allbrosca

If you book through Virtuosso or FHR you are supposed to get an upgrade, subject to availability I think. Can you book POV and get upgraded to OV and then use suite upgrade cert to ug to OV suite?

nmenaker

[QUOTE=BOSOGG;22773104]I'm currently booked OV to an Executive POV Suite. The only times I have gotten from OV to an OF Suite was using a suite upgrade AND a room upgrade, and apparently that is like finding a unicorn

BOSOGG

Can you please check your "Executive POV Suite" designation?

In Online Bookings, Hotel Website Accommodations, and Hotel Reservations,
I have only found:
-Executive Garden View Suite
-Executive Ocean View Suite
-Ocean Front Suite
-Presidential Suite

So, if you were able to suite upgrade from an OV Room, are you in a OV Suite? Or do they have some POV Suites that are not publicized?

nmenaker

I guess I should say, its really ocean view, but not ocean front. I'm not really sure the difference between POV and OV.

The point here is that with a suite upgrade one can TECHNICALLY only go from OV to Executive OV suite, and not to OF suite.

allbrosca

In case anyone is interested, I redeemed my Local Food Dining Experience Certifiicate at the Orchid this weekend at Brown’s Beach House. It was described as a 100% Local and Organic Special;

Local Surf n’ Turf
Sous Vide Hawaiian Wild Boar, Pan Seared Kona Cold Kampachi
Flash Seared Warabi, Chef’s Garden Lemongrass Coconut, Volcano Winery Pinot Glace

Delicious by the way. Shared this with my daughter and my son had the regular Surf n' Turf off the menu.

MrBear2013

We're taking a delayed honeymoon in August at the Fairmont Orchid for 9 nights, booking through AMEX FHR. I'd love to book an Ocean Front Suite, but that's out of our price range, especially for 9 nights. Our budget right now allows us either the Ocean Front Room or Executive Ocean View Suite or Fairmont Gold OV Suite. If we book the Exec OV Suite, we could get an upgrade based on availability to an ocean front suite, but the ocean front room and Gold OV Suite are non-upgradeable.

Any thoughts on chances of an upgrade through FHR? We won't arrive until 9:30pm due to a late flight. Would you take an ocean-front room over a ocean-view suite? We love the views, but having the extra space that a suite offers might be nice over 9 days.

allbrosca

Ocean front rooms do have beautiful views, but the suites are really nice and have a lot of room. I would opt for a suite. I stayed there a few weeks ago on a FHR booking and was told I could be upgraded to an Ocean View Suite from a Garden View Suite, subject to availability. None were available. Previously stayed in OF suite though and it was the best! If you book the Gold OV Suite, would the Gold lounge give you OF views for part of the time?

cancerisking

Other than the Chase CC, is there any other way to accumulate points for the Fairmont?

Jasper2009

No. Fairmont doesn't have a points program. The points are basically only issued by Chase as a "currency" that previously didn't exist and just exists to simplify the CC rewards program.

mcdonalde

just wondering why the huge difference in rates between the orchid and the kea lani on maui?

I'm seeing $240 for the orchid in late august, against $399 at the kea lani.

I've been the orchid and though it was pretty nice, I was thinking to try the kea lani in august / september but at almost double???

is there a reason for this difference? anyone been to both?

Jasper2009

The Kea Lani is an all-suite hotel while the Orchid isn't, so it's not uncommon that the former is more expensive.

nmenaker

Just an update to a recent stay at the Orchid. There is a bit of construction going on in the North Building, I think they are changing all the wall paper and color scheme in the common areas, at the time I think they were trying to move people away from those areas.

We had an OV upgraded to an OV Exec Suite. That all worked fine, although our room was strangely on the POOL side not the Golf Course side of the North Building where we usually have been in the past. And it was in the building section in the middle, not the end building closest to the ocean where we have normally been. I'd call it partial ocean view, partial pool view, partial spa view. Fine, but next time I'll probably request somewhere in the further out building and I do prefer the tranquility and serenity of the golf course side.

