# [2013] Oceana Palms or Ocean Pointe??



## Fasttr (Jul 25, 2013)

Looking at 5 days at either Oceana Palms or Ocean Pointe for an end of summer (before our daughter goes back to college) getaway in late August.  It will be me and my wife, our daughter and a friend of hers (both girls are in college).  

General resort likes will be lounging around the pool area with an occasional swim to cool off and/or lounging on the beach with an occasional swim in the ocean.  Who has the better pools?...who has the better beach? (I realize they are very close to each other).

With the two girls, having 2 queens in the 2nd bedroom at Oceana Palms might be a plus (nobody needing to sleep on the sofa-bed). 

Looking for the typical TUGger wisdom to guide me!!!


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## dioxide45 (Jul 25, 2013)

I would go for Oceana Palms unless you could score a 3BR unit at Ocean Pointe. The extra bed in the second bedroom at Oceana Palms will be huge vs most 2BR units at Ocean Pointe only having a single king in the second bedroom.

I avoid the use of sofa beds at all costs.


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## Saintsfanfl (Jul 25, 2013)

I second Oceana. It feels more exclusive and upscale, it is newer, and the 3 beds.


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## jont (Jul 25, 2013)

Ocean point may be more readily available than Oceana Palms unless opening of second building has increased availability at Palms. I like the Pools better in Ocean Pointe .Grounds are much bigger with more pool choices. Units in the Palms are much nicer and more lux tho.


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## pwrshift (Jul 26, 2013)

I would select Oceana Palms ... Probably less kids.  Here's a little video I did Feb/13.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p5evgghIfwgv=y1cLOxyVRfA

College kids really like BeachPlace Towers in Fort Lauderdale as there's so much to do nearby that you won't need a car.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p5evgghIfwg

Brian


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## dougp26364 (Jul 26, 2013)

For Pools, Ocean Pointe. For the beach, Oceana Palms. For the unit and/or views, Oceana Palms.

We own at Ocean Pointe and it's one of the few resorts we return to every year. However, we own an ocean front unit. The ocean side units don't always have much of a view and exchangers are relatviely low on the placement priority. Oceana Palms, on the other hand, has units that are more high rise and every ocean side unit will have a view. Oceana Palms also has MUCH nicer balconies IMO.


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## Superchief (Jul 26, 2013)

Another advantage for Oceana Palms is that complimentary lounge chairs are provided on the beach, although you have to set them up yourself. Only rentals are available at Ocean Pointe. We own at both and like each for different reasons. If you had younger children I would recommend Ocean Pointe, but Oceana Palms is better for beach lounging, and all units have views of the ocean and fantastic balconies. The innercoastal and sunset views are also great from the Oceanside villas.


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## JPrisco (Jul 26, 2013)

Having college age children who have been to both places, they would choose Oceana Palms.
But they prefer BeachPlace Towers to both Palm Beach resorts - much more for them to do in Fort Lauderdale.
JP


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## Fasttr (Jul 26, 2013)

JPrisco said:


> Having college age children who have been to both places, they would choose Oceana Palms.
> But they prefer BeachPlace Towers to both Palm Beach resorts - much more for them to do in Fort Lauderdale.
> JP



This quote on the Marriott.com page re: BeachPlace Towers was a concern....

*Renovation Information *– _Resort undergoing a full villa and lobby renovation May 12, 2013-October 14, 2013. There will be construction noise and longer elevator wait times 9am-7pm due to this project._


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## Superchief (Jul 26, 2013)

I have been to Beach Place Towers. Two things I didn't like are that the pool area is very small and much is shaded in the afternoon, and the beach is across the street, a public beach, and is very narrow in crowded. For relaxing and lounging, Oceana Palms is much more appealing.


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## BocaBoy (Jul 26, 2013)

I agree with the overwhelming sentiment expressed here.  Oceana Palms is my recommendation.  Not even a close call.


