Arrived at Marriott Ko Olina

[short Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close short]

We arrived yesterday for our exchange into Ko Olina. We arrived at 2 pm and our room was ready.

We are in a 2 bedroom on the 10th floor facing the construction, powerplant, but overlooking the pools, with a view of the ocean. I was afraid as an exchanger we would be put in a dumpster view room so I am happy. I can hear some construction noise right now but it is not overly intrusive.

We were tired when we arrived. My daughter was partying at our house with friends until 2 am. Then packed, slept for a couple of hours and got up at 4am. The shuttle to the airport came at 5 am with an 8 departure from LAX. We slept for a few hours on the plane but it was not quite enough.

I looks like there are lots of activities here. I will have to rally the troups this morning to see what we want to do.

Short

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Have a great, and keep us posted.....Don't forget to take pictures.

[Bill4728 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Bill4728]

Have a great trip.


Just another day in Paradise!!

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Enjoy your trip. It's such a beautiful resort that you can easily lounge around there and do nothing but relax. I went to see it with an "Update" twice already by myself. The pool was redone and looks so much nicer now and the lush plants have grown up too since I saw it the first time.

Do you have nice weather too?

[Jaybee Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jaybee]

I hope you go to the Fia-Fia, and maybe even take the Chief's tour. We loved both. Happy travels! Jean

[short Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close short]

Saturday for TS tour

Yesterday we slept later and then they caught my hubby on the phone and he scheduled a TS tour for the afternoon. We figured we should get it out of the way early so we could get our freebees to use this week. We received free trips on the Ko Olina Cat snorkel tour. We also signed up for the Fia-Fia luau on Tue.

I quized the TS salesman about when Marriott was going to start a points system and he basicly said never and gave me some lame reasons like daily checkings would be to expensive. Marriott wants Fri Sat Sun check in. When I pointed out HGVC had a points system and my LV Maint fees are $670 he did not have an answer.

He never even mentioned Ko Olina pricing as I think he figure out that I had traded in for cheap. He went directly to the Marriott reward points offer for buying the NJ property. Let us go at about 75 min.

Finished the day doing grocery shopping and making dinner in the room.

Weather is cloudy and occasional showers.

Short

[roadsister Member Find all posts View Profile Close roadsister]

How far is this resort from the airport? Is there shopping nearby or do you have to go back to Honolulu??
Thanks

[Jaybee Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jaybee]

There is a market within a short drive from Ko-Olina...about 5 miles, I guess. It's a few exits down the freeway. I think it's a Safeway, if I remember correctly.
Jean

[short Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close short]

There is a market within a short drive from Ko-Olina...about 5 miles, I guess. It's a few exits down the freeway. I think it's a Safeway, if I remember correctly.
Jean

Yes this is correct. About 5 miles away is a safeway.

The Marketplace downstairs has a resonable but small selection of stuff if you cannot get out to shop right away.

I think I saw some groceries being delivered yesterday so it is possible you can have some things stocked before you arrived. I do not know any more details about this.

Short

[short Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close short]

Sun Mon

Yesterday we went on the Ko Olina Cat snorkel boat. Nice trip. Saw some Whales. Saw some fish.

Today my DD and I took 45 min surf lesson in the cove. I definately need to improve my balance, hip flexibility, and muscle tone. Other than that I did OK.

We then went to the water exercise class.

Its been raining all afternoon.

Short

[Bill4728 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Bill4728]

I quized the TS salesman about when Marriott was going to start a points system and he basicly said never and gave me some lame reasons like daily checkings would be to expensive. Marriott wants Fri Sat Sun check in. When I pointed out HGVC had a points system and my LV Maint fees are $670 he did not have an answer.

Short

I thought that Ko Olina was part of the new pacific rim group of Marriott TS which was going to a point system. I try and find the post. But I thought there were 3 -4 Marriott TS which were going to points.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

They have both.

[short Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close short]

He said what he wanted me to hear.

I thought that Ko Olina was part of the new pacific rim group of Marriott TS which was going to a point system. I try and find the post. But I thought there were 3 -4 Marriott TS which were going to points.

It has been reported that what you have said is correct. That is exactly what I wanted to find out about but when he so addamently insisted. NEVER. I did not pursue it. My husband and daughter were with me and I did not want to make a scene.

He was nice enough but his responses were typical scripted to defeat objections. I think it through him for a loop that we did not trade in with a high end Marriott. He lost the exclusivity edge.

He also bashed II saying Marriott was going to an internal exchange system in 3 years because Marriott is never sure II is not directing Marriott owners away from internal trading so they could get higher exchange fees. Again I could have pointed out that II has a desk of Marriott specialist who I am sure Marriott has a huge input into but no point getting into an arguement of this.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

I remember reading about it too last July and I searched for the thread again and found it here. I also searched for the press release too and found it here.

The resorts that have point-based weeks in the USA are only a few so far. Some are fixed weeks for Japanese holidays.

[short Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close short]

Mon Tue

Monday we did the water arrobics class in the morning.

It started raining hard by about noon and continued through the evening.

The beach resturant moved under the overhang on the first floor and the Mai Tai reception was canceled.

We went for a drive up the coast until the road ends at a state park. The park is lovely. The area on the way up is somewhat run down small townish with some folks living in there cars or tents along the beach.

Tuesday I took a Yoga class and the water arrobics class again. We all had massages at the beach location. Then went to Fia-Fia in the evening. Great show. I highly recommend it.

We are driving over to the Polynisian Center today so I might have something to compare Fia to by tomorrow.

Short