# Ocean Pointe or Oceana Palms



## rovitm (Apr 15, 2012)

Hi everyone,

This summer we are planning a trip to WPB.  Any thoughts as to which would be better to stay? Kids are 12 and 9 yrs old.  Is there a MAZE in both?

Thanks!!


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## Swice (Apr 15, 2012)

*Our boys*

Our boys were eight and ten last summer when we were at Oceana Palms.    We loved it there.     The activities staff was excellent.    The place itself was more upscale than most properties (think JW Marriott vs a Springhill Suites).   

We would go back there in a heartbeat.     

Now, with that said.    Keep in mind this property has a more compact/urban feel.  The pool is smaller for example.    

We went down the street and saw Ocean Pointe.    It is much like other Marriott properties in Hilton Head... More spread out.     Because of the size there are probably more families there at any given time.     

I do wonder about crowding at the pool area once the second tower opens at Oceanai Palms.


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## Quilter (Apr 15, 2012)

If your kids were at either they should have a fine time.   Both are fantastic properties.   However, I'd go for Ocean Pointe if I had a choice.   From there you can walk each morning and evening to watch the boats at the inlet.   You can also walk to Sailfish Marina and hop on the water taxi to Peanut island.   Even taking a family walk down to the Ocean Mall for a dinner makes the vacation so warm and fuzzy.   Putt putt golf.   Shuffleboard.   4 pools.   Outdoor pool table.   

It's all elevators and glitz at Oceana.


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## Smooth Air (Apr 16, 2012)

Hello, rovitm,
Agree 100% with Quilter.
That said, Swice & family had a great time @ Oceana Palms. 
So, you will have a great holiday at either one.
I do not know if they both have MAZE. What is MAZE?  Some kids' activity center? 

I own 2 weeks at Ocean Pointe so I am declaring my bias upfront!
Have never stayed at Oceana Palms but I hear it is a very nice property. 
One thing that would tip the balance for me would be if they have beach chairs/lounges on the beach at Oceana Palms provided by the resort. Do they? They do not at Ocean Pointe. At Ocean Pointe, you can rent beach chairs daily from an independent "chair concession" on the beach. But they are crappy, old wooden chairs and "fixed" wooden lounges that you cannot move around. Also, the thing I really hate is that the "chair guys" come by & take the chairs away at 5:00PM....our favorite time to be on the beach!

If you have any questions about Ocean Pointe, please PM me if you want.

Smooth Air


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## suzannesimon (Apr 16, 2012)

Just the 2 of us went to Oceana Palms for Thanksgiving. Very quiet and sedate. They had Maze but it was mostly Arts and Crafts.  We went over to Ocean Pointe one night to check it out and they were doing the Hokey Pokey, music was blasting, etc. I loved it.  If I were going back with my grandkids, I'd go to Ocean Pointe - no contest.


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## Smooth Air (Apr 17, 2012)

Suzanne:
Do they have beach chairs provided by the resort @ Oceana Palms?

Thanks,
Smooth Air


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## suzannesimon (Apr 17, 2012)

We had to rent chairs from the beach service .


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## Superchief (Apr 17, 2012)

Although there is a beach service at Oceana Palms that rents lounge chairs and umbrellas, complimentary lounge chairs (no frills) are also available. They are usually stacked in the beach area and you can help yourself. Although they are your basic cheap lounge, at least you don't have to pay for them or buy them at Walmart. I find this to be a major advantage for Oceana Palms.

I agree with others that families with children will enjoy Ocean Pointe more than Oceana Palms. As they become adults, Oceana Palms would likely be more appealing. We own at both resorts and enjoy each for different reasons.


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## suzannesimon (Apr 17, 2012)

Good to know.  I didn't know if that stack of beach chairs were free for owners/guests or not.  No one seemed to be using them so I thought they might be for rent as well.


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## siberiavol (Apr 17, 2012)

I am an owner at Ocean Pointe. I much prefer Oceana Palms when I travel without children.  It is newer and more upscale. It is also quieter.

I would definitely take children to Ocean Pointe. There is more to do and has a kid friendly feel. Also there are restaurants and other opportunities for activity close to Ocean Pointe. That is not the case at Oceana Palms. You need to drive to find things away from the property.


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## mindface (Apr 17, 2012)

Quilter said:


> If your kids were at either they should have a fine time.   Both are fantastic properties.   However, I'd go for Ocean Pointe if I had a choice.   From there you can walk each morning and evening to watch the boats at the inlet.   You can also walk to Sailfish Marina and hop on the water taxi to Peanut island.   Even taking a family walk down to the Ocean Mall for a dinner makes the vacation so warm and fuzzy.   Putt putt golf.   Shuffleboard.   4 pools.   Outdoor pool table.
> 
> It's all elevators and glitz at Oceana.




Great to know the things one can do with Ocean Pointe: I just bought 1 week for Ocean Pointe (starting from next year) and I have been the owner of Oecana Palms, which, BTW, has the excellent service and is defintely more upscale (partly because it is newer).


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## Quilter (Apr 17, 2012)

mindface said:


> Great to know the things one can do with Ocean Pointe: I just bought 1 week for Ocean Pointe (starting from next year) and I have been the owner of Oecana Palms, which, BTW, has the excellent service and is defintely more upscale (partly because it is newer).