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## Quilter (Jul 27, 2013)

We own at Ocean Pointe and I love it but for your trip I'd choose Oceana Palms.   The room decor beats that at Ocean Pointe.   The 2nd bed is a big plus.   The resort has a more luxurious feel to it.   

As far as a comparison to BeachPlace. . .when my kids were college age I took them there one day for a look around.   They weren't impressed and asked when we'd be leaving to get back to OP.


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## JPrisco (Jul 28, 2013)

Personally my favorite is Oceana Palms.  We are visiting there in a few weeks.
The elevators are an issue at Beach Place even without construction.  This would take Beach Place off my short list for sure (no matter what my kids wanted).
JP



Fasttr said:


> This quote on the Marriott.com page re: BeachPlace Towers was a concern....
> 
> *Renovation Information *– _Resort undergoing a full villa and lobby renovation May 12, 2013-October 14, 2013. There will be construction noise and longer elevator wait times 9am-7pm due to this project._


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## Fasttr (Jul 28, 2013)

Oceana Palms it is....its booked....thanks to all for your collective wisdom.

Now, any suggestions for some must hit restaurants in the area.  Will have a car, so I don't mind a little drive if a great meal is at the end of it.


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## Quilter (Jul 28, 2013)

We go in winter so our alfresco dining might not be what you would want in the summer.   Our 2 favorites:   Pelican Cafe for brunch.   We walk there and sit out on the deck.   The walk is not for everyone but we love it.   Seasons 52 for dinner.  We like to sit out there also.   The sun can be a bit brutal while it's setting if you're right on the water's edge.  One row in you will have a bit more shade.

We also get to Sailfish at least once during our stay.   It's walking distance from Ocean Pointe.   Food is decent, not great.   It's the marina atmosphere that can't be beat.

There are many that others will suggest but those our at the top of our list.   We go to Whole Foods on PGA to get easy dinners that are already prepared and while we're there we have a meal before shopping.   

Hope you have a great trip!


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## Superchief (Jul 28, 2013)

Since we like to enjoy good food and wine on the spectacular balcony, we usually stock up at Costco and get carryouts from local restaurants. There is a Bonefish Grill next to Publix (The north on PGA location) that we have always had great meals. We usually order carryout and shop for a few groceries and then the food is ready. They do a great job on carryout. Although it is a chain, I have had some of my best seafood meals there.

We have at least one dinner at Carmine's La Trattoria on PGA. Although the service can vary, our meals have always been excellent and you can dine outside overlooking the harbor. I usually eat seafood in FL, but Carmine's has a great filet that is often on special. There is also an Italian market.


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## Fasttr (Jul 28, 2013)

pwrshift said:


> I would select Oceana Palms ... Probably less kids.  Here's a little video I did Feb/13.
> 
> http://m.youtube.com/watch?http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p5evgghIfwgv=y1cLOxyVRfA



Thanks *pwrshift*, very nice video of both places.  I had to modify the link to Oceana Palms a bit to get it to work... here is the link for anybody interested...   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1cLOxyVRfA

I especially got a chuckle out of the shot at the end showing what you had to come home too!!


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## Smooth Air (Jul 29, 2013)

1. Carmines  
2. Sailfish Marina

We go to each a couple of times per week when we are @ Ocean Pointe.

We have never sat outside @ Carmines and did not even know there was a harbourfront patio there! How did I miss that?  I knew there was an outdoor dining area but not that it overlooked water. So, thanks for that, Superchief!  

Smooth Air


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## jont (Jul 29, 2013)

Rocco's Tacos in WPB is a personal fave, go there every chance i get.


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## mjkkb2 (Jul 29, 2013)

jont said:


> Rocco's Tacos in WPB is a personal fave, go there every chance i get.



+1 For Rocco's  tacos


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## Fasttr (Aug 17, 2013)

jont said:


> Rocco's Tacos in WPB is a personal fave, go there every chance i get.





mjkkb2 said:


> +1 For Rocco's  tacos



At Oceana Palms and I must say, it did not dissapoint.  Super nice resort.  I asked for high floor in Sunrise, closest to the beach as I can get with a Ocean View and I received 16th floor in room right next to the Ocean Front corner room, so they certainly did an excellent job on the room request fullfillment.  Amazing views of both the ocean and inter-coastal water way from our balcony.  

