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

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I thought I would share some of the photos from our Christmas week trip, in case anyone was interested to see what the resort looks like all decorated for the holiday season. Here are a few to start.....more to come as I work my way through my trip report:

The Welcome Center:







Welcome Center Christmas tree:



Light posts at the Welcome Center, dressed for the holidays at Nutcrackers:



It was an awesome stay!! Perfect weather, very reasonable crowds (the resort felt very quiet) and a ton of fun.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Here are few more Christmas-y pics:

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Photos of the Fountains Pool from December 20th, 2015:

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

A few miscellaneous resort pics:

Fountains Building 10:



Tacky Tiki Bar patio:



Fountains Recreation Center Christmas Tree:



Fountains section:



Gated entrance:



Cascades:

 

[mulanrouge]

Arrrggghhhhh so frustrated!! I just tried to book an add on night to our reservation in a 2 bed 2 bath sleeps 8 unit. I was passed around to 3 different people telling me that Sheraton Vistana Resort doesn't have these types of units and i MUST be talking about Sheraton Vistana Villages...I said NO it is Sheraton Vistana Resort I have stayed there at least 10 times over the years. Then they said all that was available was a 2 bed 2 bath sleeps 6. The whole purpose we are getting the extra night is to stay in the unit because we have a later flight that evening and would like the comfort of the unit and pools....etc without having to check out at 10. We are willing to pay for it, and not asking for a late check out but I can't seem to find anyone that can help me!! Any suggestions??

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Arrrggghhhhh so frustrated!! I just tried to book an add on night to our reservation in a 2 bed 2 bath sleeps 8 unit. I was passed around to 3 different people telling me that Sheraton Vistana Resort doesn't have these types of units and i MUST be talking about Sheraton Vistana Villages...I said NO it is Sheraton Vistana Resort I have stayed there at least 10 times over the years. Then they said all that was available was a 2 bed 2 bath sleeps 6. The whole purpose we are getting the extra night is to stay in the unit because we have a later flight that evening and would like the comfort of the unit and pools....etc without having to check out at 10. We are willing to pay for it, and not asking for a late check out but I can't seem to find anyone that can help me!! Any suggestions??

What are your proposed check-in and check-out days of the week? That *might* eliminate the likelihood of a sleeps 6 unit right off the bat.

 

[mulanrouge]

S

What are your proposed check-in and check-out days of the week? That *might* eliminate the likelihood of a sleeps 6 unit right off the bat.

We are checking in on Sunday January 24th, checking out Sunday January 31st but I'm wanting to add a night on the 31st and have the check out date as February 1st.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

S

We are checking in on Sunday January 24th, checking out Sunday January 31st but I'm wanting to add a night on the 31st and have the check out date as February 1st.

Courts and Falls are your only two sections where you may end up in a sleeps 6 configuration. Courts is a Saturday only check-in, so that should rule out that section. Falls might be your only concern, and when checking out on a Monday, I am thinking the chances you would be assigned to that section of the resort would be slim anyway. Honestly, the odds are definitely WAY stacked in your favour that you will get a sleeps 8 unit for your stay, as there are many more of those villas than the sleeps 6.

 

[bankr63]

You might try calling the resort directly, I'm not sure if they will take reservations over the phone, but most hotels will (it is not a hotel however). Always worth a try.

You are most likely talking to a reservation agent at Starwood's main reservation centre. About two years ago, bookings at Vistana Resort were greatly simplified to only show as 2BR Sleeps 6 configuration (their lowest common denominator) even though about 80% of the 2BR units are a better configuration. This allows Vistana Resort to place 2BR reservations "run of resort" (whatever section they have available). However, the booking agents at the call centre (which is probably somewhere offshore) are likely to have never stayed at or seen the Vistana Resort, or possibly any other Sheraton property.

Prior to that change, they would show about 9 different combinations of 2BR units across the 7 sections which essentially mostly looked the same in the reservation system (since the section name wasn't shown). This probably caused even more confusion than the current state. I remember trying to book online, and playing a guessing game as to what section I thought I was booking.

The short of it is, you are probably quite safe booking your extra day, and then asking Vistana Resort to link the two reservations (using Diamond Lane request). It is most likely that they would honor that request and keep you in the same unit throughout your stay.

 

[Joe1964]

Hello everyone. It's vacation planning season here in Michigan and that includes a stay at SVR. We will probably be there the first week in May. Our stay last May was wonderful. After we booked last year, I read about a website where owners sold their timeshare week(s) at really good prices, but can't remember the name.

Before I book through Expedia can someone jog my memory with the website I'm thinking about?

Thanks

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hello everyone. It's vacation planning season here in Michigan and that includes a stay at SVR. We will probably be there the first week in May. Our stay last May was wonderful. After we booked last year, I read about a website where owners sold their timeshare week(s) at really good prices, but can't remember the name.

Before I book through Expedia can someone jog my memory with the website I'm thinking about?

Thanks

Perhaps it was:

Skyauction
TUG Marketplace
Redweek
My Resort Network; or
Ebay?

 

[bankr63]

Hello everyone. It's vacation planning season here in Michigan and that includes a stay at SVR. We will probably be there the first week in May. Our stay last May was wonderful. After we booked last year, I read about a website where owners sold their timeshare week(s) at really good prices, but can't remember the name.