New owner??  You may be interested in this:  

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OPnewsgroup/


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## mindface (Apr 17, 2012)

Quilter said:


> New owner??  You may be interested in this:
> 
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OPnewsgroup/



How useful is that group (to justify creating a Yahoo account and remember new id and password, and then checking and following it up), considering TUG get a newsgroup here for all Marriott resorts?

And is there is a group for Oceana Palms too?

Thanks.


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## rovitm (Apr 17, 2012)

Thank you.  This was helpful.


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## Quilter (Apr 17, 2012)

mindface said:


> How useful is that group (to justify creating a Yahoo account and remember new id and password, and then checking and following it up), considering TUG get a newsgroup here for all Marriott resorts?
> 
> And is there is a group for Oceana Palms too?
> 
> Thanks.



First, no group for Oceana Palms that I know of.   I think there are only 4 Yahoo groups for Marriott properties:  Ocean Pointe, Grande Vista, Canyon Villas and Harbour Lake.   

You're right--some of the benefits of the OPnewsgroup and TUG are redundant.   At the very least, the benefit would be if the OP Board (our Board members are also members of the newsgroup) ever had to get an immediate announcement to a consolidated group of owners this is one way they could accomplish this.  Another point is there are members of our group who would never take the time to participate in TUG.   They have no interest in a broad internet BBS but they will participate in an intimate group they find comfortable.   The OPnewsgroup has, IMO, created a unique relationship amongst it's owners.   

The primary purposes for the formation of the group was to have immediate contact with other owners.   I knew families would be seeing each other year after year and forming friendships.   Also, how does a timeshare have the same communication owner-to-owner that a condominium has to discuss COA matters?   Marriott controlled the flow of information, it went to them and they responded.   There was no available avenue to talk to other owners.

One of the benefits is getting group info from our General Manager.   Such as, after hurricanes our General Manager has kept us informed via contacting a Board member to say what happened and a plan of clean up.  Our General Manager also responds via a Board member to questions that come up from time to time and are hot topics.

While TUG and redweek are what I consider prime spots for rental and sales ads our members have asked for a way to post ads to other owners.   Like TUG, the ads are not allowed through the "Messages" but they have their own spot in a Database.   This system has been tweaked and retweaked so it functions very efficiently.   Owners will actually help other owners fill a need for a room or a client for a rental.   

A downfall of the group is the same as any bulletin board or blog spot.   There are topics you may not be interested in that become "hot".   There are members who you may find, ahem, annoying.   There are ways around this.   You can elect to not get the emails but only view the group by logging in and reading topics that interest you.   You can also just receive special announcements.  The group was not intended to be a spot to gripe.   It is intended to be a spot where owners can help other owners with their ownership.   It is a closed group and the reason for this is very simple, to confine the feedback of COA matters to those it pertains to--owners only.  On a larger view we didn't want every yoowho on Yahoo to have access.   

There is a wonderful BBS called TUG for all things timeshare.  The OPnewsgroup was not meant to take it's place.


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## Smooth Air (Apr 17, 2012)

[Text re the OPnewsgroup deleted at request of poster]


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## Quilter (Apr 18, 2012)

Smooth Air said:


> [Text re the OPnewsgroup deleted at request of poster]



This is awkward and I'm not quite sure how to respond.  I'm sorry.   There are two sides to every story and TUG isn't the place to iron out OPnewsgroup discussions.  

It's obvious the OPnewsgroup is a bulletin board type group and doesn't work for everyone.   Nothing's perfect.   But it is working for over 500 owners and we receive new applications on a regular basis.   Currently TUG has  285 (56 logged in and 229 browsing).  Of that the Marriott forum has 38 (16 logged in & 22 browsing).   With the OPnewsgroup there is a large audience ready at the click of the keyboard to help with all things OP.


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## funtime (Apr 18, 2012)

*Ocean Pointe by a mile with small children*

I loved Oceana Palms and did a very positive review on the Tugger Review Site.  However, I specifically cautioned in that review that if I had young children with me, I would prefer Ocean Pointe.  Call me crazy but many children have had no experience being on a balcony 20 floors up and in my view too much - negative - could happen if they ended up goofing off on the balcony.  And, Ocean Pointe is more child friendly.  So go for Ocean Pointe.  Funtime


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## pedro47 (Apr 18, 2012)

Our grand kids loved Ocean Pointe when they were 12 & 8.  However, they really wanted to go back to the Grande Vista Resort in Orlando.


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## dougp26364 (Apr 18, 2012)

Smooth Air said:


> [Text re the OPnewsgroup deleted at request of poster]



Ditto except it wasn't about the decor. When things get personal, it's not worth the time. Things should never get personal over a matter of opinion.


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## Smooth Air (Apr 18, 2012)

Quilter,
Well, you brought up the issue about the "annoying" (your word) people in the OP Newsgroup so you opened the door on that one.

Don't worry. I am not interested in discussing what happened.  

Smooth Air


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## Quilter (Apr 18, 2012)

Smooth Air said:


> To FractionalTraveler & any other unhapppy TS Owners who bought from Developer and not Resale:
> 
> You really need to let this go. Contain your vitriol and bitterness. Resale is part of the timeshare market. You knew that, or should have known that, when you purchased from Developer Marriott or any other Developer.
> 
> Smooth Air



The above post was placed just 3 days ago on another thread.   It sounds to me like someone was critical of another Tugger because he posted his personal opinion.

How about letting go of something that happened back in 2006?


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