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Marriott's BeachPlace Towers or Ocean Point or Aruba?

Islnd

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Although I still don't fully understand the Marriott system I love the beach (clear blue waters) and I'm looking to buy at a beachfront Marriott a fixed week during the summer or floating Platinum (Minimum 2bdr). I might even consider EOY.

Anyways, I want to find one in FL because Hawaii is a long trip to make every year, but I will also consider the ones in Aruba (seem to cost a whole lot more...so may skip this location), but prefer FL. Which one do you guys recommend? Again the priority is the water and then the amenities of the resort.
 

CPNY

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dioxide45

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Where do you live? How drivable is Florida? With Florida at least, if you are close enough you don't always have to rely on buying airfly to get to your destination. Though you could easily trade into Ocean Pointe in the summer with an Aruba week. All three of the properties you mention have 2BR lock off. The only think I would caution about with Beachplace Towers is that it isn't as good for small children. The beach is across the street and nightlife is more geared toward adults.

We personally LOVE Oceana Palms now. By the end of this year we will have been there four times this year. They don't have lock offs and there are issues with shade at the pools (buildings shade out the pool by early afternoon), but the pools are not nearly as busy as those at Ocean Pointe and you always have a great view regardless of the villa you are assigned.
 

dougp26364

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Marriott Shadow Ridge
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I haven’t been to Aruba, so I can’t speak to that location, but understand from others it’s a great beach vacation resort. In Florida I’ve been to Ocean Pointe, Oceana Palms and Beach place Towers.

IMHO Beach Place Towers is great if you want a more metropolitan vacation. It’s close t9 the airport, has a lot of shopping, restaurants and night life within walking distance. However, the beach is across the street. It’s a high rise in a small foot print and has a tiny pool deck. More of a hotel feel than resort feel IMHO.

Ocean Pointe has a much larger foot print and a resort feel to it. Ocean side units, if you’re on a low floor (anything lower than 4th floor), will have a lovely parking lot view. Ocean front lower floors will have the view blocked by palm trees. The resort has a nice bar/restaurant, great pool deck and is steps away from the ocean. The beach changes with the yearly weather. Sometimes wide and flat, sometimes it has a sand cliff where the ocean has taken a bite out of it. You need a car as there’s not a lot of restaurants, shopping or night life close to the resort.

Oceana Palms is the newest of the three. Smaller foot print and has a boutique hotel feel to it. Large two bedroom units with one of the best balconies if the MVC family. All units start on the 7th floor so everyone will have some sort of unobstructed view. Ocean front has the best view of course but ocean side still has some great views. Steps away from a wider expanse of beach with the resort providing free beach chairs. A smaller pool deck but a lot nicer than Beach Place IMHO. For my money, if you want Florida and the beach is your primary objective, this would be the resort I look heaviest at followed by Ocean Pointe.

We’ve owned at Ocean Pointe since 2001 and return every year. We love the resort feel and we own ocean front. We’re not big beach people and enjoy the resort feel, so it works better for us the Oceana Palms. We also stay in December and, as owners, have always been able to get a higher floor view. We always make our weeks reservation 12 months in advance, so this probably helps a little.
 

pedro47

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Aruba if you can fly into the country and not be quarantined for seven (7) days.

Beachplace, the beach is right across the street from the resort ; outstanding restaurants in walking distance from the resort.

Ocean Point excellent onsite pools and you can walk to beach. Outstanding resort feel.

Oceana Palms have not stay at this resort; but everything I have read about this resort it is outstanding.

Good luck and enjoy your vacation.
 
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Fasttr

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No interest in Hilton Head Island? Multiple oceanfront MVC's to choose from there.
 

ljmiii

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Although I still don't fully understand the Marriott system I love the beach (clear blue waters) and I'm looking to buy at a beachfront Marriott a fixed week during the summer or floating Platinum (Minimum 2bdr). I might even consider EOY....Anyways, I want to find one in FL because Hawaii is a long trip to make every year, but I will also consider the ones in Aruba (seem to cost a whole lot more...so may skip this location), but prefer FL. Which one do you guys recommend? Again the priority is the water and then the amenities of the resort.

First and foremost if the priority is the water I would buy an EOY week in Hawaii. We own EOY at Waiohai (Kauai) and Maui Ocean Club because we didn't want to commit to Hawaii every year. And nothing in MVC's system compares to Poipu Beach on which Waiohai sits with a snorkeling reef, sandy beach, and extensive wildlife. Ko Olina on O'ahu is a nice resort...but sits on a man made lagoon.

