in the same unit for multiple reservations, because that unit is one of the available ones every time, since they're checking out.

I agree it's fair for the person requesting that accommodation to get the worst of the units, because that results in someone else getting upgrade (vs downgraded, which would be unfair).

Making that change would save money (lower MF) and improve guest satisfaction (both the people who don't have to move and the people who get a slightly better unit location as a result).

Calling it poor management is a bit harsh. You are oversimplifying it, remember there are 3 or 4 unit types, 3 or 4 view categories to consider, owner requests to consider and at peak times I'd say 95% of people checking in/out do so on a Fri, Sat or Sun as they make their reservations at the 12 month mark. The fact that these 'sell out' within minutes of being bookable indicates that at those times the resort will be 'full' of owners on 7 day stays. There's a reason you only saw a 5 day reservation available when you booked, otherwise there would have been a 6 or 7 day reservation and you would have taken it.

 

[bizaro86]

Calling it poor management is a bit harsh. You are oversimplifying it, remember there are 3 or 4 unit types, 3 or 4 view categories to consider, owner requests to consider and at peak times I'd say 95% of people checking in/out do so on a Fri, Sat or Sun as they make their reservations at the 12 month mark. The fact that these 'sell out' within minutes of being bookable indicates that at those times the resort will be 'full' of owners on 7 day stays. There's a reason you only saw a 5 day reservation available when you booked, otherwise there would have been a 6 or 7 day reservation and you would have taken it.

This isn't my reservation, but I stand by that characterization.

Multiple unit types/views doesn't really make it any more difficult, all the rooms need to be allocated.

And the units for each view will always match the units available. Every time his reservation for a "2 bedroom ocean view" comes up, there will be multiple "2 bedroom ocean views" that day. (Because if there was only 1 then he'd be guaranteed to get the same one - to check-in elsewhere he needs to check-out where he is after all).

So give him the worst room in the category and don't make him move. The only change is that someone else (potentially) gets a bonus upgrade and the rooms assignment person has to check it in advance. Extra work for them but saves a whole housekeeping, so a net labor savings.

 

[sdtugger]

Thanks for your thoughts. My options are limited on this one. I can either take the last two nights via night 6 with a studio and a separate 1 bedroom reservation followed by night 7 in a 2 bedroom. Or, I can reserve a 2 bedroom for the last 2 nights at north or south in another view. Reserving the last two nights in another view guarantees 1 move. Therefore, sticking with multiple reservations (4) that combine to equal one week in a 2 bedroom seems like a decent risk to reward option. I may get to avoid moving at all or at least avoid moving one of the rooms. That would be a huge win. If it all goes down the tubes and I have to move everything twice, well that is a risk I took knowingly and the potential reward was worth it to me.

For what it is worth, I called the resort again today to let them know that I now have seven nights in a row in a two bedroom ocean view. The person that I talked to said that it was very likely that they would be able to put us in the same room and leave us there for the entire seven nights– – although, nothing was guaranteed. I am optimistic. After 20 years in Marriotts, I have never been forced to move in similar circumstances. Perhaps my luck will continue.

 

[dioxide45]

This property historically places people based on timestamp. You do not have a great timestamp for the missing one bedroom you just reserved. In my experience, you will have to move. Like others have said, I would not expect them to prioritize keeping you in the same unit over other people’s reservations. This property just doesn’t have the history of making that a priority even though it would save on housekeeping. I agree they will do it if it doesn’t disrupt other reservations, but the property is typically at capacity. Maybe if you are going off season and they have extra space it will work.

They could also just be placed in a room that is the lowest common denominator based on lowest timestamp and still kept in the same unit?

 

[sdtugger]

Update: I just returned home and I want to report. They kept us in the same 2 bedroom OV unit for the entire stay! And, to top it off, they gave us an excellent ocean view from the 5th floor close to the water!

I am guessing that chairmen's club is the reason for my good fortune. But, I am new to Westin and I could just have been lucky. Everyone at the resort acted like it was completely normal and expected to be able to stay in the same room for the entire time.

We had a wonderful time! The snorkeling right off the beach was spectacular for most of our stay. We may need to keep going back to the Westins, although we love the Marriott down the beach too!