Marriott Resorts that are oceanfront

[klpca]

We (me, wife, family) as owners are not obsessed with views---never have been. At one of our home resorts, Grande Ocean (and we own 7 different resorts in 4 different systems)
we love the shaded lagoon section equally with the ocean views. We request those units with the same frequency, and they offer a completely different
yet enjoyable experience. We love that side! We have stayed in just about every conceivable location at Grande Ocean, Barony, Oceanwatch, Manor Club, and our other non-Marriotts.
So our memories are of being "at the beach", in the countryside, in the heart of a historic city, or in a beautiful wooded surrounding, rather than looking at one solitary static,
rubber-stamped view over and over, year after year. Guess what? Our photos all look different.
And best of all, when we trade to other resorts, which is frequently, we have experienced for example all four views offered by Boston's Custom House------and that city view is drop-dead gorgeous----as much as Boston Harbour's boats or the North End's little white steeple known as the Old North Church.
Park City's Mountainside and Summit Watch gave us 6 different views, all amazing.
Ocean Pointe, Grande Vista, Lakeshore Reserve, Cypress Harbour, Newport Coast Villas, and many other destinations likewise offered varying views whenever we visited.
Frankly it's made the last 24 years' journey much more interesting.

In TUG's "Views from the Balcony" I have seen photos from Maui Ocean Club and the other Hawaii resorts many times, and they continue,
but the same similar views keep cropping up----maybe a floor or two different, maybe to the side by a few units------but in essence they're the same.
Perhaps that's why we're so adamant about varying our experiences by what we see for a full week or two.

Totally agree with this. With the exception of looking out at a trash dumpster, we aren't too fussy about views. I am good with water, foliage, golf courses, city etc. All are appealing in their own way. In fact my least favorite view is that of a true ocean front where you just look out at water. Without some tropical foliage in the picture, it seems kind of bland to me (I understand that I am in the minority here - different strokes for different folks). Even an amazing view is not as stunning on day three as it was on day 1 for me. The good thing about this is that we are rarely disappointed in our view. We are far more concerned about the general location, unit condition, and noise. In that sense, proximity to the beach would be the main reason for me to book an oceanfront location vs one on the side of a hill with a killer view. But truthfully, I wouldn't mind having both lol.

So breathe easy, I will leave the full water views for the rest of you. One less person to compete against.

 

[daviator]

This is DEFINITELY oceanfront:

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Not only oceanfront, but oceanback too!

 

[dioxide45]

(But one disagreement about buildings and differences mentioned in this thread...----the SurfWatch Ocean Dunes bldg is much farther from the ocean than the closest buildings at Grande Ocean.

Based on my Google Maps measurements, the Surfwatch Ocean Dunes building is only about an additional 100 feet back from the ocean than either Sea Horse or Sand Castle at Grande Ocean. I wouldn't say that 100 ft is "much further". But that is of course subjective. The marsh must be deceiving...

That said, I agree with all you on all other counts. We aren't big view people either. We actually don't spend a lot of time on our balconies. A question for another thread, is it a balcony, patio or porch? For us, the view is only important after we first checkin, after that it doesn't matter much since we really won't be seeing it from our balcony all that often.

 

[Fasttr]

Based on my Google Maps measurements, the Surfwatch Ocean Dunes building is only about an additional 100 feet back from the ocean than either Sea Horse or Sand Castle at Grande Ocean. I wouldn't say that 100 ft is "much further". But that is of course subjective. The marsh must be deceiving...

Ahhh, but were the Google map pics for each taken at low or high tide. Makes a big difference, at least it does on HHI. ;-)

 

[daviator]

A question for another thread, is it a balcony, patio or porch?

If it's on the ground floor, it's a patio. If it's above the ground floor, it's a balcony. Except that if it's in Hawaii, it's a lanai, regardless what floor it's on!

 

[dioxide45]

Ahhh, but were the Google map pics for each taken at low or high tide. Makes a big difference, at least it does on HHI. ;-)

I can't tell 100% because I can't find date/time stamps, but scrolling the coastline between the two, the waterline is a continuous line.

 

[dioxide45]

If it's on the ground floor, it's a patio. If it's above the ground floor, it's a balcony. Except that if it's in Hawaii, it's a lanai, regardless what floor it's on!

I forgot about lanai. When is it a porch? When it is on the front of a house?

 

[daviator]

I forgot about lanai. When is it a porch? When it is on the front of a house?

