# Best MVC on Hilton Head



## kpeiper (Aug 11, 2018)

Which has the most spacious, updated accommodations and resort amenities?  Will the weather be ok for exploring island and Charleston/Savannah in December?


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## JIMinNC (Aug 11, 2018)

You'll get as many opinions on the "best" HHI Marriott as there are resorts!

I believe of the "Big 3" Grande Ocean has the largest units. Barony and Surfwatch probably have the most updated bathrooms and kitchen appliances. Resort amenities are similar at all three.

Since December isn't really beach weather in HHI, you might also consider Harbour Club or Heritage Club in Harbour Town, or Harbour Point or Sunset Point in Shelter Cove. Both are in walking distance of restaurants and shops. The resorts themselves are small without the amenities of the Big 3, though.

Weather can be reasonably warm to cold in December. Rainy days will occur, but Savannah and Charleston can be enjoyed at just about any temperature, just dress accordingly.


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## NiteMaire (Aug 11, 2018)

Love MGO! Haven't been to the others, but don't feel the need to experience...that's how wonderful MGO is!


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## Fasttr (Aug 11, 2018)

Grande Ocean has an indoor pool.  I assume a couple of the other do as well, but assume many/most of the others do not.


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## jme (Aug 11, 2018)

Fasttr said:


> Grande Ocean has an indoor pool.  I assume a couple of the other do as well, but assume many/most of the others do not.



Each of the "Big 3" Marriott resorts at HH has an indoor pool ----

imho, BEST indoor pool is at SurfWatch, 2nd Barony, 3rd Grande Ocean.

No other Marriott resort on HH island has an indoor pool.

As for the resorts themselves, my favorites run the opposite: 
1 GO, 2 Barony, 3 SurfWatch


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## Dean (Aug 11, 2018)

kpeiper said:


> Which has the most spacious, updated accommodations and resort amenities?  Will the weather be ok for exploring island and Charleston/Savannah in December?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I think the majority of votes will be for Grande Ocean due to the closeness to the ocean of the overall resort, location and resort feel.  All 3 are great resorts.  Other than Xmas & NY, getting an exchange while trading up should be very workable as well and an exchange info MGO is a safer bet as well due to the location of the garden view units at Barony and Surfwatch.  We prefer MGO.


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## andrea t (Aug 12, 2018)

I love them all but if I HAD to pick a favorite it would be Barony. To me it feels more intimate and warm!


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## jont (Aug 12, 2018)

taste great...less filling
and the debate continues


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## pedro47 (Aug 13, 2018)

jme said:


> Each of the "Big 3" Marriott resorts at HH has an indoor pool ----
> 
> imho, BEST indoor pool is at SurfWatch, 2nd Barony, 3rd Grande Ocean.
> 
> ...



You cannot go wrong with any of the "Big 3" Marriott's resort. They all are "excellent" IMHO.
My favorites are GO and a tie for second between The Barony & SurfWatch.


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## ahdah (Aug 13, 2018)

I would vote for SurfWatch, then GO.  We own at SurfWatch, but have never been there in Dec., but I understand it is beautifully decorated.  We are going to be there the day after Thanksgiving and are looking forward to our visit.


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## pedro47 (Aug 13, 2018)

ahdah, We are going to SurfWatch in December and I will let you about the decorations.


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## bogey21 (Aug 13, 2018)

pedro47 said:


> You cannot go wrong with any of the "Big 3" Marriott's resort. They all are "excellent" IMHO.



I don't quarrel with the above nonetheless my choice has always been Monarch.  It is on the beach; it is inside Sea Pines; it is equidistant between South Beach and Harbor Town; golf courses are right across the street; and a bike trail is at the end of the driveway.  An indoor pool and more upscale accommodations are not important to me...

George


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## pedro47 (Aug 13, 2018)

I did not know that the Monarch was located in the gated community of Sea Pine Plantation near Harbour Town.


