• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Hilton Head - which are really oceanfront?

sueoz

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
166
Reaction score
4
Points
378
Location
Mattapoisett, MA
Hi - planning a trip which includes my 3 year old granddaughter. My daughter has stayed at Grande Ocean and loved that it was on the beach. We are trying to find that for this trip with the little one. Are Barony and Surfwatch actually on the beach also? Are they as close to the beach? Does the proximity to Sea Pines make Grande Ocean a more attractive choice?

An indoor pool would be great, too. Do they all have them? I tried to tell by Marriott's website and I wasn't sure. Thanks for any help. Any of you who have gone with young ones - do you have a favorite?
Sue
 

pedro47

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
22,068
Reaction score
8,532
Points
948
Location
East Coast
GO and Barony are oceanfront on the beach. The Barony has a very nice indoor pool. We have not stay at Surfwatch no comments. Our first choice is GO and you are right around the corner from Sea Pines Plantation.
 

applegirl

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
1,542
Reaction score
6
Points
248
Location
Apple Valley, CA
This is a great question and I hope more will chime in who have stayed at Marriotts on HHI.

Janna
 

Big Matt

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
6,145
Reaction score
1,607
Points
599
Location
Northern Virginia
Barony: Definitely on the ocean. Only a walk over the dunes separates you. However, Gardenview Units are quite far and you have to walk either through the Westin arrival area or through the parking lots at Barony's welcome area and through the grounds.

Grande Ocean: Right on ocean with no unit being more than 300 yards from the sand. Ocean view buildings are very close to the sand.

Monarch: complex is right on the ocean

Surfwatch: Wildlife refuge/swamp in between resort complex and ocean, but no roads to cross. Units are pretty far back from beach, many have ocean views.
 

sandytoes

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2005
Messages
484
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
State College, Pennsylvania (Penn State)
Monarch is the closest to the beach in general. We love Monarch but if you are going with a lot of people the units are smaller then the others on the island. I love the quaint updated decor. As a couple they are perfect. Monarch does not have as many things to do. There is no indoor pool. Some of the programs are actually held at Grande Ocean. I think every room would have a view of the ocean if the trees are not in the way. Monarch is inside the Sea Pines Gate. You will have to pay the $5.00 entrance fee the first time you enter, but then you will be given a pass for the remainder of the week.

Grande Ocean is large. Lots of buildings, grounds, pools and things to do. The units are spacious but not all will have Ocean views . . .at least that is what I remember. There is an indoor pool but it did not look too appealing to me. While we have a good time at GO I am not a hugh fan as I suspect it is very crowded during peak times. A real plus is that is is next to Sea Pines and you can get a pass to come and go. Sea Pines has lots of bike trails and things to see and do. You have to rent bikes while you are there for at least a day if not the week. It is not expensive and you can even ride on the beach.

We toured Surfwatch and will be staying there in January. To me it is the most upscale of all Marriotts I have seen. I loved the units and the main building (rocking chairs on the front porch). I was told they are trying to make it more of a "spa" vacation with elaborate workout and (I think) massage area. The grounds are lovely. There is a very nice looking indoor pool with a lot of glass that can be opened up in good weather so that you feel you are out side but under a canopy. The back units have a view of a pond, the middle units surround a very nice pool and you may have a peak of the ocean, the front units are considered ocean front but are not real close to the ocean. There is a board walk that takes you to the ocean. The walk is interesting as you walk over a marsh area that has lots of wild life. If walking is an issue Marriott has a golf cart that shuttles people back and forth to the beach. The walk in my opinion is nice and not that long. At the end of the board walk right next to the ocean is another pool area and cabana. I loved this resort when we toured it and look forward to our stay in January.

Barony . . we also be staying there in January but that is all I know. We wanted to try all the ocean front units.

Hilton Head is definitely one of my favorite beach locations. You will not go wrong with any Marriott. They all have their own "personality" . . . ENJOY!
 

SueDonJ

Moderator
Joined
Jul 26, 2006
Messages
16,612
Reaction score
5,778
Points
1,249
Location
Massachusetts and Hilton Head Island
Resorts Owned
Marriott Barony Beach and SurfWatch
I've only seen Surfwatch, Barony and GO, and the way I see it, unless you've reserved your own oceanFRONT unit in any of the three, you won't be directly on the ocean. Surfwatch's closest building to the beach is separated from the ocean by marsh more than the other two resorts, but the walk on the boardwalk takes three minutes tops. GO's and Barony's are closer but there is still a boardwalk - protected dunes line the ocean at all three resorts.

