SAPPHIRE FALLS thread........

[MinnieMSue]

How do you book a cabana ahead of your trip? Can you call and do this or do you have to do it at the hotel upon arrival. Wanting one (I think) arrival day so we have a spot to relax until room is ready. Anyone know approximate cost. Like $200, $300, $400. I am sure it varies widely on various factors.

 

[Dawn Peterson]

Anyone been there recently and been able to buy the refillable hotel mugs? Possibly remember the price? My daughter really wanted them at Aventura but they were out.

 

[wdwrule]

Anyone been there recently and been able to buy the refillable hotel mugs? Possibly remember the price? My daughter really wanted them at Aventura but they were out.

Just checked for you…

 

[Dawn Peterson]

Just checked for you…
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You are fantastic! Thank You.

 

[heidijanesmith]

We recently stayed for the 1st time at SF and thought the resort as a whole was good.

Excellent: Strong water........ loved the food and drinks
Boat Service.......... weather permitting the boats were wonderful
Pool........ wonderful pool layout, hot tub, slide and our cabana was very nice

OK: Food every where else but Strong Water. Our food was ok, not great not terrible.

Bad: Bathroom layout. We stayed in a 1 bd suite with two rooms with connecting doors to make a 3bd suite. Our bathroom had no counter space at all.
Buses when the boats are not being used due to weather. We stayed at Cabana Bay last year and the buses were fantastic. At SF, they were very slow and shared with RP, so they were full a lot. They also did not come very often.

I am glad that we tried this resort, but I would not choose it again.

 

[djmeredith]

We stayed here and RP for the first time over Labor Day weekend. I loved SF and it would make it my favorite UO hotel if it offered Express Pass. The breakfast at Amatista was not worth the price, but it was a splurge.

 

[iuki]

I just saw this post. Too much to read, so I apologize if this has already been discussed. My daughter paid for our stay at Sapphire. I had a handicapped room and have an electric wheelchair. The bathroom had a tub rather than a walk-shower. It was very difficult to climb over the side of the tub. The room barely accommodated my EWC. The room door doesn’t open automatically, which made it difficult to get in and out of the room.

Aside from the handicap issue, our room was never cleaned the three nights we were there. The housekeepers showed up about 8 am and, although we told them we’d be leaving in about 15 min to a half-hour, they never came back - not even for towels or to restock toilet tissue. My DH had to track them down just to get towels. We will never return to this hotel.

 

[schumigirl]

Well, 10 night have passed since we checked into Sapphire and as always we are sad to be leaving this gorgeous hotel.

This stay has been exceptional as always and about as close to perfect as you can get.

Our Sapphire Suite was beautiful again, immaculately clean when we went in and we love the space it affords you when you stay there. The bed is a very good size and incredibly comfortable.

Housekeeping was wonderful and our suite was cleaned to perfection every day, usually cleaned before 10am which suited us as we sometimes come back around lunchtime to get showered and changed, so our housekeeper was very much appreciated. Shower gels and other products were replenished daily as we needed them and they left us extras every other day.

Staff were wonderful from the moment we entered the hotel and can’t do enough to help you if you needed anything. We didn’t manage a pool night over here but the pool area was always clean and well kept.

Meals in Amatista were lovely, and of course Strong Water has been a complete highlight.

Now looking forward to heading over to RP for the next part of our trip.

 

[djmeredith]

I just saw this post. Too much to read, so I apologize if this has already been discussed. My daughter paid for our stay at Sapphire. I had a handicapped room and have an electric wheelchair. The bathroom had a tub rather than a walk-shower. It was very difficult to climb over the side of the tub. The room barely accommodated my EWC. The room door doesn’t open automatically, which made it difficult to get in and out of the room.

Aside from the handicap issue, our room was never cleaned the three nights we were there. The housekeepers showed up about 8 am and, although we told them we’d be leaving in about 15 min to a half-hour, they never came back - not even for towels or to restock toilet tissue. My DH had to track them down just to get towels. We will never return to this hotel.

