WKORV Ocean View vs Graden View

[Bill Gundelfinger]

We just finished a great vacation to Maui and stayed in an ocean front studio villa at WKORVN. We are now preparing a trip for next February with the family in a 2-bedroom villa and want to make reservations at any of the three Vistanna/Westin properties. Right now, it looks like oceanfront wont be available in February. So that leaves us with Ocean View or Garden View. At WKORV, garden view can be horrible. It doesn't appear that they make a distinction between Ocean View and Garden View when booking online. How do you know what you are reserving?

 

[dioxide45]

I beleive there are only two views at the north, south and Nanea propertie; Oceanfront and Resort View. If you book Resort View, you may or may not get some view of the ocean. At the South property, you could very well have a parking lot view. The only way to guaranty an ocean view is to book Oceanfront.

 

[vacationtime1]

WKORV has three views: OF, OV, and IV. Same for WKORVN (different proportions of each category, different qualities of views, and no horrible IV units at North). It is Nanea that has only OF and Resort views.

If you cannot reserve OF through the website, it is based on availability.

 

[Bill Gundelfinger]

WKORV has three views: OF, OV, and IV. Same for WKORVN (different proportions of each category, different qualities of views, and no horrible IV units at North). It is Nanea that has only OF and Resort views.

If you cannot reserve OF through the website, it is based on availability.

My biggest concern is I do not want Island View at WKORV as these can be really horrible (Highway, Parking lot, etc). So it seems the only way to avoid this is to avoid WKORV all together?

 

[dioxide45]

WKORV has three views: OF, OV, and IV. Same for WKORVN (different proportions of each category, different qualities of views, and no horrible IV units at North). It is Nanea that has only OF and Resort views.

If you cannot reserve OF through the website, it is based on availability.

The problems is that using StarOptions, you can only book Oceanfront or Resort View. So there is no way to guaranty an Ocean View when using StarOptions. You will be placed in either IV or OV. Chances are in February, you are going to get IV since there will also be a lot of owners on home resort stays with earlier reservation dates/times that will get a higher preference. If you are placed in OV, it probably won't be the best one on the property

 

[dioxide45]

My biggest concern is I do not want Island View at WKORV as these can be really horrible (Highway, Parking lot, etc). So it seems the only way to avoid this is to avoid WKORV all together?

Just avoid the South property. It is said that the North property doesn't have the bad IV views that the south does.

 

[LisaRex]

Using SOs, I booked 3 days at WKORV "resort" view for my Dec 2015 trip. It was to complement to a weekly direct exchange at WKORV so that I could extend my time on Maui. Originally I booked north, but then decided to risk south with the hope that I could remain in the same villa the whole time, instead of checking out on Saturday at 10am and having to wait til 4pm to check back in. Well, that plan didn't work as we had to change rooms (and what a royal pain that is), however, both times, I was upgraded to a deluxe OF room.

My advice: If you're traveling in low season, and book well ahead of your travel dates, I'd go ahead and book WKORV. SO exchangers are supposedly assigned based on first come/first serve. You probably won't get upgraded to OF anymore (because you can guarantee OF with points now), but I doubt you'll get the parking lot view.

However, if you're traveling in high season, or well within the exchange window, I'd target north just so that I wouldn't risk getting the parking lot view.

 

[Dawnwrey]

We own IV at WKORVN and, as owners booking at 12 months, have always had a nice view with a slice of ocean in it. However, we don't think any of the IV units have a bad view there.

 

[dioxide45]

However, if you're traveling in high season, or well within the exchange window, I'd target north just so that I wouldn't risk getting the parking lot view

The OP is planning to travel in February. Ultra Peak Season! They may even have trouble just scoring the SO reservation?

 

[LisaRex]

The OP is planning to travel in February. Ultra Peak Season! They may even have trouble just scoring the SO reservation?

Oh, duh. Didn't see that. Thanks! Yeah, that'll be a very tough exchange. I'd do a search on all 3 properties and take what I could get. I'd even consider breaking it up into a 1 bdrm and studio exchange separately, with the hopes of getting in. February is hard to book for owners.

P.S. And once again, look at II Getaways, too. Resorts that didn't used to be available on II are showing a presence, albeit usually with just 1 bdrm and studios.

 

[Bill Gundelfinger]

Thanks to everyone for the insight. Normally I would be fine with booking a different time, but with the family, we are kind of stuck with February. So we will just book at WKORVN to be sure we don't have a view of the parking lot.

 

[bizaro86]

Thanks to everyone for the insight. Normally I would be fine with booking a different time, but with the family, we are kind of stuck with February. So we will just book at WKORVN to be sure we don't have a view of the parking lot.

I would make the decision of whether you're willing to take wkorv or not go in advance, as you night not have a choice...

 

[DeniseM]

It will be difficult to get a Staroption reservation in Feb. - especially if you are trying for President's week. You will need to try to make it as soon as the reservation window opens, and you will want to be flexible about which resort you accept.