jerseygirl

expensive and for this price you should get oceanview

SacTownGuy

Depends on what you value points at and what you get for your points. You will probably get a mountain view studio when using points. That's not worth very much to me. I paid $700 for a week for one of those last year at Ko Olina.

The best deals come up about a month or two out. You have to roll the dice. I recently paid $1,500 for 7 nights, 2 bedroom, ocean view, in February at Ko. That's a pretty good deal but certainly not the cheapest you can get.

I have seen cheaper on Ebay but it's a crapshoot to see what will be available. For example, this past year there were several Thanksgiving week deals at Ko Olina and also Marriott Maui (the new ones not the old dumpy part). They were about two weeks before Thanksgiving that I noticed them.

For example, this two bedroom, Thanksgiving week, in the dumpy part of Marriott Maui accepted less than $1,350.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/THANKSGIVING...item1c3848cf55

skatie39

I have just rented a 1 bedroom at Ko Olina BC for a week in March with my 17 year old daughter for our bucket list mother daughter grad trip. We are staying our first 3 days at Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki and then renting a car to drive out to Ko Olina and do day trips from there throughout the week. Can anyone guide me to a list of kitchen items in the one bedroom - I'm particularly interested to know if there is a kettle to boil water. I am an avid tea drinker and hate it when there is only a coffee maker to drip water (that tastes like coffee) or if I have to boil water in microwave in a measuring cup. Do you get a small supply of paper towels, salt, dish soap, dishwasher and washing machine soaps etc. Also any suggestions for day trips would appreciated (she wants to do surf lesson, luau, snorkeling for beginner, waterfalls...) Is it easy with a rental car to go back down to Waikiki area to do Diamond Head or Hanumana Bay snorkeling if we don't get it done while in Waikiki? I hear traffic not that great! Sorry for so many questions - we are very excited, but newbies to Hawaii!

AnalogMan

Congrats on booking the trip, I really like going to KOBC

If you booked a one-bedroom, then you have a fully kitchen. 4 burner (think its' electric with glass top) stove with oven and microwave. Full set of pots and pans, plus coffee maker. I believe also a kettle (but never used it so can't remember) sure.

Place setting for 4 or 6, can't remember exactly.
Dish washer and washer dryer. Also dish soap (both washing by hand and machine) and sponge.
Roll of paper towel and plastic bags to line trash can.
Big fridge.

I think they give out a welcome pack which has salt and pepper, but I do not recall using it.

You will need to bring/buy your own sugar/oil. We cook everything with butter and still end up usually tossing two or more sticks away after a week.

Paradise cove Luau is pretty decent but I think the one at Polynesian Cultural Center might be better (been a long time). Polynesian Cultural Center is worth a visit for sure. While driving that way, stopping at the Dole Plantation and taking the train ride through the farm is kind of fun (for us city people). Hawaiian pineapple is also way tastier than the Costa Rican ones I usually see in stores.

Town of Kapolei is near by. It has a Costco with gas station and also carries Hawaii only items, great place to buy edible souvenir gifts. There is also a Goodwill, great place to pick up nice Hawaiian shirts really inexpensively.

Think Hanauma Bay is closed on Tuesdays for reef regeneration. Either go very early (there is a line of people waiting for opening time) or late (a few hours before closing). Hiking Diamond head is pretty easy and the view is great. We actually did both of those by taking the bus from Waikiki (this was before we went to tour KOBC and became owners). If you qualify to attend a sales presentation, you can earn some gift cards, not bad for a 90-minutes investment of time.

We like going to Ala Moana mall for the food court. Ward Center has a Crazy Shirts outlet which we enjoyed shopping at.

Going up to North Shore makes sense. Stopping at Mackey's shrimp truck along the way is highly recommended.

Sorry for this jumbled mess, hope you find something useful.

jerseygirl

Yes there is a teakettle, salt pepper shakers, bag of coffee, green tea bags (4?), about 4 packs of laundry detergent, dis washer deterg, shamoo conditioner skin lotion, if you run out of these just ask maid
If no kettle call and they will send one to you promptly, also rice cookers

You will love it there, take the art tour, native plant tours
Marriott really put a lot of money and thought into the art by Hawaiians, it all reflects the local area's wildlife and culture

lodemia

I'm headed there with my family in two weeks, staying in a two bedroom villa, booked with reward points. As a platinum elite, can I expect anything at this hotel (breakfast, upgrades?), or is it a non-starter because it's a resort?

Horace

No breakfast. No upgrade. But you will get 500 bonus points as a welcome gift, and you can ask at check-in if they have anything else for Platinum Elite (they did when I was there in 2013).