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## Panina (Aug 13, 2018)

bogey21 said:


> I don't quarrel with the above nonetheless my choice has always been Monarch.  It is on the beach; it is inside Sea Pines; it is equidistant between South Beach and Harbor Town; golf courses are right across the street; and a bike trail is at the end of the driveway.  An indoor pool and more upscale accommodations are not important to me...
> 
> George


I agree with you.  The Sea Pines is a beautiful area that I prefer.


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## hangloose (Aug 13, 2018)

EDITED (for correctness)

kpeiper - If you are looking for "most spacious accommodations”, Grande Ocean appears to have the largest villas.  If “most updated accommodations and resort amenities"...I'd suggest SurfWatch.  It is technically the 'newest' MVC property on HHi. 

Villas at all MVC resorts are renovated on a recurring basis with standard maintenance, so getting the most recently renovated villa/building in any....would give you the nicest villa quality (furniture, carpet, appliances, etc).  Those villas/bldgs on the further end of the maintenance refresh...would feel older....irregardless of resorts.

In reality, any of the 'Big 3' HHI resorts are great.  I've been to Surfwatch and Barony.  Both are excellent, with pros/cons for each.  I haven't been to Grande Ocean, while many TUGgers prefer it to the others.   Monarch, while also preferred by many based on location in Sea Pines has smaller villas I believe (sleeps 6 vs 8)...and perhaps fewer amenities on-site.  Monarch plus is location, location, location.


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## Fasttr (Aug 13, 2018)

hangloose said:


> kpeiper - If you are looking for "most spacious, updated accommodations and resort amenities"...I'd suggest SurfWatch.  It is technically the 'newest' MVC on HHI..and I believe (if my memory serves me right) has the largest villas.


Per Marriott site, 2BR at SurfWatch is 1275 sq. feet, Grande Ocean is 1380 sq. feet.  

As is usual in the MVC world, older resorts purpose build by MVC tend to have larger villa sizes than the newer ones.  At least that is what I have experienced.


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## hangloose (Aug 13, 2018)

Fasttr said:


> Per Marriott site, 2BR at SurfWatch is 1275 sq. feet, Grande Ocean is 1380 sq. feet.
> 
> As is usual in the MVC world, older resorts purpose build by MVC tend to have larger villa sizes than the newer ones.  At least that is what I have experienced.



I stand corrected. Thanks for keeping me honest with factual data Fasttr.  Hope it helps the OP.


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## jme (Aug 13, 2018)

hangloose said:


> kpeiper - If you are looking for "most spacious, updated accommodations and resort amenities"...I'd suggest SurfWatch.  It is technically the 'newest' MVC on HHI..and I believe (if my memory serves me right) has the largest villas.   Each HHI resort accommodations are updated frequently with the standard maintenance, so getting the most recently renovated villa/building in any....would give you the nicest villa quality (furniture, carpet, appliances, etc).  Those villas/blds on the further end of the maintenance refresh...would feel older....irregardless of resorts.
> 
> In reality, any of the 'Big 3' HHI resorts are great.  I've been to Surfwatch and Barony.  Both are excellent, with pros/cons for each.  I haven't been to Grande Ocean, while many TUGgers prefer it to the others.   Monarch, while also preferred by many based on location, has smaller villas I believe (sleeps 6 vs 8)...and perhaps few less amenities on-site.  Monarch plus is location, location, location.



Surfwatch has the third largest villlas of the Big 3 mentioned....
Grande Ocean has the largest, Barony second largest, and Surfwatch smallest.  Marriott built it that way...every subsequent resort had smaller villas. Barony made up for it by having a spa, Surfwatch the 3BR villas...... All marketing.

That doesn't mean SW's villas are small, just that they're smaller than GO's & Barony's. Of the "other" Marriotts on Hilton Head, Monarch has the smallest, then Sunset Pointe and Harbour Point......then Heritage & Harbour Club in the middle.

To your point about Surfwatch being the "newest resort", yes it is regarding time elapsed since construction, but imho that is totally irrelevant now, as Surfwatch has been around quite a while. At this point any newness has worn off, especially given the timely renovations that are rotating through all the other Marriotts at all times. To me, the newest is the one with the latest renovations.
In addition, both Grande Ocean and Barony have far newer renovations, which in my mind makes them newer.
Not to mention the outdoor additional structures and amenities at both GO & Barony which have added much to the enjoyment.
Consider GO's huge beachfront deck, tables & umbrellas, two large fire pit areas, etc and Barony's new bathrooms and awesome outdoor Grill & Bar. Surfwatch did complete the transition from the old Sales Office to more villas, but it was not unexpected.