Now if you're not in an oceanfront unit, Barony's furthest buildings (behind the Westin) are the most remote, Surfwatch's second and then GO. But in my opinion, the stroll through Surfwatch's property to the beach is the most pleasant, by far. GO felt very crowded and less "green" to me (honestly, all I remember is blah gray concrete, except for that beautiful butterfly bush just before the boardwalk), Barony is more colorful but you have to navigate that oceanfront pool area. Surfwatch is just exactly my idea of a relaxing paradise.

At any of the three I'd call and request a high floor unit, because the tree lines might block your view.

Now you wait, somebody is going to come in here screaming, "Surfwatch is NOT on the ocean!", guaranteed. It happens every time this subject comes up!

Susan
 

pcgirl54

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,810
Reaction score
23
Points
423
Location
Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Barony Beach
I am at Monarch now and have stayed at GO ad Barony. Monarch rooms are smaller that the others.Sea Pines is a great location. No indoor pool but 3 pools outside and a kiddie pool. Lap pool is heated. You are where the best bikes paths are and at Harbortown there is a playground. There are plenty of on site activites and your are near many restaurants on Pope Ave. Wifi is good here. 2nd bedroom is twin beds,

I have no desire to stay at Surfwatch as it is furthest from the beach. I would stay there only for the 3bd if our sons were visiting.

Barony is my favorite. Tot pools,indoor pool,spa,great gym and nice large lobby. It is at the quieter North end of the island. Love the beach at the heel. 2nd bedroom is a master suite in the garden villas but the buildings 2nd bedroom are two double or queen beds. Nice Marketplace center and many activites. They have everything I want at this resort.

GO near Coligny Circle/Pope Ave. More buildings than the others and many activites.
 

SueDonJ

Moderator
Joined
Jul 26, 2006
Messages
16,612
Reaction score
5,778
Points
1,249
Location
Massachusetts and Hilton Head Island
Resorts Owned
Marriott Barony Beach and SurfWatch
Let's see if this works for perspective.

This is the boardwalk from Surfwatch's closest building to the oceanfront pool area. From there it is another short boardwalk over the dunes.
DSC01169.jpg


Barony Beach from the ocean
DSC01664.jpg


GO from the ocean
DSC01632.jpg


I couldn't resist - this is that fabulous butterfly bush!
DSC01624.jpg


I think you can't go wrong with any of them, actually, but you have to see all three to pick your favorite!

Susan
 

gottspd

newbie
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
107
Reaction score
0
Points
176
Location
DC Metro
Hi there.

We've stayed at GO, Surfwatch and Barony. I really loved the location of GO, it's close to many of the restaurants (both inside and outside of Sea Pines) and it is very child friendly. My wife and I had a great time. I thought the SW units were gorgeous, but it was just too far to walk to the beach. Barony was very nice, but my fear there is that we'd end up in a garden unit, which would make the walk to the beach further for us then we'd like. I just traded Cypress Garden for Labor Day week 2009 at GO! I can't wait!
 

sueoz

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
166
Reaction score
4
Points
378
Location
Mattapoisett, MA
Wow! You guys are great. All these replies have helped a lot. Now I just have to hope for a trade.

Thanks again,
Sue
 

mish

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2007
Messages
68
Reaction score
7
Points
368
Location
new york
Wow! Those pictures were great! I own at the Surfwatch, and have toured the Barony Beach. The above comment about Surfwatch being the more upscale is true- mostly because it is the newest of the Marriott resorts. I love the Boardwalk- you'll always see all age groups looking over the side to watch the critter life below. It is fascinating! Great learning experience for kids and adults. You have a nice view of the ocean on the upper floors for the ocean front and oceanside units. The garden view units have a nice view of a large pond (where kids can fish) and other ground areas. It's very serene, and surprisingly quiet even with the number of young children around. The walk from most units across the boardwalk to the ocean is only about 3 minutes...if you don't stop to peer over the sides! And there are many golf cart shuttles anxious to pick you up and transport around the resort.
Mish
 
Top