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The Westin spreads out on 47 acres that slope down a hill to the beach. To reach most rooms, you must climb stairs. Even though complimentary resort shuttles circle the grounds providing transportation, decide what location works best for your family. The beach front rooms are 370-square feet as are the poolside rooms. While convenient, these are likely to be noisy at mid-day. The garden rooms (buildings 21, 22 and 23) do not feature much of a view but offer 440 square feet of space.
Also, consider whether you would like a "villa," a studio to three-bedroom, condominium-like property that comes with the conveniences of a kitchen, washer/dryer and sitting area with a pullout sofa. We found our three-bedroom unit extremely comfortable. We saved money on breakfasts and snacks plus we used the sitting area for card games and working on jigsaw puzzles -- a family tradition -- and for hanging out. The three bedrooms provided privacy and the three bathrooms ensured no waits for showers.
Consider the location carefully for a villa as well. Many of the villas are located hillside in three-story buildings. The higher you go, the better your view may be -- but not always. Although our unit in building 26 was near the crest of the hill, our first-floor unit looked out onto bushes. Also, the third bedroom, a nice size for what is typically a tiny room in most resort condos, lacked a window, a situation that bothered my daughter a bit.
Unlike in the hotel rooms, the decor can vary significantly in the villas, as these have different owners. Westin constructed the first villas nearly 20 years ago. Other buildings went up more recently. Many owners, but not all, have renovated and some more recently than others. Some units possess a two-level floor plan. This can be great when you have teens you don't want to hear late at night, but less convenient when you have little children.
Our three-bedroom unit came with trendy, contemporary furnishings, including a blue glass-tiled kitchen bar, granite counters, dark wood furnishings, four flat-screen televisions, CD players and the biggest soaking tub we had ever seen out of a showroom in the master suite.
Despite some good views, we don't recommend buildings 31 to 34. Located across the road from the main property, these units are far from the main facilities and situated at the top of a very steep hill. After walking over to visit our friends in one of these buildings, we felt as if we had worked out on a Stairmaster.
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