# OceanWatch- I don't get it



## crjask (Aug 22, 2012)

I know that a lot of Tuggers LOVE OceanWatch and consider it a top resort.  Since we had a week in Hilton Head (SurfWatch), we decided to spend some Destination points to see what OceanWatch was all about.  I really wanted to like the place, as it is a drivable destination for us.  But….

•We arrived at 5:15 and were told our room was not ready. Lots of guests seemed to be in the same boat.

•We used Destination points to book an oceanside room, assuming that meant we would have an ocean view.  Not so.  We were given a first floor room (north side Scallop building) that overlooked a walkway that allowed people to look into our bedrooms.  If I stood on my toes on the balcony I could see glimpses of ocean horizon between the shrubs.  IMHO the first floor of those two front buildings should never have been labeled anything but garden/pool view.

•Cell phone reception.  When the front desk asked for a number to call us when a room was ready, my husband saw he had no service.  The receptionist told us the building is “hurricane proof” resulting in poor reception.  My husband could get no service in the buildings with his AT&T phone and I had spotty, 1 bar service with Verizon.

•Pool chairs.  As with many Marriotts, the chairs were all claimed by 9am. They had some signs posted that said “do not save before 9 am” seeming to condone it after that time. 

•Bathroom lighting was very low wattage even after waiting for the compact fluorescent bulbs to brighten.

•No screens on patio doors.  (Hilton Head had them)

•There did not seem to be anything of note within a walkable distance.  

In its favor was that the rooms were very nice.  Also there seemed to be a lot of activities for children/families.

What am I missing?  Why do so many people think this place is great?      Has anyone else found that using Legacy Destination points got you a poor room location?


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## FractionalTraveler (Aug 22, 2012)

crjask said:


> I know that a lot of Tuggers LOVE OceanWatch and consider it a top resort.  Since we had a week in Hilton Head (SurfWatch), we decided to spend some Destination points to see what OceanWatch was all about.  I really wanted to like the place, as it is a drivable destination for us.  But….
> 
> •We arrived at 5:15 and were told our room was not ready. Lots of guests seemed to be in the same boat.
> 
> ...



I don't own at OceanWatch but what you have described here can also be the case at any other resort.  Maybe you were expecting something different.  

IMHO, the fact that I had no cell phone coverage, screens on doors, or dim lighting would not in anyway reduce the quality of my vacation experience at OceanWatch.

When I arrive and my room is not ready, it’s OK because I'm on Vacation!  I just take it in stride and go grab a drink at the bar to begin relaxing instead of worrying about the timeliness of housekeeping services or how unfairly the check-in staff is apparently treating me.

Room assignments, well we all know its based upon a number of factors such as demand, priority, ownership status, day of check-in, etc.  Not really much we can do about that but just try to put in your preferences as early as possible.  I understand OceanWatch does have some rooms with great views so I wouldn't necessarily say the resort is not great because I didn't get one of those rooms.

Pool chairs, well it’s been reported here on Tug that from time to time during peak seasons this can be an issue for sure at any resort.  Not sure what I can do about that either but people will be people and I'm not going to get all worked up about that since it’s not worth ruining my vacation over it.

Anytime you exchange into a resort which you are not an owner there will be owners who get higher preference than you.  That seems to be fair since they purchased at that location and pay MF for this.  Exchanges don't always get what is desired.

For me, not one of these things would deter me from a nice family vacation at OceanWatch.

Obviously, others may have different opinions but I don't think it’s fair to say that OceanWatch is less of a quality resort because of these items.


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## rpk113 (Aug 22, 2012)

*Sorry FT, I disagree*

Checkin is 4pm..  I expect my room to be ready somewhere in that vicinity (cause the room is PART of my vacaton),  not saying 4:01 is bad, but 5:15 is pretty bad.  If you were at the resort side and your room wasnt ready (@5:15), you'd be getting some comps (better room, free breakfast, something..)

WRT, the points..  if Marriott wants to charge 75 extra DC points for a view at MOW (GV vs OV), in my opinion your guaranteed the view.. for an oceanview, I wanna see the ocean, not the top of the break of a wave from my tippy toes.


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## MOXJO7282 (Aug 22, 2012)

FractionalTraveler said:


> Obviously, others may have different opinions but I don't think it’s fair to say that OceanWatch is less of a quality resort because of these items.



I would tend to agree but I think it is a lesser resort if comparing to the Grande Ocean or Surfwatch and HHI in general.

Not to say its a bad resort, or bad region because it is in fact a very, very nice resort (I actually prefer the newer resort at OW than older GO) and a fairly nice and certainly active region that many people love, but that doesn't mean it can't have its shortcomings.

If we arrived at 5:15 we would expect our room ready. This could just be an isolated case but if it wasn't then that would be a problem for me. 

I also agree there isn't anything within a walkable distance and the surrounding location is less upscale compared to HHI so this to me and I'm sure others make it a lesser resort than the top HHI resorts.

JMHO.


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## jdunn1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Sorry to hear you didn't like OceanWatch, but now you know and don't ever have to go there, again.  Good for the rest of us, one less person who will want a summer reservation. 

My SurfWatch unit did NOT have a screen door for the patio.  Maybe Grande Ocean and Barony have this?

OceanWatch is not in an area where you can walk to anything, but you can bike, if you are so inclined.  Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head could not be more different in terms of walking to places and/or biking to places.  Hilton Head is set-up for this and Myrtle Beach is not, simple as that.  

Now that I think about it, there wasn't much you could walk to at SurfWatch or Barony.  Maybe you are a Grande Ocean person and are used to all the stuff around that resort.

I'm glad that you got to visit OceanWatch.  At least you know now it isn't a place for you.  Lots of non DC members who can only travel in the summer will never get to trade into OceanWatch and you did, so I think you did pretty well.


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## FractionalTraveler (Aug 22, 2012)

rpk113 said:


> Checkin is 4pm..  I expect my room to be ready somewhere in that vicinity (cause the room is PART of my vacaton),  not saying 4:01 is bad, but 5:15 is pretty bad.  If you were at the resort side and your room wasnt ready (@5:15), you'd be getting some comps (better room, free breakfast, something..)
> 
> WRT, the points..  if Marriott wants to charge 75 extra DC points for a view at MOW (GV vs OV), in my opinion your guaranteed the view.. for an oceanview, I wanna see the ocean, not the top of the break of a wave from my tippy toes.



I very much agree with you.  I have just decided that it’s something not worth getting upset about since it's out of my control and I'm on vacation.

It does me no good to be upset at the front desk staff because of something out of their control as well.  Usually, they try to offer me a room that’s available earlier but with a less desirable view.  I can wait for what I reserved, no problem.

In fact, I find this time to be very productive as well since I can go out and grab my groceries, explore the property, make dinner reservations, plan my week's activities with the staff, book a massage, have drinks poolside or at the bar, etc.....


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## SueDonJ (Aug 22, 2012)

Crjask, I've learned that at least at the SC resorts, Marriott's "oceanside" designation has much more to do with the building orientation (in relation to the registration area, usually) than it does with an actual view.  In fact I think that if you pull up an "oceanside" reservation on your marriott.com account, the view designation will be "courtyard" - no chance of any misunderstanding there, and no further need to explain that "oceanside" could mean anything from a first-floor view of a footpath and bushes to a high-floor sweeping expanse of the ocean.

Unit view is one of the most important components of our vacations so I understand your disappointment, but wanted to mention this so that you'll be prepared if you visit any of the others in SC.

Jdunn, our SurfWatch units have always had screen doors in the slider units.  It's wonderful when you're there off-season without humidity and can keep the sliders open to the cool night air and surf sounds.


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## jdunn1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Hi Sue I was in a garden room at the far back of the resort, and maybe those units do not have screens.  I don't remember one, but I could be wrong.




SueDonJ said:


> Jdunn, our SurfWatch units have always had screen doors in the slider units.  It's wonderful when you're there off-season without humidity and can keep the sliders open to the cool night air and surf sounds.


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## MOXJO7282 (Aug 22, 2012)

SueDonJ said:


> Crjask, I've learned that at least at the SC resorts, Marriott's "oceanside" designation has much more to do with the building orientation (in relation to the registration area, usually) than it does with an actual view.  In fact I think that if you pull up an "oceanside" reservation on your marriott.com account, the view designation will be "courtyard" - no chance of any misunderstanding there, and no further need to explain that "oceanside" could mean anything from a first-floor view of a footpath and bushes to a high-floor sweeping expanse of the ocean.
> 
> Unit view is one of the most important components of our vacations so I understand your disappointment, but wanted to mention this so that you'll be prepared if you visit any of the others in SC.
> 
> Jdunn, our SurfWatch units have always had screen doors in the slider units.  It's wonderful when you're there off-season without humidity and can keep the sliders open to the cool night air and surf sounds.



I would be disappointed to if we received no view but would accept because as an owner I would always want to get a good view so accept as an exchanger not to.


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## jont (Aug 22, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> Hi Sue I was in a garden room at the far back of the resort, and maybe those units do not have screens.  I don't remember one, but I could be wrong.



sorry Jim
we are staying at Surfwatch right now in one of the back units and we have screen doors. we are also on the first floor and have 3-4 cats come and visit every nite around dinner time.


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## crjask (Aug 22, 2012)

We too were in a SurfWatch garden unit: Building 5300 all the way in the back.  This was a trade and I quickly learned it was garden view and that was okay.  i knew what to expect.  We were only on the 2nd floor which didn't thrill me but the location was fine.  We had a nice view of the pond and no one could see in our unit.  We had screen doors, used them, and spent a lot of time on the balcony enjoying the serenity of the view and the watching the ducks, crows, and cats.
We also rented bikes and went out each day on the beach or paths.  We biked to Shelter Cove several times.  
I too enjoy my vacations and enter into them with a positive attitude.  But there were way too many managerial issues at OceanWatch to ignore.
Yes we will be one less family trying to get reservations there.


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## dioxide45 (Aug 22, 2012)

After our visit to Ocean Watch in April, we have opted to put it on par with Hilton Head. You can see our thoughts on that in this thread. Coastal South Carolina just isn't for us I guess, we love OBX to the north though.

I think through the boards you get a lot of hype of many resorts. I am not saying they are over rated, we just end up with high expectations and then after visiting find out that they are just like the other resorts just in other places. They never seem to live up the expectations for us. I don't know what it is. There is this vision we have in our head from reading here that the resort never lives up to. We had a similar experience with Ocean Pointe, except we now love Ocean Pointe.

I think for us, we just aren't fans of the SC coast. Also, the long drives for us to get there doesn't help and flying is usually cost prohibitive. We absolutely love Florida and and beach locations there as well. We of course love Orlando. The great thing about the MVCI system of resorts is that there is something for everyone. We probably won't make any efforts to get back to Ocean Watch or HHI anytime real soon, we just enjoy other places better. There are others that love Ocean Watch and HHI and wouldn't clamor over going to the resorts we love. To each their own.


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## jimf41 (Aug 22, 2012)

Ocean Pointe and Frenchman's Cove do not have screens either. I believe that the reason the HHI resorts have screens is more to do with topography of the location than anything else. HHI is located in a wetland area. That leads to lots of little fellow aviators zooming around.


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## BocaBoy (Aug 22, 2012)

We stayed a week in Ocean Watch last year and liked it.  It is a very good resort.  However, we did not think it was up to the physical standards of the purpose-built Hawaii resorts or the original section of Manor Club or even Grand Chateau.  We have never been to Hilton Head.


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## ilene13 (Aug 22, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> Hi Sue I was in a garden room at the far back of the resort, and maybe those units do not have screens.  I don't remember one, but I could be wrong.



We own a 3 bedroom garden view at Surfwatch.  The patio doors in all the buildings have screens on them!


