# Barony is wow!



## Janette (May 11, 2012)

You folks coming down to Barony will be so pleased. We went by yesterday for a couple of hours and were impressed with all the new projects. The new bar is fabulous. People with children will be asking for the garden villas. There are big screen tvs with a fireplace in the grilling pavilion. The pool and water activity are great as is the sand for little ones. The slide looks like it will be lots of fun. I'll give up the quietness for happiness of children. I just think I need more points for my garden villa:whoopie: .


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## Tamaradarann (May 12, 2012)

Janette said:


> You folks coming down to Barony will be so pleased. We went by yesterday for a couple of hours and were impressed with all the new projects. The new bar is fabulous. People with children will be asking for the garden villas. There are big screen tvs with a fireplace in the grilling pavilion. The pool and water activity are great as is the sand for little ones. The slide looks like it will be lots of fun. I'll give up the quietness for happiness of children. I just think I need more points for my garden villa:whoopie: .



I have no clue where this is?  Can you get there. live there, and fully enjoy the area without a car?


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## dioxide45 (May 12, 2012)

Tamaradarann said:


> I have no clue where this is?  Can you get there. live there, and fully enjoy the area without a car?



Barony Beach Club is on Hilton Head Island. You can fly to the airport there, but it is a pretty easy drive from NY. You would definitely need a car, though you can bike just about anywhere on the island.


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## Whirl (May 13, 2012)

We were planning to get back to Barony this summer since its been 5years, but we decided to go to Marco Island again....I am now really regretting not going. Everytime I hear or see posts about the upgrades I can hardly stand it!


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## ml855 (Jun 27, 2012)

I so excited, we just got an exchange into Barony for next Memorial Day week.  We went through SFX and they came through.  This is our first time to Hilton Head Island, we usually go to Myrtle Beach.


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## pfrank4127 (Jun 27, 2012)

We'll be checking in Friday!!!


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## jdunn1 (Jun 27, 2012)

Congrats.  Can you share what week you used to get this week.   A lot of us on TUG like to keep up with Marriott Carolina exchanges.  

If you own a Marriott week, this should have been a pretty easy trade through II.  It's the summer weeks that are really tough in II for this resort and the other Carolina resorts.




ml855 said:


> I so excited, we just got an exchange into Barony for next Memorial Day week.  We went through SFX and they came through.  This is our first time to Hilton Head Island, we usually go to Myrtle Beach.


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## yumdrey (Jun 27, 2012)

I could get a Marriott SurfWatch, 7/22 check-in, 3BR oceanside unit with a Marriott Grand Vista studio (gold season) 3-4 days ago.
I posted it on sightings forum.


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## ml855 (Jun 28, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> Congrats.  Can you share what week you used to get this week.   A lot of us on TUG like to keep up with Marriott Carolina exchanges.
> 
> If you own a Marriott week, this should have been a pretty easy trade through II.  It's the summer weeks that are really tough in II for this resort and the other Carolina resorts.




The last two years we tried to exchange into either Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach through II using our 2 bedroom Manor Club and nothing came through so we decided to give SFX our week to give them a try.  Well they came through with an exchange.

We locked-off our Platnium Manor Club week and gave SFX the 1 bedroom side and deposited the studio side with II.  I had the request going with SFX for several months.  We wanted anything between June 1st check-in through July 2013 for either Grande Ocean or OceanWatch Villas.  Got a call this afternoon from SFX asking if I would like Barony with check-in on May 25th instead of the two resorts we had requested.  My husband and I decided to go ahead and take this exchange since it's so hard to exchange into Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach.  We are very pleased.


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## jdunn1 (Jun 28, 2012)

That would have been a great exchange, even if it is last minute.  Too bad I just got my Marriott deposits, yesterday.  



yumdrey said:


> I could get a Marriott SurfWatch, 7/22 check-in, 3BR oceanside unit with a Marriott Grand Vista studio (gold season) 3-4 days ago.
> I posted it on sightings forum.


