Marriott Surf Watch Hilton Head villa view

[pinetree1]

We exchanged to Marriott SurfWatch yesterday. The reservation shows Garden view. I understand that there are 3 types of views: Ocean Vista, Oceanside and Garden View. I do not think that as an Interval exchanger, we will get any top floors.

Any opinion or comment about these 3 views? I can still cancel the exchange today to wait for a possible better view.

Thanks,

 

[jadejar]

If you request the Sea Dunes or Sea Cove buildings, both garden view, you will have a nice view of a pretty pond. I have stayed on the top floor, third floor, and first floor, all with a pretty view. The garden view units are farther from the beach, but it is a pleasant walk or you can call the golf carts if you don’t want to walk. We love Surfwatch and take the grandkids there every year.

 

[jadejar]

Our view from the 3rd floor of the Sea Dunes building

 

[jwalk03]

I just got an exchange for next Summer at Surf Watch as well. Its also a Garden View. Personally I am just happy to get a Summer Hilton Head exchange at one of the Big 3. Its a pretty tough trade- so I am certainly planning to keep it; as the villa view is not all that important to me.

In general I think most of the HHI resorts are going to assign exchangers to Garden View anyway, regardless of what the view code actually is.

 

[ljmiii]

I would be very surprised to see an Ocean Vista week appear in II - they are only in one building (Ocean Dunes) and are quite valuable to use or rent. All the other buildings/villas are across 2nd St (aka Surfwatch Way) next to the Main House and I personally wouldn't care if I got GV or OS.

That said (and as @jwalk03 wrote), I wouldn't worry about it in any case unless you know that Surfwatch is one of those few MVC resorts that give II exchangers better view villas.

 

[pinetree1]

We did get an oceanfront villa according to interval exchange confirmation this summer at Grande Ocean although at 3rd floor. It could be because we own a few weeks ourselves at Grande Ocean. We never stayed at Surf Watch and would like to give it a try.

 

[Ski-Dad]

The view showing on your II exchange is not guaranteed. Unless your exchange is in the off season, you almost assuredly will have a garden view. I have stayed garden view at Surf Watch and it was fine. Same goes for MGO, but as an owner you may have chance of holding that view.

The view shown on II exchanges reflects the unit that was deposited, not what you will be given.

Proceed with low expectations and you are less likely to be disappointed.

 

[jmhpsu93]

As noted, you will likely be put in one of the two buildings surrounding the little pond at the back of the resort. We've stayed there probably half a dozen times and it's nice back there.

We always request Sea Dunes building, which faces south/southwest, so it is sunny on the patio/deck in the afternoons during the shoulder seasons. I would try hard to NOT stay in Main House, it overlooks the gathering areas where they have events so it can be loud, plus you'll get all the foot traffic going to the gym which is on the second floor in that building.

 

[jme]

We exchanged to Marriott SurfWatch yesterday. The reservation shows Garden view. I understand that there are 3 types of views: Ocean Vista, Oceanside and Garden View. I do not think that as an Interval exchanger, we will get any top floors.

Any opinion or comment about these 3 views? I can still cancel the exchange today to wait for a possible better view.

Thanks,

Not sure if SW reps stick to what's on the depositor's booking or not, but I know they always state "no guarantees"----
many times the Hilton Head resorts ignore that and give you a unit
based on the origin of your acquisition......Each resort does what it does independently of the others ------- some honor unit traded in, some do not.
For those resorts that don't honor the unit deposited, priority for unit assignments is first given to "Owners Occupying at the resort at that time",
then Points people, Week exchangers, Renters, in that order.
Exchangers and renters get the lower end, all following owners occupying.

However, all three sections and views are nice at Surfwatch, regardless of not getting a "better unit" via the depositor's week.
The exchangers are typically given the Garden Views, but those are quite nice, and frequently requested.
You can always call the front desk and speak to the Rooms Control person and request something "better",
but if it's a busy time at the resort and not much else is available, at least request a TOP FLOOR in the Garden units.

We don't own at SW, but we've rented extra time there because it's usually available, and we actually request the Garden section.
The UNITS are great in any section....the VIEWS in all sections are not exactly what you'd call "good, better, best" because ALL the buildings are a good distance
from the ocean, so what you get at SW are always the "good, better, best" FOLIAGE or MARSH views.
There are few if any direct ocean views there if you count seeing the beach---you can see the ocean horizon, but that's about it.