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## jdunn1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Okay!!!  I was wrong.  Guess there is first time for everything   Just kidding.  I didn't remember screen doors but that is nice to know.  What I do remember was liking the 2 bedroom garden view unit we had very much.  We were on the thrid floor, I think (but my memory is not so good, apparently) but I do remember being able to watch the kids play shuffle board and just play around the grounds from the balcony.  We were also pretty close to the basket ball court, which was a big hit.  

I didn't mind being in the back of the resort at all.  Sometimes we called for a golf cart ride to the beach and they were always there in seconds, it seemed.  The back of the resort is also more private, which was nice.  It's just a very nice resort and I like that part of the island a lot.

I'm sure I would like Grande Ocean a lot, too, but I am a little hesitant to try that end of the island since I know the SurfWatch end so well.  I was a DVC Hilton Head owner and that was really my first timeshare experience so that part of the island is special to me.


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## jme (Aug 22, 2012)

crjask said:


> I know that a lot of Tuggers LOVE OceanWatch and consider it a top resort.  Since we had a week in Hilton Head (SurfWatch), we decided to spend some Destination points to see what OceanWatch was all about.  I really wanted to like the place, as it is a drivable destination for us.  But….
> 
> •We arrived at 5:15 and were told our room was not ready. Lots of guests seemed to be in the same boat.
> 
> ...




Wouldn't have written except for that next-to-last line, "Why do so many people think this place is great?", meaning I guess that you don't feel that way, citing your list of "shortfalls".

With all due respect, probably the most frivolous set of points I've ever read, especially for a fine resort with which I am well familiar. 
And I might add, a resort which is one of the most highly rated by a majority of diverse and discriminating guests over a long period of time. MOW certainly is not worthy of such silliness. 

More germane, these are not points that should be used to rate a resort or hotel, in my book. 

(1) A "villa not ready" could happen anywhere, and for many reasons, sometimes not the fault of the resort. A late-leaving guest? a faulty appliance needing replacement?  a broken A/C unit?  a plumbing problem necessitating repair?  With the dozens of check-ins daily, it's going to happen on any given day. Get over it, stuff happens. Inconvenient, yes, but understandable. And hopefully the villa was more than presentable when delivered a bit late, no? And if the employees who clean didn't show up en masse (a worst-case scenario), it's again something not always controllable. We had a similar situation at Kaua'i Beach Club, but it never once caused us to seethe, or to suppress our enjoyment at the resort for one minute. 

(2) OceanSIDE (whether DC or not) was 100% selected and 100% received. 
News flash: resorts have first floors. The term "oceanSIDE" is descriptive of a horizontal relationship, not a vertical, and it literally means "near the ocean" or "next to the ocean", never "viewing the ocean". Height of floor was not ever mentioned or requested apparently, and definitely not guaranteed anyway. DC "oceanfront" would have been what the OP really wanted, but she didn't request that or check on that beforehand. 

(3) Cell phone reception: have you been to Caribbean resorts? to Atlantis? to Phuket Thailand?  even to Hilton Head???  Marriott doesn't erect cell towers either. The city of Myrtle Beach does, and there are codes. 

(4) Pool chairs: welcome to a resort which has gorgeous pristine pools, 5 very tall buildings with hundreds of guests, and ONE pool near you (the one people use most). Get up early. The day is long, and chairs become available. Where else could they add more chairs? The Pool Police concept doesn't work. And if no one returns to the chairs for several hours, move the towels yourself and use the chairs. That's not bad etiquette, compared to what they did. Only fair, in my opinion. 

(5) Bulb wattage: Really?  bulb wattage?  call front desk or buy some. imho, though, it's plenty adequate.

(6) Screens? tall high-rises don't need them when bugs, if any, are low-flyers and seldom reach upper floors. All 5 bldgs are quite tall. Opening glass doors and using screens in summer is not normal behavior when temps reach upper 90's or 100+. The resulting exorbitant electric bills would necessitate much higher maintenance fees to cover that, something maybe not considered. 

(7) Nothing of note in walkable distance: Wow.   Count that a blessing!!!...More QUIET, more PRIVATE.  Maybe Marriott should have built a mall next door? FYI, within minutes, maybe two, Myrtle Beach has the highest density of activities, venues, theme parks, shops, miniature golf courses, golf courses, restaurants, etc., etc. perhaps anywhere in the world. Did you like Broadway at the Beach?  

In short, the OP's list is frivolous and irrelevant, imho, to the point of being embarrassing, especially when OP counts these as a basis for rating a resort. If indeed MOW was ever deemed "not great" by a host of experts, you'd never find #'s 1,2,3,4,5,6,& 7 as reasons. 

I love the OP's home resorts of Ocean Point and Grande Vista---we've visited both more than once-----great destinations in Marriott's portfolio----- but if my criteria were as silly as these, I would have a list for those two that would dwarf her list. YET, any minor problems or shortfalls encountered at OP and GV were simply ignored by us when we were there, since they were deemed trivial, and we had a blast at both. And we'll happily return. 

Ditto for all Marriotts.... all have certain unimportant deficiencies which will improve. OP, stop taking notes and lighten up! Allow yourself to have a good time. Marriott resorts are top notch, and you'll also find, never perfect. Fortunately they're about as good as they can get, tho.


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## jme (Aug 22, 2012)

rpk113 said:


> Checkin is 4pm..  I expect my room to be ready somewhere in that vicinity (cause the room is PART of my vacaton),  not saying 4:01 is bad, but 5:15 is pretty bad.  If you were at the resort side and your room wasnt ready (@5:15), you'd be getting some comps (better room, free breakfast, something..)
> 
> WRT, the points..  if Marriott wants to charge 75 extra DC points for a view at MOW (GV vs OV), in my opinion your guaranteed the view.. for an oceanview, I wanna see the ocean, not the top of the break of a wave from my tippy toes.



disagree on both points:
1. she basically had a 75 minute wait, and that's not so horrible. 
2. she said oceanside was requested with DC, not oceanview, so she got what was requested.


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## crjask (Aug 22, 2012)

Wow.  Guess I hit a nerve.  Are you the GM of OceanWatch?

I sure hope you feel better now for having gotten that tirade off your chest.


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## Gophesjo (Aug 22, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> ... and I like that part of the island a lot.
> ... that part of the island is special to me.



Hilton Head is not my favorite destination (see another post) but I agree with you on two counts - the 'north end' rocks, and SW, 'the resort on fifth' is stellar!


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## jont (Aug 22, 2012)

CR 

Sorry you had such a disappointing stay at OW.sounds like you got off to a bad start with check in and your room assignment and then the rest of your stay was ruined by this experience. It seems like you were just looking for faults. If you had problems with items the resort has control of you probably should have brought to the attention of the resort manager. 
No resort is perfect and OW is no exception. It's main problem IMHO is that it's a victim of it's own success. It's been so popular had highly touted that expectations are sometimes unrealistic.it is also a very large resort on a relatively small site, much like most hotels and resorts in Myrtle Beach. It tends to be very crowded in the summer.
Like you I am currently at SW and will be stopping at OW  for a few days using points. I am a platinum owner there however, and am curious to see how my experience of checkin and room assignment compares to yours.if I experience similar problems, I will be sure to have a talk with the manager.
I hopevyou give the resortbanother chance, maybe during a shoulder season when things areva little less hectic.


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## jme (Aug 22, 2012)

crjask said:


> Wow.  Guess I hit a nerve.  Are you the GM of OceanWatch?
> 
> I sure hope you feel better now for having gotten that tirade off your chest.



No, not a GM. Wouldn't have that job, as they have to address guests daily with silly complaints and outlandish requests, and i'd end up in jail. 

my remarks blunt, tough, maybe, but sorry, not a tirade, as i addressed each point accurately and fully, and perhaps nauseatingly so..... but each deserved a clear response, sorry.... anyone can bash my remarks too, and i'll take another look. that's fair too. But, yes, I always feel better when I address inaccuracies. I'm not a lawyer, but in law they call them frivolous lawsuits. 

bottom line, none of those things you listed would (or should) make any resort less desirable, as they have NOTHING to do with it's quality or rating. was that part not clear? your points were simply irrelevant, other than, "what happened to me this summer". Things like that might make some people not pursue a trip there (if they were that silly), and that would be their loss. And that's not right. 

i thought your comments to be an unfair assessment of a top shelf resort, based on irrelevant incidents and/or things beyond their control. None was peculiar to OW on a consistent basis except the location "next to nothing".

As you surely know, Marriott bought whatever oceanfront property they could......it's a small resort as to oceanfront footage, but they did great things with what they had....they had to go UP and BACK. And what's on the sides, or what's not, is not their problem. 

Didn't mean to be harsh at all, just accurate. Generally speaking, I don't know what else they could do to make OW better overall. It's near the top already.  Also don't know how they could have made your week better, except put you in a top floor along with another strange family, hand you a 120 foot antenna upon check-in, or provide flood lights in the bathroom.  

You say late one hour, got first floor in section requested, cell phone reception "bad", light bulbs????, nothing next door, screens lacking???, pool chair situation which is prevalent at all resorts in summer (that's other people's behavior!!!). 

Nothing to do with OceanWatch per se. It's close to saying you had a bad time because it rained. or because someone wore red and you hate red. I can't believe you listed those things and then asked, does anyone else think it's not so great?  

I could understand if the resort were smelly, unkempt, staff consistently rude, elevators always broken, carpet gross, windows broken, people loitering all night outside, food awful, etc.   I try to be fair, so I addressed what i felt to be unfair.  

:deadhorse:   If I've been unfair, or my points invalid, let me know.

P.S. We've owned 7 high-end Marriott weeks for a long time because we love them and not because I'm trying to win any contests, and I've had "first floors" many, many times. And everything in between. I've never said anything about assignments, or tried to make myself seem important, because I'm not.  I'm an owner just like anyone else, and I understand the policies and adhere to them and honor them. I applaud the efforts of the staff.  They try to treat everyone equally. Unfortunately, some people don't want to be treated equally. I've never once requested a move, or even said a word. Instead i've thanked the front desk, all of them, and told them what a great job they do, given the contact with the public daily. They appreciate hearing that because the job they face is daunting. When we get those first floors with less-than-stellar views, we simply enjoy the heck out of a new location and adventure, and to be honest, I've had no less a great time as on the top floors. Matter of fact, it's made our experiences all the better. The villas never vary---they're all beautiful inside, and we basically only sleep there anyway. We do also get the top floors. Great. But we're at the pool or beach and really cannot see that top floor very well from the ocean. oh well.


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## Steve (Aug 23, 2012)

Some of the posts in this thread are not very gracious.  A person should be able to comment on their vacation at a resort without the kind of response that has taken place here.  Debate is great, but repeatedly calling someone else's concerns silly and frivilous does not exactly fall under the guideline of being courteous.  

Steve
TUG Moderator


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## SueDonJ (Aug 23, 2012)

jme said:


> ... :deadhorse:   If I've been unfair, or my points invalid, let me know. ...



Honestly, Marty?  I think you were unfair.  But that's not saying that your opinions about the resort are any less "valid" than the OP's. That's why I think you were unfair, actually, because you had no problem invalidating the OP's points as you perceived them.

She (I think?) had the same mistaken idea about unit views that a whole lot of Marriott owners share, that "oceanside" appears to imply an ocean view.  We all learn that lesson eventually and for some of us, me included, it's a rude awakening if view is important to our vacations.  Granted, with OW having all four view designations - gardenview, oceanside, oceanview and oceanfront - there may be less room for the misconception but it's still something that's not crystal clear when booking the resort for the first time.  In your edit you clarify that view isn't all that important to you and that's fine, but to say that it shouldn't be important to someone else is not fine.

