[Left Marriott] Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, Kona, Big Island Hawaii [Master Thread]
Apr 17, 2013, 11:54 am
#197
Used to be highman123
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,541
Apr 17, 2013, 12:15 pm
#198
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,908
My recent BRG claim attempt was shot down on a completely bogus justification.. I would greatly appreciate any pm with BRG leads.
Apr 29, 2013, 1:45 am
#199
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SMF
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, SPG LTP
Posts: 1,526
I'm just wrapping up a 4 night stay here and have to say I've been pleasantly surprised with how nice it's been. My wife and I were here a few years ago as SPG Gold and had a nice stay, but this time has been even better. We were upgraded to an oceanfront suite (essentially two adjoining rooms that were converted to a suite, but nicely appointed and very comfortable). As many others have reported, we had the resort fee waived and were comped buffet breakfast. We also received 15% off dining, which was great. Breakfast is just ok and I would never dream of paying for it (they charge $19), but it's a decent place to grab a bite. The grounds are well cared for and the pool is very family friendly.
We arrived before the weekend and it's worth noting that the vibe here changed dramatically when the weekend arrived as there was a huge influx of locals who stayed the weekend and took up residence at the pool. Not a bad thing...it just got a lot more crowded and loud. There were also some school groups staying here which made for a crazy buffet experience and a high school prom on Saturday night. It's not as bad as it sounds, just more locals than one usually sees at a resort.
Staff have been universally friendly with the exception of a surly valet who seemed to take exception to my decision to self park. It wasn't a big deal, but I'm often amazed at how hotel valets can get away with being so pissy when they are usually the first encounter a guest has. Everyone else gets high marks.
We had three dinners at Rays on the Bay and couldn't get over how surprised we were at how good it was. We don't often eat at resort restaurants when we have other choices, but Rays was actually very good and a great value, especially for a resort. Entrees were mostly $20-30 before our 15% Plat discount. The setting is very nice with great sea views and live entertainment every night. If I remember correctly, the last time we were here, this space was just barren concrete so kudos to the hotel for making good use of it.
While not the nicest of fanciest of places, the Sheraton Kona gets high marks for their Platinum treatment and great value for Platinum guests. I can't think of many US properties that do this much for Plat guests. Between the resort fee, breakfast, and dining discount, we saved over $75 a day, which isn't bad when you're paying $145/night. While I despise places that charge resort fees, I certainly appreciate having it waived! I'll definitely be back.
We arrived before the weekend and it's worth noting that the vibe here changed dramatically when the weekend arrived as there was a huge influx of locals who stayed the weekend and took up residence at the pool. Not a bad thing...it just got a lot more crowded and loud. There were also some school groups staying here which made for a crazy buffet experience and a high school prom on Saturday night. It's not as bad as it sounds, just more locals than one usually sees at a resort.
Staff have been universally friendly with the exception of a surly valet who seemed to take exception to my decision to self park. It wasn't a big deal, but I'm often amazed at how hotel valets can get away with being so pissy when they are usually the first encounter a guest has. Everyone else gets high marks.
We had three dinners at Rays on the Bay and couldn't get over how surprised we were at how good it was. We don't often eat at resort restaurants when we have other choices, but Rays was actually very good and a great value, especially for a resort. Entrees were mostly $20-30 before our 15% Plat discount. The setting is very nice with great sea views and live entertainment every night. If I remember correctly, the last time we were here, this space was just barren concrete so kudos to the hotel for making good use of it.
While not the nicest of fanciest of places, the Sheraton Kona gets high marks for their Platinum treatment and great value for Platinum guests. I can't think of many US properties that do this much for Plat guests. Between the resort fee, breakfast, and dining discount, we saved over $75 a day, which isn't bad when you're paying $145/night. While I despise places that charge resort fees, I certainly appreciate having it waived! I'll definitely be back.
May 2, 2013, 10:55 pm
#201
Join Date: May 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: Aeroplan, Fairmont Pres Club, Starwood Gold, NEXUS
Posts: 109
Do ground floor rooms have walk out patios?
A few years ago we stayed at the Sheraton Nassau (Bahamas) and got a really nice ground floor room with a walk out patio including lounge chairs. You could walk right from your patio to the pool or beach. In looking online at the pictures of the Kona property, the ground floor rooms around the pool look like they may have the same feature? Can anyone confirm what you get with those ground floor rooms?
May 3, 2013, 9:08 am
#202
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SMF
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, SPG LTP
Posts: 1,526
A few years ago we stayed at the Sheraton Nassau (Bahamas) and got a really nice ground floor room with a walk out patio including lounge chairs. You could walk right from your patio to the pool or beach. In looking online at the pictures of the Kona property, the ground floor rooms around the pool look like they may have the same feature? Can anyone confirm what you get with those ground floor rooms?
