Total Newbie here - Vistana Resort & Villages

[mom-o-eb]

I'm taking my first WDW trip in September for the first time since 1972 when I was 6!

We want an off-site suite. I was set on Vistana after reading the thread about best and worst off-site hotels.

I went to Sheraton's web site and see that you can't ask for non-smoking rooms. Is this right? If so, that blows it for me as my mother-in-law can't stay in a room where people have smoked.

Thanks.

 

[AZKathy]

Hi welcome to the DIS!!!!!! You will like it here!

Having only stayed once at Vistana Resort, I can tell you that our two condos our vacationing group stayed at both reaked of cigarette smoke on our trip. It was not pleasant. When asked about this to managers, they said they do not have distinct smoking/non smoking condos. This was in June.

Why don't you call them directly and talk to them and make sure of this, though. Maybe the have some set aside for smoking and that manager person was just "blowing smoke" to just drop it? I know a lot of other people here on the DIS did not have the problems we had and I am thinking ours was just unfortunate circumstances. Good luck!

 

[maciec]

If you decide on Vistana Resort make sure that you ask for a new building. We were put in an older unit and it smelled like must. They then switched us to another unit which wasn't much better. It was very dated.

 

[dvc_john]

Note that Vistana Resort is a multi-phased resort, with sections that are very old (among the first timeshares in Orlando) and sections much newer, and one section that is brand new.
Vistana Villages is a completely new resort with all buildings opened at the same time (maybe 2 years ago?). Vistana Villages had probably the most lavishly furnished units of any timeshare I've ever stayed at. Also note though, that if you get a 1-br unit at Vistana Villages, there are two styles of 1-br units. One is a full size 1-br that is the same as a 2-br, minus the 2nd bedroom. The other is an oversized studio - much smaller than the full sized 1-br. If you get a 1-br, get the larger one.

 

[leslieh]

We just got back from Vistana Resort (dvc members). Got this timeshare on Skyauction for a great price. We were in bldg. 1530 a very old and outdated unit. we complained and said that the older units are given to renters, the newer owners, and the middle for trades I assume. You would think they would want to impress us for a sale? We felt we were stuck in the 80s.

 

[mom-o-eb]

I heard from someone that they were there in a trade and were stuck in a room with peeling wallpaper, old carpets, etc.

I think I'm going to stay away. It seems like a crap shoot. When you win, you really win. When you lose, you lose.

 

[MLindaG]

Since I am an owner at Vistana and probably have stayed in almost every area of the resort at one time or another I can tell you my experiences with the cigarette smoke. I absolutely HATE cigarette smoke. I have asthma and one of the kids has asthma and if a villa I was put into had a smoke smell I would have complained and demanded a move. I have stayed at Vistana 9 times and have never had a problem with the smell of ciagarette smoke. Maybe I was just lucky.........I also have never had a unit with peeling wall paper. I know that they are constantly refurbishing different areas of each section each year. Hopefully they have fixed some of these problems.

 

[AZKathy]

Originally posted by MLindaG I absolutely HATE cigarette smoke. I have asthma and one of the kids has asthma and if a villa I was put into had a smoke smell I would have complained and demanded a move.

We had a lot of complaints, and the smell was one of them. When we asked about non smoking units, they told us they don't have smoking/non-smoking units. So, we felt why move since we probably would get moved to other condos that reaked as well. We did not feel it was worth moving all 12 of us and we put up with it. If any of the four asthmatics that were vacationing in our group had problems....well, that would have been a very different matter. Fortunately, none of us had any problems except not liking the odors in the condos.