Took *Jont* and *mjkkb2*'s dinner advice today and enjoyed a great meal (and a couple of Margaritas) at at Rocco's Tacos this evening....a great recommendation as we really enjoyed it.  Looking forward to trying some of the other dinner suggestions while we are here.

Thanks for the great advice on resort and dinner recommendations.  

TUGgers Rock!!!


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## puckmanfl (Aug 17, 2013)

good evening....

I always enjoy Carmine's , by the marina on PGA blvd....


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## jont (Aug 17, 2013)

Fasttr said:


> At Oceana Palms and I must say, it did not dissapoint.  Super nice resort.  I asked for high floor in Sunrise, closest to the beach as I can get with a Ocean View and I received 16th floor in room right next to the Ocean Front corner room, so they certainly did an excellent job on the room request fullfillment.  Amazing views of both the ocean and inner water way (Is it called Lake Worth??) from our balcony.
> 
> Took *Jont* and *mjkkb2*'s dinner advice today and enjoyed a great meal (and a couple of Margaritas) at at Rocco's Tacos this evening....a great recommendation as we really enjoyed it.  Looking forward to trying some of the other dinner suggestions while we are here.
> 
> ...




Glad you enjoyed Rocco's


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## Fasttr (Aug 17, 2013)

puckmanfl said:


> good evening....
> 
> I always enjoy Carmine's , by the marina on PGA blvd....



Thanks Puck...that seems to be a multiple thumbs up restaurant in the thread as well.  That's on the list for Monday night.  The girls are thinking steaks for tomorrow night....any suggestions out there for best steakhouse in the area.  I saw a Capital Grill on the way to Roccos' this evening, but if there are suggestions out there for where to get a great filet, toss 'em my way.


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## dougp26364 (Aug 18, 2013)

Fasttr said:


> Thanks Puck...that seems to be a multiple thumbs up restaurant in the thread as well.  That's on the list for Monday night.  The girls are thinking steaks for tomorrow night....any suggestions out there for best steakhouse in the area.  I saw a Capital Grill on the way to Roccos' this evening, but if there are suggestions out there for where to get a great filet, toss 'em my way.



You almost can't go wrong with Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Sure it's a chain but they're consistant and, there's one in City Place.


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## iluvfla (Aug 18, 2013)

We went to Pampas Grill, at city place, last night, very nice Brazilian style steak house, with a good salad bar and you get to try some 14 kinds of meat, worth looking into it !!!!!!


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## dioxide45 (Aug 18, 2013)

dougp26364 said:


> You almost can't go wrong with Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Sure it's a chain but they're consistant and, there's one in City Place.



There is also one in North Palm Beach. Go out to US1 and go north (right). It is about two or three miles north on the left hand side. Little less hassle with parking and all than City Place. Though if one is wanting to shop also, then they may already be at City Place.


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## jont (Aug 18, 2013)

If you want to try a little local flavor I would suggest some Cuban food at "Havana" it's located a few miles south of West Palm on Forest Hill and Dixie highway.head east on forest hill blvd off I 95. Nothing fancy but very authentic.


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## Superchief (Aug 18, 2013)

Fasttr said:


> Thanks Puck...that seems to be a multiple thumbs up restaurant in the thread as well.  That's on the list for Monday night.  The girls are thinking steaks for tomorrow night....any suggestions out there for best steakhouse in the area.  I saw a Capital Grill on the way to Roccos' this evening, but if there are suggestions out there for where to get a great filet, toss 'em my way.



Carmine's had a great filet mignon special each of our last two visits. I had panned to get seafood because I ate a steak at Ruth Cris two nights earlier, but the special was too good to pass up. It was less than $30 and included salad and side and was better than Ruth Cris. Their veal and seafood are usually very good. The concierge should be able to make reservations because it can get pretty crowded. 