She mentions that there appeared to be several parties still awaiting check-in at 5:15.  IMO at that point, more than an hour beyond the 4:00 published check-in time, one or two parties waiting is acceptable.  Any more and the front desk staff need to be prepared to give folks a reasonable half-hour window for when their units will be ready - we should be able to ask for that nicely and get a similarly nice clear response.  If parties are waiting and the front desk doesn't appear to have a hold on the situation, to me that signifies a deficiency in housekeeping or front desk staff or both.  In her situation that problem was compounded by the limited cell reception - what good does it do for the front desk staff to ask for a cell number to contact you if you and they have no service?

The bathroom lighting?  I don't know, maybe this makes more of a difference to women than men what with all our hair and make-up shenanigans, but I hate to characterize this as a sexist issue.  Again, if I don't think the lighting is sufficient for any reason, then I think it's okay to voice my displeasure with it.  In this case the OP says that she's aware of the slow-to-burn-brightly green bulbs that are in place at most resorts now and that OW's lightbulbs were worse than those.  It's a legitimate complaint, and it's something that can make the resort look like it's cheapening supplies - maybe cost-savings with lower wattage bulbs?  I don't know, but the OP shouldn't be mocked for noticing it or saying that it lowered her enjoyment of the resort.

I could keep going in an effort to dismantle your every counter-point to the OP's thoughts, but there's no sense in it.  Her experience was not enjoyable, period.  She was made to question the fine reputation OW has on TUG because of her experience.  We could debate the finer details for days but it wouldn't do anything to change her experience.  Invalidating her thoughts about it, though, might lead someone else to NOT post their opinions to TUG - and that would be a shame.


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## ilene13 (Aug 23, 2012)

It is ok that you did not like Oceanwatch.  I know that I will never go there or to Branson, Missouri.  I do not like either destination but it has absolutely nothing to do with the Marriott resorts there.  Give me Aruba, Mexico, Hilton Head and other such destinations.  Everyone has there own opinion!


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## bshmerlie (Aug 23, 2012)

Whenever I go to a resort that I have never been to I read every review I can find.  I love reviews like this.  They help me to plan my stay so that I can maximize my enjoyment. If I wanted an ocean view I would know how to specify.  I would also know to request a 2nd floor or above unit if I didnt want people walking by.  I'd know to go down to the pool early to stake my claim.   whenever you see a review like this don't take it as a personal attack....just someones description/opinion of their visit.  You can decide if those things are important to you or not.  But they obviously were to the OP....and thats OK.  Thanks for sharing.


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## dioxide45 (Aug 23, 2012)

I know that this isn't the first time we have read about people waiting beyond 4:00pm for their room to be ready at Ocean Watch. It seems to be becoming more of a pattern at the resort. Not sure if this has something to do with staffing, or what it is, but the resort needs to get a handle on this.

Not sure if contacting guests and requesting an approximate arrival time like other resorts do would work or not. This allows the resorts to target villas where guests are expected to arrive earlier. It is possible today that they clean a room at 8:00am and the assigned guest doesn't arrive until 8:00pm. If a guest says they won't be arriving until 8:00pm then they can leave that villa cleaning until last. I know we have had calls from Lakeshore Reserve housekeeping department requesting our expected arrival time and I am sure they use it in this manner to prioritize which villas to clean first.

I think we want all guests to have great experiences at the resorts we own. There are definitely faults at all resort, but all are fantastic in other ways. Pointing out those faults never seems to go over well because those owners love their resorts. It is just like someone pointing out faults about yourself, people will usually be defensive about it. It is human nature.


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## CashEddie (Aug 23, 2012)

Its interesting to read the various opinions on OW, Myrtle Beach vs Hilton Head, etc.  I've never stayed at OW but have stayed next door at the Marriott hotel there and I really enjoyed it.  I love that the beach is somewhat private and away from all the busy parts of MB.

This Thanskgiving we are heading to HHI for the first time.  We are staying at one of the non beach Marriotts so I'm glad that I read dioxide45 old review on HHI so now I know what to expect.  

Next summer we will be staying at OW for the first time so hopefully we will have just as much of an enjoyable time at the TS as we do at the hotel next door.  

To the OPs points, I can say I have experienced similar situations at my home resort Grand Vista in 2009 (especially the poor cell signal) where it almost made me not want to go back.  However, we had a wonderful time in 2011 at GV.  

The one comment I will make about OW and the view categories and why I would feel the same way as the OP with respect to oceanside vs oceanview: 

The way Marriott has the view categories and point costs listed at OW is very misleading.  The assumption one would make is that: GV < OV < OS < OF according to how Marriott has it listed in the DC points chart.  However, based on the feedback from this thread about OS, its has nothing to do with seeing the ocean but more so that the building you are statying in is closer to the ocean.  

The problem I have with this is that Marriott is charging you more points for OS than OV but based on what I have been reading is that it is higher probabilty that you may not see the ocean if you pick a OS unit vs a OV or OF.  The expectation is that you are paying more for a better VIEW of the ocean vs proximity to the ocean. (which it seems OS implies)

I'm glad I read this thread for the edification of OW, HHI, view types, etc. so that I can manage my expectations when I visit both areas.


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## CAROLW (Aug 23, 2012)

We stayed at the OW at the end of June. We arrived at 11:00 am and didn't get a room until after 6:00 pm. There were MANY angry people waiting in the lobby with their luggage. The front desk told us they do not guarantee 4:00 checkin and that late checkins were a common occurrence there. No apologies from the staff at all.

I tried to remain patient but by that time we were all tired and needed to settle. Sorry, but that set the tone for the rest of the week. It was our third stay at OW and it's time for a change.

I understand the pool chair situation, but I still don't think it's right. We all pay a lot of money for our vacation weeks and we shouldn't have to worry about finding a chair. A few years ago my young children and I sat on the concrete by the pool while many chairs, with towels, we're unoccupied. 

I am a early riser, but my husband loves vacation cause it's the only time he can sleep in. Why should it be assumed that everyone should have to get up early to reserve a chair. I think it's down right rude of people to tie up prime pool chairs all day and then hardly use them. 

Just my 2 cents.  I don't know what the solution is.


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## crjask (Aug 23, 2012)

As far as the 4 view categories at OceanWatch, the order from most points to least is:  oceanfront, *oceanside*, ocean view, garden.  
I took that to mean that an oceanside room would have a better view than ocean view and therefore would see the ocean.  For the 2nd floor and above, that is probably so.   I guess it is true what they say about “assuming”.

I stick to my guns about the bathroom lighting.  It seemed to take 2-3 minutes for the lights to reach their maximum wattage after being turned on and then it just wasn’t adequate.  Maybe 40 watt bulbs?  I wear contacts and it made it difficult to see what I was doing.  

I did not notice the time lag on lights elsewhere in the unit so it must just be the type of bulbs used in the bathroom.  And yes there is a simple fix for this, but I don’t think it is by guests going out to buy bulbs and getting up on a chair (very high lighting) and leaning over the vanities to replace them.  

Also as I said there seemed to be many people standing around the lobby area waiting for a room.  The group checking in on one side of us were also being asked for a cell number, and on the other side a man walked up who had just received his "call".  
This is on a Sunday more than 7 hours after check out time.  More housekeeping staff should be an easy fix to this one.

Yes I do know that all properties will have some problems on any given day.  This is all just my opinion of my experience during this particular stay.    I certainly did not mean to offend owners of OceanWatch, but jeez some people are really thin skinned.


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## KathyPet (Aug 23, 2012)

Crjask,   Well I am sure that you and I are in the minority here but I stayed one week at OW a couple of years ago and would never return.  We asked for a high floor and got one in one of the side buildings.  Yes we had a nice ocean view because we were high up however we had absolutely no roof coverage above us and thus our balcony was unusable 75% of the time due to the extreme heat and no shade.  From 9AM to 7 PM after 5 minutes out there you felt like you were sitting in a sauna.  
I also did not like the extremely small footprint of the building.  THere were no extensive walking paths and quiet places along the ocean front like there are at GO.  
What drove me the most nuts however was the pool area at oceanfront.  No chairs available after 9AM.  Chairs packed together so tightly that you could not even walk between them. People at the pool with strollers and pack and plays taking up even more of the limited space.  You had to walk down a long row of chairs before you could even find a cut through.  Very little shade anywhere around the main pool.   THe pools themselves very overcrowded .
When I go on vacation it is to relax and decompress and the entire OW vibe did nothing to help with that.  I felt that I was still in the same rat race environment that I was trying to escape from.  Lots and lots of people and too little personal space.  Lots of parents screaming at their children.  Kids running around and jumping into the pool with very little supervision from their parents.  One of the little darlings came within inches of landing on my head.
Give me GO anytime.
Just a additional comment about "chair hogging".  Carnival cruise lines is testing a program that has staff members walking around and attaching yellow stickers with the time written in on any unoccupied chairs.  After 45 minutes if the sticker is still there and there is no warm body in the seat the items on the chair removed and brought to the towel counter for the owners to claim when they return.  THe chair is then available for someone to claim.  The policy is clearly posted for all to see.


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## Swice (Aug 23, 2012)

*Light bulbs*



crjask said:


> I stick to my guns about the bathroom lighting.  It seemed to take 2-3 minutes for the lights to reach their maximum wattage after being turned on and then it just wasn’t adequate.  Maybe 40 watt bulbs?  I wear contacts and it made it difficult to see what I was doing.



This is going to become more common.    Every company thinks they have to be "green."   Plus, the government has outlawed "old fashioned" light bulbs.
Get used it it.


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## wesley (Aug 23, 2012)

We go to MOW every year in late Aug. We leave tomorrow morning.  have been there roughly 10 times.  Check in is always late  - we just expect it and go to Kroger!!   No screens on doors   - never thought about it until I read this post    - We've always taken what they've assigned us in regard to our oceanside room and it's always been fine - although last year we were on the top and, as one of the posters indicated, it can get pretty hot out there without a cover above...  But no big deal

there are always chairs at the Woodsy pool....

We love MOW and look forward to tomorrow nite

wesley

But then again, we own and love BPT  - no accounting for taste, I guess

And we are headed to Frenchman's Cove (St Thomas) in Nov   - first time in the southern Carribean!!


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## wesley (Aug 23, 2012)

forgot one thing... The OP is right about lousy cell coverage  - I just go out on the balcony...


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## jont (Aug 23, 2012)

The view categories at OW are the responsibility of the Marriott development/ marketing team. Those 2 lower floors in the side buildings probably should have been designated garden view but it was marriotts intention to maximize it's sales revenue. I remember them selling that view category for a few grand more than the OV units. The fact is that the OP got exactly what they "paid" for. The only problem was the the low floor. If they got a higher floor i'm sure they would have been thrilled. Maybe they could't get a higher floor due to the fact a lot of owners were there that week. I know the first few gold weeks in august are very popular. Anyway, I own a ocean view in the back and I am very happy with it . The front of the resort is just too crowed for my liking.


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## BocaBoy (Aug 23, 2012)

We stayed at Ocean Watch in January 2012 in an ocean view unit and we enjoyed it very much.  The resort was very uncrowded at that time.  Despite that, however, the staff was among the least responsive and least friendly of any Marriott timeshare we have stayed at.  Not intolerably so, but just mediocre.  We would definitely be willing to go back, but I consider the great popularity of OW to be because it is the only Marriott timeshare in Myrtle Beach and many owners and guests can drive there.  Again, we had a great time at OW, but it does not seem better than the typical MVCI resort.  Just my opinion.


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## dioxide45 (Aug 23, 2012)

When we visited in April, we were also assigned a first floor OS unit. While first somewhat disappointing, we realized that this was actually great for us. Easy access to the pool and no flights of stairs or long elevator waits. Also we had direct access to the parking garage. While we had no issue with the unit assignment, we weren't fans of the resort overall and the Myrtle Beach area.

