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OceanWatch Myrtle beach ocean-side or ocean- view

D

Dewos

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2019
Messages
42
Reaction score
9
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Resorts Owned
Sheraton Broadway Plantation
Just wanted to get some of the pluses and minuses on both the ocean view and the side.

I understand the view is the father back and the side is the closer building.

Appreciate any insight.
 
Ocean side is in the side of buildings Conch and Scallop closer to the ocean. Ocean View is the higher floors of Maple and Pine set back from the ocean in the Woodsy section. Here is a diagram from @jwalk03
OceanWatch Villa Map.jpg
 
dioxide45 said:
Ocean side is in the side of buildings Conch and Scallop closer to the ocean. Ocean View is the higher floors of Maple and Pine set back from the ocean in the Woodsy section.
Click to expand...
How is the woodsy section; is it an issue to be back so far?
 
Dewos said:
How is the woodsy section; is it an issue to be back so far?
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I've added a diagram. There will be a longer walk to the beach from the Woodsy section. Though parking is easier.
 
dioxide45 said:
I've added a diagram. There will be a longer walk to the beach from the Woodsy section. Though parking is easier.
Click to expand...
I appreciate the insight and picture! - thinking about buying into either ocean side view or ocean view.

Wasn’t sure if there was something better or worse about one or the other.
 
Dewos said:
I appreciate the insight and picture! - thinking about buying into either ocean side view or ocean view.

Wasn’t sure if there was something better or worse about one or the other.
Click to expand...
Oceanside is likely to cost more to purchase and will probably rent for more money if you ever wanted to rent.
 
I like both sections- but if I was buying a week I would buy oceanfront or Oceanside for sure.
 
Dewos said:
Any reason in particular - just closer or are they nicer?
Click to expand...

We are beach people for sure, and they are closer to the beach. All the units themselves are the same- just about the location.
 
While not an owner at Marriott's Ocean Watch, we have stayed there a few times. It is a very nice resort and would be a great place to own.

If you aren't picky, I think you will be happy with either Ocean Side or Ocean View. Both have pros/cons, neither bad. You just need to weigh what you prefer.
  • Ocean Side will likely cost a little extra given its proximity to the ocean/beach/seaside pools. The views do feel closer to the ocean/water. If you do rent, it will likely rent slightly higher.
  • Ocean View will likely cost a little less, given location further from the beach. Maple/Pine buildings are high rise buildings with the top half being Ocean View. As such, most should still have a good view of the water...just higher and further back. It is only a short walk to the ocean, not far by any means. We enjoy the Woodsy area and often select Ocean View now when visiting.
    • We stayed Maple Bldg, 16th floor (top), South corner unit one year. The balcony views were beautiful!
With that said, if you can pony up a little more money up front...Ocean Front is what I would purchase. :)

Last item. I recall Ocean Watch having deeds tied to the "Ultimate Occupancy" provision....where it may be deeded one view but with ultimate occupancy a different view. This was done during construction when some views being purchased were not yet available to book, so owners were allowed to book a different view. You may want to research that a little just to make sure the view you want is what you will ultimately get. Search Tug and you'll find a few threads referencing it.
 
I recently returned from a stay at Maple. It's closest to the best pools on the property and faces the resort's quiet pool. I was able to see the ocean from our 5th floor garden view unit. Parking access is excellent from that building as well. Ocean View in that building would be great, and my personal preference.

If I were to stay at Ocean Side or Ocean Front, I personally would request Conch / Scallop odds (OS) and avoid Starfish (OF). The inner pool area can be noisy with live music during the day.
 
We have deeded Oceanside Gold week. We prefer the Conch tower, as it overlooks the adjacent Marriott property and pools vs the Scallop, which overlooks the Grand Dunes Ocean Club.. both with a decent ocean view from balcony. We've stayed at the back buildings as well, and the higher floors offer a nice, but distant view of the ocean. While the pool there is nice, and generally a bit quieter, the front three buildings have immeidate access to an upper and lower pool, as well as the bar and much closer beach access. If traveling with kids, the back buildings, as I recall have some playground type equipemnt for the kids to climb, as well as a putting green, an indoor pool and exercise room. As we travel without kids, the front buildings are our preference, and we generally get a nice high oceanside room.
 