That said this was the first stay (I believe at least) with the new 25$ RESORT FEE implemented. While I'm normally not against such things, as a PLATINUM member it really doesn't present much value at all and actually I think one gets LESS value as a platinum.

The fee covers self parking, regular internet (apparently), wifi, nightly turn down with water, local, long distance calls, and some other items.

As a platinum, one got all this of course already and honestly, a platinum got more. Now one gets two water bottles at turn down but they are new TINY bottles and not the bigger ones that a Platinum would get at turn down. Keep the bottles though, they make great TSA approved 3 oz or less bottles for creams and liquids. ;-)

Internet is free for all, but FPC members apparently get "enhanced internet". I'm not sure what that is. I logged in with many devices, only one of which was using my FPC account number, or room number and they all got about the same 3-7 MB/sec depending on time of day. Streaming was fine, but so a platinum member or FPC for that matter - no real benefit.

So, as an FPC or Platinum member even, one doesn't really get anything more and yet now has to pay the 25$ a night fee as does everyone.

Nice having self parking or free for all, but I don't really ever recall paying for parking before. could have been once a gold floor perk, could have been they didn't charge Platinums for it. And all the other little things that platinums or even FPC's would receive and now there for all, but everyone pays 25$ a night for them.

It'd be nice if they offered something for Plats, like maybe a few drinks or something upon arrival as a spiff.

edit: I should add, however, everything else was LOVERLY and WONDERFUL per usual. Staff were great, rooms are still very nice, I really like the executive suites, spa was great, food at Browns one night was superb (oh, forgot to mention, the menu has changed and there is a problem with it - there are TOO MANY GREAT things to choose from now!) Prices have gone up, but that is sort of to be expected at this point. Room service breakfast a couple mornings in the room was really great food and perfect.

Only negative I would say if anything was that the Browns Deli (the small bfast, lunch, sandwich place for easy grab and go fare) I think the food quality went down. Some of the interesting morning items were no longer available, and the things that replaced them didn't appeal to me.

Otherwise GREAT as usual.

It will be interesting to see how / if they change things to bring the quality of the amenities, pools, rooms up to a more modern and expected standard for a property such as this. I'd like to see a more higher end "adult" pool type of option, with of course the regular pool remaining as well. Sort of like the Kea Lani type of experience. Nothing against the kiddies, but a slightly more luxurious poolside experience, bar, lounges, would boost the overall experience IMHO

Jasper2009

Thanks for the update. I believe the resort fee has been briefly mentioned here before, but a big for introducing it.

IMO resort fees are expected at 3*-4* vacation properties, but when a Fairmont introduces them it just cheapens the brand IMO.

And you're absolutely right that while the resort fee isn't a terrible deal for "regular" guests, it's rather insulting IMO to charge Platinum members the same fee without offering anything in return (except possibly for the self-parking, though I honestly can't remember whether that used to be free or not).

nmenaker

One last thing..

Per the 25$ resort fee policy, I went ahead and used the "free local, long distance" calling to make some conference calls and not have to rely on my mobile phone (although, AT&T and Verizon connectivity was extremely good - as one would expect this being the original test bed for AWS (voicestream) with LTE speeds of 50MB (which I have never seen elsewhere)

Anyway, as is typical of webex and gotomeetings today, there is a toll DID to dial which is sometimes in the middle of nowhere from an area code standpoint. Still a USA area code, but possibly random or new or unrecognized area codes. The phone system in the hotel apparently didn't recognize this number and billed about 85$ an hour to the room. Once I brought it up, they of course removed it but for some it might get overlooked or possibly even accepted. So, for those making calls like this, be sure to check your bill prior to departure.

nmenaker

Oh, I forgot one last little annoying tidbit per my above post. Platinums (or FPC for that matter) no longer get any free bucket of (nearly useless used) tennis balls when booking a court to play tennis. Granted it's only 6$ (plus tax) to 'rent' the balls when one rents a court for a few hours, but it was nice not having to pay for something as silly as this. But FBI (fee based income) seems to be ruling the day in our world, regardless of how little of trivial the item may be that they attach it to.