I also thought the sign about no saving chairs before 9:00am to be strange. As the OP stated, they actually condone saving chairs all day long without using them as long as you don't "reserve" them before 9:00am?


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## dioxide45 (Aug 23, 2012)

KathyPet said:


> Just a additional comment about "chair hogging".  Carnival cruise lines is testing a program that has staff members walking around and attaching yellow stickers with the time written in on any unoccupied chairs.  After 45 minutes if the sticker is still there and there is no warm body in the seat the items on the chair removed and brought to the towel counter for the owners to claim when they return.  THe chair is then available for someone to claim.  The policy is clearly posted for all to see.



I do think there are better things they could perhaps do about the chair situations. However I don't think paying staff to police it is the right thing to do. With the cruise lines, they don't have the labor expense like a domestic resort does. They pay their staff very little unlike a US based resort that has to at least pay minimum wage. Unfortunately resorts were built with pool seating that was too small to handle the peak crowds. I have noticed bigger issues at resorts where the pool is the destination. Places like Aruba and Ocean Watch would be bad. Hawaii and Orlando on the other hand, I wouldn't expect as many issues as people are out exploring during the day. Destination resorts should have had more ample pool seating planned. Resorts in destinations, it isn't as big of an issue.


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## KathyPet (Aug 23, 2012)

dioxide45 said:


> I do think there are better things they could perhaps do about the chair situations. However I don't think paying staff to police it is the right thing to do. With the cruise lines, they don't have the labor expense like a domestic resort does. They pay their staff very little unlike a US based resort that has to at least pay minimum wage. Unfortunately resorts were built with pool seating that was too small to handle the peak crowds. I have noticed bigger issues at resorts where the pool is the destination. Places like Aruba and Ocean Watch would be bad. Hawaii and Orlando on the other hand, I wouldn't expect as many issues as people are out exploring during the day. Destination resorts should have had more ample pool seating planned. Resorts in destinations, it isn't as big of an issue.



Well what they should have done and what they actually did are two different things.  All I know is that if I was a OW owner and I was paying the big bucks MF to stay at my home resort and I couldn't get a chair I would be very irate.  I would definitely be in the GM's office demanding that they put some process in place to prevent this chair hogging and if I didn't get results the BOD would definitely be hearing from me.


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## enma (Aug 24, 2012)

Swice said:


> This is going to become more common.    Every company thinks they have to be "green."   Plus, the government has outlawed "old fashioned" light bulbs.
> Get used it it.



Don't want to make this a light bulb discussion but that is so not true. All the light bulbs in my house (including the bulbs in my bathroom) are energy saving "green" bulbs and the better ones give instant bright light just like the old fashioned kind.


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## BocaBoy (Aug 24, 2012)

dioxide45 said:


> I do think there are better things they could perhaps do about the chair situations. However I don't think paying staff to police it is the right thing to do. With the cruise lines, they don't have the labor expense like a domestic resort does. They pay their staff very little unlike a US based resort that has to at least pay minimum wage.


Actually, labor expense for cruise lines is higher than for most domestic resorts.  They may pay less in wages (employees generally get more in tips), but they also have to feed the employees and provide living accommodations and on board medical and dental services.  And the staff to guest ratio is higher on a cruise ship.


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## dioxide45 (Aug 24, 2012)

BocaBoy said:


> Actually, labor expense for cruise lines is higher than for most domestic resorts.  They may pay less in wages (employees generally get more in tips), but they also have to feed the employees and provide living accommodations and on board medical and dental services.  And the staff to guest ratio is higher on a cruise ship.



I suppose you are correct, didn't take in to account the living costs that they pay to house and feed the staff.

I think however, we don't really want to add or pay staff to do a task where adults should be able to manage on their own. My biggest issue at Ocean Watch is the signs that seem to condone the ability to save chairs for hours on end. While other resorts that have policies that don't permit saving have these issues also.

The resorts need to look at the root cause of the issue, and that is usually that there is simply not enough loungers to meet demand during peak times. This is not always an easy fix after a resort is built out since in many cases there is simply no place to put more chairs. In the case of Ocean Watch, they are adding the new quiet pool, so that may bring some releif. Another issue at Ocean Watch is that many people want to use the pools in the ocean side area, so they come over from the Woodsy buildings, there are probably a lot of empty loungers at the Woodsy pool when the ocean side pool is packed. Not enough people go from the ocean side buildings to use the Woodsy pool to balance it out.


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## KathyPet (Aug 24, 2012)

Swice said:


> This is going to become more common.    Every company thinks they have to be "green."   Plus, the government has outlawed "old fashioned" light bulbs.
> Get used it it.



I have stayed in plenty of accommodations that use these new green bulbs and have never yet encountered one of these bulbs that produced nearly enough light for me to see clearly by.  I am in my mid 60's and the older you get the more light you need.  DH and I are busy stockpiling the incandescent bulbs in the hopes that we will expire before our supply gives out.


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## mbeach89 (Aug 24, 2012)

*Late check in*

We also had an issue with late check in at Oceanwatch this past June.  This was never a problem the prior 4 years or so.  We arrived around 4:00 pm and were told that it may be 5:00 until we could get into our villa. We were told there were 53 families in line ahead of us waiting to get into their rooms!  It was around 5:30 when we could finally get into our room.  

Luckily we were prepared and had our swimming gear ready.  We just hung out at the Woodsey pool with the kids.  Inconvenient yes, but no biggie.  The kids were happy to hit the pool immediately instead of waiting for us (mom & dad) to get everything unloaded from the van...hauling it to the room etc....

Hey, it's vacation....at least TRY to have a good time!


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## jdunn1 (Aug 24, 2012)

Were you checking in on a Sunday?  Since the DC, so many people are checking in on Sunday because of the cheap points for Sun-Thu stays.

I don't have much tolerance for late checkins.  I think it is rude for the hotel to treat guests so poorly as to take away even an hour of their vacation time.  It's not like the resort is offering late checkouts.  Just the opposit in fact.  Most resorts I have been to stick the cleaning people outside your door starting about 9AM on day of departure.

I do respect the cleaning people, they have a thankless job that I would not want to do in a million years.  I think the resorts should staff better is all.


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## DAman (Aug 24, 2012)

*Free Drinks for check in delay*

Just my 2 cents...free drink coupons.  You arrive at or after check in time and your room is not ready, "Mr./Ms....please go to the bar and enjoy a drink(or 2) on us."  Not the best solution but it would appease most people.

Of course if I had a full load of food that needed a refrigerator or freezer not having my room ready would make me anxious.


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## pedro47 (Aug 24, 2012)

DAman said:


> Just my 2 cents...free drink coupons.  You arrive at or after check in time and your room is not ready, "Mr./Ms....please go to the bar and enjoy a drink(or 2) on us."  Not the best solution but it would appease most people.
> 
> Of course if I had a full load of food that needed a refrigerator or freezer not having my room ready would make me anxious.



We never purchase food until we check into our villas or the Chief-of-Staff will pack the ice chest with steaks, sea foods, lunch meats, some diary products and some beer .

Enjoy your timeshare stay.


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## hotcoffee (Aug 24, 2012)

Wow, I am sure glad a few others said it first.  It always seems to me that posters in this forum are very partial to the SC coast.  So, any criticism is not particularly welcome here.  I thought HHI was a nice place.  And, although I have never been to the Marriott at Myrtle Beach, I have stayed at a hotel there.  Overall, I did not find that either location excited me much.  I am not a golfer, and we are not a family with young children.  Summertimes are hot and humid along the SC coast, and away from the beach there is little breeze.  Also, there is not much in the way of scenery to look at.  The real positive about the SC coast for me, however, is that I can drive to it.  And that is a big plus.


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## BocaBoy (Aug 24, 2012)

DAman said:


> Just my 2 cents...free drink coupons.  You arrive at or after check in time and your room is not ready, "Mr./Ms....please go to the bar and enjoy a drink(or 2) on us."  Not the best solution but it would appease most people.
> 
> Of course if I had a full load of food that needed a refrigerator or freezer not having my room ready would make me anxious.



In February we spent two nights at Kauai Lagoons and we were not able to check in until shortly after 5:00.  Without any complaint, demand or request from us, the resort gave us a $75 statement credit as an apology for the wait. It made a very good impression on us.  Next time I think I will ask for the "late check-in plan"!


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## CAROLW (Aug 25, 2012)

Any type of comp would have gone a long way. Hey, even an apology would have meant a lot. But all we got were excuses and a statement that they do not guarantee 4:00 checkin. Btw we did checkin on a Sunday in June. We weren't there on points.

I don't think things would be so bad if the old gm was still at OW. My guess is that the situation would be much better and if not, he would be in the lobby talking to everyone and helping. Last year when we were at OW in August there was an electrical problem in the Maple building. The GM comped us on all of our expenses, gave us a gift card for the way home and gave everyone affected a free week in interval. He showed real class in an unfortunate occurrence that was not anyone's fault.


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## Big Matt (Aug 25, 2012)

I had a very similar experience as the original poster including room, view, etc.  

I watched each day as the same people put beach towels down on their chairs at 7 or 7:30 and left them for hours if not all day without using the chairs.  I had one family tell me that they went to Charleston, but wanted to have the seats when they got back for dinner.  Of course the folks running the place never got rid of any towels even though it was clear on the signs that you couldn't reserve before a certain hour.  What a joke!

No restaurants anywhere nearby and nothing at all near the resort.  

The beach was great, but it was so crowded that it wasn't even enjoyable.  

The sales staff called and bugged me and promised a welcome pack.  When I asked for it, they said that I couldn't have one since I didn't respond the first day.  

Sorry if this pi--ses people off, but I had to post.


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## jdunn1 (Aug 25, 2012)

Matt. There is a very nice restaurant at the Marriott hotel next door.

...and even on the cruise ships the staff does not remove towels and stuff from the chairs.  I wish they would but they won't because too many people claim money and personal belongings are missing after their stuff is removed.

...Two years ago I went on a cruise with a lot of people and we were always on the look out for a row of chairs, together.  A nice couple who had been laying out since early morning told us the rest of the chairs in their row had not been used all day (it was about 1PM or so).  We removed the towels from the chairs and I think someone had left a pair off flip flops, too.  Well, that family came back at like 3PM expecting those chairs.  We almost got into a fight!  We told them how the chairs were unused for half a day (Carnival has a 1 or 2 hour hold time policy).  Anyway, as they stormed off they snapped at us "You must be Americans".  It was funny.  I am sure they were from Canada.  



Big Matt said:


> I had a very similar experience as the original poster including room, view, etc.
> 
> I watched each day as the same people put beach towels down on their chairs at 7 or 7:30 and left them for hours if not all day without using the chairs.  I had one family tell me that they went to Charleston, but wanted to have the seats when they got back for dinner.  Of course the folks running the place never got rid of any towels even though it was clear on the signs that you couldn't reserve before a certain hour.  What a joke!
> 
> ...


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## jme (Aug 26, 2012)

*two issues*



Big Matt said:


> I watched each day as the same people put beach towels down on their chairs at 7 or 7:30 and left them for hours if not all day without using the chairs.
> 
> No restaurants anywhere nearby and nothing at all near the resort.
> 
> Sorry if this pi--ses people off, but I had to post.




(1) Towels on poolside chairs......This problem is actually "other people's behavior", not entirely fault of resort.  Can be remedied, but would take Nazi-like behavior by resorts. OK with me!!!  To date, resorts have tried everything but to no avail. Surely an issue, but shouldn't speak to quality of a resort. More chairs could always be added, but sometimes just WHERE would that be? I have a feeling the problem would remain. Similar at numerous resorts, actually at most, and not just MOW. That's because PEOPLE are the same everywhere......selfish. Resorts are vastly different, people are same! 

