Marriott Resorts that are oceanfront

[SueDonJ]

I did include Surf Watch on the list of oceanfront resorts, but one could say that if Beachplace isn't oceanfront, then Surf Watch certainly isn't either. From most of the buildings, there is a narrow (non busy) road to cross. The walk to the beach is probably about the same when you consider the elevator situation and walking through the Beachplace mall.

For me it's simple - if any part of the resort's footprint is adjacent to the beach, it's an oceanfront resort. Yes, SurfWatch has an access road to a small neighborhood bisecting it, but its footprint is adjacent to the dunes that line the beach. (As an aside, that neighborhood isn't accessible other than through SW which is why the egress is preserved in the governing docs, and since SW was built out a few of the lots over there have had new single-family builds. I think there aren't more than a couple lots remaining.) The difference really is a technicality, which is why I think it's important to ask questions related to unit designations/orientations at any resorts you're considering if the view is important to you.

I agree with you that BPT is easy access to the beach. I also think that it's much more likely for someone to get a true view of the ocean from a unit designated "oceanfront" at BPT than from the HHI ocean-adjacent resorts, not only because unit designations at the HHI resorts don't reflect the reality of views but also because HHI resorts are low-rise with greenery obscuring many views while BPT is a high-rise with unobstructed expansive ocean views from many more units.

 

[dioxide45]

For me it's simple - if any part of the resort's footprint is adjacent to the beach, it's an oceanfront resort. Yes, SurfWatch has an access road to a small neighborhood bisecting it, but its footprint is adjacent to the dunes that line the beach. (As an aside, that neighborhood isn't accessible other than through SW which is why the egress is preserved in the governing docs, and since SW was built out a few of the lots over there have had new single-family builds. I think there aren't more than a couple lots remaining.) The difference really is a technicality, which is why I think it's important to ask questions related to unit designations/orientations at any resorts you're considering if the view is important to you.

I agree with you that BPT is easy access to the beach. I also think that it's much more likely for someone to get a true view of the ocean from a unit designated "oceanfront" at BPT than from the HHI ocean-adjacent resorts, not only because unit designations at the HHI resorts don't reflect the reality of views but also because HHI resorts are low-rise with greenery obscuring many views while BPT is a high-rise with unobstructed expansive ocean views from many more units.

So it is possible to have oceanfront views from a non oceanfront resort?

 

[SueDonJ]

So it is possible to have oceanfront views from a non oceanfront resort?

Yes, with BPT being a good example. It's also possible to not have a view of the ocean from a unit designated "oceanfront" at an oceanfront resort, with a Barony Beach first-floor-with-a-palm-tree-in-front placement being a good example.

 

[jme]

This is DEFINITELY oceanfront:

View attachment 55374

INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL would describe this as "between the beach and the ocean" if it's a trade confirmation,
so that those receiving the trade would be absolutely clear.

 

[dioxide45]

Yes, with BPT being a good example. It's also possible to not have a view of the ocean from a unit designated "oceanfront" at an oceanfront resort, with a Barony Beach first-floor-with-a-palm-tree-in-front placement being a good example.

While I can certainly see situations where an oceanfront resort can lack oceanfront views. I simply can't see situations where an non oceanfront resort can have oceanfront views. I guess it comes down to how one defines it. I would say that the better definition is that there isn't a separate row of buildings in front of the resort that could obscure any of the views. Is the building setback from another row of buildings on the ocean. At Beachplace Towers, there are buildings, but they are all part of the same Beachplace structure. If there were an overpass walkway that allowed easy access across the street, is that really any different than a footpath over a row of dunes?

You could also measure distance. At BPT, it is a little less than 500 ft from the waterline to the front of the tower building. At Grande Ocean it is about 850 ft. Barony is about 600 ft. I won't even bother to measure Surf Watch. These distances will vary with the tides, but it seems strange to me to consider BPT not an oceanfront resort simply because a road separates it from the water when the actual distance to the water is less. What about resorts in Daytona Beach, Clearwater or Ft Lauderdale where there is a boardwalk between them and the beach?

