A couple of questions about exchanges for the DIS Veterans

[Anne745]

I requested a search and was offered an exchange to the Westin Kierland Villas, but upon reviewing their website, I didn't book it. They have two seperate and distinct rooms that are categorized as 1 Bdrm villas. One is what DVC calls a studio, queen bed, kitchenette (microwave, bar sink, mini fridge), no laundry in the room. The other would be a King bed, full kitchen, in room laundry. What DVC calls a 1 bdrm. I was told by three seperate CMs that the exchange resorts have complete discretion as to what room is assigned to exchanges, and further that there are no standards or criteria as to what constitutes a 1 Bdrm unit. This particular resort rents these rooms for cash, and charges $200 a night more for the larger room. Let me guess what room I'll be assigned. This will be our first trip with a child, and the amenities of the larger room are really important. Why don't they have some kind of minimal standard for what constitutes a 1 bedroom unit?

 

[dvc_john]

I've seen the Westin Kierland, but have not been in the units.
The II book indicates they have 1-br's and 2-br's, but no studios, and that the 1-br's accomodate 4 persons.

While I can't be positive, I believe the cm's who told you some 1-br's were nothing more than a studio were somewhat incorrect. To be classified as a 1-br, I believe there has to be a separate bedroom.

What a number of resorts are doing is making 2-br lock-off's (as DVC does), but instead of a studio for the lock-off portion, they make it a little bit larger, separate the bedroom, and put in a limited kitchen, and call them a 1-br. I call them mini 1-br's, and I hate them! And in resorts like this you really don't know which of the 2 types of 1-br's you'll get.

For these kinds of resorts, I'll either book a 2-br (even if I don't need it), or else avoid the resort. To get a mini 1-br when you're expecting a full 1-br is really a disappointment.

All that said, the Westin Keirland is really one of the premier resorts in Arizona.

FWIW, Marriott Canyon Villas in Phoenix is a great resort, has traditional 2-br, 1-br, and studio units, and has resort privileges at the adjacent JW Marriott hotel.


Edit:
I did look up this resort, and the 1-br is as I described above, with a separate bedroom and small kitchen and living room. It actually looks really nice, but small. The mini 1-br is 543 square feet plus 106 square foot balcony, while the large 1-br is 871 square feet plus 103 square foot balcony. That would put the mini 1-br about halfway between a BCV studio and a BCV 1-br in size.

 

[littlestar]

My sister/brother-inlaw and brother/sister-inlaw are there right now. They checked into the resort today. They had booked two small 1 bedrooms and upgraded for $50.00 a day to the larger ones. But they said after they saw the small ones, they were nice, too, and they would have been happy in those. The small ones had a mini fridge, dishwasher, microwave and 2 burner stove (no oven).

They have full access to the Westin hotel next door. She said it has a lazy river pool that they can't wait to try! There's also a shuttle that takes you over to the shopping/restaurant area across the street (so you don't have to hunt for parking). She said this resort is gorgeous.

The 1 bedrooms are classified as limited kitchen or full kitchen.

 

[Anne745]

I just wanted to say thanks to dvc John and lil star. Great info as always. I think knowing the details up front will make for a better trip, no matter what we decide. Again thanks.

 

[littlestar]

My sister called me back and said the microwave in the small one bedroom is actually a convection type microwave. The tub is the smaller style jacuzzi with jets. My sister and brother-inlaw ended up keeping the small one bedroom after all and my brother and his wife upgraded to the bigger 1 bedroom (the units are side by side - lockoff type setup).

Like DVC John says, with Starwood I'll usually book a two bedroom if not getting the bigger 1 bedroom unit is a trip breaker. My mom and dad booked an Interval Getaway last January for Starwood's Sheraton Vistana Villages in Orlando and that resort has the same setup - different sized one bedrooms. My mom just went ahead and booked a 2 bedroom so she wouldn't have to worry about it.

 

[Dean]

II does have a minimum standard but some resorts are able to meet that for the smaller units. It's just another reason to research the resort prior as you did. There's no way to ensure that you are exchanging for the larger unit in this situation unless there is something different in the sleeping capacity. What you might be able to do is figure it out in other ways. You might be able to get DVC to go through the unit description and that might tell you. You also might be able to get enough info that will allow you to call the resort directly and find out. This might include unit # or other unit designation.