We were there 2 nights and did not get housekeeping on the one day in between check-in and check-out. I didn't mention it in my previous post because they did give me a $50 credit, and I thought was fair. After reading your post, I wonder if it is a wider issue.

 

[iuki]

Well, 10 night have passed since we checked into Sapphire and as always we are sad to be leaving this gorgeous hotel.

This stay has been exceptional as always and about as close to perfect as you can get.

Our Sapphire Suite was beautiful again, immaculately clean when we went in and we love the space it affords you when you stay there. The bed is a very good size and incredibly comfortable.

Housekeeping was wonderful and our suite was cleaned to perfection every day, usually cleaned before 10am which suited us as we sometimes come back around lunchtime to get showered and changed, so our housekeeper was very much appreciated. Shower gels and other products were replenished daily as we needed them and they left us extras every other day.

Staff were wonderful from the moment we entered the hotel and can’t do enough to help you if you needed anything. We didn’t manage a pool night over here but the pool area was always clean and well kept.

Meals in Amatista were lovely, and of course Strong Water has been a complete highlight.

Now looking forward to heading over to RP for the next part of our trip.




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You were very fortunate, and I’m happy you had a wonderful experience. Enjoy RP?

 

[iuki]

We were there 2 nights and did not get housekeeping on the one day in between check-in and check-out. I didn't mention it in my previous post because they did give me a $50 credit, and I thought was fair. After reading your post, I wonder if it is a wider issue.

I guess it’s the luck of the draw. All my daughter got out of the complaint was checkout time at noon instead of 11:00 am.

 

[schumigirl]

You were very fortunate, and I’m happy you had a wonderful experience. Enjoy RP?

We did. I’m not sure it’s luck as we’ve had almost 100 nights staying at Sapphire and we’ve never had a bad experience in all our stays there.

I‘m sorry you didn’t have the best experience though. And yes thanks, RP is fabulous as always.

 

[iuki]

We did. I’m not sure it’s luck as we’ve had almost 100 nights staying at Sapphire and we’ve never had a bad experience in all our stays there.

I‘m sorry you didn’t have the best experience though. And yes thanks, RP is fabulous as always.

What is RP?

 

[djmeredith]

I guess it’s the luck of the draw. All my daughter got out of the complaint was checkout time at noon instead of 11:00 am.

They didn't offer anything, but I nicely said I thought I should be compensated something since we had to wait for towels at 11:00 pm. She offered free breakfast at Amatista, but we were leaving the hotel at 7:00 am. She then she would give me a $50 credit so we could grab coffee and breakfast on the way out.

RP is Royal Pacific Resort, one of the premier hotels at Universal.

 

[StageTek]

I finished my first stay at Sapphire Falls. Four nights.

I arrived at noon Tuesday Sept 6 tired after a redeye flight and a full day of work on Labor Day. My room was ready and the Front Desk person was terrific. I had a great Lagoon View room on the sixth floor.

Nice to have housekeeping every day. I loved they have Turner Classic Movies.

My only complaint (and I know few people will care about this) was the smoking area. I love a cigar in the evening and there was nothing to sit on. They clearly want people to quickly puff a cigarette and leave.

Everyone there were terrific and I just LOVED the boat to the parks.

 

[Skywalker3]

Looking so, so forward to our upcoming quick stay at SF, wish it was more than 1 night. Is parking easy enough there? any room requests for ease of parking/getting around to boat launch easily??. Mostly interested in getting a room asap when we checkin, so will probably tell them first available.

 

[Lynne G]

As to parking, I like parking in their covered parking garage. Easy to me.