May 14, 2013, 3:05 am
#203
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 6
Resort fee now $15 for platinum
Just got back from a 5 night stay here on points. Overall had a good experience.
FYI- as of May 1st the resort fee for Platinum members is no longer waived. It is now 50% off, so $15 a day.
Although the resort fee is no longer waived, Platinum recognition here is still excellent. I was upgraded to an ocean-view executive suite, got the full buffet breakfast each morning for free at Anikai, free valet parking, and 15% off at all the restaurants and bars. Rays on the Bay had excellent food and drinks and a great atmosphere.
I did have the same issues as everyone else with the terrible wi-fi. And even though I knew there wasn't a beach at the hotel- it still was kind of a bummer to be in Hawaii and not be steps away from a beach.
Overall I would recommend this as an excellent option when staying on The Big Island!
FYI- as of May 1st the resort fee for Platinum members is no longer waived. It is now 50% off, so $15 a day.
Although the resort fee is no longer waived, Platinum recognition here is still excellent. I was upgraded to an ocean-view executive suite, got the full buffet breakfast each morning for free at Anikai, free valet parking, and 15% off at all the restaurants and bars. Rays on the Bay had excellent food and drinks and a great atmosphere.
I did have the same issues as everyone else with the terrible wi-fi. And even though I knew there wasn't a beach at the hotel- it still was kind of a bummer to be in Hawaii and not be steps away from a beach.
Overall I would recommend this as an excellent option when staying on The Big Island!
Jun 16, 2013, 11:36 pm
#206
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Likely being followed...
Programs: DYKWIA Extraordinaire. TrollSlayer Mega Diamond. [insert esoteric sounding status level(s) here]
Posts: 5,240
Just got back from a 5 night stay here on points. Overall had a good experience.
FYI- as of May 1st the resort fee for Platinum members is no longer waived. It is now 50% off, so $15 a day.
Although the resort fee is no longer waived, Platinum recognition here is still excellent. I was upgraded to an ocean-view executive suite, got the full buffet breakfast each morning for free at Anikai, free valet parking, and 15% off at all the restaurants and bars. Rays on the Bay had excellent food and drinks and a great atmosphere.
I did have the same issues as everyone else with the terrible wi-fi. And even though I knew there wasn't a beach at the hotel- it still was kind of a bummer to be in Hawaii and not be steps away from a beach.
Overall I would recommend this as an excellent option when staying on The Big Island!
FYI- as of May 1st the resort fee for Platinum members is no longer waived. It is now 50% off, so $15 a day.
Although the resort fee is no longer waived, Platinum recognition here is still excellent. I was upgraded to an ocean-view executive suite, got the full buffet breakfast each morning for free at Anikai, free valet parking, and 15% off at all the restaurants and bars. Rays on the Bay had excellent food and drinks and a great atmosphere.
I did have the same issues as everyone else with the terrible wi-fi. And even though I knew there wasn't a beach at the hotel- it still was kind of a bummer to be in Hawaii and not be steps away from a beach.
Overall I would recommend this as an excellent option when staying on The Big Island!
Thanks for the update, have been looking at where to go for 4th of July and their AAA rate for Ocean View ($189) is really hard to beat, plus have never been to the Big Island. Now to just find airfare :/
Jul 6, 2013, 9:28 am
#207
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
Unacceptable Check-in at Sheraton Kona Resort
Not a good evening at this property last night as about a half-dozen parties arrived around 8:30/9p off the various flights at KOA. One would expect a property where virtually all the mainland flights land at a certain hour to be prepared for a crush of guests shortly thereafter. But not the Sheraton Kona last night. There was one clerk at the desk and several empty check-in positions as the line grew longer.
To make things worse, something was wrong with the computers such that they would not process credit cards. It took almost a half hour before an old fashioned manual credit card embossing machine was located and the first guest in the line was finally processed. (It took 10-15 minutes to figure out what to do about credit cards, seemingly oblivious that everyone's booking included a cc guarantee on file that could have been used until the morning when the system was fixed. Nobody was going to skip out on their bill.)
It was only after about 20-minutes that an assistant manager (or someone purporting to be "senior") came out and explained the problem, but no further staff arrived to handle the check-ins. (This young man joined his colleague to assist in the balance of check-ins.)
So on two counts this property failed miserably...not to mention there was no elite check-in, but more to the point, the desk was grossly understaffed at a peak check-in hour. Whoever manages this property needs to be brought up before regional and national management and re-educated on how to run a proper hotel!
And of course there is the ongoing issue of the Resort Fee at these properties as it affects Platinums. At the Kona it is cut in half, to $15. Purportedly it covers internet (which Plats get as a benefit), self parking (but there's no control on the lot so does it really make a difference?), unlimited local/800 calls (again a pretty standard elite benefit when upgraded) and 30-minutes of long distance (which I've never made use of). Also two bottles of water daily (duplicated by the Platinum welcome gift which included water, plantain chips, macadamia chocolates and juices). And a bunch of other activities I've no interest in partaking.