Before I book through Expedia can someone jog my memory with the website I'm thinking about?

Thanks

There is a general post (recently updated) for where to rent here: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50633616&postcount=112
Just a reminder as well that post number 2 on this thread (way back on page one) has a list of links to important topics. If anyone thinks a post is worthy of inclusion on the list, just PM me and I'll add it on.

 

[mom2rose&john]

Can any guest use Diamond Lane check in or only owners? I have traded into Vistana using Interval International and they didn't have anything on this.

 

[bankr63]

Can any guest use Diamond Lane check in or only owners? I have traded into Vistana using Interval International and they didn't have anything on this.

Most certainly yes. The link for Diamond Lane can be found on page one of this thread (and peppered throughout as well).

 

[Joe1964]

Perhaps it was:

Skyauction
TUG Marketplace
Redweek
My Resort Network; or
Ebay?

Thank you, Gina. I'll check all those out. Skyauction is actually the name I was thinking of!

 

[Joe1964]

There is a general post (recently updated) for where to rent here: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=50633616&postcount=112
Just a reminder as well that post number 2 on this thread (way back on page one) has a list of links to important topics. If anyone thinks a post is worthy of inclusion on the list, just PM me and I'll add it on.

Thanks for your reply/help!

 

[doctorintheTARDIS]

Just wanted to say that we stayed here last year via a timeshare rental from a family member. Had an amazing time... until we got home and I was diagnosed with scabies (similar to bed bugs but the bugs lodge underneath your skin and hatch eggs that itch like bug bites. Basically everyone's worse nightmare of bugs crawling under your skin)

After discussing it with a doctor, we were 100% sure that I got it from the resort, because the bites don't appear until 3 days after "infected" (and we had only a 4 day trip, I was completely covered in bites by the time I got home). I came into a room in a two bedroom villa with a crib still left in it and children's toys scattered in corners behind the beds.

The resort took two days to get the crib out of my bedroom, but that's sort of beside the point now.

The resort refused to help pay for my doctor's visit and prescription and that leads to another really long story. However my advice for this resort is to definitely ask for clean sheets on your first night there and have them delivered so that you know they are put on. The staff has to clean SO MANY BEDS because the resort is huge, and it's my guess that they might slack a bit.

This happened in the beginning of October, so a generally slow time for them too.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Just wanted to say that we stayed here last year via a timeshare rental from a family member. Had an amazing time... until we got home and I was diagnosed with scabies (similar to bed bugs but the bugs lodge underneath your skin and hatch eggs that itch like bug bites. Basically everyone's worse nightmare of bugs crawling under your skin)

After discussing it with a doctor, we were 100% sure that I got it from the resort, because the bites don't appear until 3 days after "infected" (and we had only a 4 day trip, I was completely covered in bites by the time I got home). I came into a room in a two bedroom villa with a crib still left in it and children's toys scattered in corners behind the beds.

The resort took two days to get the crib out of my bedroom, but that's sort of beside the point now.

The resort refused to help pay for my doctor's visit and prescription and that leads to another really long story. However my advice for this resort is to definitely ask for clean sheets on your first night there and have them delivered so that you know they are put on. The staff has to clean SO MANY BEDS because the resort is huge, and it's my guess that they might slack a bit.

This happened in the beginning of October, so a generally slow time for them too.

According to online sources, scabies is spread by skin-to-skin contact:

http://www.medicinenet.com/scabies/page3.htm

It specifically says its virtually impossible to get them from bedclothes or sheets.

 

[doctorintheTARDIS]

According to online sources, scabies is spread by skin-to-skin contact:

http://www.medicinenet.com/scabies/page3.htm

It specifically says its virtually impossible to get them from bedclothes or sheets.

https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/contagious-skin-diseases/scabies

American Academy of Dermatology begs to differ. Dermatologist and medical Doctor said that it was from hotel.

Regardless, my suggestion is just a suggestion and I never said I wouldn't stay there again. I would just be more careful! And wanted to pass it along to everyone as a recommendation to ask for new sheets. Clearly they aren't worried with the state of my room as it took them 2 days to get rid of a crib!

 

[bankr63]

https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/contagious-skin-diseases/scabies

American Academy of Dermatology begs to differ. Dermatologist and medical Doctor said that it was from hotel.

Regardless, my suggestion is just a suggestion and I never said I wouldn't stay there again. I would just be more careful! And wanted to pass it along to everyone as a recommendation to ask for new sheets. Clearly they aren't worried with the state of my room as it took them 2 days to get rid of a crib!

So I too am confused because even your quoted source indicates that "Most people get scabies from direct, skin-to-skin contact. Less often, people pick up mites from infested items such as bedding, clothes, and furniture." and that scabies has a relatively short life off a host body (which is what I had always understood). Most other sources I checked made it seem HIGHLY unlikely to catch from anything other than skin contact. It was originally considered to be an STD. It seems to me that it is much more likely that you would contract scabies from contact in, say, an overcrowded amusement park where people often come into close contact.

Now I would certainly be concerned that you got a villa with remainders from a previous occupant. That is highly unusual, and would be worth complaint to the resort management if not dealt with promptly. I expect no less than perfect housekeeping from Sheraton and they generally deliver.