P.s. I did measure SurfWatch afterall, the Ocean Dunes building isn't much further back than the closest buildings at Grande Ocean.

P.s.s I will give one thing to Beachplace Towers over the others. The water there is a lot prettier in color on Florida's Gold Coast than it is on HHI.

 

[dioxide45]

This is DEFINITELY oceanfront:

View attachment 55374

This is an inocean resort!

 

[gln60]

 

[dioxide45]

Grande Ocean has approx 124 direct ocean view units----pretty much full views side to side, some 3/4 of that, and a much smaller few 1/2 of that.........
most are in the 4 oceanfront buildings, some are on the oceanside buildings from the high floors,
and a few are partial ocean views, but I only counted the ones that have at least "half" of the normal direct side-to-side OF views---still substantial.
I'm pretty familiar with these units, having stayed at GO about 90 times.

So it seems that about half of the villas at Grande Ocean are considered oceanfront? That is about the same as percentage as Beachplace Towers. Beachplace has 206 units vs Grande Ocean at 290. The main difference at Beachplace, those units facing the ocean are pretty much 100% full view. No cocking your neck to the side. No half views, no standing on tippy toes. Some of the villas on the north end of the tower may have some views obscured by the Ritz Carlton next door and the lower ocean front rooms get a lot of pool noise. Beachplace Towers has many faults, but IMO, not being an oceanfront resort certainly isn't one of them. Here is the montage I included in my resort tour at Beachplace to provide some context. Several of the resorts along the strip are built with a similar design and I am sure they all call themselves oceanfront.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Another nice ocean front harbor view would be the Boston Custom House Pulse (even though you are two blocks from the ocean). The views facing the ocean are very interesting (and very historic). No beach at this particular location for those that have never been there.......




.

 

[dioxide45]

Another nice ocean front harbor view would be the Boston Custom House Pulse (even though you are two blocks from the ocean). The views facing the ocean are very interesting (and very historic). No beach at this particular location for those that have never been there.......

If Custom House is considered oceanfront, then there is no doubt about BPT!

 

[SueDonJ]

... P.s. I did measure SurfWatch afterall, the Ocean Dunes building isn't much further back than the closest buildings at Grande Ocean.

Oh boy. This is me backing v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y out of this thread before Marty's head explodes ...

 

[Mlvnsmly]

P.s.s I will give one thing to Beachplace Towers over the others. The water there is a lot prettier in color on Florida's Gold Coast than it is on HHI.

This is so true. While I've never stayed at BPT, I've stayed in that stretch of FLL many times. The water is always so clear and beautiful there. Better than anywhere else I've been in the US.

 

[Lydlady]

Yes, with BPT being a good example. It's also possible to not have a view of the ocean from a unit designated "oceanfront" at an oceanfront resort, with a Barony Beach first-floor-with-a-palm-tree-in-front placement being a good example.

Wait, you must be talking about our room at Barony Beach Well, we got this through an II trade so what could we expect?

 

[jmhpsu93]

If Custom House is considered oceanfront, then there is no doubt about BPT!

Might as well add Harbour Club then. I mean, it's on the creek front which is connected to Calibogue Sound which is connected to the ocean.

 

[AlmostRetired]

Marriot is definitely a great marketing company that creates an alternate reality that even the most educated timeshare owners get caught up in it. I have not been to Surf or Barony so someone else can answer. I consider Grande Ocean and Monarch Beachfront properties. Units may or may not have a view of the ocean but if you love the beach, great access. BPT is not a beachfront resort but if you love the beach, you have easy access.

 

[Bill4728]

So when can we start adding the Westin and Sheraton resorts to this list? LOL

 

[dioxide45]

So when can we start adding the Westin and Sheraton resorts to this list? LOL

Well.... Vistana doesn't have all that many. In the continental US, it is only one; Vistana Beach Club.

In the entire system there are seven/eight that I know of and three of them are in Hawaii; Vistana Beach Club, Westin Lagunamar, Westin Los Cabos, Westin Los Cabos Baja Point, Westin Ocean Resort Villas, Westin Ocean Resort Villas North, Westin Nanea, Westin Princeville.

