AKV Concierge

[Nikisha421]

I I know this one has been asked before but I am very sure I just have never really been able to fully understand d the answers so I will ask one more time for my own understanding....
I own at AKV and love concierge so why is it that DVC can't add more concierge room in the newer villas?

[Deb & Bill]

Originally Posted by Nikisha421

I I know this one has been asked before but I am very sure I just have never really been able to fully understand d the answers so I will ask one more time for my own understanding....
I own at AKV and love concierge so why is it that DVC can't add more concierge room in the newer villas?

When DVC took over the fifth floor of AKL, they were also asked to take the sixth floor. The sixth floor just happens to be the floor where the Concierge lounge is located. You can't get to the sixth floor room unless you go through the lounge area (these rooms used to be the old smoking rooms and have a terrible view of the savanna and the pool). DVC is not going to create a separate concierge area for members in the other resorts. they just got stuck with the sixth floor at Jambo House.

[disneynutz]

As a AKV owner I would really be upset if they expanded Club Level. It's that AKV owners that pay for the Club Level benefits for point users at AKV Club Level. The cost is added to our dues.

Bill

[drusba]

I assume there is a barrier due to cost. AKV was unique in that DVC took over portions of the building that were already concierge with lounge and decided to adopt it into the system while maintaining concierge for the hotel side of the operation. Nevertheless from the aspect of a timeshare, it is hard to justify concierge. After the sale of the points at the resort, the main thing concierge does is just add operational costs payable by the members for its stocked lounge, daily cleaning and turn-down service, and acces to concierge employees. Asking why doesn't the system have concierge everywhere is like asking why doesn't it have daily cleaning service for all rooms. It is simply an additonal cost that would be charged to vast majority of members who don't use it.

[disneynutz]

Originally Posted by drusba

I assume there is a barrier due to cost. AKV was unique in that DVC took over portions of the building that were already concierge with lounge and decided to adopt it into the system while maintaining concierge for the hotel side of the operation. Nevertheless from the aspect of a timeshare, it is hard to justify concierge. After the sale of the points at the resort, the main thing concierge does is just add operational costs payable by the members for its stocked lounge, daily cleaning and turn-down service, and acces to concierge employees. Asking why doesn't the system have concierge everywhere is like asking why doesn't it have daily cleaning service for all rooms. It is simply an additonal cost that would be charged to vast majority of members who don't use it.

But the cost is unfair. Yes Club Level costs more points for a stay but the owners at AKV don't receive any compensation from the points but they do fund Club Level operations with their dues.

I guess you could say that this is true of any special amenity. Storm-A-Long Bay at BCV costs more to operate than the Luna Park Pool at BWV and the owners pay for both.

Bill

[Chuck S]

Originally Posted by Nikisha421

I own at AKV and love concierge so why is it that DVC can't add more concierge room in the newer villas?

They can add a concierge level to new constructions, but would the number of points needed to stay in concierge villas as well as the resort-wide increase in dues to pay for the concierge staff, food and drinks...and the added taxes added to dues for the lounge area hinder sales? Perhaps.

Also, many folks don't see the value in concierge...I mean, a few snacks and coffee, and some help with dining reservations certainly wouldn't warrant staying in concierge for those increased points for me. Nor would the option of paying $ for the available concierge level safaris.

[tjkraz]

Originally Posted by disneynutz

But the cost is unfair. Yes Club Level costs more points for a stay but the owners at AKV don't receive any compensation from the points but they do fund Club Level operations with their dues.

Agree. Operating costs for the lounge are bundled in the dues charged to ALL OWNERS at AKV. There are AKV owners who will never stay concierge over their 50 years of ownership, but will pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to help fund lounge operations.

I guess you could say that this is true of any special amenity. Storm-A-Long Bay at BCV costs more to operate than the Luna Park Pool at BWV and the owners pay for both.

True but the distinction I would make is that all BCV owners (when staying there) have the opportunity to use Stormalong Bay.

AKV concierge facilities and services are only available to 1% of AKV guests on any given day yet everyone is paying for it.

As for expanding AKV concierge access, there is actually a passage in the POS which states that DVC is prohibited from granting concierge access to anyone but the guests in those five villas. Presumably the language was added to keep DVC from packing the lounge with members, negatively impacting the cash guests who pay handsomely for club level services.