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## jdunn1 (Jun 28, 2012)

Thank you for this information. This is great stuff to remember.  SFX has never been able to get me a summer week at Ocean Watch or Grande Ocean or Barony or SurfWatch, so I think it was a good choice to take the Memorial Day week. 

...just something I learned the hard way, but to get summer carolina weeks these days, I think you need to give II your entire 2 bedroom.  Locking off doesn't seem to work any more.  I tried locking off my Willowridge summer week for the past two years and no luck getting a summer Carolina week.  Then a couple months ago I heard from a family that owns a Harbor Lake unit and they didn't lock it off and got a tade into Grande Ocean for this July!  So, I think II can work for a Hilton Head week (maybe even Myrtle Beach), but all the Marriott owners giving up a 2 bedroom are going to be infront of you for that trade if you only give-up your one bedroom.





ml855 said:


> The last two years we tried to exchange into either Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach through II using our 2 bedroom Manor Club and nothing came through so we decided to give SFX our week to give them a try.  Well they came through with an exchange.
> 
> We locked-off our Platnium Manor Club week and gave SFX the 1 bedroom side and deposited the studio side with II.  I had the request going with SFX for several months.  We wanted anything between June 1st check-in through July 2013 for either Grande Ocean or OceanWatch Villas.  Got a call this afternoon from SFX asking if I would like Barony with check-in on May 25th instead of the two resorts we had requested.  My husband and I decided to go ahead and take this exchange since it's so hard to exchange into Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach.  We are very pleased.


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## 1st Class (Jun 28, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> Thank you for this information. This is great stuff to remember.  SFX has never been able to get me a summer week at Ocean Watch or Grande Ocean or Barony or SurfWatch, so I think it was a good choice to take the Memorial Day week.
> 
> ...just something I learned the hard way, but to get summer carolina weeks these days, I think you need to give II your entire 2 bedroom.  Locking off doesn't seem to work any more.  I tried locking off my Willowridge summer week for the past two years and no luck getting a summer Carolina week.  Then a couple months ago I heard from a family that owns a Harbor Lake unit and they didn't lock it off and got a tade into Grande Ocean for this July!  So, I think II can work for a Hilton Head week (maybe even Myrtle Beach), but all the Marriott owners giving up a 2 bedroom are going to be infront of you for that trade if you only give-up your one bedroom.



jdunn1, for the last several years, we've needed to use the full 2BR platinum week in exchange for summer HHI, and have been successful until last year.  Memorial Day weekend doesn't count as summer here in NYS b/c schools are still in until end of June.  FYI, last year we were offered MGO Labor Day weekend but that doesn't work either, as schools are back in.  Both Memorial Day and Labor Day weeks fall in the gold season, not platinum.  So, we're needing true platinum summer weeks between June and August.  I'm also not so keen on giving up platinum for gold, but I may need to consider it.

I also used a platinum studio to exchange to MOW (oceanfront unit), but that was in October.  I think that exchange occurred just outside flex.


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## jdunn1 (Jun 28, 2012)

I don't count Memorial Day or Labor Day as summer, either.  I go by whenever school is out in the summer.  I couldn't get into the Carolinas last year, either.  That is why I bought at Ocean Watch.

I'm glad you shared about needed to deposit a full 2 bedroom to get these units.  That is what I concluded after two years of failed exchanges, too.  When I learned a 2 bedroom Harbor Lake pulled a July Grande Ocean week, I was sold on the need to deposit a full 2 bedroom to get a summer Carolina week.



1st Class said:


> jdunn1, for the last several years, we've needed to use the full 2BR platinum week in exchange for summer HHI, and have been successful until last year.  Memorial Day weekend doesn't count as summer here in NYS b/c schools are still in until end of June.  FYI, last year we were offered MGO Labor Day weekend but that doesn't work either, as schools are back in.  Both Memorial Day and Labor Day weeks fall in the gold season, not platinum.  So, we're needing true platinum summer weeks between June and August.  I'm also not so keen on giving up platinum for gold, but I may need to consider it.
> 
> I also used a platinum studio to exchange to MOW (oceanfront unit), but that was in October.  I think that exchange occurred just outside flex.