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

We are looking at a split stay over Christmas this year between Portofino Bay and another resort. I have a few questions. We will end up needing 2 rooms as we have 5 kids (DS 24, DS 23, DS 21 DS 18 and DD 12). The kids want Cabana Bay as we have stayed there years ago and they love the pool, lobby etc. DH and I would prefer Sapphire Falls as it looks pretty and the the Strong Waters looks like something we would enjoy. I want them to enjoy their time (as they get older it has been hard to find time off in all their work/school schedules we can all get together) because this will probably be our last family vacation with all of us. On the other hand, this is our 25th anniversary this December and Cabana Bay wasn't really what I had in mind. So if we put the kids over in Cabana Bay and stayed at Sapphire how hard would it be for them to walk over to our hotel to go to the parks and dinner etc. ? Is the walkway a safe one or is there a lot of crossing traffic? How long is the walk? Could we go over there to join them in the afternoon at their pool? Since Christmas week is busy will we need reservations for Strong Water? DH and I like a relaxing evening with a couple of good drinks sometimes on vacation. Thanks for any advice/ help we have mostly done Disney trips and even took the kids to WDW for our 10th but this time decided Universal might be more relaxing especially on the days we have EP as Genie plus this summer was really a lot of effort trying to book everything in times that would work.

 

[djmeredith]

We are looking at a split stay over Christmas this year between Portofino Bay and another resort. I have a few questions. We will end up needing 2 rooms as we have 5 kids (DS 24, DS 23, DS 21 DS 18 and DD 12). The kids want Cabana Bay as we have stayed there years ago and they love the pool, lobby etc. DH and I would prefer Sapphire Falls as it looks pretty and the the Strong Waters looks like something we would enjoy. I want them to enjoy their time (as they get older it has been hard to find time off in all their work/school schedules we can all get together) because this will probably be our last family vacation with all of us. On the other hand, this is our 25th anniversary this December and Cabana Bay wasn't really what I had in mind. So if we put the kids over in Cabana Bay and stayed at Sapphire how hard would it be for them to walk over to our hotel to go to the parks and dinner etc. ? Is the walkway a safe one or is there a lot of crossing traffic? How long is the walk? Could we go over there to join them in the afternoon at their pool? Since Christmas week is busy will we need reservations for Strong Water? DH and I like a relaxing evening with a couple of good drinks sometimes on vacation. Thanks for any advice/ help we have mostly done Disney trips and even took the kids to WDW for our 10th but this time decided Universal might be more relaxing especially on the days we have EP as Genie plus this summer was really a lot of effort trying to book everything in times that would work.

I haven't stayed at Cabana Bay, but have stayed at all 3 premier hotels and Sapphire Falls recently. We loved Sapphire Falls and it would be my overall fav if it had Express Pass. At their ages, I would think they would appreciate SF as a nicer hotel. All of you could pool hop and visit CB for the nostalgia, but stay at the much nicer SF.

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

We are looking at a split stay over Christmas this year between Portofino Bay and another resort. I have a few questions. We will end up needing 2 rooms as we have 5 kids (DS 24, DS 23, DS 21 DS 18 and DD 12). The kids want Cabana Bay as we have stayed there years ago and they love the pool, lobby etc. DH and I would prefer Sapphire Falls as it looks pretty and the the Strong Waters looks like something we would enjoy. I want them to enjoy their time (as they get older it has been hard to find time off in all their work/school schedules we can all get together) because this will probably be our last family vacation with all of us. On the other hand, this is our 25th anniversary this December and Cabana Bay wasn't really what I had in mind. So if we put the kids over in Cabana Bay and stayed at Sapphire how hard would it be for them to walk over to our hotel to go to the parks and dinner etc. ? Is the walkway a safe one or is there a lot of crossing traffic? How long is the walk? Could we go over there to join them in the afternoon at their pool? Since Christmas week is busy will we need reservations for Strong Water? DH and I like a relaxing evening with a couple of good drinks sometimes on vacation. Thanks for any advice/ help we have mostly done Disney trips and even took the kids to WDW for our 10th but this time decided Universal might be more relaxing especially on the days we have EP as Genie plus this summer was really a lot of effort trying to book everything in times that would work.

We had lunch at CB, liked the food court a lot !!
IMHO "kids" will love CB; walk from there to SF will be 5 to ten minutes - nice walk.
We love SF and will be there this November again !!!
Walkway to USO is VERY PLEASANT,about 20 minutes,absolutely safe, beautiful views , we often prefer to walk, though the boat is faster and cozy, your kids could join you onboard the boat to go together to the parks.
Not sure about being together at the pool , at SF you need the room key to get access ...

HAVE A GREAT ANNIVERSARY !!