Grande Ocean in the new normal

[normab]

So we just spent a week at Grande Ocean post lockdown. Observations of the current status as things are still evolving...

1. Checkin had a shield now and hand sanitizer. All employees wear masks
2. Supplies. No pads or pens in the room. They are available on request. Only box of tissues and 2 rolls of toilet paper per bathroom. On checkin we were told we could ask for more paper goods but there was some limit. With only two of us this was fine but it’s a change from the past.One box of detergent. This is the quite different from other recent stays where we were given several boxes or a large bottle of liquid detergent. Limiting supplies is probably about not having things in the room from guest to guest.....
3. Only three buildings were in use. The two large pools were open with socially distanced lounge chairs. The grills were in use. Hot tubs and recreational facilities were closed.
4. Your room will not be cleaned even if you are here for two weeks. Suck it up.
5. It’s taking much longer for room cleaning, which is understandable. Our room wasn’t ready until 4:30.
6. Few guests wearing masks, even at the stores. Employees are wearing them.

We haven’t been to Grande Ocean in several years. Some things that we grumbled about but managed to survive despite .

1. Uncomfortable chairs at pool. Quality brand, Tropitone, but not comfortable at all. Since we spent most of our time on the beach it wasn’t a big problem.
2. Terrible phone reception. We were in the Dolphin building and could not use our phones to talk inside. Had to go outside on the balcony. Even at the pool I was getting spotty reception. Arghhh. How can owners put up with this?

What we liked.

1. One change made me happy. No grungy, germy, yucky throw pillows. I am not a fan of these anywhere, ever, so I hope they disappear forever.
2. The beach is nice and large. Plenty of room for all the crazed out-of-quarantiners to spread out.
3. With the social distancing there were plenty of umbrellas at the pool.
4. Even though there are no food outlets open yet, they had food trucks over the weekend in the afternoons.
5. We forgot they give passes to Sea Pines, which we enjoyed. We typically pay so it was nice.
6. Units are large but for two people it doesn’t really matter.
7. Nice to be ocean front and sort of have a view....
8. We could see they were doing work In/on the buildings not in use. Great use of down time.

It was great to get away and enjoy the beach after having to cancel multiple vacation weeks due to covid. Hope others are able to take advantage also.

Norma

 

[needvaca]

Thanks for the update. We’re going next week.
Which 3 buildings are open?
Are all the pools open?
Are hot tubs open?

 

[HudsHut]

Thank you for the first hand information. Were pool towels at the pool, or in the unit?
I'm planning to rebook our summer vacation, and have been keeping an eye on MGO.
I am glad that your week was enjoyable.

 

[ilene13]

If the grills were in use, were they being cleaned and sanitized after each guest used it?

 

[qlaval]

A few pictures would be nice...

 

[Quilter]

. . .

1. Even though there are no food outlets open yet, they had food trucks over the weekend in the afternoons. . .

I learned a lesson while SIP for 6 weeks at DD’s. Be sure to know where the food truck originates. We walked in her neighborhood and saw a taco truck sitting in the driveway of a house that had all kinds of junk in the yard and on the porch. I asked DH if he would eat anything from the kitchen of that house. Not sure but I figured the inside didn’t look much different than the outside.

 

[normab]

Thanks for the update. We’re going next week.
Which 3 buildings are open?
Are all the pools open?
Are hot tubs open?

Not sure which buildings, but we are in Dolphin, and the clerk said the open buildings are all oceanfront. There are 4 ocean front buildings...
North pool, south pool and indoor pool are open.
Hot tubs closed still.

Thank you for the first hand information. Were pool towels at the pool, or in the unit?
I'm planning to rebook our summer vacation, and have been keeping an eye on MGO.
I am glad that your week was enjoyable.

Towels are in the unit.
Definitely rebook!

If the grills were in use, were they being cleaned and sanitized after each guest used it?

....

We were told only 2 grills were open in each area and they are sanitized between uses. We saw more than that in use last evening. Not sure how they know when to come and sanitize....draw your own conclusion...

 

[normab]

I learned a lesson while SIP for 6 weeks at DD’s. Be sure to know where the food truck originates. We walked in her neighborhood and saw a taco truck sitting in the driveway of a house that had all kinds of junk in the yard and on the porch. I asked DH if he would eat anything from the kitchen of that house. Not sure but I figured the inside didn’t look much different than the outside.

I’m not advocating eating the food, just sharing the info...and, have you ever seen the hoarding shows? Many times the houses look pretty okay from the outside...You could always ask the front desk how they vet the trucks...

 

[Superchief]

I saw that the Planet Fitness facilities in South Carolina reopened Sunday, including the one in Bluffton. I would expect the fitness centers at MVC HH resorts to open soon.

 

[Big Matt]

That sounds like a pretty good compromise to me. I'm going Sunday to Sunday including July 4th. I'm hoping 4 weeks opens more stuff.

Thank you for the update.

 

[tompk]

Thanks for the update, heading to GO on Saturday.

 

[itrainu]

We are at Grande Ocean now for three weeks. Will not have our room cleaned for the entire three weeks, which seems ridiculous...but oh well. Much of the island is open and chugging along.......Marriott staff seems minimal.....LOTS of people on the beaches.....

Not sure which buildings, but we are in Dolphin, and the clerk said the open buildings are all oceanfront. There are 4 ocean front buildings...
North pool, south pool and indoor pool are open.
Hot tubs closed still.



Towels are in the unit.
Definitely rebook!



We were told only 2 grills were open in each area and they are sanitized between uses. We saw more than that in use last evening. Not sure how they know when to come and sanitize....draw your own conclusion...

