Preference on 1-BR's at Aulani?

[DieHardJoe]

We will be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary in 2017 and are looking to spend a week at Aulani near the end of May. This will be our first trip to Hawaii. Including banked points, we will have 330 points for 2017, and of course could borrow from 2018. The week we are looking at would be 308 for an Island view, 322 for Poolside and 350 for Oceanview. We will have a car and plan on spending most days exploring the island. So we were looking for any suggestions as to whether people felt it would be better to save points and go with a non-Oceanview. We have no problem borrowing, but if a lot of people feel it is really not worth the extra points, then we would consider going with either an Island or Garden view. Thanks for any insights!!

 

[hakepb]

(I haven't visited. I've read trip reports from non-balcony people who love any room)
From what I've gathered, the only direct Ocean views are Grand Villas at the end of the resort. Otherwise within a "tower" higher rooms are "Ocean View" while 1 floor lower begins "Pool View" ... Kinda like BLT MK view vs standard view.

I'd probably rather have an upper pool view room if Ocean is not direct ocean view. But I don't think I'd want an island only view with no (obstructed) ocean.

 

[Loveallthingsmouse]

We had an OV villa our first trip to Aulani and again have an OV booked for our July trip. We LOVED the view, we were in the Waianae tower over looking both the pool and the ocean. We have requested the same tower, we loved the view and the location. After a 12 hour flight from the east coast, we wanted the ocean view.

 

[AulaniNutz]

I believe floors 1-4 are poolside. If I were poolside, I'd want to be on 1st floor for easy access.

That said, I've stayed on seventh floor, about half way down Ewa tower, facing inward to the pool, and loved the view. We looked down and saw pool, and looked out to ocean when looking slightly to left.

For a few more points you get to sit on your lanai in the evening and watch the sunset.. Or when you wake up, you look out with morning beverage in hand, see the ocean and know your in Hawaii. Any other view, and you just aren't there... IMHO, it's a few points
more and it is worth so much more....

And when you get your room, go check it out. If you don't like it, go back and ask for a different one. They walked me to another one, and it was so much nicer.

 

[living20057]

Having been several times, it is a nice view if you don't mind spending the points. Depending on how up you are, even with a pool view you can still see the lagoon.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We were top floor Aulani, ocean view. We thought the points were worth it, and will book ocean view again!

 

[DieHardJoe]

Thanks to everyone for the comments. If available at 7 months, looks like we will definitely go for the Ocean view! Aloha!

 

[southerngirl528]

We have stayed at Aulani 3 different trips since they opened and have always booked Ocean View on my DVC points. I'm all about the view, and have really loved our view each time. I have stayed in both the Waianae and Ewa towers. Both had great views across Waikalohe Valley (the pools area) to the ocean. As others have mentioned, the views of the sunset can be lovely.

Ocean View is generally the easiest category to book since it is more points so you should not have much problem booking. Just put in a W/L asap if availability is not what you really want at 7 months. I always recommend booking something (if available) and then W/L for what you want. It's worked for me 2 of my trips and one of these trips was booked at only about 4 months out. The 3rd stay I was just able to book all I wanted at 7 months.

 

[DenLo]

We just returned from Aulani in an ocean view studio and the view is definitely worth in IMO. I would ask for a room facing the Waikolohe Valley (pool area) and in Ewa Building, then you can get the sunset view as well. I am in the process of adding a photo trip report for Aulani (and the Big Island) here.

 

[aulanidreamer]

We have done the island view room twice now and had good luck with our room request to get a partial ocean view overlooking the lawn and ocean. To me it was worth the point savings so we could return sooner. We enjoyed beautiful peaceful mornings (and evenings except when starlite hui is going, but that was enjoyable too). The resort is amazing so you will enjoy any room I think.