We have been to all four and I have also done quite a few
videos on each of the properties with more to come. Here is my assessment of each one;
Grande Ocean - Great location with easy access to and Sea Pines with a pass. Great resort, fantastic grounds and lots of pools.
Surfwatch - Location is fine, grounds are okay and pools are fine (not near what Grande Ocean is IMO). It lacks the charm that the other three have. The distance to the beach is also not ideal.
Barony - This is a great resort, the only drawback is their garden view villas being in the back of the resort separated from the main section. So if you book through II, you could end up there.
Monarch - Definitely an underrated property. It doesn't have as much of the resort feel that the other three have, but is has its charm. It is smaller, and older and the units are pretty small. So you may want one of the other three with an adult traveling with you. If you want to be in Sea Pines, this is the property for you.
Very nice review as always, dioxide45, and all great assessments....
I might add, for what it's worth....... (not taken in any particular order)......
Barony Garden Villas are slightly larger in square footage than the other Barony villas, and they are appointed just as luxuriously as the others.
That section also has a pool slide, with kids' water features at one end that are enjoyable. Barony as a whole is wonderful.
Surfwatch has a very loyal following, and my take is that Marriott air-lifted each building down into a specific well-conceived spot in the landscape, such that they are gently settled into the very natural, picturesque setting "as is", which is not only unique to Marriotts at Hilton Head,
but adds a bit of a secluded and tranquil feel.....and perhaps that is THE big positive for those who love the marsh & forest setting.
The marsh is quite amazing in its own right.
Monarch has a small oceanside resort footprint, therefore a very homey feel, and is a quiet garden-like oasis in Sea Pines.
The new Sea Pines Beach Club next door is often teeming with people, as is the beach in front of it, so during spring/summer holidays
it might be a bit much, but otherwise it's fine.
Grande Ocean remains Grande Ocean, the cream of the crop---it deserves the "e" on the end of Grande, as it stands alone from
all other East coast timeshare resorts.
Kudos to the HH Marriott resorts....The refurbishments and renovations, whatever and whenever they happen to be at each resort,
are always great and well-executed. Grande Ocean has just completed the North side and is well into the South side, and they're great.