This is for OLW lovers who have also stayed AKV

[mickey&minniealways]

Love OKW and the airiness of the place. I don't usually do dark resorts. But it is DD 16th birthday while we will be there and she wants to stay at AKV. Will I be dissapointed because the rooms are dark.

 

[El&Asmom]

I look at AKV as being warm, not dark. Yes the furniture is heavy and big, but the colors remind me of a warm fall day.
Try it, I bet you'll love it.

 

[tigger2on]

I think it is a matter of opinion as to how dark the rooms are there. We never seemed to mind it and we love OKW too. I have stayed at OKW and found some of the rooms to be quite dark too especially if you back onto a treed area.
AKV has a different feel to it. I find it mysterious and soothing. I find Okw to be easy-going and chillaxy!
Never hurts to try new things. You can always do OKW on your next trip!

 

[dianeschlicht]

It's dark, but it's also a lot of theme and embiance, so it fits. The part that is annoying to me at AKV over OKW is that the bathrooms are inconvenient and difficult to see in for make up etc. AND the kitchens are a royal PITA! We own at both AKV and OKW, and the best of all worlds would be if I could put the space and convenience of the OKW units on the AKV savanna.

 

[Norm1]

My first home resort was OKW in 1995 and since than we have purchased AKL. Our points are split between those two. I enjoy each resort and usually alternate stays each visit. Each resort is unique and has advantages and disadvantages.
I think you will enjoy a stay at AKL. The lighting is low but not enough to dampen the experince you will have there. The animals outside your room, the amazing lobby, the rich African history, the restaurants, the pool, etc. will more than make up for the low lighting. I'm with your DD go for it.

 

[jodifla]

We've owned OKW since 96, but we were delighted with our first AKL stay last year. We were there in August, and those dark colors were very cooling!

We stayed in Jambo and I loved the theming, closeness to all the restaurants, kids club, bar, pool, etc.

 

[twinklebug]

I have good eyesight and find Jambo to be very dark. The lobby's not too bad, but parts of the stairs leading to downstairs are dark enough that if a black lab were sitting on them I'd trip over her. The rooms aren't too bad, but as with all indoor lighting, makeup can be a challenge. I feel Kidani's rooms are brighter than Jambo's.

If you go in comparing AKV to OKW, no doubt it will seem dark. You need to go in to experience the resort for what it is without comparing.

 

[melissa37]

I had my first trip to OKW back in May and I stayed at AKV for the first time in Sept.

I loved OKW and even bought my DVC there. I was worried about the same thing as you going to AKV. Not to worry, AKV is a fabulous resort! Yes the rooms are darker than OKW, but the themeing is just amazing. I was really prepared to not like AKV a whole lot and I was totally wrong! I didn't think the rooms were that dark, especially with all of the lamps turned on. The feel is completely different than OKW, but it is a great resort.

Don't worry and enjoy!

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are disappointed at all, it will be because the villas are smaller than OKW.

The theming is very nice at AKL/AKV (we've never stayed in the villas, only the lodge long before the villas were built).

 

[katmittens]

Our home resort is OKW and we have stayed there many times and love it. We have stayed at AKV two times and have loved it both times. The only thing I miss in Jambo is the separate shower. I don't like the high step up into the tub to get a shower, but I do have a knee problem. I like the warm cozy feeling in the darker color of AKV and also VWL. I think they are nice. We will be back at AKV in Feb and then back to OKW in May or June. So we do like both.

 

[Janis]

The part that is annoying to me at AKV over OKW is that the bathrooms are inconvenient and difficult to see in for make up etc.

Diane,

I totally agree. I just got back from AKV and felt the same way about the bathroom lighting. But otherwise the villa was amazing, and we loved sitting on the balcony watching the animals.

 

[rcchello]

Doesn't everybody bring their own lightbulbs. My wife replaces the lightbulbs in key lamps with higher lumen CFL bulbs. I think all hotels put in low light bulbs to save on electricity or hide the dirt?

The only thing that gets me is that the walk to your room can be about five miles from the lobby. I once turned the wrong way and after walking ten minutes found I was walking away from the lobby.

 

[lizziepooh]

We own at OKW and stayed at Kidani last year for 4 or 5 nights. We liked it but very honestly we both were ready to move to a place with more light by the end of our stay. I had trouble seeing to read in bed. The bathroom was dark and the vanity was tall and deep enough that I had trouble seeing in the mirror because I am short and couldn't lean close enough. Even so, we were glad we stayed there.

 

[quentina]

Love OKW and the airiness of the place. I don't usually do dark resorts. But it is DD 16th birthday while we will be there and she wants to stay at AKV. Will I be dissapointed because the rooms are dark.

I love AKV, I also love OKW. AKV is beautiful and the point reduction is great. I don't think you will regret staying there at all.

 

[rentayenta]

Love OKW and the airiness of the place. I don't usually do dark resorts. But it is DD 16th birthday while we will be there and she wants to stay at AKV. Will I be dissapointed because the rooms are dark.

On our last trip we went from a GV at OKW to a 2 bedroom at AKV- SV. Aside from the color/decor, what struck me most was that AKV is set up like a hotel and OKW is more free standing which I prefer. I thought AKV would be too dark too but we really enjoyed it. It's totally different but it's a beautiful resort. Having said that, I prefer OKW.