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## jpa2825 (Aug 13, 2018)

For me, the 1st question is "Do I want to be in Sea Pines?" My usual answer is "Yes," so I choose from those options. DEC is not really beach weather, so Monarch may lose some of its appeal for that reason. It is where we usually end up. Agree with earlier poster that either Heritage Club or Harbour Club would be good choices as well.

Surfwatch is great if you want to stay at the resort most of the time. If you're venturing out, it is kinda remote and pretty far (if you can be pretty far from anywhere on HHI) from Sea Pines and nearby activity. 

Grande Ocean is adjacent to Sea Pines but you'll have to deal with the hassle and cost of going in if you want to go to any of their offerings. (That's a reason we like Sea Pines - after the 1st stop, you have your hangtag for the remainder of the stay and can come and go with just a wave).


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## Fasttr (Aug 13, 2018)

jpa2825 said:


> Grande Ocean is adjacent to Sea Pines but you'll have to deal with the hassle and cost of going in if you want to go to any of their offerings. (That's a reason we like Sea Pines - after the 1st stop, you have your hangtag for the remainder of the stay and can come and go with just a wave).


No extra cost for Sea Pines while staying at Grande Ocean...you get the same hangtag and can do the same wave.....for car and/or bikes.


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## Dean (Aug 13, 2018)

jpa2825 said:


> For me, the 1st question is "Do I want to be in Sea Pines?" My usual answer is "Yes," so I choose from those options. DEC is not really beach weather, so Monarch may lose some of its appeal for that reason. It is where we usually end up. Agree with earlier poster that either Heritage Club or Harbour Club would be good choices as well.
> 
> Surfwatch is great if you want to stay at the resort most of the time. If you're venturing out, it is kinda remote and pretty far (if you can be pretty far from anywhere on HHI) from Sea Pines and nearby activity.
> 
> Grande Ocean is adjacent to Sea Pines but you'll have to deal with the hassle and cost of going in if you want to go to any of their offerings. (That's a reason we like Sea Pines - after the 1st stop, you have your hangtag for the remainder of the stay and can come and go with just a wave).


You get a sea pines pass staing at GO.  In one way it's even better than the pass you get staying at the Sea Pines Marriott resorts in that you still may have to pay to get in the first time for those.  This past year I got one of our MGO passes a day early to use for Heritage to avoid that single cost, I appreciated them doing so.


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## Superchief (Aug 13, 2018)

I am taking advantage of my first year of retirement and the great low season DC point values by spending January in Hilton Head. I realize the weather will be cool, but will likely be a lot better than Ohio. I am spending 3 weeks at MSW and one at MGO. I've stayed at GO previously and really like the resort, but was very disappointed in their fitness center. SW required fewer points and I thought it might have better amenities (and fitness center) for non-beach season stays. I think most people's ratings of the resort are based on warm weather season visits. Would preferences be different for winter multiple week stays?


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## hangloose (Aug 13, 2018)

Superchief said:


> I am taking advantage of my first year of retirement and the great low season DC point values by spending January in Hilton Head. I realize the weather will be cool, but will likely be a lot better than Ohio. I am spending 3 weeks at MSW and one at MGO. I've stayed at GO previously and really like the resort, but was very disappointed in their fitness center. SW required fewer points and I thought it might have better amenities (and fitness center) for non-beach season stays. I think most people's ratings of the resort are based on warm weather season visits. Would preferences be different for winter multiple week stays?



Weather in HHI in January is actually not bad.  Much better than Ohio (I grew up there).  Live in NC now, where the winter weather is much better than OH.

While HHI winter is not outdoor swimming weather, you can do plenty of other outdoor activities (walking on the beach, tennis, golf, bike riding, etc).  I think the average highs are around 60 with average lows around 40.  The weather could be warmer (upper 70s)....or a little colder (30s).  Hit or miss.   Surfwatch has a theater room on site to watch movies....and a nice indoor pool.

