Marriott Cypress Harbour or Sheraton Vistana/Vistana Villages?

[madelyn]

Finally confirmed our dates for our late May/early June trip. We will stay 2 nts in a DVC Boardwalk then 2 nts at Bay Lake Tower before moving off-site for a timeshare week through Interval International. Right now the top choices for our dates are a 2 bedroom at Marriott Cypress Harbour or a 2 bedroom at both Vistana or Vistana Villages. We plan to go to Universal and the Disney Water parks during that week. I will be there with my family (me, husband and kids ages 13, 10 and 5), my adult sister and possibly my adult brother. So a total of 3 (maybe 4) adults and 3 kids. Or do I wait and see if anything better comes up. Earlier there were 2 bedroom units at Marriott's Harbour Lake and Grande Vista but they are gone now.

 

[mieuxmew]

Love Cypress Harbour! We stayed there last year - it was very nice! Are all 7 of you planning to stay in the same 2 bedroom unit? The master has a king and the second bedroom has a queen and a sofa bed. The room is very tight with the sofa bed opened in the bedroom. Might be a bit tight. Two two bedrooms would be better imho.

Have never stayed in either Sheraton.

 

[Detailor]

Love Cypress Harbour! The master has a king and the second bedroom has a queen and a sofa bed. The room is very tight with the sofa bed opened in the bedroom. Might be a bit tight. Two two bedrooms would be better imho.

Have never stayed in either Sheraton.

If the accommodations for your group were equal between these resorts then I'd agree that Cypress Harbour should be the choice. In my mind it is clearly the nicest of those three resorts.

However, the funky second bedroom layout might or might not work out for you.

The second bedroom indeed has a queen size bed and a queen size sofabed. The sofabed pulls out at an angle from the opposite end of the room from the bed and it makes access to the closet difficult. When the sofabed is pulled out the floor space in the room is minimized.

There is also a queen sized sofabed in the living room, making the villa accommodate eight people.

The layouts of the two Vistanas might be more accommodating for a larger group - usually two queen beds in the second bedroom and a queen sofabed in the living room - but your sister and brother would have to be willing to have a bed-mate.
The Vistana Resort has recently completed a full resort refurbishment project so the whole resort is up to date. The Vistana Villages resort has a new village - St. Augustine, which was built during 2010-11 and the Key West Village was recently refurbished and that section is also up to date.

As I mentioned, I like Cypress Harbour the best of these three but the two Vistanas are quite nice, too.

Dick Taylor

 

[madelyn]

Forgot to add that my sister and brother will be staying with us for only the first 2 nights. After that it will just be my family of 5 (3 kids). So no, not planning to rent a second 2 bedroom unit. So those of you who are fans of Cypress Harbour, think it will be bearable to be a little crowded for the first two nights?

 

[Detailor]

Forgot to add that my sister and brother will be staying with us for only the first 2 nights. After that it will just be my family of 5 (3 kids). So no, not planning to rent a second 2 bedroom unit. So those of you who are fans of Cypress Harbour, think it will be bearable to be a little crowded for the first two nights?

The Cypress Harbour villas are certainly large enough to handle seven people. It would get wearing even for two nights if you're at the villa all day but, assuming you'll be out at a theme park or water park during the day, if it's just mornings and nighttime it should be bearable. The part that might be troublesome is that, when using the two sofas as beds, there are only four beds for the seven people in your group. Once you're down to the five of you, you'll love the villa and the resort.

Dick Taylor

 

[madelyn]

Thanks everyone! I was able to complete an early June trade for Marriott's Harbour Lake this morning. The trade for Cypress Harbour has been out there for weeks for my dates. I saw a few come and go for other dates. I was so tempted to take that one since others have posted such favorable reviews for it. My main concern was the 1 bed/sofabed configuration of the second bedroom which would have been a tight squeeze for the 1 or 2 nights we will have 1 or 2 extra adults with us. I remember Harbour Lake when it was Horizons but we never have stayed there or been on the grounds. The only Marriott timeshare we have ever stayed at is Newport Coast Villas in So Cal. So if anyone has specific tips/room requests for Harbour Lake, I would appreciate them! We will be there for a week after staying 4 nights on-site WDW. No specific plans for our week there but we plan to fit in Universal Studios, Disney water parks and shopping. With my kids now 13, 10 and 5 I figured this would be a good time to take advantage of the water park at Harbour Lake. We can also try the other Marriott resorts when they are older.