Even more than being a resort, it's a Marriott Vacation Club timeshare resort. You should get the specific villa size and view category that you booked. Unlike traditional hotels, timeshares have near-100% occupancy most of the time and a one-to-one relationship between reservations and room inventory by category.

You might want to ask for a high room ahead of time, noting that you're Platinum. The views are better from high floors, whether you have an Island View or an Ocean View reservation. Your status might help you get a higher priority as villas are assigned. However, owners who booked 12 to 13 months ahead of time are likely to have a higher priority.

lodemia

Thanks for the tips! This is very helpful.

grd787

Hi All,
Debating between this one and the Wikiki Beach Marriott. As a platinum, which one should I go for? Seems from the above that upgrades are kinda limited for here.
I'd love to do the JW, but it's much more expensive.
Any advise is much appreciated. Thanks

AnalogMan

Waikiki and Ko Olina are very different experiences. I prefer Ko Olina but haven't been there since Disney's Aulani opened. Ko Olina was much more tranquil than Waikiki but with the condo towers and Aulani, that may no longer be the case.

You can conceivably stay in Waikiki without a car, Ko Olina not so much, and parking is $30+ per day. But with a car you can leave the resort and have a lot more dining options.

grd787

Many thanks. As some background, I'd actually be going solo and probably will only stay 2-3 nights. I probably won't be going out and venturing around.

DJ_Iceman

It will take 30 more huge oceanfront towers opening in Ko Olina before it is as hectic as Waikiki. Aulani has actually enhanced the overall feel of the area and also added some nice dining options.

AnalogMan

That may be true, but the first time I went to Ko Olina the Beach Club had one tower, and the only building between it and the Ihilani was the wedding chapel. Sadly that KOBC no longer exists....

I may try out some of the dining options at Aulani. The reviews I have read seemed to indicate it's overpriced and not particularly good. We ate one, maybe two at the most, meals at the KOBC/Ihilani restaurants the last few times we have been to KOBC. I find getting local take out (we love Hawaiian food) and shopping at Costco (lots of things not sold in mainland stores) to be quite tasty and a lot less expensive.

wvactions

Like others have said. It is not only a resort it is a vacation club. Most of the best views go to owners that have paid as much as $60,000 to purchase ocean view 2BR's along with upwards of $1,800 per year in maintenance fees. Those owners rightfully get the best views. There are many rooms there classified as "Ocean View" that require a vivid imagination to be considered ocean view.

Regardless of view, it is a beautiful resort. The grounds are spacious and even though it is normally 100% full, it does not feel crowed. I don't feel that the Disney resort has had a negative effect on the resort. Disney shares a lagoon with the JW and there is little reason for Disney occupants to venture down to the Beach Club lagoon.

Besides all that, no upgrades for Platinum, but you do get a free refillable cooler mug that is valued at $39.95. You can fill it up and any bar (except Chuck's) or the market place with soda, iced tea, coffee, and juice. It is good for the whole year. I checked in for 18 days in June as a PP and 10 week owner in Vacation Club (none of the weeks are owned in Ko Olina) and I was given a cup for each member of my party. Normally it is only 1 cup per check in. Maybe they gave me more as I go twice a year for the last 6 years.

llachance

We were there for seven days at the end of May. 16th floor, ocean view, was diamond head (with your glasses on). Went to the sales tour (which we moved up) and discovered that although in the past you could use the $250.00 (got this for listening to the presentation) to settle the bill when you checked out (we used it for parking) you could no longer use it. Glad we changed our appointment from the last day to one earlier in the week - so we could spend the money. This was our second stay and we loved it just as much. If anything Disney may have enhanced the offerings because most want to keep up. Got the refillable mug (for being Platinum) and used it a lot. Bought food at the local safeway - not to far of a drive and cooked in the room more then I expected we would. Didn't hit the local luau (although I have always enjoyed it) but did go to Polynesian Cultural Center (go every time we go to Hawaii). Don't mind that it is a bit far out because my mom lives in Ewa Beach and this is the opportunity to see her but not have to put her out of her house - which doesn't have AC so I do appreciate that creature comfort at the resort when the trade winds aren't blowing. Would love to go again but since I know I am not buying I have used my visits up there...next stop Kauai a year or so from now We had a one bedroom unit and it had a full kitchen with all the amenities. In fact the unit is almost as big as our house - we love the spaciousness. Housekeeping kept up with clean towels. There was detergent etc in the room for our use but since we aren't owners I don't know if they service those rooms differently.