Hilton Head this Week - Harbour Club

[NKN]

Hi. We are here for the week if anyone has any questions.

We lucked out and got Unit 3952 which is the top unit on the west side of the resort. Wonderful views looking north up the inner bay. Interestingly, all of the units in this section ONLY see the bay, we don't see any other of the units on the other side of the resort. The sun sets behind us, in this section.

The downside of the unit was discovered during the night. One of the A/C units on the roof above us was malfunctioning. Cycling on/off in 7 or 12 second cycles, never stopping. And, once heard, you always hear it. But, they checked it out and agreed that I wasn't imagining things. If the repairman cannot come until tomorrow, we'll go sleep in the guest room where it was less noticeable.

FYI:
1. The pool is being re-surfaced this week, so will be unavailable. Though, at the moment it still has water in it.

2. The older model TVs are being replaced this week. Our unit now has three LG models. The LR model has abt a 48" diagonal and the BRs have abt a 30".

3. We arrived at 2pm Sunday and relaxed in the lobby until abt 3pm when our unit was ready.

4. Very quiet here, right now.

5. Harris Teeter's is a great grocery store, just outside the Greenwood gate.


Let me know if you have any questions.


NKN

:whoopie:

 

[jme]

Hi. We are here for the week if anyone has any questions.

We lucked out and got Unit 3952 which is the top unit on the west side of the resort. Wonderful views looking north up the inner bay. Interestingly, all of the units in this section ONLY see the bay, we don't see any other of the units on the other side of the resort. The sun sets behind us, in this section.

The downside of the unit was discovered during the night. One of the A/C units on the roof above us was malfunctioning. Cycling on/off in 7 or 12 second cycles, never stopping. And, once heard, you always hear it. But, they checked it out and agreed that I wasn't imagining things. If the repairman cannot come until tomorrow, we'll go sleep in the guest room where it was less noticeable.

FYI:
1. The pool is being re-surfaced this week, so will be unavailable. Though, at the moment it still has water in it.

2. The older model TVs are being replaced this week. Our unit now has three LG models. The LR model has abt a 48" diagonal and the BRs have abt a 30".

3. We arrived at 2pm Sunday and relaxed in the lobby until abt 3pm when our unit was ready.

4. Very quiet here, right now.

5. Harris Teeter's is a great grocery store, just outside the Greenwood gate.


Let me know if you have any questions.


NKN

:whoopie:

so jealous!

That's a great unit assignment with a nice view. Resort is very quiet at any time. Fun to walk around Harbour Town.

Nice weather finally, hope it holds out, but some rain is forecast---you never know.

my wife is at Grande Ocean this week with girlfriends, I'll join her later in week for long weekend. Can't wait.

Enjoy your time at Harbour Club...it's a well-kept secret among the HH Marriott resorts.

 

[ACP]

so jealous!

That's a great unit assignment with a nice view. Resort is very quiet at any time. Fun to walk around Harbour Town.

Nice weather finally, hope it holds out, but some rain is forecast---you never know.

my wife is at Grande Ocean this week with girlfriends, I'll join her Thursday evening for long weekend. Can't wait.

Enjoy your time at Harbour Club...it's a well-kept secret among the HH Marriott resorts.

INTERESTING LAST POINT. we just checked out of surf watch going back to the UK, have been coming to HH for the last 3 years, staying either at Barony or SW, we were planning next year and noticed that you need far less DP to check into any of the resorts on HH, other than Grande Ocean, Barony or Surf, I came to conclusion that this was due to the fact that these 3 all have some form of bar and somewhere to get a snack. But you pay the price for these facilities. Is there anything else you think stands these out from all the other Marriott on HH. Or would we have just as good a time at any of the resorts? be interested in feedback please

 

[JIMinNC]

INTERESTING LAST POINT. we just checked out of surf watch going back to the UK, have been coming to HH for the last 3 years, staying either at Barony or SW, we were planning next year and noticed that you need far less DP to check into any of the resorts on HH, other than Grande Ocean, Barony or Surf, I came to conclusion that this was due to the fact that these 3 all have some form of bar and somewhere to get a snack. But you pay the price for these facilities. Is there anything else you think stands these out from all the other Marriott on HH. Or would we have just as good a time at any of the resorts? be interested in feedback please

i think the bigger factor is Grande Ocean, Barony, and Surf Watch (as well as Monarch) are all on the beach and have fancier pools. The others are either in Harbour Town or Shelter Cove so they are not on the beach. If you want to be able to walk out of your unit and be on the beach in a minute or two, then Grande Ocean, Barony, Surf Watch, and Monarch would be your choices.