 

[Detailor]

So if anyone has specific tips/room requests for Harbour Lake, I would appreciate them!

The core part of the resort is fairly compact and I think that several of the buildings would be just fine for you.

Buildings 28 and 29 (the Buried Treasure section) form an L configuration with 28 adjacent to the pirate pool, snack stand and mini golf area. 29 runs along the resort's main road and is a few feet further away from the pirate pool, etc.

Buildings 30 and 31 (Sunken Treasure section) are also connected in an L. They are and the resort's entrance and across the parking lot from 28 and 29. 30 runs along the entrance road and 31 is parallel to Westwood Boulevard (there's generous buffer space between the Westwood and that building but the view from the lanai is facing in that direction).

Building 10 (Buccaneer Harbor) is across the entrance road from buildings 29 and 30 and runs along the resort's main road. The parking lot separates 10 from the resort's more traditional (and larger) pool area.

Buildings 12 and 13 (Sea Harbor) share a parking lot with building 10 and are adjacent to the main pool area. 13 is next to and has a view of the pool area while 12's view is of the lake (Lake Willis). The pool area there is behind the check-in building and includes some of the typical Marriott amenities: the bar & grille and fitness center are right there.

Buildings 14 and 15 (Sunset Harbor) are across a side street from the main pool and next to the large play field. 14 faces the pool area, 15 faces the lake.

There are other buildings at the resort but the map that I have doesn't identify them by name or number. While those buildings are newer they are also further away from the resort amenities.

It's an easy and simple walk between pool areas so none of the original buildings are particularly far from the resort's features.

As far as tips, while not specific to this resort, I always ask for a villa on the top floor (no potentially noisy feet above) and at the end of a building (one one neighbor, which can also cut down on potential noise).

Dick Taylor

 

[madelyn]

Dick, thanks again for your quick reply. What great info! Well, I read a recent Tripadvisor review and someone made a comment about how rude the check-in desk employee and manager was when he requested an "updated" unit. They were rudely told that the updated units were only for "owners" and the other staff members were heard laughing in the background. Now I'm a bit afraid to make requests! But from what I remember about a previous Marriott trade, I was able to make a request through the internet. But not sure I am brave enough to make requests in person at check-in!

The core part of the resort is fairly compact and I think that several of the buildings would be just fine for you.

Buildings 28 and 29 (the Buried Treasure section) form an L configuration with 28 adjacent to the pirate pool, snack stand and mini golf area. 29 runs along the resort's main road and is a few feet further away from the pirate pool, etc.

Buildings 30 and 31 (Sunken Treasure section) are also connected in an L. They are and the resort's entrance and across the parking lot from 28 and 29. 30 runs along the entrance road and 31 is parallel to Westwood Boulevard (there's generous buffer space between the Westwood and that building but the view from the lanai is facing in that direction).

Building 10 (Buccaneer Harbor) is across the entrance road from buildings 29 and 30 and runs along the resort's main road. The parking lot separates 10 from the resort's more traditional (and larger) pool area.

Buildings 12 and 13 (Sea Harbor) share a parking lot with building 10 and are adjacent to the main pool area. 13 is next to and has a view of the pool area while 12's view is of the lake (Lake Willis). The pool area there is behind the check-in building and includes some of the typical Marriott amenities: the bar & grille and fitness center are right there.

Buildings 14 and 15 (Sunset Harbor) are across a side street from the main pool and next to the large play field. 14 faces the pool area, 15 faces the lake.

There are other buildings at the resort but the map that I have doesn't identify them by name or number. While those buildings are newer they are also further away from the resort amenities.

It's an easy and simple walk between pool areas so none of the original buildings are particularly far from the resort's features.

As far as tips, while not specific to this resort, I always ask for a villa on the top floor (no potentially noisy feet above) and at the end of a building (one one neighbor, which can also cut down on potential noise).

