# [2011] Ocean Side vs. Ocean View



## VacationPro (Jan 9, 2011)

Can someone please explain to me the general difference between an ocean side unit and an ocean view unit?

Do all ocean side units have a view of the ocean?  Does it vary by resort?

In St. Kitts the Ocean Side rooms require more points to book than the Ocean View, but at Surfwatch, the Ocean Side rooms require less than the Ocean Vista.  At Aruba Surf Club, the points required are the same.

I'm confused.


----------



## jimf41 (Jan 9, 2011)

You're not the only one confused by MVCI's view descriptions. At Ocean Pointe the views are Ocean Side (OS) and Ocean Front (OF). At Frenchman's Cove they don't describe the view but they were originally marketed as Ocean View (OV). 

Getting back to Ocean Pointe people refer to OV units interchangeably with the term OS. OF units in the first 4 bldgs all actually faced the ocean. When the Kingfish bldg was built all the south facing units were marketed as OF even though in other bldg's the south facing units are OS.

At Frenchman's Cove all the units face the ocean. Actually they face the harbor but they don't call them OF they call them OV.

If you really want to get confused go look at the Aruba properties. I think they have about four different view identifications. As far as I know MVCI does not publish a real definition of their view designations. The best way to find out what the view at a resort means is to ask an owner at that resort.


----------



## TheTimeTraveler (Jan 9, 2011)

VacationPro said:


> Can someone please explain to me the general difference between an ocean side unit and an ocean view unit?
> 
> Do all ocean side units have a view of the ocean?  Does it vary by resort?
> 
> ...






I will give you my take on it based upon my stays at Barony Beach and Ocean Pointe:

Ocean view Villa and Ocean side Villas are both considered the same in Marriott's eyes in that you may or may not be able to grab a glance of the ocean depending on the height of the room location and the growth of the surrounding vegetation.

Ocean front Villas are situated directly facing the water, but here again, you may or may not get a good view of the ocean depending on the height/growth of the vegetation.

I'm sure others may be able to add more to this discussion based upon other Marriott Resorts.


.


----------



## SueDonJ (Jan 9, 2011)

Marriott makes it very confusing because of all the terms they use - oceanside, oceanview, oceanfront, oceanvista (which is unique to SurfWatch, I believe, because of that building's placement on the marsh,) gardenview, islandview, etc...

I generally think of "oceanfront" (and "oceanvista" at SurfWatch) as units which face the ocean directly, with a slim chance that if you are placed on a lower-floor then trees/vegetation may somewhat block your view.

"Oceanview" should mean that you won't be direct oceanfront although you'll have some sort of view of the nearest ocean, but it's a crapshoot whether that will be a wide expanse or a sliver depending on how far you lean out from your balcony.   

"Oceanside" means, to me, that you'll be placed in a unit which is not direct oceanfront and may or may not provide a view of the ocean - again it might be a wide expanse or could be a sliver - and your chances of getting any ocean view or the best ocean view of the lot are much better if you're placed on a high floor and/or in one of the buildings closer to the ocean.  (For example, two of Barony's four "oceanside" buildings have expansive ocean views from the high floors; the other two are placed behind those and from some of the units in the back you won't see the ocean at all.)

With "gardenview" or "islandview" I pretty much resign myself to the fact that I could be placed on a high or low floor that doesn't offer ANY view of ANY ocean in the vicinity.  With a little luck I might get a lovely view of the resort grounds, with the worst luck possible I might be looking at a parking lot or dumpster.

Our standard request with any stay is for "a high floor."  The view is important to us, though, so II exchanges have always left me a little nervous right up to check-in.  Being able to choose the view type is one of the DC's best features, IMO.


----------



## m61376 (Jan 9, 2011)

At some resorts OV is considered a better view category while at others OS is. At the Aruba Surf club, OS units sold for as high as almost 5K more than OV units; the fact that they were allocated the same number of points was one of the curious anomalies of the new program in my opinion. 

In Aruba the OS units are in the building closest to the ocean and have ocean views. The OV units are in the building behind (the main lobby building) and the adjacent building, which is perpendicular to the first two buildings but parallel to the beach, only set further back.


----------



## Swice (Jan 10, 2011)

*Myrtle Beach*

At Ocean Watch:

Ocean Front:   faces the ocean directly... can be seen from your living room sofa.

Ocean Side:   Good view (I like these units!) from your balcony.   However may not be able to see sitting on your sofa.   These units are in buildings close to ocean.

Ocean View:   Back buildings-- upper floors.    You can see the ocean-- from a distance.


----------



## Slakk (Jan 12, 2011)

Oceanside is St Kitts is the highest you can get.  It is quasi Ocean Front but the buildings are at a 90 degree angle from each other so you see the Ocean but you can also see the side of the other buildings so it is not a true OF view but not something you will be crying over (at least not IMHO I loved St Kitts)


----------



## jd2601 (Nov 9, 2017)

This is a very old thread but still confuses me.  Anyone know which buildings are considered Ocean Vista vs Ocean View at Marriott Surfwatch?  Thanks


----------



## SueDonJ (Nov 9, 2017)

jd2601 said:


> This is a very old thread but still confuses me.  Anyone know which buildings are considered Ocean Vista vs Ocean View at Marriott Surfwatch?  Thanks



SurfWatch doesn't have oceanview; it has oceanvista, oceanside and gardenview.  See this post for link to the map and a complete property description.


----------



## jd2601 (Nov 9, 2017)

Thanks,  That is a great resource to understand Surfwatch buildings.


----------