One of the owners of my favorite Italian restaurants in the KC area has a condo on Singer Island and mentioned Carmine's to be one of his favorites.


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## Fasttr (Aug 19, 2013)

Carmine's was delicious.  Thanks to many of you for that great recommendation. 

One more dinner to go....what to do...oh what to do.


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## Superchief (Aug 19, 2013)

Fasttr said:


> Carmine's was delicious.  Thanks to many of you for that great recommendation.
> 
> One more dinner to go....what to do...oh what to do.



I can't wait to our stay at the end of October. Do they still have the filet special? Do you have any other menu item recommendations to try?

Since we have been getting frustrated with exhorbitant wine markups in restaurants and also enjoy sunset dinners on the balcony, we have been ordering carryout a lot on recent visits. The Bonefish Grill does a great job with their carryouts, and we love their Key Lime Pie. The restaurant in the nearby Marriott Resort was also very good on our last two visits, and is only a little more expensive than other restaurants in the area. We could bill them to our Oceana Palms bill, so received the MR points.


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## chriskre (Aug 19, 2013)

Fasttr said:


> Carmine's was delicious.  Thanks to many of you for that great recommendation.
> 
> One more dinner to go....what to do...oh what to do.



Hi.
I am here too. 
We went to sailfish restaurant today and it was lovely.
we did the watertaxi tour first and then had dinner at the Marina facing the harbor with the beautiful sunset views.

Say hi if you see me on the hot tub. 


Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2


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## Fasttr (Aug 19, 2013)

Superchief said:


> I can't wait to our stay at the end of October. Do they still have the filet special? Do you have any other menu item recommendations to try?



They did not have the filet special.  They had a NY Strip special for their beef selection.  A nice plus...during the summer, they take 20% off your bill.  That was a nice surprise.  

As for me, I had the *Yellow Tail Snapper Rughetta*: _yellow tail snapper, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms and arugula, in a white wine and lemon sauce, served over linguini_ 

It was very tasty!!!!


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## iluvfla (Aug 20, 2013)

Another tip, in general, about 2 months before we travel I look at deals at travelzoo and groupon, and you can save some good $$$. For example I purchased a $100 coupon to Carmine's for $50, to be used at the restaurant. It's something worth looking into it.


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## hangloose (Aug 20, 2013)

Both are nice.   I personally prefer Ocean Pointe because of the size and scope of the campus footprint.  The Oceana Palms main pool area is much smaller, although the rooms and quality of the resort are higher.


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## Fasttr (Aug 20, 2013)

We figured we would mix things up for dinner this evening and head in the other direction (away from PGA Blvd) and took a little 15 minute trek into Palm Beach to *Ta-Boo*, _Palm Beach's Legendary American Bistro and Bar_ as it touts itself.  It's on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach.  If you are not aware (I wasn't), Worth Avenue is coined as the Rodeo Drive of Palm Beach, with just about every high end store you can imagine (over 200 in the 4 city blocks), with streets lined with towering palm trees and Porche's and Bentleys too.  My Kia rental car looked a bit out of place.  

Anyhow, we enjoyed some great window shopping, some very interesting people watching, and enjoyed some great food at Ta-Boo (and they had a 25% coupon online, so you can't beat that).  You might want to check this area and restaurant out on your next journey to the area.  

We also checked out Ocean Pointe this evening...and were very impressed.  We really liked the pool area, etc....might have to give that a try on our next journey to South FL.


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## jont (Aug 20, 2013)

Fasttr said:


> We figured we would mix things up for dinner this evening and head in the other direction (away from PGA Blvd) and took a little 15 minute trek into Palm Beach to *Ta-Boo*, _Palm Beach's Legendary American Bistro and Bar_ as it touts itself.  It's on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach.  If you are not aware (I wasn't), Worth Avenue is coined as the Rodeo Drive of Palm Beach, with just about every high end store you can imagine (over 200 in the 4 city blocks), with streets lined with towering palm trees and Porche's and Bentleys too.  My Kia rental car looked a bit out of place.
> 
> Anyhow, we enjoyed some great window shopping, some very interesting people watching, and enjoyed some great food at Ta-Boo (and they had a 25% coupon online, so you can't beat that).  You might want to check this area and restaurant out on your next journey to the area.
> 
> We also checked out Ocean Pointe this evening...and were very impressed.  We really liked the pool area, etc....might have to give that a try on our next journey to South FL.



