Akl Question?

[5farmer]

When ever I look at pictures of the AKL on the internet the rooms and in fact the whole resort seem to be dark and dreay. Is the lodge reaslly that dark or are they just bad pictures, I am trying to decide which resort to stay this summer at so this information will help me.

 

[extraredstuff]

While AKL uses alot of dark wood tones, and warmer colors..... I would never use the word dreary to describe it. We had a safari view, and it was so worth it. The grounds are very lush, and the rooms are tastfully decorated.
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised and love it.

Curious, what other resort were you thinking of?

 

[5farmer]

I was considering POR or BWV.

 

[webray]

Dreary no...earthtones..yes.

The AKL is an oustanding resort, the best place to relax and a wonderful pool area.

POR..ugh, that's all I can say there.

BWI..well, it is our second favorite against AKL. (if we stay in the boardwalk area we prefer the BWV's or the Dolphin)

 

[extraredstuff]

POR is great, but I can't comment on BWV since I've yet to stay there. But I'd still go with AKL.

We could see Zebras from the balcony, it was great. And if you don't get a safari view there are still plenty of ways to view the safari areas. The lobby was beautiful, there was a really large mud fireplace, and a huge picture window overlooking the animal areas.

 

[bsusanmb]

I think the grounds of POR are the most beautiful you will find. You can't compare a deluxe hotel to the moderates. You will love AKL also - it is an awesome experience. We are splitting our trip between the two. When we go to POR, I feel like I just came home. At the AKL, I feel like I am on a pampered safari!
Susan

 

[DLKT]

Here's a review I did that you might find interesting.

It was closed for some reason though.

 

[sandraB]

I too was worried about the "dark" tones of the hotel, but it was not at all dreary!

I found the hotel to be very serene and relaxing...we loved sitting on our balcony watching the animals....

the pool is awesome, the kids loved it.

When you walk into the lobby, it is very impressive.

We LOVED this resort!

 

[SqueakyMouse]

Rather than dark and dreary, AKL seems cool and restful to me. To compare it with its sister resort, it is no darker than WL. Your room can be as dark or as bright as you choose. There are plenty of lights. (This originally was a concern of mine.) AKL has become our favorite resort. You truly feel as if you've been transported to Africa. We will be returning to AKL for a week in May. I cannot wait!

 

[LibertyBelle58]

We were at AKL in 2002. It is a beautiful resort, very colorful, but with earthy jewel tones. It was a cool, welcome retreat at the end of the day. It has an exotic, romantic feel. People have posted that the rooms are too dark for reading, but it wasn't a problem for us.
It's all about what appeals to you. If you're looking for the classic light, pastel, summer-time look that comes to mind when you think of Florida, then AKL may not be for you. But if the idea of an African safari appeals to you at all, you will love AKL. One reason we liked it is because the dark woods and exotic decor was completely different from what we have at home!
If you don't have a savannah room, there are many places to relax and view the animals.
The bus service was great, it was a short ride to the parks. I liked the fact that the doors to the rooms were inside the hotel (not outside). The pool was very nice. Boma for breakfast was excellent.

 

[musicmom3]

I, too, had heard that the rooms were dark, and even that the lighbulbs were of lower wattage than at other resorts. Being a family of readers, I brought those clip-on book lights...just in case. But here is what happened. During the day, in our Savannah-view room, with the curtains open, there was plenty of natural light in the room--not dark or dreary at all. In fact in the morning the light was glaring, being that we were facing east. When we closed the curtains at night, the lamps were sufficient. I think we used a booklight once, when DD wanted to read and the rest of us were ready for sleepy-time!

 

[BigOnDis]

The AKL is our favorite resort. The woods are dark, but that gives it a great feel, like being in Africa ( I am guessing here as I have never been to africa). The lobby is very impressive. The pool is fantastic.

When planning our next trip I asked the kids where they wanted to stay, planning on doing a split stay, and they said anywhere is fine as long as one of them is the AKL.

 

[buckeye]

OK---I hate to be the negative one---but I DID find the resort dark. I wouldn't call it dreary, but I wouldn't call it cheerful either. Even the lights in the bathrooms are dim and I was a little taken aback everytime I flipped the light switch. I thought the resort was beautiful, but I'll choose a brighter, cheerier one next time. If I was just going for a romantic, adult-only trip, I might feel differently. My kids were a bit disappointed in the pool slide, if that is an issue for you. They had a blast doing the Hidden Mickey search, though. I didn't expect to be bothered by the "darkness" issue--but I was. SORRY to all you AKL fans---I hate when someone says something negative about something that I love, but I thought the OP should hear both opinions.

 

[kpk89]

It is definitely dark, and I guess whether you find it exotic/romantic or dreary depends on your taste. I thought it was cozy and warm feeling, very exotic and very romantic. (Of course it was my first trip with dh since having kids - 6 years - so a no-tell motel probably would've seemed romantic )

I recommend it, unless you absolutely prefer light colors and bright atmosphere all the way.

Have a great trip -- and let us know what you pick!