Every SSR building with rooms is structured the same with the same number of rooms and same breakdown for room sizes. They all have the same number of 1BRs in the same locations in the building. The distinction between preferred and standard buildings is simply location. Preferred is two areas, Congress Park and Springs. Congress Park has buildings near the lakeshore and near the walkover bridge that goes from SSR to Disney Springs (DS), a quiet pool, and a walkway along the lake providing impressive views of the lake and DS. The Springs is the area with the original themed pool (High Rock Spring), the Carriage House and other main buildings, with a front desk, store, spa, and Artiste Palette, a counter service restaurant, and easy walk to the Turf Club Bar and Grill, the table service restaurant.
Before 2017, all the buildings had the same nightly point structure and there was no distinction between preferred and standard.
DVC adopted the new structure starting in 2017, with higher point cost preferred having Springs and Congress Park, and the other three areas, Grandstand, Carousel, and Paddock, being standard. That division resulted from the fact that Springs and Congress Park were historically requested by members for room location more than the other areas before 2017. Paddock also has a themed pool (added in 2011), a walking bridge over an internal lake to the Springs area, and also a couple buildings that, like Congress Park, have fairly easy access to the bridge that goes to Springs.
Grandstand has buildings along the golf course, is the closest standard area to the main buildings in Springs, and has the bus advantage as the first pick-up (and drop off) area for buses going to (and coming from) the parks. Carousel is the second bus stop and Carousel is the area furthest from both the main buildings in Springs and the bridge to DS but is a nice, scenic area. Paddock is the third bus stop, followed by Congress Park and Springs. There can sometimes be a risk of full buses or standing room only in the morning rush hours, but that risk is generally limited to Springs, and more rarely Congress Park.
Saratoga Springs is, as you mention, a spread out resort, but it is a very nice area with a golf course connected to it for any golfers in the group, and taking walks through it can be quite impressive with lakes, many grassy areas, trees, and bushes which always appear to be perfectly trimmed.
From the original post which mentions only the standard areas, I am assuming you want a standard view 1BR. Personal view is that Paddock, in a building near the themed pool would be the area to request, but as mentioned many prefer Grandstand, particularly for the buses and closeness to the main buildings in Springs.
