Just back from AKL, any ???

[Armadillo4]

...I saw more tree tops then animals.

I guess that's why they call them "Savannah View" rooms and not "Animal View" rooms.

I just got back from a stay at AKL, 3rd floor, Zebra trail, Arusha savannah. Based on previous posts on the DISboards, I requested a 3rd floor room as a good compromise between being close to ground level and high enough to get some perspective of the savannah expanse.

This is a remarkable resort, even for Standard View rooms. There are soooooooooooo many public viewing locations for the savannahs that you'll see plenty of animals during your stay, and you should spend time exploring. Even if you have a Savannah view room, if you limit your animal watching to just your balcony, you're missing out on a good deal of the AKL experience. I think if you have kids, they'll *persuade* you to check out the different viewing locations. And even though I didn't try it out myself, I hear the animal viewing with night vision binoculars is a popular activity with the younger set.

-Carlos

 

[Aunt Jo]

Originally posted by bryantslovedisney
Deluxe Savannah and Concierge?
Can you request a queen,Bunkbeds and a daybed in concierge
or is that for Deluxe only??? It' so confusing???
I'm so glad to hear about the room numbers that might
have decent views..my sons were really looking forward to that!
Thanks for all of the help!

You have described a Deluxe room and they are available in Concierge. I think you have a better chance of getting such a room if there are 5 in your party but it's perfectly okay to request one anyway. Many folks like the bunkbeds for their children.

 

[bryantslovedisney]

We are a party of 5, so hopefully we'll get
bunkbeds...my 8 year old kicks in his sleep,
my 14 year old talks in his sleep and my
middlechild(12 yr old) can't sleep with the
above children around! We'll figure it out
I'm sure!! We're always so tired at nite anyway!
Hey, Aunt Jo I'm originally from TX too!

Jill

 

[momof2OH]

We will be checking into AKL concierge in about 3 weeks. The only two reasons we are staying here for two nights is 1. the Sunrise Safari and 2. The view from the room. This is for my son who LOVES animals, especially giraffes. I am really hoping that we have a good view from our room.

 

[sjw4870]

MEP319 wrote:

"The room was made up...we had an towel animal the first nite, we forgot to tip the next morning b/c we were in a rush for a PS and next nite no animal. We tipped, then an animal....it annoyed me that we only got the animal when we remember to leave a tip out"

I left a tip out every night I was at AKL and I never saw a towel animal. (I was with adults so we didn't care though). I assume it depends on the housekeeper who does your room and how busy they are. Is this something exclusive to coincerge?

 

[mep319]

No I don't think the towel animals are exclusive to concierge...but I will say the performance of housekeeping did depend on the tip.....I actually was annoyed enought that I didn't tip the last 2 nites.

 

[boggydoll]

What room would you suggest for conceirge? 6th floor near the lounge? 5th floor for a better view? Is there a 5th floor room that has easy or better access to the lounge?

Thanks to everyone for all your posts and insites.

 

[mep319]

5th floor does have a better view but 6th floor definately has better access to the lounge. We were on the 5th floor...had to walk down the hall, over the lobby bridge to the elevators...not to bad but it was a bit of a walk...so you'll have to decide what is more important...view or lounge access. I'd rather have the view...more time to walk off all the goodies I was eating in the lounge.

 

[boggydoll]

I'm not really clear about which building has the lounge in it, as it is not listed on the map (unless I missed it somehow) I don't see any room numbers that even seem like they are on a sixth floor ie. #6_ _ _ except right in the main building. So exactly where is this mystery lounge and these conceirge rooms located? I'd really appreciate the info. thanx

 

[lookingforward]

The lounge is on the sixth floor, almost above the main doors, overlooking the entire lobby. It is beautiful. The 5th floor concierge rooms are not exactly close to the lounge but it is most definately not that bad to walk to it.

We LOVED the concierge at the AKL. It was great. We had a deluxe room on the fifth floor that had an unobstructed view and we saw giraffes and wildebeasts (SP?) and zebra, etc. I don't remember the number but it was two doors down from the two bedroom suites so you could find out by calling.

You will love the extra attention that the staff gives you. Check in is definately VIP. No lines to wait in, they just whisk you upstairs and to your room as you step out from your car. We are a family of five and had the bunkbed room which was great. I never got towel animals though! Turn down and housekeeping were great, only one time we came back from the parks and the room was not clean yet (afternoon). One phone call and they were in the room cleaning within ten minutes.