DVC could have added concierge to Bay Lake Tower but chose not to do so. We'll know soon enough it it's in the plans for Grand Floridian (but I doubt it.) It's looking more and more like AKV concierge was simply a byproduct of DVC taking over those top two floors where the lounge was already located.

[NicoleLarson]

Originally Posted by tjkraz

. We'll know soon enough it it's in the plans for Grand Floridian (but I doubt it.) It's looking more and more like AKV concierge was simply a byproduct of DVC taking over those top two floors where the lounge was already located.

Yes, this is exactly what I was told by a CM working on CL when we were there in Sept. I believe he said something along the lines of, "Do you know why AKL is the only DVC resort with CL rooms?" When I said no. He replied with that since DVC took over the 6th floor rooms and that's were the lounge is located it only made sense to make those rooms CL.

[disneynutz]

Originally Posted by tjkraz

Agree. Operating costs for the lounge are bundled in the dues charged to ALL OWNERS at AKV. There are AKV owners who will never stay concierge over their 50 years of ownership, but will pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to help fund lounge operations.



True but the distinction I would make is that all BCV owners (when staying there) have the opportunity to use Stormalong Bay.

AKV concierge facilities and services are only available to 1% of AKV guests on any given day yet everyone is paying for it.

As for expanding AKV concierge access, there is actually a passage in the POS which states that DVC is prohibited from granting concierge access to anyone but the guests in those five villas. Presumably the language was added to keep DVC from packing the lounge with members, negatively impacting the cash guests who pay handsomely for club level services.

DVC could have added concierge to Bay Lake Tower but chose not to do so. We'll know soon enough it it's in the plans for Grand Floridian (but I doubt it.) It's looking more and more like AKV concierge was simply a byproduct of DVC taking over those top two floors where the lounge was already located.

Do you think that the rooms on the 6th floor were made into DVC rooms due to the crappy views that cash paying Guests would object to? As DVC if you want Club Level you have to accept the views where cash Guests would request a different CL room on the 4th floor.

Bill

[Nikisha421]

Thanks for all of the reaponses

[Simba's Mom]

Originally Posted by Deb & Bill

When DVC took over the fifth floor of AKL, they were also asked to take the sixth floor. The sixth floor just happens to be the floor where the Concierge lounge is located. You can't get to the sixth floor room unless you go through the lounge area (these rooms used to be the old smoking rooms and have a terrible view of the savanna and the pool). DVC is not going to create a separate concierge area for members in the other resorts. they just got stuck with the sixth floor at Jambo House.

So are you saying that the concierge rooms there for DVC don't have good views? I did consider staying concierge, but I've gotta admit that I'm all about the views of the animals at AKV. If concierge rooms have poor views, I may not do concierge.

[MrShiny]

Originally Posted by Simba's Mom

So are you saying that the concierge rooms there for DVC don't have good views? I did consider staying concierge, but I've gotta admit that I'm all about the views of the animals at AKV. If concierge rooms have poor views, I may not do concierge.

They do not all have pool views - in fact every time we've stayed there, we've gotten savanna views. However, due to the sloping roof, these are not the best savanna views - your window is essentially made smaller by the room framing it.

[dvcterry]

Originally Posted by Simba's Mom

So are you saying that the concierge rooms there for DVC don't have good views? I did consider staying concierge, but I've gotta admit that I'm all about the views of the animals at AKV. If concierge rooms have poor views, I may not do concierge.

There really is no way to guarantee you will get a good view. When we booked CL we were not able to put any requests in over the phone. Tried via email and received a response that although my request was noted, it could not be guaranteed. CL is not about the views.

[erionm]

Originally Posted by Simba's Mom

So are you saying that the concierge rooms there for DVC don't have good views? I did consider staying concierge, but I've gotta admit that I'm all about the views of the animals at AKV. If concierge rooms have poor views, I may not do concierge.

There are only 5 2-bedroom lock-offs that make up the DVC Portion of the Concierge Level rooms at AKV Jambo House. Two of those 2-bedroom lock-offs face the Uzima Pool and the other three face the Sunset Savanna.

[Deb & Bill]

Originally Posted by Simba's Mom

So are you saying that the concierge rooms there for DVC don't have good views? I did consider staying concierge, but I've gotta admit that I'm all about the views of the animals at AKV. If concierge rooms have poor views, I may not do concierge.

The best reason to stay concierge is to do the Sunrise Safari.