In my opinion, and it's just an opinion, yes – a porch is generally on the front of a house (although you can have a "back porch.") Actually I think a porch is something you typically only have on a standalone house, not an apartment or condominium; certainly not on a building where the unit entrances are interior.

There are attached homes — townhouse-style comes to mind — which might have exterior building entrances to the units and thus porches, but I think they need to have direct access to the street or sidewalk (in front) or to a yard or rear area (in back) and they are always on the ground floor or entrance level to the building.

I'd be the first to agree that these definitions are all pretty fuzzy.

 

[jme]

Here's why I say Grande Ocean has more ocean views than people think.

FIRST UP,
OCEANSIDE ("COURTYARD") VIEWS:

Grande Ocean views can be seen in general from this drone photo. North Pool/Lagoon side in foreground,
and South Pools (South Adult & Dolphin Pools) are to the left in the "other" set of buildings.
I'm sure things have evolved and matured since then, but the effort to keep open views has been paramount, island codes prevailing.
Some of the trees have grown higher, but likewise, many have been topped and thinned selectively since then on a % basis,
and pruning is ongoing as permitted.
I think from seeing this, everyone's imagination can generate a likely view from each level's balconies.
Actual pics I've taken over time will follow, showing examples of views. All Oceanfront views are different, as are the Oceanside views.
Grande Ocean is not about VIEWS, as I've said many times....it's about proximity to ocean and simply "being there".

In general you'll find that 4 Oceanfront buildings across the front of the resort as seen in resort map (Dolphin, Sea Horse, Sand Castle, Starfish)
have almost exclusively direct ocean & beach views from the front half of the bldg (balcony) facing the ocean, and many from the side wings that face inward.
(Side wings on Sea Horse & Sand Castle are designated OceanFront, even though trees sometimes block any ocean view on the lower, rear villas.....
Dolphin & Starfish side wings are designated OceanSide.)
Most O.F. villas facing ocean not only have full ocean views but actual full beach sand views, front to back, and then the surf & waves, and dunes.

I'll classify my photo's views below as seen from random balconies from which pics were taken,
simply to show that many Oceanside units do indeed have ocean views, even in back bldgs:
1. Full view of ocean, surf & waves, beach sand, and dunes.
2. Full ocean, beach sand, surf & waves, partial dunes.
3. Full ocean, partial surf & waves, beach sand.
4. Full ocean, partial surf & waves.
5. Full ocean.
6. Partial ocean & horizon.
7. Tree or wooded view.

(South side-- back bldgs' floors 1-2 have garden/resort views. Starfish, Kingfisher floors 1-5 have varying pool views except extreme rear units in Kingfisher.)
(North side floors 1-2-3-4 have lovely Live Oak wooded/lagoon views....some views open up to ocean nearest North pool at 3rd floor and above.)

Back to "ocean views".........
Some balconies in same building & level may have varying classifications due to individual random trees---part of the landscape
which not only adds character but beauty. Not sure I would ever want full, open, uninhibited views of the ocean 24/7,
such as in many high-rise resorts farther south, which I would find quite boring.
Take a snapshot of ONLY the ocean and see how long it intrigues you!---no trees, no natural setting or reminder of where you are, etc.

< NORTH SIDE..................................................................SOUTH SIDE > ............................

RANDOM OCEANSIDE VIEWS

side OCEANFRONT unit in an OCEANFRONT bldg.
(shown here because it's more similar to an Oceanside view)

.


A back bldg with ocean view.....(photo zoomed)

A back bldg with ocean view.....(photo zoomed slightly)

..



View from a back bldg, top 5th floor ...VIEW classification 4...
Floor 4 is similar, lower floors diminish------3rd Cl. 5-6, floors 2 & 1 pool/resort

Showing the very back bldgs on SOUTH SIDE......
Most floors #5-4-3 have ocean views.
VIEW classifications are 3-2-1, respectively (exception= partial tree blocking which may reduce classification by one number).

A South side back bldg 5th floor.....units on floors 4 & 5 have similar view.
VIEW classification 3..... floors 3-4 = VIEW classification 4.

A North side back bldg 5th floor.......maybe only two units on 5th floor have a similar view. (VIEW classification 3).
The rest might have a partial Classification 6 view, or it looks over or into the Live Oak trees, Cl. 7

 

[jme]

RANDOM OCEANFRONT views

 

[jme]

Cool photos at Grande Ocean
(all are real..... as is......I don't believe in touched-up photos,
and don't care to know how anyway)

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Great photographs! Thanks for posting.



.

 

[Superchief]

RANDOM OCEANFRONT views


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Why do you always get such great views when you don't care about them.