The lounge and staff were nice. THe food offerings were great. You will love this hotel and concierge. We have stayed at the Poly and Grand Floridian RPC and we liked AKL the best!

 

[Dogslider]

I have read on other threads that you can request rooms on other floors while staying Concierge.

I was somewhat disappointted that the views were better in the non- concierge rooms.

I was also disappointed to here the view was better on the lower floors. I emailed concierge to request a to be put in lower floor. But, they nicely told me that it was not allowed. That I would have to if any regular savannah views were available and rebook. Oh, well we are really looking forward the the Sunrise Safari and am sure we will have a great time.
Pam

 

[mep319]

Please don't think that you won't have a wonderful view! It is...it just has some obstructions b/c of the trees. It did not, in anyway, lessen my love for the lodge. I was making a comparision. I was sooooo blown away by my view on the 2nd flr in January that it was a little hard not to be somewhat disappointed in the view from the 5th flr....if you have no point of comparision I wouldn't even be concerned. Where else can you see such animals from a balcony of a hotel. There are many places to watch the animals...trust me, you will love the lodge and the view...it is our favorite resort...relax and enjoy!

 

[Selket]

We stayed at AKL in August and had a regular savannah view room and I thought the mousekeeping was so=so. We generally didn't get our room cleaned until after 2 p.m. and one time by 5 pm they hadn't come...they did come while we were at dinner (!) because I called. And another time they still hadn't come by 4:30 in the afternoon and we ended up going down to the pool to get towels for the bath before dinner....I called to ask when housekeeping would come and request towels but even after waiting a half hour...no towels. It is rather annoying to have it be dinner time and still in a dirty room. My other stay at a WDW resort (POFQ) was much the same....they just left a big bag full of towels hanging on the door every day...no matter what time of day we took our afternoon rest for an hour with the do not disturb sign up. I think I just have bad WDW housekeeping karma.

 

[joyjoy]

We had a deluxe savannah room (5520) in September. I agree that the closeness of the animals from the lower floors is magnificent. You don't really appreciate how BIG those animals are - or how beautiful - until you see them up close. However, I loved the higher up room because of the wide vista. Seeing the expanse of the savannah was stunning. I'll never forget the afternoon we checked in - our bellhop opened the drapes and we looked out on the beautiful vegetation and exotic lodge - and then, from our left out walked two giraffes. Magnificent. We all gasped. It was just so beautiful with the backdrop of the trees, ponds and grassy areas. We became very familiar with those giraffes over the 8 days we were there. We took binoculars and kept them on the balcony so we could see our giraffes' pretty faces whenever we wanted.

Omg, I am so homesick for AKL now.

 

[boggydoll]

I really appreciate everyones posts. It is giving me a very well rounded idea about the pros and cons.

BUT I am still miffed about the location of the Conceirge!

If the Conceirge is on the sixth floor overlooking the lobby...how do you have a view of the savannah?

 

[mep319]

It is on the 6th flr overlooking the lobby. I believe there are 8 or 9 on each side....8/9 overlook the pool...8/9 overlook the Sunset Savannah. Some of these rooms apparently have an obstructed view b/c of the straw roofs (you would think they would have put more thought into the views on the 6th flr...my only complaint) There are not many rooms on the 6th flr. If you have been to the lodge and are standing in the lobby looking toward Arusha Rock with your back to the entrance....look all the way up, top floor..the lounge will actually be on same end as the entrance...the rooms are on the left and right. Hope this helps.

 

[punkin]

I called last night and asked very specifically for a savanah view room with a great view. I said I did not care about bed preferences (I'll take 2 queens or bunk beds) I don't care about anything other than getting a great view. I am also worried because we will arrive after midnight (tonight) We will see what happens, but the woman on the floor said not to worry.

 

[boggydoll]

Thanks for your description, everything helps - thanks for taking the time.

 

[Reenski]

Just returned Tuesday the 11th,
had 3rd floor Zebra Trail over Savannah, great views of animals.
Loved Boma, be sure to do Priority seating for dinner, they will give you a beeper and within 5 minutes we were seated.
We just love this resort and would stay again..........