IMHO, the best thing about Ocean Point is the property, the size of the footprint,the # of pools etc. the units and the views are ok but once I'm at the pool area , fughetaboutit!  Same feeling at Grand Ocean on HHI

Coupons on Worth avenue???? Seems a little out of place for that location.


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## Fasttr (Aug 20, 2013)

jont said:


> IMHO, the best thing about Ocean Point is the property, the size of the footprint,the # of pools etc. the units and the views are ok but once I'm at the pool area , fughetaboutit!  Same feeling at Grand Ocean on HHI
> 
> Coupons on Worth avenue???? Seems a little out of place for that location.



Re: Ocean Pointe's pool area, large footprint, and generally really nice gounds....totally agree, you really get that resort experience there. 

Re: Oceana Palms, if you like to sit on the balcony outside your room, you can't beat the views here....especially here in the 16th floor, with a really large balcony with expansive views of water to the ocean or intercoastal sides.  But once out of the room and on the ground, I think I would prefer the vibe at Ocean Pointe.    

Re: Coupons...totally agree.  Actually the Concierge printed it out for us and had it slid under our door (which I thought was very nice).  I highly doubt any of the stores on that street are accepting many coupons.


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## Fasttr (Aug 15, 2015)

hangloose said:


> Both are nice.   I personally prefer Ocean Pointe because of the size and scope of the campus footprint.  The Oceana Palms main pool area is much smaller, although the rooms and quality of the resort are higher.





jont said:


> IMHO, the best thing about Ocean Point is the property, the size of the footprint,the # of pools etc. the units and the views are ok but once I'm at the pool area , fughetaboutit!  Same feeling at Grand Ocean on HHI



Reviving this thread to provide an update after staying at Ocean Pointe this time around vs Oceana Palms a couple years ago.  

I think for a short stay of 2 or 3 days, I might pick Oceana Palms, primarily because of the guarantee of the great views from the expansive balconies, and the fact that for that many days, I would likely not get as bored with the small pool area and my frustration fighting to find a chair with an umbrella poolside would be minimized by my fewer number of days having to deal with it.  

That said, for a longer stay, and certainly for a week, I think I have to give the nod to Ocean Pointe.  Its easy to see why this is so popular for many families.  The larger footprint really allows it to be a resort for everyone.  Lots of stuff to do, certainly in the top 5 family friendly resorts in the MVC chain with pools targeted to families, pools targeted for a quieter crowd, mini golf, bocce, shuffle board, splash pad, bike rentals, game room, tennis courts, an exhaustive list of daily activities, and the list goes on...always something going on day and evening.  Lots of poolside chairs  and umbrellas, a nice stretch of beach.  There is a lot to love here at Ocean Pointe.  

I have heard that Oceanside views at Ocean Pointe can be iffy to bad if you are not an owner, but we are here on DC points and were placed in the South side of Cobia (which was one of my requested areas) on the 5th floor, about the middle of the building (front to back), with a nice view of the Cobia pool and the ocean beyond it.  I certainly can't complain.  

Have already had some great meals this trip....returning to a couple favorites from last time (Rocco's Tacos and Carmine's) and tried a new one for us, Guanabanas in Jupiter, which we really enjoyed and will be on the must return list going forward.

Now I know what all of you Ocean Pointe fans have been raving about.  Its a great family resort!!


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## Pompey Family (Aug 16, 2015)

Fasttr said:


> Now I know what all of you Ocean Pointe fans have been raving about.  Its a great family resort!!