Why not have a secret identifying code for name/unit REQUIRED TO BE attached/displayed on each towel placed at a poolside chair, and if there's not a code/ticket attached, then the towels are taken up automatically. No code ticket attached, up it goes. No one would leave towels without ID, because it would mean they'd be losing them.

And, if it DOES have the ID and yet should be unattended a while, it will be taken up and must be claimed at the office, and now they know who you are. If code is present and it was confiscated for selfishness in hogging unattended chair, the guest would be fined(?) or at least reprimanded. At end of week, towel count for each villa could be checked, missing towels to be billed for token fee. Would require a few extra employees which would raise the MF slightly (an imperceivable amount) but imho, it is warranted! Anyway, a thought.

(2) Below is a link worth looking at real quickly, before proceeding.   

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...OWoVBHvxWRw&oq=bonefish+grill&t=h&mra=ls&z=16

 The blue line is the DRIVE ROUTE from OceanWatch resort.  Bonefish Grill is shown (a major restaurant and a great one), and then it's Outback Steakhouse, and afterward the *floodgate opens*. So many restaurants it's hard to choose!!!! All begins within 3+ minutes, ONE MILE, as depicted in print from Googlemaps. Aerial view shows just how close they really are!!!!

Maybe some are unaware, but this is not truly an issue as map shows. Many other Marriott resorts have farther distances. Not a fact that really matters to me anyway, imho. Newport Coast Villas, for example, is one of the most spectacular resorts anywhere, especially in the Marriott system. Maybe my all-time favorite.  Yet it's a long drive to restaurants in nearby Newport Beach. Yet that doesn't diminish the quality of the resort in the least.....or shouldn't...same for Manor Club, also one of my favorites....long drive to restaurants, and especially to Colonial Wmsbg, Busch Gardens, and Water Country-- the major attractions, but that doesn't enter into the discussion of the quality of the resort. 

Second map, showing Broadway at the Beach, a major area at Myrtle Beach for activities, dozens of restaurants, an IMAX movie theater, and many shops. Not a major trip, imho, when compared to many other Marriotts. 

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...AiTHT_cbYanq58g&oq=broadway+&t=h&mra=mru&z=13


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## emmaddy (Aug 26, 2012)

*Ocean Watch complaints*

Obviously, everyone has his own opinion here of what constitutes a great resort. Some of the complaints which are a big deal to some posters are not issues to others. 
We have been to Ocean Watch at least a dozen times and we will continue to go back. Over the years we have seen it become more crowded as it was built-out. This sometimes does result in frustration, especially when other guest refuse to abide by the rules. I find it really annoying when people arrive with more that 8 people and cram 5 generations into one unit. When they exit the room, its like watching the clown car. Although I understand the chair problem by the pool, we almost always find seats any time we go there. Admittedly we spend most of our time at the beach, but we often hit the pool at lunch time and later in the day.
As for no close restaurants, etc. I think that is a plus! The isolation of OW is one of the best things about it. Again a difference of opinion. Try the buckets and beer shrimp and crab, grab a couple of salads or a pizza downstairs and you have dinner without even changing from your beachwear. 
While we're on the subject of different strokes, we traded into Grand Ocean a few years ago highly anticipating what many say is the best Marriott property. We had to wait for our unit and instead of inviting us to go enjoy the pool or beach, the staff rudely told us to "go sit over there and we'll call you when it is ready." Meanwhile we were ambushed by the salesperson who wanted us to buy. Not an auspicious beginning. Our unit was first floor and any view was totally blocked by trees. It was so dark inside we had to keep the lights on all the time. Also, the second bedroom had a view of the stairs, elevator, and a trash dumpster. Not exactly paradise. I understand that traders often get the worst locations so that's the way it goes.
The worst part of our trip though was it was lovebug season (mid sept.) and they were EVERYWHERE. It was difficult to speak without one in your mouth. In addition, the beach was covered with prickly seaweed so deep it was impossible to walk through it with bare feet. Because of some ecology law, they were prohibited from removing it. Since we are beach people, that really changed our itinerary. We rented bikes and spent most of every day riding throughout the island. That was very enjoyable.Okay so this wasn't our best vacation, but we did make the best of it and I did not slam GO as the worst place ever. Things happen; sometimes peole are annoying or you don't get your first choice. Roll with it and if you hate the place don't go back.


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## m61376 (Aug 26, 2012)

jme said:


> (1) Towels on poolside chairs......This problem is actually "other people's behavior", not entirely fault of resort.  Can be remedied, but would take Nazi-like behavior by resorts. OK with me!!!  To date, resorts have tried everything but to no avail. Surely an issue, but shouldn't speak to quality of a resort. More chairs could always be added, but sometimes just WHERE would that be? I have a feeling the problem would remain. Similar at numerous resorts, actually at most, and not just MOW. That's because PEOPLE are the same everywhere......selfish. Resorts are vastly different, people are same!
> 
> Why not have a secret identifying code for name/unit REQUIRED TO BE attached/displayed on each towel placed at a poolside chair, and if there's not a code/ticket attached, then the towels are taken up automatically. No code ticket attached, up it goes. No one would leave towels without ID, because it would mean they'd be losing them.
> 
> And, if it DOES have the ID and yet should be unattended a while, it will be taken up and must be claimed at the office, and now they know who you are. If code is present and it was confiscated for selfishness in hogging unattended chair, the guest would be fined(?) or at least reprimanded. At end of week, towel count for each villa could be checked, missing towels to be billed for token fee. Would require a few extra employees which would raise the MF slightly (an imperceivable amount) but imho, it is warranted! Anyway, a thought.


In Aruba the SC did this a few years ago. The tags are not on the towels, but each guest is given a numbered chair tag on arrival. It hasn't stopped the chair hogs from claiming chairs early and then going elsewhere for hours, and it hasn't increased the policing, but it has cut down on the many guests that double-dipped- reserving a chaise at the beach and at the pool, so they could go back and forth, while one sits empty enjoying the shade of an umbrella or palapa. I think it really made a big difference there.

Personally, I like to sit at the beach, but do love to use the pool. So when I walk over to the pool, we all just find a single empty lounge to put our belongings on for the time we are in the pool. But others had reserved lounges all day for their entire party in the past, and the tag system has cut that abuse down.

I do wish they had a meter stamp type thing though- leave your lounge and get a meter time ticket- if you're not back in 90 minutes, then your belongings can be moved. It would be a bit inconvenient, but would certainly cut down on the chair hogging. In reality, if you have several people in your party, usually someone is there if you are really using the chaises, so it wouldn't be that you constantly had to get a time stamp. Without some objective way of knowing when the lounges were vacant, it is really impossible for security to enforce any time rule.


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## MOXJO7282 (Aug 26, 2012)

emmaddy said:


> While we're on the subject of different strokes, we traded into Grand Ocean a few years ago highly anticipating what many say is the best Marriott property. We had to wait for our unit and instead of inviting us to go enjoy the pool or beach, the staff rudely told us to "go sit over there and we'll call you when it is ready." Meanwhile we were ambushed by the salesperson who wanted us to buy. Not an auspicious beginning. Our unit was first floor and any view was totally blocked by trees. It was so dark inside we had to keep the lights on all the time. Also, the second bedroom had a view of the stairs, elevator, and a trash dumpster. Not exactly paradise. I understand that traders often get the worst locations so that's the way it goes.
> The worst part of our trip though was it was lovebug season (mid sept.) and they were EVERYWHERE. It was difficult to speak without one in your mouth. In addition, the beach was covered with prickly seaweed so deep it was impossible to walk through it with bare feet. Because of some ecology law, they were prohibited from removing it. Since we are beach people, that really changed our itinerary. We rented bikes and spent most of every day riding throughout the island. That was very enjoyable.Okay so this wasn't our best vacation, but we did make the best of it and I did not slam GO as the worst place ever. Things happen; sometimes peole are annoying or you don't get your first choice. Roll with it and if you hate the place don't go back.



Its unfortunate when an exchanger gets a bad room and has a bad week because it can taint and turn off someone to an otherwise beautiful location and resort. I'm fairly certain if you didn't get the dumpster view you'd have a much more positive feeling towards GO. I'm spoiled owning OF and for sure would enjoy it less it were  not for the OF views. 

Also we go last week in August (would be there today if not for my daughter's first year / first week in college) and at different times in Sept and never had the bug problem you experienced so again that experience hurt your overall enjoyment. 

I've seen these reviews from Maui to Aruba and it disappoints me because I want everyone to experience the resorts I own and have the same positive experience which they would I'm convinced if it were not for the bad room placement and perhaps an isolated bug or weather issue.

As for comparing HHI to MB, just to add more of my own .02 cents, OW is a much nicer resort overall, the OF units are some of the best I've ever seen, but overall I have to give the nod to HHI, especially the GO because of location, ambience, and a smaller town charmgoing on.  MB is just a little too touristy for me, and the restaurants from my experience come up way short compared to HHI.


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## jme (Aug 26, 2012)

MOXJO7282 said:


> Its unfortunate when an exchanger gets a bad room and has a bad week because it can taint and turn off someone to an otherwise beautiful location and resort. I'm fairly certain if you didn't get the dumpster view you'd have a much more positive feeling towards GO. I'm spoiled owning OF and for sure would enjoy it less it were  not for the OF views.
> 
> Also we go last week in August (would be there today if not for my daughter's first year / first week in college) and at different times in Sept and never had the bug problem you experienced so again that experience hurt your overall enjoyment.
> 
> ...




 Good points Joe, as always. Especially about wanting others to feel what you feel about places you love. From that, I know you're a genuine guy, which I've known anyway.  But that tells me a lot about your heart.   

Since we've been to Grande Ocean 72 times, we've literally seen almost every villa imaginable, and that includes first floors behind trees and everything else. C'est la vie. 

In my years of traveling, I have learned that a resort's overall appeal is SO MUCH MORE than a room assignment. 

I let that last sentence stand alone, because I feel it's important. Our stays and our happiness are never affected by the villa we receive, whether at GO or Ocean Pointe, Newport Coast, Kaua'i Beach Club, Mountainside or Summit Watch, or Lakeshore reserve....or whatever. We've been to many more, and Europe too.  

What I remember most about trips is what we did, where we went, what we saw, and certainly not where we slept. I've seen dozens of castles and palaces, but couldn't for the life of me tell you what my bedroom that week looked like. I do recall that the ceilings looked a lot alike. And that will likely continue. 

The "resort experience" goes way beyond that, but many seem to judge their vacation purely on what room and view they get, and for that I'm sorry. They forget it's only one week, one time there, so judgments are made.  They're perhaps so chapped on DAY ONE that their week is ruined.......and that's unfortunate. So that ONE SINGLE week is forever tainted in their mind. I also believe that villa assignments across the board seem to even out---good and bad, if there's such a thing. 

And what some stupid 20-something immature desk person said also falls into that category. I just refuse to allow circumstances, or someone else, to control my happiness that way. And, btw, that desk person may not even be there the next week for all we know, and frankly they're a dime a dozen. 

Love bugs and seaweed......hmmm....seems to me like we're invading their space, not the reverse, but those two things are very infrequent if not rare, so that's just nature and not much we can do about it. Perhaps the other 51 weeks of the year are not like that? Actually, they're not. Fall is the season for both. We've been there, done that. We laugh and enjoy the destination anyway, and those things are totally forgotten until I read them here. Life must be an awfully bumpy ride for some, but if that's ever the case for me, I tend to turn and look out the window instead.  