 

[jme]

INTERESTING LAST POINT. we just checked out of surf watch going back to the UK, have been coming to HH for the last 3 years, staying either at Barony or SW, we were planning next year and noticed that you need far less DP to check into any of the resorts on HH, other than Grande Ocean, Barony or Surf, I came to conclusion that this was due to the fact that these 3 all have some form of bar and somewhere to get a snack. But you pay the price for these facilities. Is there anything else you think stands these out from all the other Marriott on HH. Or would we have just as good a time at any of the resorts? be interested in feedback please

Pretty common knowledge now, but Grande Ocean, Barony, and Surfwatch were the three most-recently constructed Marriott resorts on Hilton Head. GO in mid-90s, Barony in late 90s, and SW in early 2000s....They were constructed using the "modern timeshare template" that all major brands use today----i.e., gorgeous villas, big pools, and basically a large resort footprint. That is the whole story in a nut shell.

The long explanation for their differences with the other older HH Marriott resorts would include the beachfront locations, larger pristine pools, indoor pools, hot tubs everywhere, larger sizes of resort footprints, larger kitchens, nicer balconies, Marketplace delis, dozens of activities, villas with very similar features such as layout, decor, furnishings, quality of furniture-----so, essentially the same "look" for the "big 3".

Harbour Club has significantly reduced DC point requirements, making it a highly desirable destination, especially in off-season. But that's GREAT because in off-season, you don't need the ocean or pools necessarily. (Nice but not mandatory.)

And HC is as relaxed and peaceful a location as any you'll find, with a different but "equivalently-desirable" feel, being close to Harbour Town activities, shops, and restaurants. And I particularly like the villa layout---it feels super-big, has a nice flow to the rooms, and it's just attractive! The villas don't have the "cookie-cutter look" like many of the other HH Marriott villas. Serene views of waterway, too.

 

[NKN]

We own 2 weeks at Monarch which we bought several years ago on eBay. We've stayed once, in the unit we owned.

Now, we have stayed at Harbour Club. We've never even viewed the other Marriott resorts on HHI. Just not interested.

We like Monarch and Harbour Club as they are both inside Sea Pines, which is a wonderful quiet section of the island. Both resorts are shaped in a V, facing the scenery: either the beach or the bay. Both resorts are on the small side.

Heritage Club is also at Harbour Town in Sea Pines, but we realized it had less of a view, when we walked passed it this AM.

 

[BocaBoy]

Some of you may remember that last January/early February we spent five weeks on Hilton Head Island and stayed at all 8 of the Marriott timeshares. It was our first time here and I posted my brief evaluations and rankings of all of them in this board. Grande Ocean was our favorite and Harbour Club was number 2, although the Harbour Club stay was very short.

This winter we are back for 6+ weeks, 30 nights at Grande Ocean and 16 at Harbour Club, and my evaluations from last year have been strongly confirmed. For us, Grande Ocean is the gold standard but Harbour Club is our clear second favorite. Given these two, the only other one we would be tempted to return to is Monarch. We start the drive home this weekend.

 

[BocaBoy]

The older model TVs are being replaced this week. Our unit now has three LG models. The LR model has abt a 48" diagonal and the BRs have abt a 30".

Your unit must not have had its TVs replaced yet, because after the replacement all 3 TVs will be the same 48" size. Ours were replaced on Sunday.

 

[NKN]

Yes, they came yesterday. The one in the LR was okay, but other two were replaced.

 

[jme]

amazingly warm and beautiful day today----- that is, for February.

almost 70 and pure sunshine! Two gorgeous days in a row, I'm jealous.

I'm keeping up with it because I'll be there Thursday. Looks like a bit of rain forecast, but we'll see. Lucky you.

And who says this is "off-season"?

