Ok, I’m here now. This is a very nice resort. As folks have mentioned, the architecture and grounds are amazing. The staff is all super nice and hardworking. I wouldn’t say they’re seamless, but some of the rough edges earlier reviewers mentioned seem to have been smoothed out.
About the room categories. While the non suite rooms are all almost identical in interior size and layout, the main building and gallery rooms are like different hotels. My points got me a main building grand, which was top floor with an awesome view. But I was next to the residence towers, and there was a loud a/c unit that I found bothersome while sitting on the balcony. And they started using some power tools in the room next door this morning. The other weird thing is that walking from the elevator to your room is on an exposed walkway next to a 4 lane highway. You can’t really hear it inside, but that few yards of loud car noise really harshes your mellow. Given the level of architecture here I’m kind of shocked they didn’t build enclosed hallways.
I asked to be moved to a quieter room in my category (mentioned only the a/c and construction noise) and they very nicely upgraded me to a superior gallery room, a lower tier gallery room (I.e., low and just a peek at the ocean) right near the spa, gym, Mako beach restaurant and hotel pool. Not as private, but a world of difference. The courtyard with outdoor shower and plunge pool make for a much more pleasant experience, as does the lack of exposure to the highway.
As as I mentioned upthread, an advance upgrade (to a grand gallery room, more private and higher up the hill) would have been $200/day all in. Is it worth it? Probably. Would I have done it had I known the property layout before coming? Probably not, unless the vacation was something really special. A quieter balcony would have been fine and the experience otherwise is just the same.
Btw, while they don’t advertise them to hotel guests don’t forget the restaurants on the timeshare side of the property. I really liked El Cardon for dinner last night and the prices were quite reasonable for resort food and drink, less expensive than Mako (the resort’s poolside restaurant). All pools other than a small pool at the residence towers are open to all guests, but I like the energy at the hotel pool best.