Review The Sheraton Vistana Resort Thread (key links on p.1)

[curiousGal]

Hello Gina!!

Thank you for the trip report. Boy! am I little slow....

I will be arriving at SVR in 48 hours and just read about the Diamond lane. Although I filled out the online form and shot an email, I can't say I will be lucky to get the unit I wanted. I am with my spouse and my parents. With elderly parents, I need to be extra careful and choose a quiet area. What units should I be looking for if there is any? Can I still fix my delay in requesting the unit type to the concierge?

Thanks!

 

[bankr63]

Hello Gina!!

Thank you for the trip report. Boy! am I little slow....

I will be arriving at SVR in 48 hours and just read about the Diamond lane. Although I filled out the online form and shot an email, I can't say I will be lucky to get the unit I wanted. I am with my spouse and my parents. With elderly parents, I need to be extra careful and choose a quiet area. What units should I be looking for if there is any? Can I still fix my delay in requesting the unit type to the concierge?

Thanks!

If mobility is an issue for your parents, be sure to ask for a lower unit, or one in a building with elevators (Cascades/Lakes). If they don't mind single beds, a lower in Courts (Saturday section, only a sleeps 6 configuration) would be great. Parking is just a few steps from your door in almost all units, and there are no noisy roads or pools to worry about. A lower in Springs or Fountains I would also be good. Saturday check-in units for Palms or Fountains II do have a good chance of being closer to the major roadways.

 

[Conway733]

Gina - I'm enjoying your trip report. And, I just looked at my sky auction certificate...you know...really looked at it. And it says We are pleased to confirm your vacation at the following resort: Sheraton Vistana Resort - Fountains Villas. So, I'm guessing that means we'll be in the Fountains section? All this time and I didn't notice that.

 

[kokomos]

Where are you seeing this on your certificate? I can't find anything on my paperwork

 

[Conway733]

Where are you seeing this on your certificate? I can't find anything on my paperwork

It is right at the top of the guest certificate from sky auction. However, I have no idea if that is what it means - every certificate might have that. Since we've never been there, we don't really have a preference of which section we're in.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Gina - I'm enjoying your trip report. And, I just looked at my sky auction certificate...you know...really looked at it. And it says We are pleased to confirm your vacation at the following resort: Sheraton Vistana Resort - Fountains Villas. So, I'm guessing that means we'll be in the Fountains section? All this time and I didn't notice that.

Interesting! I will have to check and see if that's what my boss's confirmation said, too (he was assigned to the Fountains section when he booked via Skyauction). I didn't notice that it did, but then again.....I didn't look!

Fountains is my favourite section . I would not hesitate to book through Skyauction again if I was guaranteed a Fountains villa!!

 

[laurabelle]

I'm not seeing a specific section listed anywhere on the weeks I won through skyauction back in February. Maybe it's something new?

 

[kokomos]

It's not listed on mine either. We check in this Friday but I booked it mid January. I sent in diamond lane request for fountains or Spas but they haven't responded this time. Hakuna Matata

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I finally got around to uploading and editing some more of the pics that we took on our early May vacation. Thought I'd share them :

Fountain Fitness Center:





And the view from the Fitness Center:





Tacky Tiki Bar & Grill:

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

And some random pictures of the grounds that we took while strolling around the resort:

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

And finally, some of the Lakes village:

 

[HopperFan]

We are here now. I pulled out my SkyAuction confirmation and it says "We are pleased to confirm your travel plans as follows: .... Hotel: Sheraton's Vistana Resort" with no reference to section anywhere.

We did go online and requested Fountains with explanation I was traveling with my DS who is disabled and it looked like the Fountains pool area looked to be the best for him. When we arrived we were in Fountains, on the first floor and extremely close to the pool so I felt like maybe they even took that he was disabled into their thought process .................. or we just got lucky.

 

[mousefanmichelle]

We just got back late Sunday night and we had booked through SkyAuction. It went perfectly! I had made an additional reservation for Saturday and I did the diamond lane check in online to connect the 2 reservations. I was able to secure 2 of my 3 requests which I thought was pretty good! I requested to have 2 reservations connected so that I didn't have to change rooms, I asked for Fountains section and certain buildings. I got the reservations connected so we didn't have to check in, out and then back in. I got Fountains area just not the specific bldgs I wanted. The bldg we did get was perfect though.