 

[DannyMc]

Fireplaces

Another perk in the winter is the fireplace with gas logs at Heritage Club and Harbour Point (A and B floorplans).

 

[pedro47]

Have is the weather in February right now?

 

[NKN]

50s and 60s. Got up to 70 the other day. Rain expected off and on for today and tomorrow. Then back to sun/clouds for a few days.

 

[NKN]

FYI....in case no one has noticed it.....the small club chair in the MBR is actually a RECLINER ! ! !

Sit in it and push back, using the arms of the chair. Not as comfortable as the really big ones, but it does what you want it to do.

Monarch has the same style in their MBR.

 

[aka Julie]

FYI....in case no one has noticed it.....the small club chair in the MBR is actually a RECLINER ! ! !

Monarch has the same style in their MBR.

Yes! we didn't discover this at Monarch til our second visit. I drag it to the living room since it's more comfortable.

 

[Calcio]

Yes! we didn't discover this at Monarch til our second visit. I drag it to the living room since it's more comfortable.

Did not know that. Good thing I decided to read this post!

 

[Quilter]

How warm is the heated pool?

 

[disneymom1]

Do you know what the beach access is? Thanks!

 

[Finntastic]

Good morning everybody. i have a question about the pool. When it is closed for renovation do they have other pools to use. If they do not do they offer you use of another resorts pool if desired. This happened to us the one and only time we went to disney. an alternate resort was available for pool use with transportation iffered. (We walked). we are staying at Surf Watch in March. So excited. Will be first visit.

 

[NKN]

Answers to the pool questions:

1. Harbor club has a very small footprint. Only one small pool, heated to 86 degrees.

2. The pool resurfacing will start this coming Sunday (Super Bowl Day). During the resurfacing, the HC guests can use the pool at the Monarch resort.

3. The closest beach access to the Harbour Club is next door to the Monarch resort. There is a public beach club with a large parking lot and public beach access and a restaurant.

4. The Monarch has a very small parking area and no non-guests are allowed to park there. So any visits to Monarch require you to park at the beach club.

And don't forget, if you are staying outside of Sea Pines, you have to pay the daily $6 fee to get past the Sea Pines gate. If you are staying inside Sea Pines, you get a pass.

NKN

 

[Finntastic]

Thanks for the answer about the pool. Someday I would love to stay at this resort even with a small foot print due to the low DP. As for now we are still travelling with 2 of our 3 kids. Looking so forward to Suft Watch!!

 

[Quilter]

We are bike riders and like to ride our bikes down to South Beach. We always see dolphin feeding very close to shore when we go through the park off Land's End Road.

For a break from the beach there is the Salty Dog, the Wreck of the Salty Dog, other restaurants and shops. More options than the Beach Club at Monarch.

Tower Beach has rest rooms available.

 

[Big Matt]

Some other things to like about Harbour Club and Heritage Club.

Footprint is small - and it never feels like there are people everywhere. Very quiet. Opposite of Grande Ocean

Villas are huge - very large rooms laid out more like true condos than one big room.

Seapines Trolley - in season take the trolley to the beach.

Surprisingly good food choices - breakfast, lunch and dinner all in walking distance and others a quick bike ride away.

For a beach vacation it is Grande Ocean hands down with no comparison other than maybe Monarch. For any other type of Hilton Head stay go with either of the ones in Harbour Town

 

[sui]

Is the heated pool warm enough to use? We travelled to Hawaii this winter, but flying with two little kids from Easr Coast makes it more headache than fun, would prefer to stay in East Coast, my daughter is a pool lover, so I need to guarantee her a pool, will it be a good choice to go to HH in winter if my own interest is the pool? How about Orlando compared to HH? Which one do I have a better chance enjoying the pool?

 

[tschwa2]

When we were at Harbour Club in early April (2013) the pool was heated but it wasn't particularly comfortably heated. When it was sunny and in the mid 60's to 70's which it got to most days it was cool but tolerable during the day. As soon as the sun went down or on the days when it was cloudy and lower 60's it was not tolerable at all. On those days it was hot tub and fire pit days. We were there Easter week and most of the time we were the only family or one of only 2-3 families at the pool. The resort was at 100% that week.