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## hotcoffee (Jun 28, 2012)

Janette said:


> You folks coming down to Barony will be so pleased. We went by yesterday for a couple of hours and were impressed with all the new projects. The new bar is fabulous. People with children will be asking for the garden villas. There are big screen tvs with a fireplace in the grilling pavilion. The pool and water activity are great as is the sand for little ones. The slide looks like it will be lots of fun. I'll give up the quietness for happiness of children. I just think I need more points for my garden villa:whoopie: .



You are making me feel excited.  We are going there for the first time on July 7.


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## yumdrey (Jun 29, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> That would have been a great exchange, even if it is last minute.  Too bad I just got my Marriott deposits, yesterday.



I didn't think it was a last minute because I had 4 weeks to be prepared.
Last year, I got Marriott Surfwatch, 8/13 check-in at 3 weeks out and enjoyed my vacation very much.
This year, I just came back from a month long vacation and am not sure if I can catch up my work by 7/22. 
But I do agree that it was a great exchange, studio Grande vista week could see a 3 bedroom surfwatch in platinum season! (especially for 4 weeks out)


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## laurac260 (Jun 29, 2012)

Tamaradarann said:


> I have no clue where this is?  Can you get there. live there, and fully enjoy the area without a car?



You don't NEED a car to fully enjoy what HHI has to offer.  Barony is a bit off the beaten path, so a car is recommended there.  If you were to stay at any of Marriott's other properties no car would be needed.  We are at Grande Ocean now. We can shop, eat, beach, pool, kayak, sightsee, etc, and leave the car all week if we choose.  Bike rentals are everywhere, and you can access all points (except Target and Walmart ), via bike.


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## ml855 (Jun 29, 2012)

Before the Marriott DC pts program went into affect we were able to exchange our 2 bedroom Manor Club week into OceanWatch for several years in a row.  We always had a late June check-in or a July check-in than the DC program started and everything dried up and we were unable to exchange in any longer.  This year we decided to lock off our unit and give SFX a try.  When I gave the week to SFX I was really thinking about New York for an exchange, never thought I would get a Carolina resort.  I placed the  exchange request for either New York or South Carolina, thinking I would get New York and when SFX called about Barony I was so excited I couldn't turn it down.

Since all my kids are out of school, Memorial Day week works for us, we're at the point in our lives that we don't always need a mid summer week.  We've never been to Hilton Head so we are very excited.


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## ml855 (Jun 29, 2012)

*Another question about Barony*

Another question:

How far is the garden view villas from the beach?

I'm thinking since we received an exchange through SFX into Barony then we will probably be placed in a garden view villa.  I was looking at the resort map, are the garden view villas located in the two back buildings behind the Westin resort?

Thanks.


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## jme (Jun 29, 2012)

ml855 said:


> Another question:
> 
> How far is the garden view villas from the beach?
> 
> ...



yes, exactly, and it's very peaceful back there. 
The walk to the beach is about 5 minutes.....teens can be there in 2.....  really, it's a short walk. 

remember, 90% of HH resorts are not even that close.


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## SueDonJ (Jun 29, 2012)

jme said:


> yes, exactly, and it's very peaceful back there.
> The walk to the beach is about 5 minutes.....teens can be there in 2.....  really, it's a short walk.
> 
> remember, 90% of HH resorts are not even that close.



I don't know if it's as peaceful anymore with the extensive garden pool updates, especially in the summer months, but the walk over to the beach is pleasant enough and mostly in the shade.  (This is TUGger TravlinDuo's thread with pics of the new gardenview area.)