To make things worse, something was wrong with the computers such that they would not process credit cards. It took almost a half hour before an old fashioned manual credit card embossing machine was located and the first guest in the line was finally processed. (It took 10-15 minutes to figure out what to do about credit cards, seemingly oblivious that everyone's booking included a cc guarantee on file that could have been used until the morning when the system was fixed. Nobody was going to skip out on their bill.)
It was only after about 20-minutes that an assistant manager (or someone purporting to be "senior") came out and explained the problem, but no further staff arrived to handle the check-ins. (This young man joined his colleague to assist in the balance of check-ins.)
So on two counts this property failed miserably...not to mention there was no elite check-in, but more to the point, the desk was grossly understaffed at a peak check-in hour. Whoever manages this property needs to be brought up before regional and national management and re-educated on how to run a proper hotel!
And of course there is the ongoing issue of the Resort Fee at these properties as it affects Platinums. At the Kona it is cut in half, to $15. Purportedly it covers internet (which Plats get as a benefit), self parking (but there's no control on the lot so does it really make a difference?), unlimited local/800 calls (again a pretty standard elite benefit when upgraded) and 30-minutes of long distance (which I've never made use of). Also two bottles of water daily (duplicated by the Platinum welcome gift which included water, plantain chips, macadamia chocolates and juices). And a bunch of other activities I've no interest in partaking.
Jul 7, 2013, 4:06 am
#208
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: Everything is refundable
Posts: 3,727
Not a good evening at this property last night as about a half-dozen parties arrived around 8:30/9p off the various flights at KOA. One would expect a property where virtually all the mainland flights land at a certain hour to be prepared for a crush of guests shortly thereafter. But not the Sheraton Kona last night. There was one clerk at the desk and several empty check-in positions as the line grew longer.
So on two counts this property failed miserably...not to mention there was no elite check-in, but more to the point, the desk was grossly understaffed at a peak check-in hour. Whoever manages this property needs to be brought up before regional and national management and re-educated on how to run a proper hotel!
And of course there is the ongoing issue of the Resort Fee at these properties as it affects Platinums. At the Kona it is cut in half, to $15. Purportedly it covers internet (which Plats get as a benefit), self parking (but there's no control on the lot so does it really make a difference?), unlimited local/800 calls (again a pretty standard elite benefit when upgraded) and 30-minutes of long distance (which I've never made use of). Also two bottles of water daily (duplicated by the Platinum welcome gift which included water, plantain chips, macadamia chocolates and juices). And a bunch of other activities I've no interest in partaking.
So on two counts this property failed miserably...not to mention there was no elite check-in, but more to the point, the desk was grossly understaffed at a peak check-in hour. Whoever manages this property needs to be brought up before regional and national management and re-educated on how to run a proper hotel!
And of course there is the ongoing issue of the Resort Fee at these properties as it affects Platinums. At the Kona it is cut in half, to $15. Purportedly it covers internet (which Plats get as a benefit), self parking (but there's no control on the lot so does it really make a difference?), unlimited local/800 calls (again a pretty standard elite benefit when upgraded) and 30-minutes of long distance (which I've never made use of). Also two bottles of water daily (duplicated by the Platinum welcome gift which included water, plantain chips, macadamia chocolates and juices). And a bunch of other activities I've no interest in partaking.
Actually, they have a sep. check in counter for Gold and Plat members. I also do not know, if 8.30-9 p.m. on a Friday should be considered a peak for checking in, in any case, it seems more like a rant, not a real factual description of what FT members can expect at the Sheraton Kona. I guess the loads of a few flights will spread easily over the various resorts on the island...
Did you get an upgrade and did it influence your post?
Jul 7, 2013, 8:54 am
#209
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA EXP(.96MM), AMEX Platinum, United Premier Silver, Delta Gold, SPG Platinum 50, Hilton Gold VIP
Posts: 1,744
So based on one experience, you conclude that the management of the property is competent?
Actually, they have a sep. check in counter for Gold and Plat members. I also do not know, if 8.30-9 p.m. on a Friday should be considered a peak for checking in, in any case, it seems more like a rant, not a real factual description of what FT members can expect at the Sheraton Kona. I guess the loads of a few flights will spread easily over the various resorts on the island...
Did you get an upgrade and did it influence your post?
Actually, they have a sep. check in counter for Gold and Plat members. I also do not know, if 8.30-9 p.m. on a Friday should be considered a peak for checking in, in any case, it seems more like a rant, not a real factual description of what FT members can expect at the Sheraton Kona. I guess the loads of a few flights will spread easily over the various resorts on the island...
Did you get an upgrade and did it influence your post?