Just Returned from Doral resort & Spa & BCV very long

[lovwdwalot]

My DW, DD & I returned from our first trip "home" two weeks ago. Well for those of you who don't know about the Doral it is part of the Concierge Collection.
The Doral resort is in Miami just out side of the downtown area, it is also about 20min. from South Beach, very central to everything.Here is the Good & the Bad of the Doral resort.
The resort is really nice from the outside, the main lobby and the lodges (where your rooms are) are separate from each other, they have about 10 lodges. as is the Spa, which is about a 5 min walk from all of the lodges. the spa is incredible, all new and it has everything that you would want done to you,but it's very expensive. if you love spas and love to golf this is the place to go. they have 50glof coures on the site, and they also have a very nice pool with a water slide, we didn't get to swim at all which my DD was mad about because the temps in Miami was in the mid 70's but windly and cool.
now the bad, we had ask for a room with two queens, well we go to our room, and it's a king sides bed, won't do because it's three of us. so we call down to the front desk and they say sorry have the bellboy come back and we will give him new keys for anoher room. Well we go to a new lodge #7 and as we walk in it smelled ofa musty odor so we ask for a new lodge. so we got a new room again, this room was bigger than the others that we were in. everything was great, except when my DW went to the bathroom, it had very small bugs in it, and not just a couple like alot. so they had housekeeping spary the three days we were there.
We will try other Concierge Collection Hotels but not this.

Now the BCV! This was our first time "home" and we stayed for 3 nights in a one bedroom. we had ask requested a Epcot view when we made our reservations, but when we check in (at 4 PM) they gave us a pool veiw instead.Which was great, the room we had was #528 which over looked the quiet pool . you can see the room from the litho that you get from the DVC it's right in the middle of the litho at the top.
The room was in great shape, very clean, nothing missing any where. Just one light was out and after a call to the daek it was changed in 5min. SAB was better than any pool we have been to. DD loved it! If you have any questions let me know and I'll try to answer them.

 

[kaf7878]

Thanks for this post! I had wondered about the Doral and if it was worth the points but based on your review, I think I will pass. Glad you had a nice time at the BCV!! We've had a pool view before and I really enjoyed it

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by lovwdwalot
The Doral resort is in Miami just out side of the downtown area, it is also about 20min. from South Beach, very central to everything.

I guess everyone has there own defintions of "just outside" and "very central." It's about a 12 mile drive from the Doral Golf Resort to downtown Miami on the often very busy SR-836 highway. In fact, the Doral is near the western edge of the Miami metropolitan area.

For DVC members, another alternative is Marriott's Villas at Doral. It's across the street from the Doral Golf Resort. Guests at the Marriott have the same use of facilities at the Doral as other Doral guests.

Doral Golf Resort and Spa (DVC Concierge Collection): http://www.doralgolf.com/

Marriott's Villas at Doral (DVC World Passport Collection): http://www.vacationclub.com/en-us/vc/resorts/DA/default.asp

 

[lovwdwalot]

Marriott's Villas at Doral is across the street from the Doral Golf Resort but the diffrences is the Marriott you have to book for a 5 day stay (Could be a 7 day not sure) but at the Doral Golf & Spa you can book for a nightly stay.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by lovwdwalot
Marriott's Villas at Doral is across the street from the Doral Golf Resort but the diffrences is the Marriott you have to book for a 5 day stay (Could be a 7 day not sure) but at the Doral Golf & Spa you can book for a nightly stay.

As an II timeshare exchange, you always get a 7-night stay at Marriott's Villas at Doral.

At the Doral Golf Resort, you get a regular hotel room with daily housekeeping. At Marriott's Villas at Doral you get a big 2-bedroom condo with a full kitchen, 2 bathrooms, and your own washer/dryer -- but no daily housekeeping (unless you pay extra).

My family is spoiled by 2BR DVC condos, so we also like to stay in 2BR condos elsewhere. And we don't mind making our own beds.

 

[lovwdwalot]

You know Horace Horsecollar, after staying in a one bedroom at the BCV for the last leg of our trip I agree with you! I just can't see staying in a regular hotel room. one or two bedroom for this family!