AKL - Standard, Pool, Sav or Concierge?

[Hillbeans]

Hi All,

We're staying at the Radisson for 4 nights, and wanted to stay at the AKL for the last 3 nights. Can anyone give me an idea of which view is best, and whether Concierge is the way to go? Money isn't really the issue, although i'd rather not spend the $$$ if the standard or other views are just as nice.

Thanks in advance

-HB

 

[jillhou]

Just got back from AKL concierge. It was very nice. However, the savanna view in concierge is the same savanna view in non-concierge. The concierge is very spread out and not even necessarily on the same floor as the lounge. Having stayed at the Poly concierge also, I would say the AKL is not as nice as the Poly. Nothing wrong with it, just not as nice. It is still very convenient to have breakfast available fairly easily.

The people at the concierge are very helpful if you need dining assistance. They were always able to get a seating for me when I wanted it.

If money is not a worry - why not do concierge.....if you were thinking of doing concierge just to get a better view - that would not be a reason IMO because you do not get a better view simply by being in concierge.

 

[CarolA]

AKL is one place I recommend going for the view. I would recommend at least the Savannah view. Personally as a single traveler it is hard to justify the concierge so I have not done that.

 

[milmore104]

I went through the same thing in Nov. We were going to AKL for 16 nights and I was going to get the concierge level but decied to spend the money on something else. We normally go to character breakfasts so we didn't thnk it would be worth it to spend the extra money on the concierge. So we had a wonderful sav. view room. It was so beautiful. I'd say don't spend the extra dough on concierge spend it on other things!

 

[Beachangel]

Love AKL concierge, but have nothing to compare it to. If money is not an issue, I'd say go for it. The lounge is very convenient for a quick breakfast and great for a glass of wine in the evening before you head out for dinner, and the staff makes life so much easier for you. The view however is no different than a non-concierge room.

The greatest benefit is that you can pay and go on a sunrise safari over at Kiliminjaro Safaris which is a great experience.

 

[ead79]

I would definitely get a savannah view room at the AKL. It really is incredible to stand on your balcony and see animals so close to you. I think it's really a personal decision about whether or not to do concierge savannah view. I have stayed concierge 3 times (Poly twice and YC once), and I think it's really special and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. However, you do have to spend a fair amount of time in the resort to financially break even. I will say that I don't really focus on the actual break-even analysis to determine whether or not I will stay concierge--I really enjoy it, so I like to do it whether or not it's a little extra money. The AKL concierge usually gets great reviews on this board, and I can't wait to try it myself!

 

[kimmar067]

....it is my belief that you can't do the Sunrise Safari unless you are staying "concierge", but maybe another DIS'er can help me on this....

 

[Richyams]

Having stayed at the Poly concierge also, I would say the AKL is not as nice as the Poly. Nothing wrong with it, just not as nice.

Wow, viva la difference

I would say the exact opposite. We had stay in both the Poly and the AKL concierge rooms within sixty days of eachother.

We liked the AKL a whole lot more. The food choices were better and more varied, nothing could compare to looking off you balcony and seeing all the cool animals. We were right on the atrium, we only had a few steps to the lounge.

They had more juice choices, more food choices, a larger lounge that looked out over the lobby, the room, although deluxe, was somewhat smaller at AKL than at the Poly.

We wouldn't go back to the Poly, there was nothing wrong with it, just not as nice.

 

[Hillbeans]

ha ha, well let me rephrase, money is not an issue, but my last name isn't "TRUMP" either. I guess I was just trying to justify the $120 diff between SAV and CON. I'm thinking i'll just be thrilled with the Sav. I've never stayed on DIS property and am very excited.

Thanks to all for your replies.

 

[jillhou]

AKL vs Poly concierge - maybe we just had a different experience....I was hoping for a more varied food choice than we got at the AKL. Every night we were there, we had some sort of chicken on a stick and the nutcrusted salmon on a stick. We had 3 different types of hummus each night - but they were the same 3 types with the same crackers and chips. The cheese and fruit was the same each night too. There was usually 1 hot food that was different each night. One night it was spicy ribs, the next night it was some other sort of meat with the same spice as the ribs. Then the last night it was durban roasted chicken wings.

Not that this was a big deal or anything - but they always made you ask for sodas.....we are not drinkers of alcohol, so we always wanted a soda and they were only out in the fridge in the afternoons. Water and sodas and juices were always available at the poly - almost 24 hours a day. My kids liked it much better to just be able to run by the lounge and pick up a soda and a cookie on their way back to the room. Or to run in from the pool and grab a soda.

Chef Dick at the poly was great - nothing like him at the AKL. Each night, it was a different theme.....with different foods that were prepared right on site - sushi, mexican, south seas, etc. One afternoon, he was making animals and a whole scene out of fruits and vegetables and showed my kids how to do it and had them come back into the serving areas and take a pic with him. They hung out there instead of going to a dinner we had planned at the Crystal palace! We did get them to the CP on time - but we had to drag them away from Chef Dick! it was funny!

The poly concierge just seemed much more relaxed and vacation like......we liked the AKL just fine.....and would do it again in order to do the Sunrise Safari. I think the poly has our vote for a regular vacation place though.

 

[kimmar067]

....could you PLEEEZE answer my post....thanx!

 

[Beachangel]

The sunrise safari is offered to concierge guests only....that's the plus of staying at AKL concierge.

 

[kimmar067]

....boy, you'd think that, since you are paying so much more for concierge, that they'd "throw it in"( hey, I can dream, can't I?)

One other ?? re: sunrise safari...AKL was featured on the Travel Channel (Great Hotels series), and the impression I got was that breakfast(at Tuskers, I believe) was included with the Sunrise Safari, but that you got to enjoy ALL of the offerings at AK, and it also seemed like an EE kind of thing. Has anyone done SS and can they share their experiences???

 

[jillhou]

Just did the SS this past Saturday. Park admission is required to do the SS. You get up and get in the park early, then eat a nice breakfast at Tusker's. You are finished shortly after the park is open so you can get to things fairly quickly. You are welcome to stay at the AK as long as you want since you paid admission that day. Transportation back is up to you......