Someone asked about noise - we were 2nd floor and we didn't hear anything below us, naturally, but we heard everything above us. Especially those bar stools being scraped across the ceramic tile each morning. It sounded like it was coming from my villa not the one above, but it was up above us.

I loved the bbq stations -those were fantastically clean! I felt bad grilling on them lol! Our unit could have been a little cleaner but we made it work out for us. The beds were totally comfy! The pillows some have said are great while others have said they are not. It really is personal preference. They were too soft for me but again, I made it work! For goodness sake I was on vacation I could have been sleeping on a rock and been happy

Loved the revamped lobby! Very chic. I had 2 problems - 1. our safe was broken and 2. the sliding door lock from the master bdroom was also broken. A quick phone call remedied those issues quite quickly. I think those pool towel cards are somewhat of a joke. I still have 4 of them in my bag that I found once I got home....

Since we were through SkyAuction we did have mid-week cleaning. Usually when we stay there we decline it but this time I needed more garbage bags and dishwasher detergent so...i took it.

All in all a great, hot week! I would do SkyAuction again as it was so easy and I really do love this resort!

 

[bankr63]

Gina - I'm enjoying your trip report. And, I just looked at my sky auction certificate...you know...really looked at it. And it says We are pleased to confirm your vacation at the following resort: Sheraton Vistana Resort - Fountains Villas. So, I'm guessing that means we'll be in the Fountains section? All this time and I didn't notice that.

Really, this just proves Gina's assertion that SkyAuction is reselling leftover inventory from II and/or RCI. Within both exchange systems there are two entries for SVR as Sheraton originally had two different ownership exchange models/programs. There were very different exchange requirements in Fountains when it opened. But over time that has changed, and other section owners were allowed into the Fountains type system, and Fountains owners who bought resale may have been drummed out. So you may be more likely to get a Fountains unit when this is on your certificate, but it is not guaranteed, and just because it doesn't say Fountains on your certificate doesn't mean you can't be in Fountains. See, simple.

 

[Conway733]

Really, this just proves Gina's assertion that SkyAuction is reselling leftover inventory from II and/or RCI. Within both exchange systems there are two entries for SVR as Sheraton originally had two different ownership exchange models/programs. There were very different exchange requirements in Fountains when it opened. But over time that has changed, and other section owners were allowed into the Fountains type system, and Fountains owners who bought resale may have been drummed out. So you may be more likely to get a Fountains unit when this is on your certificate, but it is not guaranteed, and just because it doesn't say Fountains on your certificate doesn't mean you can't be in Fountains. See, simple.

Oh yes. Simple! LOL - like I said, we don't even care what section we're in. I just thought it was funny that I hadn't noticed that at all until now. And, still more waiting. And, waiting. And...yep...waiting. 170 days to be exact.

And, I'm glad everyone is enjoying the resort! Thanks for sharing all your info and photos!!

 

[tots05]

We are going to SVR on June 7, can I now fill up a Diamond Lane request or is it too early and needs to be exactly 2 weeks before the check in day? Also, I keep reading about sky auction, can anyone share what are good prices for a 1 bedroom and also a 2 bedroom that everyone are getting? I see like $399 for a 1 bedroom and $800+ for a 2 bedroom. Are these good prices? We are staying through my in laws timeshare so we have no idea but maybe next time we can come and get a good price is their timeshare is not available. thank you so much for any info that you can share.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We are going to SVR on June 7, can I now fill up a Diamond Lane request or is it too early and needs to be exactly 2 weeks before the check in day? Also, I keep reading about sky auction, can anyone share what are good prices for a 1 bedroom and also a 2 bedroom that everyone are getting? I see like $399 for a 1 bedroom and $800+ for a 2 bedroom. Are these good prices? We are staying through my in laws timeshare so we have no idea but maybe next time we can come and get a good price is their timeshare is not available. thank you so much for any info that you can share.