I agree, having just returned from there we agree that it's our favourite US Marriott resort that we've been to so far. A good combination of kids pools and quieter pools. The kids were spoilt for choice with all the activities and amenities. We'll certainly be returning.

I just wish the American resorts would be more like the European ones with their Monday socials. Do away with the drinks tokens and couple of chunks of cheese and replace it with regular top ups of wine and buffet food, it makes for a better gathering as people tend to hang around longer and therefore mingle more which is the whole point.

Just a note on the Sailfish Marina restaurant for those who haven't been. They have a problem with pigeons entering the restaurant every time the door is opened. I refused my meal once I noticed a panicked pigeon flying low over plates of food and tables. The manager apologised even though I didn't make much of a fuss, I simply told the waiter I wasn't going to eat because of the pigeons, and explained that they've tried to address the issue but were unable to stop the pigeons entering the restaurant. He also knocked a couple of drinks off the bill. He's lucky, if he was in the UK the restaurant would be closed down for health and safety issues.


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## Phanatic (Aug 16, 2015)

I am glad this thread was resurrected.  We are heading to Ocean Pointe and Palms in late Oct.   We elected to stay at Ocean Palms on our exchange due to the many comments on this board regarding non-owners and limited ability to get rooms with good views.   We do like to sit on balconies and drink our coffee and wine.   We ended up adding an extra day due to flight prices and are going to Ocean Pointe for one night prior to our stay at Ocean Palms.   So we will get see both properties on this trip.   

Keep the restaurant recommendations coming.   We are also planning to drive down to Cape Canaveral to visit the Space Center.   Neither of us have ever been.


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## dioxide45 (Aug 16, 2015)

Phanatic said:


> I am glad this thread was resurrected.  We are heading to Ocean Pointe and Palms in late Oct.   We elected to stay at Ocean Palms on our exchange due to the many comments on this board regarding non-owners and limited ability to get rooms with good views.   We do like to sit on balconies and drink our coffee and wine.   We ended up adding an extra day due to flight prices and are going to Ocean Pointe for one night prior to our stay at Ocean Palms.   So we will get see both properties on this trip.
> 
> Keep the restaurant recommendations coming.   We are also planning to drive down to Cape Canaveral to visit the Space Center.   Neither of us have ever been.



From a balcony perspective, Oceana Palms has Ocean Pointe beat by miles. Great balconies at Oceana Palms. Still, we love Ocean Pointe over Oceana Palms, mainly for the amenities and the pools. Plus, it is usually an easier exchange.


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## jont (Aug 16, 2015)

I had forgotten all about this thread. i do agree with many others that this is one of our family favorite resorts. And thanks gor bringing up Guanabanas, a very cool resturant/bar. I haven't been there in a few years and dont really remember the  food, but the setting in the treetops was awesome!


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## dioxide45 (Aug 16, 2015)

Pompey Family said:


> I agree, having just returned from there we agree that it's our favourite US Marriott resort that we've been to so far. A good combination of kids pools and quieter pools. The kids were spoilt for choice with all the activities and amenities. We'll certainly be returning.
> 
> I just wish the American resorts would be more like the European ones with their Monday socials. Do away with the drinks tokens and couple of chunks of cheese and replace it with regular top ups of wine and buffet food, it makes for a better gathering as people tend to hang around longer and therefore mingle more which is the whole point.
> 
> Just a note on the Sailfish Marina restaurant for those who haven't been. They have a problem with pigeons entering the restaurant every time the door is opened. I refused my meal once I noticed a panicked pigeon flying low over plates of food and tables. The manager apologised even though I didn't make much of a fuss, I simply told the waiter I wasn't going to eat because of the pigeons, and explained that they've tried to address the issue but were unable to stop the pigeons entering the restaurant. He also knocked a couple of drinks off the bill. He's lucky, if he was in the UK the restaurant would be closed down for health and safety issues.



Glad you had a great vacation at Ocean Pointe, given your disappointment with the bed situation in the lock off villas there. It is a great property.

We have only eaten at Sailfish Marina once, for us it was overpriced for what we felt was average food. There are a lot better options for dining around Ocean Pointe.