No sanitizing going on....We were in line to use the grills, and just used one after someone finished. Whole grill thing is pretty ridiculous....By not having more grills open, it is causing people to hang closer (this is their goal according to documentation).

 

[pedro47]

We are at Grande Ocean now for three weeks. Will not have our room cleaned for the entire three weeks, which seems ridiculous...but oh well. Much of the island is open and chugging along.......Marriott staff seems minimal.....LOTS of people on the beaches.....

No sanitizing going on....We were in line to use the grills, and just used one after someone finished. Whole grill thing is pretty ridiculous....By not having more grills open, it is causing people to hang closer (this is their goal according to documentation).

So each new week you will receive fresh new linen, towels ,wash cloths, soap, kitchen detergent, dishwasher detergent and paper products correct; left at your front correct in a paper bag or a plastic bag.
.
Housekeeping will give you a large plastic bag for soil linen and towels. That you will place at the front door for housekeeping to pick up correct.

 

[itrainu]

So each new week you will receive fresh new linen, towels ,wash cloths, soap, kitchen detergent, dishwasher detergent and paper products correct; left at your front correct in a paper bag or a plastic bag.
.
Housekeeping will give you a large plastic bag for soil linen and towels. That you will place at the front door for housekeeping to pick up correct.

I have no idea how this will work, when the week ends. The staff at front desk was clueless when we checked in. Going to go talk to them today, since Holiday is over. I would assume that is how it will work. Hoping by the third week, this procedure has readjusted..........

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

So we just spent a week at Grande Ocean post lockdown. Observations of the current status as things are still evolving...

1. Checkin had a shield now and hand sanitizer. All employees wear mask.
2. Your room will not be cleaned even if you are here for two weeks. Suck it up.
3. It’s taking much longer for room cleaning, which is understandable. Our room wasn’t ready until 4:30.
4. Few guests wearing masks, even at the stores. Employees are wearing them.

Thank you for posting the operational details of your stay and your evaluations of your usage and enjoyment .

Staff wearing masks and not entering a suite while being used by a guest makes sense .
1 ) MVC (and likely other TS) do not wish to incur unnecessary liability .
2) IMO - most guests and staff are probably more comfortable with fewer unneeded close contact interactions .

 

[Dean]

1. Terrible phone reception. We were in the Dolphin building and could not use our phones to talk inside. Had to go outside on the balcony. Even at the pool I was getting spotty reception. Arghhh. How can owners put up with this?

I assume you're talking cell phones and HHI in general tends to have poor reception though it varies with the company and locations. Last few trips we've had combination of Sprint and AT&T and at MGO, one worked well and the other didn't then at Surfwatch it was reversed. Last trip some of us had T-Mobile and no one had Sprint at MGO but I don't recall the comparison. I'm not sure that owners have much control over this situation.

 

[normab]

I assume you're talking cell phones and HHI in general tends to have poor reception though it varies with the company and locations. Last few trips we've had combination of Sprint and AT&T and at MGO, one worked well and the other didn't then at Surfwatch it was reversed. Last trip some of us had T-Mobile and no one had Sprint at MGO but I don't recall the comparison. I'm not sure that owners have much control over this situation.

You are probably correct, but we have stayed at SurfWatch, Barony and Monarch and haven’t had the same issue.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

We are at Grande Ocean now for three weeks. Will not have our room cleaned for the entire three weeks, which seems ridiculous...but oh well. Much of the island is open and chugging along.......Marriott staff seems minimal.....LOTS of people on the beaches.....

No sanitizing going on....We were in line to use the grills, and just used one after someone finished. Whole grill thing is pretty ridiculous....By not having more grills open, it is causing people to hang closer (this is their goal according to documentation).

I assume you are handling the dials, and using the handle to open/close the grill. With that said, please be sure to wear gloves when using the grills. If people are hanging out there then wearing masks may be in order.

I look at using the grill handle and grill controls like using a self service gas pump with a credit card keypad. And I always wear gloves when I buy gas......

I worry less about the grill surface itself as the high heat should "cook" any virus that may be lingering on the cooking surface.




.

 

[Dean]

You are probably correct, but we have stayed at SurfWatch, Barony and Monarch and haven’t had the same issue.

I looked up the cell tower locations and it looks like T-Mobile should have the best coverage at MGO with AT&T fairly close and Verizon much worse if that information was accurate. When we were at Surfwatch a few years ago one of us only had service if we went to the main lobby and outside, I'm thinking that was Sprint rather than AT&T but it was one or the other.

 

[Lisa8192]

Is the pool bar open?


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[JanT]

The absolute most important question to be answered!

Is the pool bar open?


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[normab]

Yes, from 1 to 5, but they close if it rains.....those double painkillers are great...

 

[pedro47]

To the OP, have you started your second week at the resort? Did you receive new linens, towels, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergents, paper products toilet tissue, etc.,

 

[normab]

We didn’t stay for two weeks, I was just quoting what we were told upon Check in. We ended up requesting dishwasher detergent and a pad, and they were delivered immediately. So even if you have to request things, you won’t wait long....

 

[dioxide45]

No sanitizing going on....We were in line to use the grills, and just used one after someone finished. Whole grill thing is pretty ridiculous....By not having more grills open, it is causing people to hang closer (this is their goal according to documentation).

This seems to be an issue at other resorts and even things outside of travel (beaches). At one time Grande Vista had only the pool by building 91 open. Perhaps the smallest pool on property. Counties opening a single beach is the same thing. People all try to cram in to a small space which negates the ability to social distance. Here at Oceana Palms, they have one grill at each building open. I looked at the grill setup at Sunrise and there are three. They could easily have two of them open and people be more than six feet apart. Of course, I doubt the grills are getting much use anyway given occupancy levels.