We paid $399 for our one bedroom villa via Skyauction for May. My boss, for the same week, paid $450 for a two bedroom (both prices also had a $20 booking fee added per the Skyauction terms). Less slow times of year were showing higher prices.

As owners, our maintenance fees on our 2 bedroom Fountains units for 2015 were $906 per week. So, speaking in general terms (because the different sections all have different maintenance fee assessments.....Cascades, for example, have lower annual maintenance fees for their two bedroom villas than Fountains as the units are a little smaller), if you can stay for at our around the $850-$900 mark, you are meeting (or beating) an owner's cost.

 

[Colargol]

I just absolutely love this thread - so much information gathered in one place!

I am now trying to plan a 4 week (!) holiday staying at the Sheraton, and needless to say, I am hoping to find the perfect location within the resort for us, as we will most likely be staying in the same appartment all four weeks.

We have:
- booked a 2 bedroom/sleeps 8 villa
- check in/out on a Sunday
- have kids aged 4 and 8
- love to be within walking distance of pool, preferrably kid friendly pool (not quiet "adults only", or big kids playing volleyball and occupying the whole pool)
- love to be on top floor, but due to walking trouble it should either be a lift, or no more than one storey to walk.

What would you recommend for us?
(I am preparing our diamond lane request, and am absolutely bevildered by all the sections and possibilites at the resort!)

We did stay at the Sheraton 4 yrs ago, and had a small 1 bedroom in Cascades, close to the road, and quite a walk from the pool. Hoping for somehing better this time ;-)

Still working on my diamond lane request, and would welcome any input in to which section to ask for! I am absolutely confused with all the various sections and choices........

Also; I want to have a parcel or two sent to us during our stay. Anyone know how I go about doing so? Do I need to get in touch with the resort first to make sure it is ok? What is the earliest I can have a parcel sent to me - do I need to actually be there, or can the parcel have arrived before we do? (I want to order a few things to make our stay more pleasant, so really would love them to arrive before we do)
And what adress should I use - the regular one to the resort?

Appreciate any comments and help!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Still working on my diamond lane request, and would welcome any input in to which section to ask for! I am absolutely confused with all the various sections and choices........

Also; I want to have a parcel or two sent to us during our stay. Anyone know how I go about doing so? Do I need to get in touch with the resort first to make sure it is ok? What is the earliest I can have a parcel sent to me - do I need to actually be there, or can the parcel have arrived before we do? (I want to order a few things to make our stay more pleasant, so really would love them to arrive before we do)
And what adress should I use - the regular one to the resort?

Appreciate any comments and help!

Packages shipped to the resort used to be a complimentary service, but last year, they implemented a $10 fee per package. Now, I see they have updated their policies again, stating:

PACKAGE HANDLING POLICY
There is a per-pound package handling fee for all incoming and outbound packages. Please contact the resort for additional details.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/shera...uncements.html?propertyID=5608&language=en_US

We had some stuff shipped to SVR our first visit, but they had a hard time finding it when we checked in. Now, we have our purchases shipped to our park and fly hotel instead to avoid any confusion on check-in, and the package handling fee.

 

[Colargol]

Packages shipped to the resort used to be a complimentary service, but last year, they implemented a $10 fee per package. Now, I see they have updated their policies again, stating:

PACKAGE HANDLING POLICY
There is a per-pound package handling fee for all incoming and outbound packages. Please contact the resort for additional details.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/shera...uncements.html?propertyID=5608&language=en_US

We had some stuff shipped to SVR our first visit, but they had a hard time finding it when we checked in. Now, we have our purchases shipped to our park and fly hotel instead to avoid any confusion on check-in, and the package handling fee.

Thanks for the reply! Seems like parcels are a bit more complicated than I hoped for. I might contact the resort before placing an order, just to make sure it will get forwarded to me upon arrival.


I see that you have visisted the Sheraton Vistana several times - i love your pictures and travel reports! Do you have any suggestions as to what section we should ask for? Sunday check in, 2 bedroom/sleeps 8, and kids aged 4 and 8 who loves the pool.