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## Pompey Family (Aug 16, 2015)

dioxide45 said:


> Glad you had a great vacation at Ocean Pointe, given your disappointment with the bed situation in the lock off villas there. It is a great property.
> 
> We have only eaten at Sailfish Marina once, for us it was overpriced for what we felt was average food. There are a lot better options for dining around Ocean Pointe.



The lock off wasn't too bad, the doors could be closed sufficiently without locking although we did end up with at least one of the kids in our bed at some point every night, for some reason they cannot share a bed with each other yet are happy to squeeze in between us! Ultimately it was a minor issue and certainly didn't overshadow a great resort with great staff, we had a fantastic time and the kids thoroughly recommend Rapids water park especially when you receive complimentary tickets for another visit.

The kids still prefer the pool at Harbour Lake though despite it being smaller than the main one at Ocean Pointe, it shows how much value kids place on a water slide.


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## Fasttr (Aug 18, 2015)

Phanatic said:


> Keep the restaurant recommendations coming.



After doing a bit of shopping in the City Place area of West Palm (nice shopping), we ate at the Mellow Mushroom.  It was a build your own pizza and salad place with a cool vibe with indoor and outdoor seating.  

Pizza was awesome (first hand knowledge) and my daughter said her salad was awesome too.  Its certainly worth checking out.


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## Saintsfanfl (Aug 19, 2015)

dioxide45 said:


> From a balcony perspective, Oceana Palms has Ocean Pointe beat by miles. Great balconies at Oceana Palms. Still, we love Ocean Pointe over Oceana Palms, mainly for the amenities and the pools. Plus, it is usually an easier exchange.



That's one thing about lock-offs. It kills the balcony because it splits it in two. Since we generally only use one balcony both end up being too small. On the flip side if you are splitting the unit with another couple or family it can be nice to have two balconies for privacy purposes. My family has just gotten too large for that purpose anymore.



dioxide45 said:


> We have only eaten at Sailfish Marina once, for us it was overpriced for what we felt was average food. There are a lot better options for dining around Ocean Pointe.



I totally agree with this. Very average food. The only exception I have found is if they have fresh seafood like Stone Crab claws but you will pay over market price. Unfortunately they also serve plenty of seafood that does not seem all that fresh which is really sad considering they are right on the water with fishing boats docked all over the place. The restaurant could be so much more but unfortunately it is just a line cook seafood restaurant devoid of anyone close to a chef.

The whole place has been owned by American Financial Group since 2004. When you go in knowing that the restaurant is owned by a large Insurance company you realize that higher profits are going to be the primary goal with food quality and costs being as low as possible to still make as much money as possible. There is nobody to put any love into the food.


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## Saintsfanfl (Aug 19, 2015)

Pompey Family said:


> The kids still prefer the pool at Harbour Lake though despite it being smaller than the main one at Ocean Pointe, it shows how much value kids place on a water slide.



Ocean Pointe's pools are obviously very ordinary. The beach access is the sell there. Also the original development sales were pushed primarily to snow birds and not so much families. It gradually shifted to more and more families.

My kids love the pools and water features at Harbour Lake but the water slide is a little small and slow. They barely use it. They are spoiled from the fast slides at Lakeshore.


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## Pompey Family (Aug 19, 2015)

Saintsfanfl said:


> Ocean Pointe's pools are obviously very ordinary. The beach access is the sell there. Also the original development sales were pushed primarily to snow birds and not so much families. It gradually shifted to more and more families.
> 
> My kids love the pools and water features at Harbour Lake but the water slide is a little small and slow. They barely use it. They are spoiled from the fast slides at Lakeshore.



I wouldn't say they were ordinary per se, they're pools and they were fully enjoyed by all the kids. My kids didn't actually like the beach, we rarely went as they didn't like the sea water and I was paranoid about sharks. Plus I'm not going to pay $40 a day to rent an umbrella and a chair when I can get the same for nothing around the pool.