 

[Steve Fatula]

What about Ritz St Thomas? Depends which oceanfront definition, but the property adjoins the beach. As the OP doesn't specify US, there is Playa Andaluza too. I own sea front!

 

[Superchief]

I think the key is whether your priority is to have easy access to the Beach or ocean/gulf, or the coastal view is the most important. I consider Newport Coast to have one of the best coastal views, but not easy beach access. Oceana Palms has more villas with good ocean views than Ocean Pointe, but Ocean Pointe also has easy beach access in addition to some good ocean views. Sometimes I want the view, and other times I care more about beach access.

 

[dioxide45]

What about Ritz St Thomas? Depends which oceanfront definition, but the property adjoins the beach. As the OP doesn't specify US, there is Playa Andaluza too. I own sea front!

The OP does specify "continental US" in their post;

Is there a list of Marriot Resorts that are oceanfront in the continental US?

 

[Steve Fatula]

The OP does specify "continental US" in their post;

Haha, you're right, I just looked at the thread title. Ok, there's been several variants to the original request, so, I added my spin anyway if people were looking system wide. St Thomas is US territory, but not continental. You had started to mention the Westins et al right before I posted including Hawaii so I guess I assumed.

 

[Dean]

IMO it depends on the specifics that are important to that person. I suspect for most it's a combination of factors. For us it's beach proximity (no road to cross), view, pool, surrounding restaurant access and location. Everyone will have a different mix of what's important. For us that puts Grande Ocean far above Barony and Surfwatch.

 

[jme]

So it seems that about half of the villas at Grande Ocean are considered oceanfront? That is about the same as percentage as Beachplace Towers. Beachplace has 206 units vs Grande Ocean at 290. The main difference at Beachplace, those units facing the ocean are pretty much 100% full view. No cocking your neck to the side. No half views, no standing on tippy toes. Some of the villas on the north end of the tower may have some views obscured by the Ritz Carlton next door and the lower ocean front rooms get a lot of pool noise. Beachplace Towers has many faults, but IMO, not being an oceanfront resort certainly isn't one of them. Here is the montage I included in my resort tour at Beachplace to provide some context. Several of the resorts along the strip are built with a similar design and I am sure they all call themselves oceanfront.

Oh boy. This is me backing v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y out of this thread before Marty's head explodes ...

No need, Susan, I agree with everything you've said.

(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.
This is totally meaningless regarding the nicety or enjoyable nature of both resorts, totally irrelevant----but I'm simply speaking of a silly measurement.
Heck, the topography of the two resorts are vastly different, and both are extraordinary. )

With my last post showing the photo of the beach house on stilts,
I was simply poking fun at the obsession that we have been dwelling on regarding "locations and proximities and views, oh my!"
Grande Ocean's recent nomenclature of "Close to the Beach" and "Courtyard View" when describing the two "view types" on reservations and confirmations
is an example of a situation gone wild. I understand it, as it might better address expectations, but people have to remember that the whole bottom line, to which you alluded, is that every single resort across the board, whether in Marriott, Vistana, Hilton, Hyatt etc is completely different.
You cannot in any way compare Oceana Palms to Grande Ocean, Barony, or Surfwatch. Aruba Surf Club cannot really be compared to Maui Ocean Club.
There are rooms, balconies, pools, amenities, beaches .....and things to look at beyond that balcony. But again, they're all different.

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.

So, Susan, I'm good.
If you could only now help me find a stable view from a hillside in Italy or Spain, I would be grateful.......I think I could work it into our schedule.

 

[Steve Fatula]

We (me, wife, family) as owners are not obsessed with views---never have been.

Yeah, totally agree. I, like you, like variety. Always having an ocean view is not a great thing for us. Really don't care, if I get one ok, if I don't just as happy possibly more so. Water, is just water. I prefer actual scenery. What comes to mind is Thailand. I loved the jungle views. Cabins in the woods in Branson. Mountains in Vail or Utah. Lake Tahoe views are great too. For us, all of those are better views actually. Ko Olina was one ocean view we enjoyed, loved the lagoons.

 

[Steve A]

View from the 16th floor at the Custom House