I have a good friend checking out of SurfWatch today, and another checked into GO yesterday----both TUG buddies-----and both kindly texted me to let me know they were there and having fun. Thanks guys. Thanks for sharing! Makes me want to drive straight there, but I'm stuck at home for a while. Sure wish I could trade my backyard view for a view of some hallway with a garbage can at Grande Ocean......I wouldn't even see that can because I'd be running for the surf, and planning a great night out with a bottle of wine and a Cowboy Cut Rib Chop at Santa Fe.


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## Gophesjo (Aug 26, 2012)

I am at Myrtle Beach, staying in my pleasant little timeshare unit about 14 blocks up the street from MOW, so today I decided to walk up the beach to see what was happening at MOW - having in mind this discussion thread.  I walked onto the property from the beach and the best word I can think of for describing what was going on in the pool area was chaos.  The pool had to be reaching its occupancy maximum, and there were only a small handful of chaises that weren't occupied.

There is strong surf and a very high tide today which probably contributed to the number of people in the pool (as they were not in the ocean), but seeing this made me wonder how crazy it must be weeks 25 to 30 or so.

By the way I also walked onto the JW Resort next door and it was much calmer - fewer people in the pools or on the deck.  

All that said, I still am impressed with MOW every time I stroll or drive by.


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## jont (Aug 26, 2012)

*Checked in today*

Like the OP, i just spent a week at Surfwatch an am following it up with a few days at Ocean watch. I reserved 2 nights garden view villa. A few days ago I called ahead requesting the Pine building, highest floor possible.

 We arrived here at 5:30 with no line at the front desk. I was told the room was not ready an when I asked when they expected to be available the young lady said she did not know but asked for my cell # and they would call me when it was ready. Sound familiar? I said fine and asked for a parking pass so I could put my car in the back lot. My wife, daughter and I then walked over to the beachside pool an sat down at the bar for a beverage. No sooner than taking my first sip my cell rings, my reception was fine, and I am told our villa is ready. It's about 6pm. At the front desk I'm told my villa is on the 8th floor of the Pine building,and it's an end unit with a corner balcony. So I'm pretty happy they gave me what I asked for. I don't know if being an owner here helped or not but my experience was very different than the OP's.
Not having stayed here for several years, no back buildings, I was very impressed with the grounds and thevway the property has matured. The negative, as it has always been is the parking, it's very crowded but living just outside NYC this is something i'm used to. Concerning the light bulbs in the restrooms, they are very slow warming up, but once on they are fine, IMHO,personally if it helps save some money on our MFs I'm all for it.The lighting at the sinks seems adequate for shaving/grooming, but I 
have been often told I look much better in low on no light. 
I will check out the pool and chair situtation tomorrow, but I expect it to be very crowded. I will probably start off at the woodsy pool and move over to the beach and beach pool later in the afternoon. 
One final note, all the staff ware very friendly and helpful, typical of the treatment I have always received at marriotts. We had a problem with the tv in the second bedroom and the maintenance man was up in 5 minutes to fixit, a loose cord.  

I'm very sorry the original poster and some others have had problems but what I have experienced and seen today, I am very happy and proud to be an owner at Ocean Watch and I feel it stacks up favorably to every other Marriott in the system.


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## jont (Aug 27, 2012)

I'm at the beach pool now, its 945 and there are plenty of chairs available. there is some chair hogging going on but nothing worse than ive seen at aruba, barony, newport. i expect the pool deck to be filled up in an hour or so. there are staff members walking around keeping an eye on things. so far so good.


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## emmaddy (Aug 27, 2012)

*Timeshare experiences*

Glad to hear things are well at OW. We will be returning in Oct. and anticipate the pace and crowds will be slower than in our summer week.
Some recent posters have questioned others' opinions about their given locations within OW and GO. It seems a bit disingenuous of any Marriott owner to assert that a view/location within a resort does not affect the experience. If that were the case, wouldn't we all be staying at the Bates Motel instead of shelling out thousands to buy Marriott properties? And would there even be view distinctions within a resort?
The location/view certainly does not dictate the overall vacation experience, but get real here, wouldn't you rather see the ocean than a stairway or people constantly walking past your balcony? Also, as an owner don't you expect to get a better location than a trader?
We've traveled pretty much exclusively at Marriotts throughout the US, Europe and Caribbean (just got back from the new Scrub Island BVI resort) and have come to expect a level of courtesy from the staff that is their trademark. When one of these people lets us down, it is disappointing, but does not ruin our week. I think if it didn't bother others, they wouldn't refer to the desk help as "stupid."
Please remember too that many folks get only 1 or 2 weeks of vacation a year, not 11 or 12, so they want those weeks to be as good a possible.  I haven't noticed anyone so upset that they didn't deal with the issues, as most simply say there were some letdowns. I think they have managed to move on and maybe they won't return. But isn't that the way it goes everywhere? If you don't like a store, restaurant, theater, or hotel you don't go back.


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## CashEddie (Aug 27, 2012)

Can someone explain what the chair policy is at OW?  Do guests have a "right" to reserve a chair for hours even though they are not occupying it?  

Seems like alot a fuss over nothing.  The way I roll is if you are not in your chair when I come by, your stuff is getting moved, period.  I had to do this on a cruise ship.  Folks left books and towels on the big chairs for hours.  Waited for a bit and and then moved their stuff.  They come back and complain.  Nothing they could do but get their stuff and get to stepping.  

So let an empty chair be available with a towel in book on it when I get to OW.  I will just politly move those items to the side or give it to an attendant for safe keeping and I will take a seat.  Nothing person can do that is not there. (unless someone explains otherwise)


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## jme (Aug 27, 2012)

CashEddie said:


> Can someone explain what the chair policy is at OW?  Do guests have a "right" to reserve a chair for hours even though they are not occupying it?
> 
> Seems like alot a fuss over nothing.  The way I roll is if you are not in your chair when I come by, your stuff is getting moved, period.  I had to do this on a cruise ship.  Folks left books and towels on the big chairs for hours.  Waited for a bit and and then moved their stuff.  They come back and complain.  Nothing they could do but get their stuff and get to stepping.
> 
> So let an empty chair be available with a towel in book on it when I get to OW.  I will just politly move those items to the side or give it to an attendant for safe keeping and I will take a seat.  Nothing person can do that is not there. (unless someone explains otherwise)



if everybody did that, the problem would go away quickly. Good for you Cash. I'm with you.


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## jdunn1 (Aug 27, 2012)

Hi John.  Thanks for the trip reports.  Hope your vacaton is going well.  Have you checked out the new pool?  Is it open, yet?

Not wishing my life away but I can't wait for next summer when I can go to OceanWatch.

I hope this thread keeps a lot of people away next summer, too. 




jont said:


> I'm at the beach pool now, its 945 and there are plenty of chairs available. there is some chair hogging going on but nothing worse than ive seen at aruba, barony, newport. i expect the pool deck to be filled up in an hour or so. there are staff members walking around keeping an eye on things. so far so good.


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## jont (Aug 27, 2012)

hi jim 
OW is great! wish i could stay all week! new pool is done but not yet open, they are waiting for final city approval. hopefully this week im told.resort is packed but everything is cool!  

New "Serenity Now-Insanity later" pool


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## KathyPet (Aug 28, 2012)

One way to deal with the chair shortage is to do what I actually saw two people do at SKB this past Feb.  Pick up the lounge chair you have been using and take it to your unit.  Yup in SKB the two small pools are close to the villas and these two picked up their chairs (yes they were the SKB chairs not their own personal chairs) and carried them up a flight of stairs to their unit.  Guess that is one way to ensure that you get a chair when you want it.


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## Steve A (Aug 28, 2012)

Like a previous poster we will be at the OW in October (14-21 to be exact). What can we expect in terms of crowds at the resort and in Myrtle Beach? Will the ocean be warm enough to swim in? Any recommendations for villa requests?

BTW, we got this week with a Barony Bronze.


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## Egret1986 (Aug 28, 2012)

*Well, my first thought was "unbelievable."*



KathyPet said:


> One way to deal with the chair shortage is to do what I actually saw two people do at SKB this past Feb.  Pick up the lounge chair you have been using and take it to your unit.  Yup in SKB the two small pools are close to the villas and these two picked up their chairs (yes they were the SKB chairs not their own personal chairs) and carried them up a flight of stairs to their unit.  Guess that is one way to ensure that you get a chair when you want it.



But I can believe it.  

Wow!


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## Gophesjo (Aug 28, 2012)

*Answering Steve A*

Crowds significantly down, and the tail end of the ocean swimming season.  Check out Oktoberfest on the Boardwalk (if you dare)...


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## jdunn1 (Aug 28, 2012)

I wouldn't count on the ocean being very warm.  It may be down right cold, in fact.  Not to worry, though. OceanWatch probably has the nicest pool complex of any mainland Marriott resort.  Unlike the ocean front Marriotts in Hilton Head (not counting SurfWatch), all the pools are heated, too. Maybe LakeShore has a nicer pool complex but I believe that is actually the JW's pool complex?

I think when you go to a summer beach resort in the off season, it is especially valuable to be at a nice resort, and OceanWatch is one of those resorts with so much to do within the resort, you hardly ever need to leave.  Have lots of fun.



Steve A said:


> Like a previous poster we will be at the OW in October (14-21 to be exact). What can we expect in terms of crowds at the resort and in Myrtle Beach? Will the ocean be warm enough to swim in? Any recommendations for villa requests?
> 
> BTW, we got this week with a Barony Bronze.


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## emmaddy (Aug 29, 2012)

We will be there at the same time so I checked and found the the avg. air temp during Oct. is 77 and water temp averages 72 degrees. Not quite warm enough for us, but should be great beach reading and walking. We hope the quiet pool is open by then as well.
If you want a nice daytrip, I can suggest Brookgreen Gardens near Murrell's Inlet. It has beautiful gardens as well as many sculptures and art exhibits. The on-site restaurant is perfect for lunch and you can take a boat ride thoughout the waterways where the guide will tell you the history of the once-rice plantation. Very informative and relaxing.
Traffic and crowds should be minimal this time of year around the resort; although I am not familiar with the Oktoberfest celebration so I may be wrong about that. The place could be hopping! 
I am sure you will enjoy the area and the great resort.


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## jont (Aug 29, 2012)

Steve A said:


> Like a previous poster we will be at the OW in October (14-21 to be exact). What can we expect in terms of crowds at the resort and in Myrtle Beach? Will the ocean be warm enough to swim in? Any recommendations for villa requests?
> 
> BTW, we got this week with a Barony Bronze.



You will most likely get a garden view. they are the lower 8? floors or the back  2  buildings.  each building has 5 units per floor, with the end units having a revised floorplan and a smaller balcony. the 3 middle units have the typical marriott floorplan. 
The Maple building looks out over the woodsy pool and is on the south end of the property, any views, glimpses really, are obstructed by the 3 front buildings and the hotel.
The pine building looks over the wooded area which has the playground, firepit, and putting green. Its on the north end of the property and you have a better chance of seeing the ocean if you can get a high enough floor.. Either build ing is fine and you have a walk to the beach which is similar to the barony garden units.

views from 8th floor of pine building


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## mbeach89 (Aug 29, 2012)

*Re:  Brookgreen Gardens*



emmaddy said:


> We will be there at the same time so I checked and found the the avg. air temp during Oct. is 77 and water temp averages 72 degrees. Not quite warm enough for us, but should be great beach reading and walking. We hope the quiet pool is open by then as well.
> If you want a nice daytrip, I can suggest Brookgreen Gardens near Murrell's Inlet. It has beautiful gardens as well as many sculptures and art exhibits. The on-site restaurant is perfect for lunch and you can take a boat ride thoughout the waterways where the guide will tell you the history of the once-rice plantation. Very informative and relaxing.
> Traffic and crowds should be minimal this time of year around the resort; although I am not familiar with the Oktoberfest celebration so I may be wrong about that. The place could be hopping!
> I am sure you will enjoy the area and the great resort.