I think a slide, no matter how small and gentle it is, is a huge draw to kids. The one at Playa Andaluza is pretty basic but it's a slide and despite it being in what would be considered a toddler pool it still gets used by all the kids. I'll make sure we get to try Lakeshore soon!


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## Saintsfanfl (Aug 19, 2015)

Pompey Family said:


> ...and I was paranoid about sharks.



I understand the fear of sharks that was created solely by the movies and media but I just want to point out that more people die on the beach falling into holes than by sharks (it's true). Just about everything kills more people than sharks. Only one person dies every two years by a shark attack in the US. On the flip side millions of sharks are killed every year by people. Lighting beats sharks deaths by 75/1 in the US. 

Sorry, but I had to throw that out there. We are beach lovers and can't get enough of it.

I agree on the pools at OP. We like them too. Just sayin' they are no frills. As in no water features or slides.


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## Pompey Family (Aug 20, 2015)

Saintsfanfl said:


> I understand the fear of sharks that was created solely by the movies and media but I just want to point out that more people die on the beach falling into holes than by sharks (it's true). Just about everything kills more people than sharks. Only one person dies every two years by a shark attack in the US. On the flip side millions of sharks are killed every year by people. Lighting beats sharks deaths by 75/1 in the US.
> 
> Sorry, but I had to throw that out there. We are beach lovers and can't get enough of it.
> 
> I agree on the pools at OP. We like them too. Just sayin' they are no frills. As in no water features or slides.



My fear of shark attacks has nothing to do with the movies but of genuine, real shark attacks. Yes I know the statistics about shark attacks and the comparison with lightening strikes yet the same sense of risk avoidance that prevents me from frolicking outside during a thunder storm also prevents me from frolicking in waters where there may be sharks. I'm sure that lad who lost his arm to a shark bite in North Carolina a few months ago was told that he was more likely to suffer a lightening strike than be attacked by a shark and I bet he takes great comfort from it! 

For the same reason that some people are cancelling their trips to Thailand because of a bomb attack in Bangkok I prefer to avoid the sea where sharks like to hunt. The only time I may be persuaded is if there are sufficient numbers of people in the sea that could act as a buffer zone whereby they become the target rather than me or my kids! So if you see someone acting strange around you when you're in the sea then it may possibly be me!

I also live on the coast and I see the sea every time I look out of my window so because of that I guess I've become a bit blasé about beaches, sea etc. It's probably the reason why I like being in the mountains so much.


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## pedro47 (Aug 20, 2015)

jont said:


> Ocean point may be more readily available than Oceana Palms unless opening of second building has increased availability at Palms. I like the Pools better in Ocean Pointe .Grounds are much bigger with more pool choices. Units in the Palms are much nicer and more lux tho.



I agree Ocean Pointe may have more villas opening than Oceana Palms. However, the villas at Oceana Palms are nicer. Both resorts are very nice.


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## Saintsfanfl (Aug 21, 2015)

Oceana Palms and Ocean Pointe actually have about the same number of rooms. If you exclude the Kingfish building Oceana has more. Because of this the pool areas at Oceana can get way too crowded. The foot print is way too small for that many rooms.

That said, Ocean Pointe still has way more exchange availability due to the number of weeks owners vs Oceana. Marriott will dump Oceana in II but it's the predictable low demand weeks that are often dumped.


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## TheTimeTraveler (Aug 21, 2015)

Saintsfanfl said:


> Oceana Palms and Ocean Pointe actually have about the same number of rooms. If you exclude the Kingfish building Oceana has more. Because of this the pool areas at Oceana can get way too crowded. The foot print is way too small for that many rooms.
> 
> That said, Ocean Pointe still has way more exchange availability due to the number of weeks owners vs Oceana. Marriott will dump Oceana in II but it's the predictable low demand weeks that are often dumped.






Another reason Ocean Pointe will always have more availability is that every Ocean Pointe villa has the opportunity to be locked off (one unit suddenly becomes two), whereas none of the Oceana Palms villas have that option.....




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