They have not stared the rennovations to POR, the POFQ was shut done for rehab, and will be reopening in mid March. The POR is next, word is parts will be shut down rather than the whole resort. I would assume the rehab will start when they reopen POFQ.
I stayed at the POR in September, I had booked my room through CRO and faxed in my request to the resort 3 days prior to my stay.
I was in Oak Manor which is a partially smoking building. I believe that the rooms on the first and some of second floor were non smoking and the rooms on the remainder of the second floor the 3rd floor were smoking.
I was on the first floor and it was great. Oak Manor was a good location. It is close to the bridge to the main building and not far at all from the bridge to the main pool. There was a quiet pool between Oak Manor and Parterre Place and a bus stop between Oak Manor and Magnolia Terrace (actually behind the buildings).
I used the main bus stop most of the time, but in the evenings I would stroll over to the one behind the buildings.
It is a beautiful resort.