1 BR Ocean View vs 1 BR Poolside Gardens View

[JoshF]

Looking to book a 1 BR at Aulani. For those of you that have stayed in both, what's your opinion on Ocean View vs Poolside Gardens view? Please post any photos of either.

 

[Iceman93]

There's plenty of photos out there so I won't post any new ones. But after staying in a 2BR ocean view on our first stay (that was really a next-door Marriott/now Four Seasons view), we switched to poolside gardens on our next stay and have stuck with that three more times.

 

[mikeandkarla]

There's plenty of photos out there so I won't post any new ones. But after staying in a 2BR ocean view on our first stay (that was really a next-door Marriott/now Four Seasons view), we switched to poolside gardens on our next stay and have stuck with that three more times.

May I ask why? I have the same room choice option as the OP. Can save a few points going with the poolside garden view over the ocean view.

 

[Iceman93]

There are a few reasons. Part of it has to do with how lame our alleged "ocean view" actually was--if I'm going to pay that much more, I want one of those breathtaking views we all hope for. It turns out the poolside gardens view rooms actually have very nice views because the whole pool/lazy river area is so well decorated and themed. The ocean is mere steps away, and you can get your fill of ocean views throughout the stay. The final kicker has been that we've mostly gotten ground floor poolside gardens view rooms, which are ridiculously convenient.

 

[CaliAdventurer]

The pool views are the first four floors facing the interior. It’s noisy. Oceanview facing the interior is gorgeous but spendy. Either will be great, comes down to how much you want to spend in points. I’ve stayed in all views except standard. We go annually so I don’t care so much about the Oceanview. We book Island Garden for the quiet and the morning sun. Once, if ever, Atlantis begins construction next door, we will go back to Oceanview.

 

[Iceman93]

The pool views are the first four floors facing the interior. It’s noisy.

Correct on the definition, but I disagree about the noise. We were initially concerned about this, but the rooms at Aulani are so well-constructed that with the sliding doors shut you can BARELY hear anything from outside the room. Then, when we wanted to let the sounds in of the live band at the Olelo Room, or the pleasant background music, or simply the sounds of joyful people enjoying the lazy river we could slide the door open, slide the screen closed, and bask.

 

[Mufasa2018]

I like the poolside rooms because you can here the music in the morning from makahiki (pre COVID) and at night you get the music from the olelo room. I think if you get an ocean view facing the pool your good but if you get an ocean view not facing the poll it’s pretty disappointing and not worth the money/points.

 

[heaven2dc]

Poolside garden view rooms are floors 1-5 on the interior of the resort with the higher floors above them ocean view rooms. Ocean view can be located above poolside garden view rooms or can be on the exterior of the resort which can be next to the Four Seasons side or over the Halawai Lawn side (which is what I would prefer if I couldn't overlook Waikolohe Valley).

 

[LilyJC]

Last trip we booked 1 bedroom ocean view and specifically requested the Waianae tower as we weren’t interested in having a view of the Four Seasons or a hot room in the afternoon. We loved our view!

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That being said, for our upcoming trip, we booked poolside since my oldest had an issue with heights (I believe we were on the 12th floor) and didn’t love being out on the lanai.

 

[heaven2dc]

Last trip we booked 1 bedroom ocean view and specifically requested the Waianae tower as we weren’t interested in having a view of the Four Seasons or a hot room in the afternoon. We loved our view!

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That being said, for our upcoming trip, we booked poolside since my oldest had an issue with heights (I believe we were on the 12th floor) and didn’t love being out on the lanai.

What a beautiful view! (Higher floors make me dizzy so I can understand your son being more comfortable in a poolside garden view.) Thanks for sharing!