What we failed to realize was that an admission ticket to Brookgreen Gardens  is valid for a full week!  Bring your camera!


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## m61376 (Aug 29, 2012)

KathyPet said:


> One way to deal with the chair shortage is to do what I actually saw two people do at SKB this past Feb.  Pick up the lounge chair you have been using and take it to your unit.  Yup in SKB the two small pools are close to the villas and these two picked up their chairs (yes they were the SKB chairs not their own personal chairs) and carried them up a flight of stairs to their unit.  Guess that is one way to ensure that you get a chair when you want it.



Shhhh... don't give away our secret :hysterical: - seriously, don't give anyone ideas, or you may see a line-up of people doing exactly that.
Sometimes human behavior is amazing:rofl:


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## jont (Aug 29, 2012)

KathyPet said:


> One way to deal with the chair shortage is to do what I actually saw two people do at SKB this past Feb.  Pick up the lounge chair you have been using and take it to your unit.  Yup in SKB the two small pools are close to the villas and these two picked up their chairs (yes they were the SKB chairs not their own personal chairs) and carried them up a flight of stairs to their unit.  Guess that is one way to ensure that you get a chair when you want it.



I don't get that. To me it's not the actual chair that's important, it's the location. Why not just pick up any chair from another section of the deck and move it where you want?

Maybe those people liked those chaises so much they wanted to sit in them inside their unit.:hysterical:


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## emmaddy (Aug 29, 2012)

*SKB chairs*

When we were there, not all chairs had cushions on them. Maybe these folks thought they had to take the whole chair. We did see a few people take the cushions to their rooms. Don't know why though since the pool by the Trinity bldg. never had more than 10 people at once and that was in March.
Also thanks for the pic of the new serenity pool and the heads-up about the Brookgreen tickets being good for the whole week. Don't think we realized it when we were there.


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## Steve A (Aug 30, 2012)

Thanks all for the comments and advice. We are looking forward to our week there.

Steve


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## Bucky (Aug 31, 2012)

CashEddie said:


> Can someone explain what the chair policy is at OW?  Do guests have a "right" to reserve a chair for hours even though they are not occupying it?
> 
> Seems like alot a fuss over nothing.  The way I roll is if you are not in your chair when I come by, your stuff is getting moved, period.  I had to do this on a cruise ship.  Folks left books and towels on the big chairs for hours.  Waited for a bit and and then moved their stuff.  They come back and complain.  Nothing they could do but get their stuff and get to stepping.
> 
> So let an empty chair be available with a towel in book on it when I get to OW.  I will just politly move those items to the side or give it to an attendant for safe keeping and I will take a seat.  Nothing person can do that is not there. (unless someone explains otherwise)



The policy is very simple and straight forward. There are signs posted all over the pool areas stating "No chairs can be reserved before 8:30am". That's pretty straight forward to me at least. We just returned from our two week stay today and noticed no problem with chairs before 8:30am. There was usually a staff member around right up until about 8:30am People would start coming down about 8:20 and putting there towels down and then those wanting to would leave and do whatever it is they do.

Now as far as I'm concerned, if I come down at 8:30 and put a couple of towels down and then decide to go across to the JW for breakfast I expect my towels to be there when I return. I don't expect any rude person to think just because they decided to come down after 8:30 that they had any right to touch my possessions! You can play any game as long as you know the rules in advance and these rules are clearly posted for all those to see. Just because someone is not sitting in a chair when you come down gives you no right to their seat!

We've traveled throughout the world and have never seen the chair problems except at the Marriotts! Seems to me like it's just that "entitlement" attitude that people that pay a great deal of money for their units seem to possess.


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## Big Matt (Aug 31, 2012)

Bucky,
I was there in July, and you would have laughed at how bad the policy was violated.  People would come down and throw out eight towels in a row and sit there reading a book at 7:45.  Then at 8:30 they would leave.  Evidently one person was deemed to be the mule that day.  What a joke.  It was blantent right in front of the staff.  There was some of this at the woodsy pool, but no where near as bad.  

Like I said in my earlier post.  Folks would do this and never, and I mean EVER show up until late in the day to take their spots.  Pathetic customer service and enforcement of a simple rule.  Bad for everyone except for the family of eight who used the spots for an hour starting at 4.


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## jimf41 (Aug 31, 2012)

After reading this post and the several that preceded it on the same topic I'm eternally thankful that I'm a beach person.


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## tschwa2 (Aug 31, 2012)

Bucky said:


> The policy is very simple and straight forward. There are signs posted all over the pool areas stating "No chairs can be reserved before 8:30am". That's pretty straight forward to me at least. We just returned from our two week stay today and noticed no problem with chairs before 8:30am. There was usually a staff member around right up until about 8:30am People would start coming down about 8:20 and putting there towels down and then those wanting to would leave and do whatever it is they do.
> 
> Now as far as I'm concerned, if I come down at 8:30 and put a couple of towels down and then decide to go across to the JW for breakfast I expect my towels to be there when I return. I don't expect any rude person to think just because they decided to come down after 8:30 that they had any right to touch my possessions! You can play any game as long as you know the rules in advance and these rules are clearly posted for all those to see. Just because someone is not sitting in a chair when you come down gives you no right to their seat!
> 
> We've traveled throughout the world and have never seen the chair problems except at the Marriotts! Seems to me like it's just that "entitlement" attitude that people that pay a great deal of money for their units seem to possess.



I couldn't tell from your post.  Does the entitlement comes into play when someone moves someone else's stuff or when someone comes along and throws 4 towels down on 4 chairs and then leaves for 6 hours and expects their chairs to be available?  

I'll admit that I throw are stuff on one or two chairs even when I know I will be in the pool for an hour or more and will only use the chairs to sit while drying off but I would never leave the area and expect my chairs to be saved.


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## jme (Aug 31, 2012)

tschwa2 said:


> I couldn't tell from your post.  Does the entitlement comes into play when someone moves someone else's stuff or when someone comes along and throws 4 towels down on 4 chairs and then leaves for 6 hours and expects their chairs to be available?
> 
> I'll admit that I throw are stuff on one or two chairs even when I know I will be in the pool for an hour or more and will only use the chairs to sit while drying off but I would never leave the area and expect my chairs to be saved.



DOUBLE DITTO. 
and thanks, because I wrote a long response and then ditched it because I just didn't want to add my 2 cents this time, but now after seeing your courage, my exact sentiment was that "Exactly WHO has the entitlement mentality?"  Those who come down mid-morning and want chairs too, or those who get up at dawn, put their signature in blood on the chaise chairs, then exit to have a nice breakfast off-site??? 

Charles Dickens' classic novel comes to mind:"Great Expectations".

Campers who don't even spend half the time in their chairs should not think that others are rude to desire them, but should instead realize that they are rude in expecting entitlement for THEIR "all-day chairs".  And then to say it's only "Marriott" people?  wow

no, it's anyone anywhere...and it's called selfishness, which is a universal behavior, unfortunately. Those with "marker towels" at a pool should be IN THE POOL, or in the immediate area, or else relinquish the chairs. THAT is considerate behavior. And it's what we do. Those who say a fair policy should be enforced are exactly right.....guess that would make those returning from breakfast at 9:30 or 10 pretty livid.  But yes, it should be enforced since "children need supervision", and sadly that is an indictment of us all in today's society, not just any one party.


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## jont (Sep 1, 2012)

Chairs are placed at the pool for people USING the pool or sitting at the pool!
They are not put there for people eating breakfast, people spending hours at the beach, people riding bikes, people shopping or sight seeing, or whatever else people do when on vacation.
Do people reserve the best grill all day?their parking space when they leave the resort?the treadmill at the gym? How about their favorite barstool at the pool bar? Of course not! Well, I am sometimes guilty of the last one.
So why do people feel entitled to "reserve" pool chairs all day when they clearly intend to use them only a portion of the time? Has anyone ever had a really bad chair location? I've never seen one facing a dumpster.
Who needs the added stress of trying to get a "good" chair when on vacation. Isn't the whole purpose of taking a vacation to relax?

I just don't get it!


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## mbeach89 (Sep 1, 2012)

I like the policy at Courtyard by Marriott Isle Verde (San Juan).  

The lounge chairs are all stored and stacked in a certain area.  You go there, tell them how many chairs you need.  The attendant(s) carry your chair(s) to your desired location.  When you leave, the attendant brings the chair back to storage area.  No "saving" is allowed.


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## crjask (Sep 1, 2012)

jont said:


> I just don't get it!



Isn't that what I said at the beginning?


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## jont (Sep 1, 2012)

crjask said:


> Isn't that what I said at the beginning?



ya got me!


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## jme (Sep 1, 2012)

mbeach89 said:


> I like the policy at Courtyard by Marriott Isle Verde (San Juan).
> 
> The lounge chairs are all stored and stacked in a certain area.  You go there, tell them how many chairs you need.  The attendant(s) carry your chair(s) to your desired location.  When you leave, the attendant brings the chair back to storage area.  No "saving" is allowed.



There you go. Perfect. Why don't they institute that TOMORROW??? 

It solves everything. But I'd let each person carry their own chairs, unless they can't. Great idea!!!!  No more rude, mean Marriott owners!!! (LOL)


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## SueDonJ (Sep 1, 2012)

jme said:


> There you go. Perfect. Why don't they institute that TOMORROW???
> 
> It solves everything. But I'd let each person carry their own chairs, unless they can't. Great idea!!!!  No more rude, mean Marriott owners!!! (LOL)



Wouldn't that be a somewhat expensive solution, having to pay attendants to be available to lug chairs (for at least the folks who can't lug their own) all day every day?  Why not just remove the signs that say, effectively, that after 8:30AM you can reserve all the chairs you want, and replace them with signs which say unequivocally that reserving chairs is NOT allowed?  What's wrong with establishing a policy which makes it clear that chairs unattended for a certain period of time will be cleared of personal items by security, who already roam the grounds all day every day?

I'm not shy.     I'll say it loud and proud that I am entitled to a chair if it's not being claimed at that moment by someone who's in the pool area.  We all are!


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## dioxide45 (Sep 1, 2012)

SueDonJ said:


> Wouldn't that be a somewhat expensive solution, having to pay attendants to be available to lug chairs (for at least the folks who can't lug their own) all day every day?  Why not just remove the signs that say, effectively, that after 8:30AM you can reserve all the chairs you want, and replace them with signs which say unequivocally that reserving chairs is NOT allowed?  What's wrong with establishing a policy which makes it clear that chairs unattended for a certain period of time will be cleared of personal items by security, who already roam the grounds all day every day?
> 
> I'm not shy.     I'll say it loud and proud that I am entitled to a chair if it's not being claimed at that moment by someone who's in the pool area.  We all are!



I sensed some sarcasm in Marty's response. However; I find the policy and the signs at Ocean Watch to be interesting. Effectively promoting the reserving lounge chairs at the pool, as long as it is after 9:00am.


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## jont (Sep 1, 2012)

jme said:


> There you go. Perfect. Why don't they institute that TOMORROW???
> 
> It solves everything. But I'd let each person carry their own chairs, unless they can't. Great idea!!!!  No more rude, mean Marriott owners!!! (LOL)



matry! 
what are you doing using my post!
don't you know i reserved post #87 in this thread earlier today!
now move your words and let me have MY spot.


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## SueDonJ (Sep 1, 2012)

jont said:


> matry!
> what are you doing using my post!
> don't you know i reserved post #87 in this thread earlier today!
> now move your words and let me have MY spot.



:hysterical: :hysterical:  Funny!