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## jme (Jun 29, 2012)

laurac260 said:


> You don't NEED a car to fully enjoy what HHI has to offer.  Barony is a bit off the beaten path, so a car is recommended there.  If you were to stay at any of Marriott's other properties no car would be needed.  We are at Grande Ocean now. We can shop, eat, beach, pool, kayak, sightsee, etc, and leave the car all week if we choose.  Bike rentals are everywhere, and you can access all points (except Target and Walmart ), via bike.



to answer the poster's question honestly (to which you gave the above answer), you can FUNCTION without a car, but you cannot ENJOY HH without a car. and I believe he/she used the word "enjoy".

The island is 14 miles long, and there is too much to see and do, and a car is most definitely needed. I cannot imagine being there otherwise. We like the bikes, too, but only for recreation. Been going for 40+ years. Harbour Town, outlet malls, South Beach, Shelter Cove, various restaurants (Old Fort Pub, Skull Creek, Frankie Bones, etc---all far!!!)----just some examples of must-see areas that are miles and miles apart....I'd bike to HT and SB, but most wouldn't, and never to the other places.


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## jme (Jun 29, 2012)

SueDonJ said:


> I don't know if it's as peaceful anymore with the extensive garden pool updates, especially in the summer months, but the walk over to the beach is pleasant enough and mostly in the shade.  (This is TUGger TravlinDuo's thread with pics of the new gardenview area.)



I went by twice recently (2nd and 3rd week of June) at different times, say about 11 am and 2 pm on different days (once with camera and once without), when kids were fully out and going at it, and it was still just as quiet and peaceful. 

Kids were playing at the new kids' end, and you couldn't hear them much. It's close to the main pool, but not the "main body" of the pool.....  somewhat removed from it because of the way they designed it, with the zero entry at the end between them------- It's much more noisy around the oceanfront pool in front of the new bar/grill in oceanfront section, where there is a definite lack of chair room........

pity---- we own in the oceanfront/oceanside section.

see this post for the pics i took, which sort of shows the separation of kids' pool....

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1314633&postcount=38


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## SueDonJ (Jun 29, 2012)

jme said:


> I went by twice recently (2nd and 3rd week of June) at different times, say about 11 am and 2 pm on different days (once with camera and once without), when kids were fully out and going at it, and it was still just as quiet and peaceful.
> 
> Kids were playing at the new kids' end, and you couldn't hear them much. It's close to the main pool, but not the "main body" of the pool.....  somewhat removed from it because of the way they designed it, with the zero entry at the end between them------- It's much more noisy around the oceanfront pool in front of the new bar/grill in oceanfront section, where there is a definite lack of chair room........
> 
> ...



Great pics, Marty.  We walked through there a few weeks ago and I didn't take any - you and a few others on TUG covered it very nicely!  But I did think that it would be much more noisy than it used to be with the whole thing situated in front of those two buildings.  I can imagine families will be very content to hang out at that pool now where they maybe would have hit the beach or the main pool before.  (I like the noise from the pool areas so either way works for me!  Maybe we'll find out on our next Getaway or exchange back in.)

I saw how there are fewer chairs directly pool-side at the main pool now, but I really think they did a good job with that whole bar/grille re-design.  They switched the tables from that platform-thing near the old bar over to the shady platform on the interior side of the new bar, and switched the lounges from there to the other one.  I like the new set-up much better, even  if it means there are fewer lounges four or five steps from the pool.


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## cruz-in (Jul 1, 2012)

jme said:


> yes, exactly, and it's very peaceful back there.
> The walk to the beach is about 5 minutes.....teens can be there in 2.....  really, it's a short walk.
> 
> remember, 90% of HH resorts are not even that close.



At Barony now....walked thru the Garden Side yesterday. For us, we did not care for the improvements. IMHO the quiet ambiance of the Garden villas was gone. Most of the interior space was filled witth something (pools, firepit, children's waterr play area, etc.). Pretty noisy. Not for us, but if you have young children, you might like it.  

Really like the new bar. Looks real nice, Well designed to fit with the rest of the Ocean side courtyard. 

We continue to b Wowed by Barony. The resort is one of our favorite places to go. The management and board does a great job at keeping the place in absolutely great shape.  Jut love that you can walk onto the beach, turn left, walk past thee westn and be in a very lightly popuated beach in a residential community.