If you are committed to summer I would avoid Aruba. Also while the island offers some amazing waters and beaches from which to enjoy them, they aren't where the MVC resorts are actually located - on a beach with no waves and little to see or do in the water.

As for MVC's FL Atlantic properties, I defer to dougp26364's excellent review on the topic. That said, Crystal Shores on Marco Island is a beautiful resort which serves as an excellent springboard to visit the Everglades...but it is Gulf coast. And while the beach and ocean at the South Beach Pulse are wonderful you can't buy a week there.
 

Big Matt

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I would never buy Hawaii unless you are on the west coast or can get a good direct flight.

I think Crystal Shores, Ocean Pointe, and Oceana Palms are all better choices in terms of the resorts themselves. If you want to be able to walk to a lot of restaurants and don't mind walking across the street to the public beach then Beach Place is your best bet.
 

turkel

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I have only been to Aruba in the summer, it’s fabulous. I can’t understand the comment above about summer in Aruba.

Now summer in Florida, I guess if you like humidity it’s fine. We have only been to Florida once. Stayed at Ocean Point. It’s fine but we quickly learned that Florida wasn’t our cup of tea. Too much blight. Although a return to the Keys is on our bucket list. YMMV
 

elked12

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If clear blue waters are your priority then it would have to be Aruba or Marco Island. Both are spectacular for the water.
 

CPNY

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Although I still don't fully understand the Marriott system I love the beach (clear blue waters) and I'm looking to buy at a beachfront Marriott a fixed week during the summer or floating Platinum (Minimum 2bdr). I might even consider EOY.

Anyways, I want to find one in FL because Hawaii is a long trip to make every year, but I will also consider the ones in Aruba (seem to cost a whole lot more...so may skip this location), but prefer FL. Which one do you guys recommend? Again the priority is the water and then the amenities of the resort.
Where do you live? If you live somewhere that has direct flights to Aruba I’d buy Aruba. It’s a great destination island and easy to rent for above maint fee especially in the summer. Some of the Florida properties may have different floating weeks than Aruba. Good season in Aruba is summer/fall, I may be wrong. I think Aruba are RTU vs some of the Fl properties being deeded. If you want a trader I’d look elsewhere like MGC.
 

HDiaz1

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Although I still don't fully understand the Marriott system I love the beach (clear blue waters) and I'm looking to buy at a beachfront Marriott a fixed week during the summer or floating Platinum (Minimum 2bdr). I might even consider EOY.

Anyways, I want to find one in FL because Hawaii is a long trip to make every year, but I will also consider the ones in Aruba (seem to cost a whole lot more...so may skip this location), but prefer FL. Which one do you guys recommend? Again the priority is the water and then the amenities of the resort.

I would say look at Marriott Legends Edge in Panama City beach. It’s not a beach resort but within a short drive to St. Andrews state park. Florida panhandle beaches are as nice as the ones in the Caribbean. White sand beach, emerald clear water. They’re my favorite in the states.
Someone else mentioned Ocean Pointe in Palm Beach. The beach is good, the resort is outstanding. The pools are great. I was there in July and loved it.
 

jwalk03

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If you are interested in several Florida destinations make sure whatever you buy is a member of the Florida Club so you can exchange to several other Florida locations without having to trade through Interval.
 

TheTimeTraveler

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If you are interested in several Florida destinations make sure whatever you buy is a member of the Florida Club so you can exchange to several other Florida locations without having to trade through Interval.


Actually, Marriott has five resorts which are connected with the Florida Club as listed below;

All of the units at Marriott's Legend's Edge, Marriott's Ocean Pointe, Marriott's Beach Place, Marriott's Villas at Doral, and some of the units at Marriott's Grande Vista.

By owning any of these resorts you are allowed to reserve directly at the other four member resorts. The restrictions are you have to reserve in the same season, and like for like (i.e. two bedroom for two bedroom, one bedroom for one bedroom, studio for studio).

May be worth looking into!



.
 

ljmiii

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I have only been to Aruba in the summer, it’s fabulous. I can’t understand the comment above about summer in Aruba.
Too hot for me...Dec/Jan/Feb in Aruba is warm enough, thank you. Few summer showers to cool things off either. But obviously, OP's mileage may vary.
 

Dean

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Although I still don't fully understand the Marriott system I love the beach (clear blue waters) and I'm looking to buy at a beachfront Marriott a fixed week during the summer or floating Platinum (Minimum 2bdr). I might even consider EOY.

