Our stay: Jan 18-Jan 24.
Checked in using the Diamond Lane line as the regular line was HUGE. This was at around 3pm. Only one person ahead of me in the Diamond Lane line, but by the time it was my turn, the regular line was gone. Go figure. I was told that the Villa they were going to give me wasn't ready, so they had another. It was in the Fountains section. I asked for Cascades, was told requests are not guaranteed, etc. DH took the kids to see the grounds around the Lobby (beautifull) and DD (7) got her face painted and a baloon. DS (21 mos) just happy to run around. We get to the Fountains section. It was WAY out in the boonies of the resort, near the highway. The noisy highway. Very run down area, with boards missing or loose from the railings at the top of some stairways. We were given a second floor unit, no elevators in the buildings. (We really needed an elevator) It was really, really far from the pool area, so far you would need to drive. The villa was very large, lots of room. Old, old, old appliances in the kitchen, very worn counters and cabinets. Furniture looked as if it could use a good shampoo. Carpet was a bright green (not lime!) with the worn/damaged areas having been cut out and replaced with same carpet. looked as if they took carpet from another old villa and replaced the bad spots with it. The Villa had a closed up smell, like a smoker had the villa, and then they sprayed airfreshener and closed it up. For a long time. Beds in the rooms were worn, almost to the point of worn out. The crib I had requested arrived broken, with only a double bed flat sheet. I called to get another crib, which arrived after we got back from dinner. This crib was a pack and play that was filthy, with no linen. At this point I called to get a 3rd crib and while on hold I found a used band aid. When the person came on the line I very nicely explained that I really needed to be moved due to the fact that it was far from everything, dirty, etc. 5 minutes later we were told a bell man would deliver a new set of key cards to a newer villa with an elevator nearer the pools etc. and that he would move our luggage and take us to the new villa. Bellman delivered the keys at the same time the new crib was delivered. We ended up following the crib delivery guy to the new place, but the luggage didn't arrive untill 3 hours later. Around 9pm. The new villa was NEW and beautifull in the Lakes section. A little smaller that the Fountains villa, but all new, clean and fresh smelling. It had a water view of a nice lake, and you could see a little bit of the pool area. The unit was on the 3rd floor, quiet unless you were in the kitchen, then you could only hear some parking lot noise. Whirlpool tub in the master bedroom 2 doubles in the 2nd bedroom. Very nice villa.
Pools-there are 7 of them, all beautifull. All looked clean and well taken care of. The two whirlpools at the Lakes pool area were nice, one hot and the other hotter. Plenty of towels.
Restaurants- We tried to eat at the Flamingo, but the wait was 45 mins, with a really rude service person. The Manager came out and apologized, said they had a big party in another room and couldn't keep up. Didn't look like they planned very well. It was kids eat free night, not a whole lot of people there. They had let us wait for 20 mins before being seated and they told us the wait would be 45 mins before they could take our order. We decided to eat elsewhere.
We did eat at Zimmies the food and service were very sub standard. The food was all you can eat BBQ. It consisted of boiled chicken in BBQ sauce, dried out burgers/hot dogs, frozen corn on the cob, Van Camps pork and beans, salad bar and canned pudding. All for 10 bucks a piece. We learned our lesson about food at the Vistana- eat in your room or at a restaurant off the resort.
The resort is beautiful, clean and some sections are very nice. Some are not so nice, and some are down right yucky. They were in the process of refurbing some areas when we were there. The security people were great, as was the gentleman that brought all the cribs. Ben the time share welcome desk guy was very nice too. No one else really made you think that your stay was important or mattered.
We talked with a few other couples, RCI owners, they said that for a RCI swap you would get an older section. We rented from Starwood, Sheraton's owner, and were supposed to get one of the better villas. That way, we would be more inclined to attend their time share presentation and purchase. This according to the welcome desk people.
Would I stay there again? Only if I was guaranteed a new villa. Otherwise no way. I don't want to spend my vacation in a run down "villa".
That's my two bits....
I'll answer any questions you may have.