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## SueDonJ (Sep 22, 2012)

Wow!  Don and I are here now and everything seems to be up and running with no problems.  LOVE the new bar/grille, All Y'All's, and the expanded daily menu specials - we're going to check out the Sunday Brunch tomorrow and will report back about that as well as all the other changes here.  We continue to love this resort and are very happy with our unit placement, as well - this time we're on our Owner's week up in a fourth floor OF.  Ahhhhh.

This is really meant to be a quick post to mention the recent beach refurbishment.  They had to have added at least 150 ft of beachfront a bit north of Barony all the way up and around to the bridge, plus they've built a new rock berm at the turn.  It's like a whole new world up there!

amazing new beachfront:





a year ago most of this was underwater at low tide, the point unpassable at high tide:





a section of the new rock berm:





one of at least 12 that we saw, LOTS of baby turtles on the way:





nice, calm sunset:





Enjoy!


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## jont (Sep 22, 2012)

Thanks for the pix Susan. I saw the changes at barony last month and was very impressed. The back pool and slide are awesome and the new pool bar looks great, sadly it was closed at 8am when I was there.


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## bogey21 (Sep 23, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> I don't count Memorial Day or Labor Day as summer, either.  I go by whenever school is out in the summer.



Once my kids were out of school I found the week after Labor Day perfect.  Weather is great and congestion has disappeared.

George


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## post-it (Sep 23, 2012)

This looks so nice, I'll have to but it on my "list" for the future.  Already booked for 2013.

Thanks for sharing the pics.


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## post-it (Sep 23, 2012)

Considering weather and crowds, when is the best travel time for Hilton Head?


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## jd2601 (Sep 24, 2012)

We are really enjoying the improvements to Barony.  We own in the garden view units.  The new outdoor kitchen area with grills is very nice. The pool and waterslide seem to be used a lot more then the quiet pool.  I do wish the would have decided to heat this pool. Seems a little cool to me but lots of folks are using it.  

The campfire area is used every night and a smore night is planned.

The Y'all grill is a big improvement and we will probably eat their this week. Our favorite is fish from Barnacle Bills and grilling in the new grill area.

We are offered $150 for owner update?

This is our first time renting bikes at Barony.  I have bike routes figured out at Grande Ocean and trying to figure out this side of the island.  We usually do one direction on the beach and trails back so we do not have to ride into thee wind.

Seems like another great week in HHI.


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## Quilter (Sep 25, 2012)

post-it said:


> Considering weather and crowds, when is the best travel time for Hilton Head?



That is up to your preferences.

We love April.   The mornings can be crisp enough to wear light jacket/sweatshirt for walk on beach but it is usually shed once we do a warm-up.   Great for bike riding since the humidity is low.   Cool in the evenings but still ok enough to cross the resort to use whichever hot tub you want.   You'll be so hot coming back to the room that a towel wrapped around you will be fine.

Summer is the favorite for many.   I tried it with my daughter one year and was very uncomfortable.   This is coming from a person who uses the heated seats in her car all through the year and throws a blanket in the dryer before bedtime so she can be warm.   The heat and humidity were suffocating.   No fun going for long bike rides or walks on the beach.


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## Quilter (Sep 25, 2012)

jd2601 said:


> Seems like another great week in HHI.



In April I met this guy:   http://mayriverexcursions.com, Capt. Chris Shoemaker, 843/304-2878.   He took our party of 6 from the dock in Bluffton over to the dock at Palmetto Bluffs.   Gave us a nice tour of the marsh area.   We had lunch at Buffalo's (one of our favorite spots to visit while on HHI) and called his cell phone for a pick up after walking the neighborhood.   