Anyways, I want to find one in FL because Hawaii is a long trip to make every year, but I will also consider the ones in Aruba (seem to cost a whole lot more...so may skip this location), but prefer FL. Which one do you guys recommend? Again the priority is the water and then the amenities of the resort.
If you want the beach I'd do HHI beachfront as my first choice. For FL I'd put Crystal Shores as the best beach option though it's further south. And don't forget Grande Dunes in MB. I'm not sure what amenities you want, most don't have restaurants and some are closer to shopping and restaurants than others. Realize that summer will not be the highest season for any of the areas on your list but it is for HHI.
 

Big Matt

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Florida Club is only available six months after the reservation window opens (five months for consecutive weeks). You can only trade like for like or down in terms of villa size. If you buy Legends Edge or Doral they only have 2BR so by the time six months have elapsed, you may not get a 2BR at Ocean Pointe or Beach Place. I've had good luck swapping my Grande Vista (MGR in II) for 1BR and Studio at both Ocean Pointe and Beach Place.
 

TheTimeTraveler

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Florida Club is only available six months after the reservation window opens (five months for consecutive weeks). You can only trade like for like or down in terms of villa size. If you buy Legends Edge or Doral they only have 2BR so by the time six months have elapsed, you may not get a 2BR at Ocean Pointe or Beach Place. I've had good luck swapping my Grande Vista (MGR in II) for 1BR and Studio at both Ocean Pointe and Beach Place.


I believe the reservation window is seven months for consecutive weeks, and six months for one week.




.
 

Dean

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Florida Club is only available six months after the reservation window opens (five months for consecutive weeks). You can only trade like for like or down in terms of villa size. If you buy Legends Edge or Doral they only have 2BR so by the time six months have elapsed, you may not get a 2BR at Ocean Pointe or Beach Place. I've had good luck swapping my Grande Vista (MGR in II) for 1BR and Studio at both Ocean Pointe and Beach Place.
Seven months? for concurrent or consecutive.
 

dioxide45

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I believe the reservation window is seven months for consecutive weeks, and six months for one week.




.
Seven months? for concurrent or consecutive.
Yes, seven months when making concurrent or consecutive reservations from one ore more ownerships. You can't lock off and book back to back or consecutively at 7 months with a single ownership. At least theoretically.
 

Big Matt

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Seven months from check in. Five months from the first date you can reserve (if you would do so 12 months out). The point is that you can't do it at 12 months out.
 

Big Matt

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Yes, seven months when making concurrent or consecutive reservations from one ore more ownerships. You can't lock off and book back to back or consecutively at 7 months with a single ownership. At least theoretically.
You can buy Doral, for example and do a virtual lock off by splitting it into a studio and 1BR at GV, OP, or BP. I don't think that allows you to do the 7 months out though. Is that your understanding?
 

Dean

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You can buy Doral, for example and do a virtual lock off by splitting it into a studio and 1BR at GV, OP, or BP. I don't think that allows you to do the 7 months out though. Is that your understanding?
That is my understanding also but I don't understand the 5 month reference. It's 6 or 7 months from date of reservation regardless of when the season opens. It also must be the same Marriott season (i.e. Platinum) as one owns.
 

dioxide45

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You can buy Doral, for example and do a virtual lock off by splitting it into a studio and 1BR at GV, OP, or BP. I don't think that allows you to do the 7 months out though. Is that your understanding?
Yes, that is the understanding. You can only use 7 months if you are using separate weeks of ownership.
 

Islnd

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Thanks for all the responses.

For me again water clarity is key. Looking for something as close as you would get near Seaside/Destin/Ft Walton/Rosemary beaches.....white sand beach, blue/emerald clear water so I don't think Hilton Head or east coast beaches would work. I don't get the popularity of HHI. All my trips to east side beaches have been disappointing because the water is murky/brownish. If Turks wasn't so expensive to get to that is where I would go every year. I live east TX so buying in Hawaii is not an option even if it is EOY. Have been multiple times, and we would go about every 5-7 years, but I would not buy there unless I lived on the west coast.

With regards to summer trips to FL or Aruba we normally do them early June so I guess technically is not "summer" yet, but I get the comments regarding humidity and heat. We travel early June.

So looks like I should concentrate on:
  • Aruba (are both the same?)
  • Ocean Pointe
  • Crystal Shores Marco Island? (Did not know about this one)
 
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