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## SueDonJ (Sep 1, 2012)

dioxide45 said:


> I sensed some sarcasm in Marty's response. However; I find the policy and the signs at Ocean Watch to be interesting. Effectively promoting the reserving lounge chairs at the pool, as long as it is after 9:00am.



Oh. I thought Marty was half-serious.   

IMO the GM at Ocean Watch is really missing the boat here.  That policy practically encourages the types of poolside confrontations that none of us want to see happen.  For example, I might say loud and proud here and in any other rational discussions about it that I'm entitled to a chair that's been reserved by an invisible someone for an unreasonably long time, but at a resort I don't confront anyone about it.  I go and find security and ask them to help me, but at OceanWatch it doesn't appear they'd be able to do anything because reserving chairs for hours upon hours is allowed.  If I owned there, I'd press the GM to develop a fairer policy for all guests.


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## jme (Sep 1, 2012)

SueDonJ said:


> Wouldn't that be a somewhat expensive solution, having to pay attendants to be available to lug chairs (for at least the folks who can't lug their own) all day every day?  Why not just remove the signs that say, effectively, that after 8:30AM you can reserve all the chairs you want, and replace them with signs which say unequivocally that reserving chairs is NOT allowed?  What's wrong with establishing a policy which makes it clear that chairs unattended for a certain period of time will be cleared of personal items by security, who already roam the grounds all day every day?
> 
> I'm not shy.     I'll say it loud and proud that I am entitled to a chair if it's not being claimed at that moment by someone who's in the pool area.  We all are!



No, No,  absolutely no sarcasm (this time)!!!!! I was serious. 

...I certainly think that's a great idea. It wouldn't take ONE attendant that long to haul a couple chairs for older guests, etc, and everyone else could do it themselves. (Attendant could be the SAME guy walking around checking to see if people are crashing Marriott's pool...an employee already there and being paid, btw.) 

And I promise, the resulting situation would be far less stressful. and no one would have to get up at the crack of dawn to reserve anything. Then we could all enjoy a leisurely breakfast. 

and Susan, it's hard to tell which chair at the pool goes with which guest, so you can't tell which chair is being "unattended" by someone off at breakfast, or someone swimming. We don't need to shout out each time we want an empty chair, do we? It's simply too complicated to have to get a security person as you do. Takes too long, ties up security, and still has the potential for confrontation. 

I still say Loud and Proud (gosh, that sounds familiar...did I poach that?) that the solution could be remedied easily with the idea posed by mbeach89. Then, there are no questions asked, end of story, everybody has a chair when they need it. You just have to go out and find A SPACE, perhaps already staked out by bodies on concrete on beach towels, perhaps?????

There's always a way around any rule though...i guess people could still leave the area, so it boils down to trustworthiness and maybe some chair monitoring. maybe it's something that cannot be fixed at all.


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## jimf41 (Sep 1, 2012)

Can't we all just go to the beach.


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## jont (Sep 1, 2012)

jimf41 said:


> Can't we all just go to the beach.



you mean that big thing with all the sand and water that everyone wants to see from their room?
what a great idea!
just don't sit on my sand


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## jme (Sep 1, 2012)

jimf41 said:


> Can't we all just go to the beach.



actually that's what we do....hit the beach in am and pools around 4, and there's always room at both.  Of course, we're at Grande Ocean mostly, either 3 or 4 consecutive weeks in June, and there are three large pools, so we don't experience the big crowd like at MOW because we're there at Myrtle in September only. GO doesn't have the chair problem because it's more spread out.


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## Beefnot (Sep 2, 2012)

jont said:


> Chairs are placed at the pool for people USING the pool or sitting at the pool!
> They are not put there for people eating breakfast, people spending hours at the beach, people riding bikes, people shopping or sight seeing, or whatever else people do when on vacation.
> Do people reserve the best grill all day?their parking space when they leave the resort?the treadmill at the gym? How about their favorite barstool at the pool bar? Of course not! Well, I am sometimes guilty of the last one.
> So why do people feel entitled to "reserve" pool chairs all day when they clearly intend to use them only a portion of the time? Has anyone ever had a really bad chair location? I've never seen one facing a dumpster.
> ...



Preach, brother. This singular post should be a sticky.


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## SueDonJ (Sep 2, 2012)

Beefnot said:


> Preach, brother. This singular post should be a sticky.



No chance, not unless Marriott publishes a chair reservation policy that's consistent among all the resorts AND that's consistently monitored and implemented at all the resorts.

IOW, it will probably never be a sticky.


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## Beefnot (Sep 2, 2012)

SueDonJ said:


> No chance, not unless Marriott publishes a chair reservation policy that's consistent among all the resorts AND that's consistently monitored and implemented at all the resorts.
> 
> IOW, it will probably never be a sticky.



I was being tongue in cheek. But I do love jont's response. Classic.


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## jont (Sep 2, 2012)

*thanks*

not looking for a sticky. just wanted to make a point. all kidding aside, i think whatever marriott does it will make someone unhappy! people are on vacation and so no one wants chair police. but there will always be people who are going to be selfish and take advantage of the situtation. unless some/most people are willing to modify their behavior, it will continue to be a problem during peak times, some places more so that others due to the physical layout of the resort.

btw: anyone who thinks ow is crowded has never spent a summer day on the jersey shore or coney island.


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## CashEddie (Sep 2, 2012)

jont said:


> not looking for a sticky. just wanted to make a point. all kidding aside, i think whatever marriott does it will make someone unhappy! people are on vacation and so no one wants chair police. but there will always be people who are going to be selfish and take advantage of the situtation. unless some/most people are willing to modify their behavior, it will continue to be a problem during peak times, some places more so that others due to the physical layout of the resort.
> 
> btw: anyone who thinks ow is crowded has never spent a summer day on the jersey shore or coney island.



John,

You are telling the truth, my friend.  We were at Coney Island on the 4th of July back in 2010 and the crowds were unreal. Never seen anything like that at any beach location.  

I'm here at Myrtle Beach now staying next door to OW at the Marriott hotel. There are a lot of people on the beach but nothing compared to the crowds that John is referring to.  

Just so you know, they have the same towel drama at the pools next door at the hotel. But, we had our pick of prime beach spots this morning.  I think I enjoy the view from the beach better than the pool!


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## jme (Sep 2, 2012)

CashEddie said:


> John,
> 
> You are telling the truth, my friend.  We were at Coney Island on the 4th of July back in 2010 and the crowds were unreal. Never seen anything like that at any beach location.
> 
> ...



The real problem imho is that OW has such a small footprint as a resort, and they concentrated on villas and not pools. The limited and meager beachfront footage, along with the fact that it's a collection of multiple tall highrises which houses a disproportionate number of guests, along with the limited space to construct a pool complex that accommodates them all, all make for a problem with no current feasible solution.  Marriott took what it could get, a small piece of property that's oceanfront....that's understandable, and it's a beautiful resort, but it has inherent issues because of it. 

Look at the Googlemap aerial view of OW, especially the size of the buildings vs the pools, and you can see what I mean. Same for HH's Barony and Surfwatch....both have extremely small oceanfront footage too (only two buildings wide), but they have perhaps less villas, so the problem isn't as exacerbated. 

Not sure what the answer is, but simple space would have been a good start. Is another oceanfront mega-pool indicated for OceanWatch? I think so.....but it would take a huge expensive effort.  Look at the space available and see what you think......there IS room to eke out something. (also compare the two adjacent resort buildings vs pool sizes) The problem becomes readily apparent just from the photo. 

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Marr...yrtle+Beach,+Horry,+South+Carolina+29572&z=18


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## mlfrancis (Sep 3, 2012)

*they solved the problem at the Aruba Surf Club*



jme said:


> The limited and meager beachfront footage, along with the fact that it's a collection of multiple tall highrises which houses a disproportionate number of guests, along with the limited space to construct a pool complex that accommodates them all, all make for a problem with no current feasible solution.



We own at both resorts.  The ASC has the same issue with too many guests and not enough space.  What has worked very well is the issuance of chair tags - one per guest - that are required when reserving a chair (or palapa on the beach).  Also, the ASC built a new "adults only" pool where the volleyball area used to be on the beach.

OceanWatch is solving the pool problem with the new pool in the woodsy area.  The chair issue could be mitigated with issuing chair tags.  It's working well at the ASC.


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## Beefnot (Sep 3, 2012)

mlfrancis said:


> OceanWatch is solving the pool problem with the new pool in the woodsy area.  The chair issue could be mitigated with issuing chair tags.  It's working well at the ASC.



Maybe it is working well for most, although some might beg to differ.


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## mlfrancis (Sep 3, 2012)

*better than it used to be*



Beefnot said:


> Maybe it is working well for most, although some might beg to differ.



for those of us who have been going for many years, it's much better than the way it used to be.  I can understand someone who has never been to Aruba not liking the system, but for the rest of us it's nice to have another pool (adults only) and more control over the chairs.


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## jont (Sep 3, 2012)

mlfrancis said:


> for those of us who have been going for many years, it's much better than the way it used to be.  I can understand someone who has never been to Aruba not liking the system, but for the rest of us it's nice to have another pool (adults only) and more control over the chairs.



I think they tried that last year according to this thread:

http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153909&highlight=Ocean+watch+pool+chairs

Sounds like it didn't work out too well.


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## dioxide45 (Sep 3, 2012)

I can see how a pool chair tag system can work well in Aruba. Where there are chairs at the pool and chairs at the beach which must be tagged. At OW, the chairs at the beach really aren't under the control of the resort like they are in Aruba. So people would just tag a pool chair and go to the beach.

Another problem with chair tags is that if someone has 8 tags, they will use them all. Even if only 4 people plan to use the chairs and 4 are going out for the day. If they use towels, they are probably more likely to just use four of them.


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## jont (Sep 3, 2012)

*Chair! I We don't need no stinkin chairs!*






How I spent my youth during the summer at Palisdes Amusement Park.
We were lucky if we were able to get a small section of wood deck, hopefully by a cute girl.


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## dioxide45 (Sep 3, 2012)

jont said:


> How I spent my youth during the summer at Palisdes Amusement Park.
> We were lucky if we were able to get a small section of wood deck, hopefully by a cute girl.



But most of those small sections have warm bodies in them. The same can't be said for all loungers at resorts.


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## jont (Sep 3, 2012)

Dioxide
Simple! You get up, you loose your spot!
Oh, that was your towel? It's over my the trash bin.


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## rsackett (Sep 3, 2012)

I wish the resorts would have someplace other than chairs to leave towels and other things on.  Most times I take my daughter to the pool for a swim we are not interested in laying out in the chairs.  We are just looking for someplace to leave our stuff while we swim.  Storage cubes would work fine.  I remember one time at Grand Ocean we left our towels on a chair, when we got out of the pool to dry off they were gone!  No one was in the chair our towels were just gone, very frustrating.  

I think they should put in storage cubes and make the rule: "If there is nobody with the chairs then they are open for use!".  I have been to some crowded resorts looking for a spot to leave our things while we swim, and most of the chairs remain unused for hours with towels on them.

Ray


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## mlfrancis (Sep 3, 2012)

*with the tags...*



dioxide45 said:


> I can see how a pool chair tag system can work well in Aruba. Where there are chairs at the pool and chairs at the beach which must be tagged. At OW, the chairs at the beach really aren't under the control of the resort like they are in Aruba. So people would just tag a pool chair and go to the beach.
> 
> Another problem with chair tags is that if someone has 8 tags, they will use them all. Even if only 4 people plan to use the chairs and 4 are going out for the day. If they use towels, they are probably more likely to just use four of them.



the pool/beach people remove the tags and all personal things after 2 hours - we see them do it all the time.  Just saying that at the ASC we used to have the same problem that exists now at OceanWatch, and it has gotten better in the past few years.  Can't hurt trying at OW.


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