We rode our bikes out through the beach access just past the airport.   The tide goes out much further at that end of the island.   If you walk around the wet sand you will see the trails of many tiny horseshoe crab babies.   It's entertaining to watch the planes right overhead as they come in for a landing.  The Farmer's Market was on the property adjacent to an interesting museum.  Rode bikes to the Pineland Station strip mall to explore and found this quilt guild:  http://www.palmettoquiltguild.org/QuiltersPublicSquare.htm   Their space was full of lovely award winning quilts and was similar to visiting an art gallery.


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## tschwa2 (Sep 25, 2012)

+1 for April and early May.  If you want to swim in the ocean it may be a little cold but not unbearable.  I haven't made it down in Sept/Oct yet but I imagine weather wise it should be great now and the ocean would be warmer but the days are getting shorter.


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## SueDonJ (Sep 25, 2012)

post-it said:


> Considering weather and crowds, when is the best travel time for Hilton Head?



Our favorite time weather-wise on the island is the two weeks straddling Memorial Day (usually Gold/Plat seasons at the Marriott resorts) followed closely by a late September/early October week (Gold.)  The only true summer week we've been there was late June and like Quilter we found it oppressively hot and humid, much more so than the humidity we're used to suffering in the Boston area.  I can't imagine what it must be like in July or August and have no desire to find out.  This week, right now, is gorgeous and we've been on the beach and swimming every day.   

We also like the week between Christmas and New Year's but the weather then is a gamble - some years it's been warm enough to sit in the sun on the beach for a couple hours with a good book, other years we've had to wear hats and mittens while out walking.  The island is definitely in "quiet mode" for those trips, though - some restaurants are closed, outdoor activities are scaled back or on hiatus, re-furbs are taking place at the resorts, etc...  But we go then specifically for the peace and quiet.


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## SueDonJ (Sep 25, 2012)

Quilter said:


> ... Rode bikes to the Pineland Station strip mall to explore and found this quilt guild:  http://www.palmettoquiltguild.org/QuiltersPublicSquare.htm   Their space was full of lovely award winning quilts and was similar to visiting an art gallery.



Wow, love this!  Saved the link and may try to get over there tomorrow morning - thanks so much!


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## post-it (Sep 28, 2012)

SueDonJ said:


> Our favorite time weather-wise on the island is the two weeks straddling Memorial Day (usually Gold/Plat seasons at the Marriott resorts) followed closely by a late September/early October week (Gold.) .



I'm liking the late Sept early Oct idea. I think I'll try for this time frame.


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## cp73 (Sep 29, 2012)

SueDonJ said:


> one of at least 12 that we saw, LOTS of baby turtles on the way:



Hi Sue,

I also saw several of those last week. I was told by the Naturalist who did a presentation at Surfwatch that every morning very early a turtle patrol is done along the beaches. The patrol is looking for spots (markings in the sand if you imagine something being dragged) where you can see a turtle dragged or crawled her way to the sand to lay their eggs away from the water level. They then go to that spot and dig to find the eggs. They remove one egg (doing a dna test to see where the turtles are coming from or returning) and cover the nest back up. They then mark off the spot and date it with PVC and tape (see Sue's picture). When the nest is ready to hatch (about 60 days) you may be lucky to see the sand swelling up and puffing up. When they hatch and crawl out the turtles look for reflections of the stars on the sea (the horizon) and head in that direction. This is the reason why in Hilton Head they have no street lights and its so dark at night. They dont want the turtles confusing the lights with the ocean direction and going the wrong way. In addition I was told that the homes along the ocean are suppose to pull down their shades at 10pm to darken the the front of the house. All this darkness on the island is so the turtles can successfully lay eggs and return to the ocean and not to where the people are. Also each nest has about a 100 eggs and only about 1 or 2 of the eggs will survive and become full sized adult turtles. 

Look at the number on the PVC Sue and it may give you some idea as to when its going to hatch. The lower the number the sooner it will hatch. Last week i saw one numbered 258 but it was gone later in the week. Here is another one I saw early in the week. Have fun. I wish I was back there.


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## UK Fan (Oct 2, 2012)

We are visiting Barony for the first time in less than two weeks.  I am so excited after reading this thread!!


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