TheMan

Buyer beware! If you are invited to take part in a time shares promotion at this property beware. While the price of $299 for 5 days/4 nights is great be prepared to take a hit in the quality and service that you should expect at this property.

We were awakened by delivery trucks with beepers and horns at 7 AM, right outside our window. Nice room to put a lifetime platinum.

If you are a platinum you should expect to receive that perk ONLY. instead of 1000 points you can choose a continental breakfast, which is what we chose. Breakfast from 7 until 10:45. We got to breakfast at 8:30 and it was gone. When I say gone I mean all of the items that are set aside for the continental were finished. I asked if they would be restocking and was told no. It is only TUESDAY. I found the F&B manager after asking for someone for about 15 minutes. He showed up, apologized and then took us to the market and bought us breakfast, so they took care of it. The person at the register should never have provided that response.

We then went back to our room and proceed to look at the bath. Rings around the tub that look like it wasnt cleaned in days. Contacted house keep manager and waited for about an hour until it was finally cleaned.

Room maintenance is lacking quite a bit.

Jackhammer above our heads most of the morning. Asked for a room change, was told there is nothing available. Funny thing is there is an entire hotel across the street which is an affiliated property but that wasnt seen as a viable option.

Worst thing is that ive asked to speak to a manager several times but every time ive been told that they are in meetings. Why? Nothing seems to be getting done, what could they be meeting about?

Finally I've logged a case with Platinum SPG concierge services. 3 more days to go here.

let's see what happens.

Fizzer

This is a Vistana Property and historically there have never been any SPG elite privileges staying at a time share such as this. They have their own, totally separate elite program based upon how many weeks you own and where ( some have a greater value than others). In the past there was no breakfast or points option either ( although admittedly that was on exchange visits or staying at a home resort). Your Marriott or SPG status cuts very little slack at these properties IME. In fact on the old SPG website that was explicitly stated on the home page. I notice that this has disappeared or has been hidden somewhere on the new and improved ( cough cough) Marriott site. Until the merge you wouldn't even earn elite nights on these stays, although apparently that has changed. I'm not sure if the promotional rate counts, however, especially since the merge.

The other issues are inexcusable though, although again our experience at other similar properties, is that these promotional rates are associated with the crappiest rooms, with the better rooms being reserved for those who own at the property.

ac/elite

CPRich

I also stayed there many years ago (10?) and wasn't impressed.

MSPeconomist

MarkCron

Yes, but it sure gives the OP an easy out during the timeshare presentation. Should be over in 5 minutes.

Fizzer

We raised that very question with the sales people at the Westin Lagunamar in Cancun.. He stated that this had been a discussion at many sales team meetings but the rooms allocated seemed to be the ones with the worst views. There is nothing at the Kierland Villas though, other than the extra room for families. It is pretty blah, just like the Villas at the Westin Mission Hills IMHO. The worst property in the collection, by far, at least IMO, is the Sheraton Broadway Plantation at Myrtle Beach. Frumpy decor, dumpy rooms and buildings, with no facilities on site and not even a great location to visit..

MSPeconomist

Seattlenerd

As owners in the one-time Starwood program (then Vistana, now Marriott ... it's complicated), our experiences at the Westin Kierland and other properties in the legacy Starwood Vacation Ownership program have been good.

EXCEPT for the sales presentations. We literally walked out an hour into a crappy "owner update" at a legacy Vistana property in Orlando due to a clueless sales rep trying to get us to buy additional weeks.

We no longer do the "owner updates." Ever. For the one sales rep you get who listens and is open and honest, the others put the pitch on repeat and don't listen. It's not worth the gift card or points for existing owners.

That said, I'm surprised that someone getting a special welcome/intro package got a crappy room. We were fortunate when we first bought (we went to Maui on a sales package the first time). That's not just bad service. It's bad marketing.

As to why someone buys a timeshare, there are several reasons, but it's not as an investment. The TUG BBS has great reasons. Us, we bought at a cheap property (Avon, CO) so we could trade into other Vistana/Starwood/Marriott properties in more expensive locations. But it's definitely not for everyone, and resale is one of the better options if someone wants to buy. I'm happy with our decisions, but under current sales practices and a shift to non-deeded properties, I probably wouldn't do it again or recommend anything other than resale.

tfong007

controller1

That's interesting. Over on TUG, Lagunamar mostly receives rave reviews from everything with the exception of the spa personnel roaming the pool area to drum up business. The main pool is one of the best around and the restaurants have good food.

tfong007

Main Pool was under construction all but the last day. There was no mention of the construction except a single email that was offering airport pickup services. We had two rooms and numerous things were broken or stuck. From the microwave no working to the doors not shutting. After staying at so many different resorts this one is just mediocre.