That is a great view! How busy was the beach it looks pretty empty?
 
Dewos said:
That is a great view! How busy was the beach it looks pretty empty?
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How busy the beach and pool area are at any given time is highly dependent on the time of year and the time of day the photo was taken.
 
dioxide45 said:
How busy the beach and pool area are at any given time is highly dependent on the time of year and the time of day the photo was taken.
Click to expand...
Does the beach get really busy during peak times - I have be to Hilton Head during peak season and the beach is so crowded you are fighting for a spot.
 
Dewos said:
Does the beach get really busy during peak times - I have be to Hilton Head during peak season and the beach is so crowded you are fighting for a spot.
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Yes, pretty much every beach I’ve ever been to gets really busy during peak times.
If it didn’t you wouldn’t want to be there 😂

Try traveling shoulder season/ off peak
 
Dewos said:
Does the beach get really busy during peak times - I have be to Hilton Head during peak season and the beach is so crowded you are fighting for a spot.
Click to expand...
Myrtle Beach is a top tourist destination and OceanWatch is a large resort with a large Marriott hotel also next door. I would expect the beach to be busy during peak season.
 
Pamplemousse said:
Yes, pretty much every beach I’ve ever been to gets really busy during peak times.
If it didn’t you wouldn’t want to be there 😂

Try traveling shoulder season/ off peak
Click to expand...
I have been to plenty of resorts that do a great job at keeping a "private beach" that isn't crowded during peak times. :shrug:
 
Dewos said:
I have been to plenty of resorts that do a great job at keeping a "private beach" that isn't crowded during peak times. :shrug:
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I don’t believe OceanWatch has a private beach in that there are barriers to keep the general public out of the area.
I’m trying to think of where public parking is and also if the hotel has any barriers.
I know I walked a long stretch up and down the beach.
But I’m also not sure why someone would come sit in front of OceanWatch if they are not staying there.
Even with just OceanWatch guests the beach could get crowded during peak times.
As dioxide said Myrtle beach is a popular destination.
I do think the northern location of Ocean Watch is least crowded than further south.

I’m trying to think of MVCs that have private beaches- that would be a good list to make.
 
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Dewos said:
Does the beach get really busy during peak times - I have be to Hilton Head during peak season and the beach is so crowded you are fighting for a spot.
Click to expand...
It’s also busy in late August when the southern schools are back in session.
 
Dewos said:
That is a great view! How busy was the beach it looks pretty empty?
Click to expand...
We were there during COVID in late October 2021 on a MVC points reservation…picture was taken in the morning….We drove from NJ to Myrtle Beach rather than fly.
 
We own several Ocean Side (OS) platinum weeks and use them for family gatherings every year. We have also traded into Ocean Front (OF) weeks usually on the ends of the buildings closest to the ocean.

We prefer our Ocean Side weeks for a few reasons:
1. We think the views are great and are near the equivalent of OF units - "unless" you get a villa on the ocean end of the building - not too many of these. Most OF villas are in the building above the check-in desk with a view out between the OS buildings. So, we prefer OS villas.
2. If you are buying weeks, you will pay less for OS villas than for OF villas - quite a difference.
3. If you rent out, the OF rent for more than the OS villas - but not by much.
4. Why not use points - we can't as we can't get enough concurrent high season weeks for points. Immense demand for reservations at OceanWatch and this is a premier property.
5. OceanWatch weeks are a bargain purchase. Of course, we live in NC and are only 3 hours away.

I had a conversation with a renter once and encouraged him to rent in the three buildings near the ocean. His response was that they were so grateful to go to OceanWatch that any villa was fine for them. He's right and I don't think our 20 grandchildren would even mention the difference. And, I even bought a Garden View villa last year at a bargain price and Platinum season.

Good luck in your deliberations.
 
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