Dick Taylor

 

[Detailor]

Dick, thanks again for your quick reply. What great info! Well, I read a recent Tripadvisor review and someone made a comment about how rude the check-in desk employee and manager was when he requested an "updated" unit. They were rudely told that the updated units were only for "owners" and the other staff members were heard laughing in the background. Now I'm a bit afraid to make requests! But from what I remember about a previous Marriott trade, I was able to make a request through the internet. But not sure I am brave enough to make requests in person at check-in!

Not to make any excuses for rude behavior but it's almost impossible to have a request satisfied when it's made on the day of arrival. Like at most timeshare resorts, villa assignments are typically made at the Marriotts two to three weeks before an arrival date. I've had mixed levels of success at the Orlando Marriotts. For instance, for a stay at Sabal Palms I requested a specific villa by number and the very helpful reservation staff gave me exactly what I wanted. And we've always had success in getting the building we've requested, though not always floor or villa placement, at Cypress Harbour. But we've never gotten anything close to our requested location or villa placement at Grande Vista. Not surprisingly, the reservations staffs at Cypress Harbour and Sabal Palms get consistently high marks from guests and are among the most highly recognized within the Marriott Vacation Club system.

Given that you might or might not get what you want I'd still suggest that you contact the resort three to four weeks prior to your stay. I'd contact the resort directly at 407-465-6100. I have no confidence on the resort's email address. For Cypress Harbour I use Cypressharbour.Ram@vacationclub.com so the Harbour Lake address MIGHT be HarbourLake.Ram@vacationclub.com. I'd suggest giving them two or three buildings that you'd be happy with along with your request for level within a building (usually High Floor will mean the top two floors and Low Floor will mean ground or second floor).

Good luck and have a great vacation.

Dick Taylor

 

[bdeps8]

Hi Dick, Thanks for the helpful info you provided. Just booked my stay at Cypress Harbour today for the week of Memorial day. Super excited! Do you have any insights as to which building to request there? I have been reading that Building 65 is pretty good and near the island pool. Any other suggestions in case we can't get that one? We would like to be by a pool. Also is the email address you listed best to request a room or call? I plan to do so in the next day or so. Thanks!!

 

[Detailor]

Hi Dick, Thanks for the helpful info you provided. Just booked my stay at Cypress Harbour today for the week of Memorial day. Super excited! Do you have any insights as to which building to request there? I have been reading that Building 65 is pretty good and near the island pool. Any other suggestions in case we can't get that one? We would like to be by a pool. Also is the email address you listed best to request a room or call? I plan to do so in the next day or so. Thanks!!

For our last Cypress Harbour visit (two weeks) we stayed in Building 65 and we liked that location - just over the little bridge from the Island Pool, then across the lake bridge from the main pool area/food court amenities, and - on the other side - a short walk to the activities center. Great location.

We've also enjoyed Building 62 at the end of the lake and between the activities center and the small Bayside Pool area.

But, in my opinion, most of the buildings that surround the lake are nice, though I'd avoid Buildings 55 and 56 at the farther end of the lake as the view isn't as nice as the others. Buildings 52 and 53 are on either side of the reservation building/main pool area/food court/pool bar. 51 and 54 are one building beyond 52 and 53, respectively. Buildings 50 and 60 are at one corner of the lake and not far from the activities center. And then Buildings are between the activities center and Building 65/entrance to the Island Pool at the other corner of the pool. All nice with good lake views from the lanais. I think that any of those buildings would be good choices.

The other building, though just as nice inside, have somewhat lesser views of the adjacent golf course and seem to me to be somewhat remote from the resort's amenities.

This link will take you to the Cypress Harbour resort layout map.

When you make your request I'd suggest that you request more than one building that would work for you - greater chance of getting something that you want. I'd also suggest using the email address as it's always nice to have a written record of your request. It's a great staff at Cypress Harbour, they do a nice job in trying to accommodate guests' requests.

Dick Taylor

 

[bdeps8]

Thanks Dick! I really appreciate the helpful info. I will email them tomorrow with a few top choices. Thanks again!