Gretchen
Checked in using the Diamond Lane line as the regular line was HUGE. This was at around 3pm. Only one person ahead of me in the Diamond Lane line, but by the time it was my turn, the regular line was gone. Go figure. I was told that the Villa they were going to give me wasn't ready, so they had another. It was in the Fountains section. I asked for Cascades, was told requests are not guaranteed, etc. DH took the kids to see the grounds around the Lobby (beautifull) and DD (7) got her face painted and a baloon. DS (21 mos) just happy to run around. We get to the Fountains section. It was WAY out in the boonies of the resort, near the highway. The noisy highway. Very run down area, with boards missing or loose from the railings at the top of some stairways. We were given a second floor unit, no elevators in the buildings. (We really needed an elevator) It was really, really far from the pool area, so far you would need to drive. The villa was very large, lots of room. Old, old, old appliances in the kitchen, very worn counters and cabinets. Furniture looked as if it could use a good shampoo. Carpet was a bright green (not lime!) with the worn/damaged areas having been cut out and replaced with same carpet. looked as if they took carpet from another old villa and replaced the bad spots with it. The Villa had a closed up smell, like a smoker had the villa, and then they sprayed airfreshener and closed it up. For a long time. Beds in the rooms were worn, almost to the point of worn out. The crib I had requested arrived broken, with only a double bed flat sheet. I called to get another crib, which arrived after we got back from dinner. This crib was a pack and play that was filthy, with no linen. At this point I called to get a 3rd crib and while on hold I found a used band aid. When the person came on the line I very nicely explained that I really needed to be moved due to the fact that it was far from everything, dirty, etc. 5 minutes later we were told a bell man would deliver a new set of key cards to a newer villa with an elevator nearer the pools etc. and that he would move our luggage and take us to the new villa. Bellman delivered the keys at the same time the new crib was delivered. We ended up following the crib delivery guy to the new place, but the luggage didn't arrive untill 3 hours later. Around 9pm. The new villa was NEW and beautifull in the Lakes section. A little smaller that the Fountains villa, but all new, clean and fresh smelling. It had a water view of a nice lake, and you could see a little bit of the pool area. The unit was on the 3rd floor, quiet unless you were in the kitchen, then you could only hear some parking lot noise. Whirlpool tub in the master bedroom 2 doubles in the 2nd bedroom. Very nice villa.
Pools-there are 7 of them, all beautifull. All looked clean and well taken care of. The two whirlpools at the Lakes pool area were nice, one hot and the other hotter. Plenty of towels.
Restaurants- We tried to eat at the Flamingo, but the wait was 45 mins, with a really rude service person. The Manager came out and apologized, said they had a big party in another room and couldn't keep up. Didn't look like they planned very well. It was kids eat free night, not a whole lot of people there. They had let us wait for 20 mins before being seated and they told us the wait would be 45 mins before they could take our order. We decided to eat elsewhere.
We did eat at Zimmies the food and service were very sub standard. The food was all you can eat BBQ. It consisted of boiled chicken in BBQ sauce, dried out burgers/hot dogs, frozen corn on the cob, Van Camps pork and beans, salad bar and canned pudding. All for 10 bucks a piece. We learned our lesson about food at the Vistana- eat in your room or at a restaurant off the resort.
The resort is beautiful, clean and some sections are very nice. Some are not so nice, and some are down right yucky. They were in the process of refurbing some areas when we were there. The security people were great, as was the gentleman that brought all the cribs. Ben the time share welcome desk guy was very nice too. No one else really made you think that your stay was important or mattered.
We talked with a few other couples, RCI owners, they said that for a RCI swap you would get an older section. We rented from Starwood, Sheraton's owner, and were supposed to get one of the better villas. That way, we would be more inclined to attend their time share presentation and purchase. This according to the welcome desk people.
Would I stay there again? Only if I was guaranteed a new villa. Otherwise no way. I don't want to spend my vacation in a run down "villa".
That's my two bits....
I'll answer any questions you may have.
Gretchen