I imagine some of the smaller HHI resorts (non beachfront) might be good for winter also and super cheap for DC Pts...as they are near Harbortown (restaurants, music, lighthouse, shops), Heritage (golf), or shopping (Harbor Pointe/Sunset Pointe).

My 2 cents.


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## Bernie8245 (Aug 14, 2018)

Superchief said:


> I am taking advantage of my first year of retirement and the great low season DC point values by spending January in Hilton Head. I realize the weather will be cool, but will likely be a lot better than Ohio. I am spending 3 weeks at MSW and one at MGO. I've stayed at GO previously and really like the resort, but was very disappointed in their fitness center. SW required fewer points and I thought it might have better amenities (and fitness center) for non-beach season stays. I think most people's ratings of the resort are based on warm weather season visits. Would preferences be different for winter multiple week stays?



      We have been exchanging into Hilton Head through Interval International in January for the last several years. We've been there in the summer a couple of times but the beach is so crowded, the weather is hot and you have to get reservations at the restaurants. We prefer going in January. We use less Interval points and Surf Watch and Grande Ocean have a lot of activities that time of year. We have SurfWatch booked Dec. 30-Jan 6 and Grande Ocean booked from Jan. 6th to Feb. 3rd. From there we go to Orange Beach for a month.


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## tlwmkw (Aug 14, 2018)

The big three are all really nice but if you want best decor (since recent refurb) with best showers/bathrooms and indoor pool then I would go for Barony. If you need proximity to Sea Pines then Grande Ocean but the units aren't as nice and the indoor pool is smaller.

If you want access to Sea Pines but don't need as large a unit or fancy decor, and don't need indoor pool then go for Monarch.


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## pedro47 (Aug 14, 2018)

How far is the Monarch from Harbour Town and does the Monarch give you a free pass to Sea Pine Plantation?


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## Fasttr (Aug 14, 2018)

pedro47 said:


> How far is the Monarch from Harbour Town and does the Monarch give you a free pass to Sea Pine Plantation?


About 2 miles and yes.


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## Old Hickory (Aug 15, 2018)

Unlike most here, we don't care for Grand Ocean as it's too big and on the crowded part of the island.  I prefer Sufwatch and Mrs. Ol' Hick likes Barony.  We mostly stay at Barony.


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## Fasttr (Aug 15, 2018)

Old Hickory said:


> Unlike most here, we don't care for Grand Ocean as it's too big and on the crowded part of the island.  I prefer Sufwatch and Mrs. Ol' Hick likes Barony.  We mostly stay at Barony.


Stand up to her Hick, demand a stay at Surfwatch!!


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## pedro47 (Aug 16, 2018)

Mr. Hicks, if the Commander-in-Chief liked GO then you like GO correct.  
The Chief is away right,


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## BocaBoy (Aug 17, 2018)

Interesting discussion.  We only go to HH in December or January.  Our clear favorite is Grande Ocean, but Harbour Club and Monarch are #2 and #3 respectively.  Nothing wrong with Barony or SurfWatch...they are nice resorts but they seem like pretty generic Marriotts to us.  Our least favorite without a doubt is Heritage Club, which we rank as the least desirable of all the 30 MVCI resorts we have stayed at.  If I were a golfer I might feel differently because of the free golf included in a Heritage Club week.


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## Inhislove (Aug 17, 2018)

We had a wonderful January stay at the Monarch. We had a day in the 70s when we swam in the heated pool!


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## Panina (Aug 17, 2018)

Inhislove said:


> We had a wonderful January stay at the Monarch. We had a day in the 70s when we swam in the heated pool!


HH is the best kept winter secret.  This past winter was harsh for HH  but normally much nicer. Many snowbirds come to HH and choose not to go to Florida.


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## jhac007 (Aug 18, 2018)

Panina said:


> HH is the best kept winter secret.  This past winter was harsh for HH  but normally much nicer. Many snowbirds come to HH and choose not to go to Florida.



That is a great idea!


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