That's truly not a bad thing, but it's simply because of the building arrangement based on the topography of available land on which to put a building.
They were absolutely not allowed to fill in the marsh to place a dozen buildings!
The marsh views are gorgeous, and the others are nice as well, really nothing lost. You're there at an oceanfront resort, regardless of the actual distance "to the ocean"
but just be happy to be at SW.
Anytime you can get a MARSH or partial-Marsh view, even by requesting an upgrade, that is awesome.
Request that, and a high floor, they'll give you the best available.
Remember-- high floor Garden.....you'll like that.

 

[pinetree1]

Thank everyone for the valuable inputs. We will keep the exchange and try to request a higher floor.

Best,

 

[ChrisZXWJ]

Slight data point from my last minute-MGO exchange over 4th of July last year. Exchange listed 'oceanfront' - I fully expected to be in the basement of the farthest building, but the rep at check-in insisted that I had an oceanfront room booked and put us on the third floor of one of the oceanfront buildings. So hey, you never know!

 

[Wahoo Josh]

We enjoyed our stay in one of the rear buildings during July 2020 (COVID year). We cooked/grilled every night, and caught some very large catfish at the pond.

 

[pinetree1]

nice view & nice catch! Could you keep the fish?

 

[Superchief]

I always enjoy my stays in Garden View villas. The only downside is there is no garage parking, so it isn't fun unloading in heavy rain.

 

[jme]

I always enjoy my stays in Garden View villas. The only downside is there is no garage parking, so it isn't fun unloading in heavy rain.

Yep! I remember sharing a great bottle of Petite Petit with my good friend Bill from the balcony of a beautiful villa in the Garden section of Surfwatch.
He introduced me to that delightful red wine which happens to be a very good deal at Costco. Still a favorite.
Also had some delicious cheese to accompany that, if I remember correctly ....hey Bill, gotta do that again!
The Garden units of SW are quite nice, probably the most quiet and restful villas there, imho. We've had a top floor unit in Garden section many times,
requested by us whenever we rent extra time there, and have thoroughly enjoyed it. We overlook the non-garage parking, as it is just a very minor inconvenience.
I'd stay there in a heartbeat if it meant meeting up with a great TUG friend like Bill!

 

[pedro47]

I liked SW but, the Commander in Chief prefer direct ocean views of MOW , MGO..IMHO, SW, 3 bedroom villas are just amazing. Plus,the third BEDROOMS are very private for your guest.

 

[NboroGirl]

I exchanged into a SW 3BR in April, 2025. We'll be there with my son, d-i-l, and the grand kids (ages 9 and 6). We have Garden View. I was looking at the resort map and trying to figure out which building is preferred based on location. I don't know which end (or are they in the middle?) the 3BR units are, and I can't tell which side of the buildings have the balconies and which side is parking (or are the balconies on both sides?). I would like to minimize walking distance to the fitness center. For the kids, it's all about the pool. For my spouse, it's hot tubs.

How far of a walk is it to the main building from Sea Cove? It looks like one has to walk all the way around the pond. Sorry if I'm rambling. I wish I had a better resort map that showed the sides of the buildings

 

[jmhpsu93]

@SueDonJ is the Surfwatch expert around here, but I know the Sea Dunes building has 8 units on each floor, where the ends and the middle two on each floor are 3BR units (ending in 1,4,5,8), and the layouts are all different. I have no idea about Sea Cove layouts...never stayed there.

The walk from either Sea Dunes or Sea Cove to the main building is like two minutes or maybe a hundred yards or so, depending of course on which end of the buildings you start. That area of the resort isn't that spread out- it's the walk from that part to the beach that is the biggest walking requirement.

Balconies face the pond, the other side are the entry doors (open air, like Grande Vista).

 

[dioxide45]

I exchanged into a SW 3BR in April, 2025. We'll be there with my son, d-i-l, and the grand kids (ages 9 and 6). We have Garden View. I was looking at the resort map and trying to figure out which building is preferred based on location. I don't know which end (or are they in the middle?) the 3BR units are, and I can't tell which side of the buildings have the balconies and which side is parking (or are the balconies on both sides?). I would like to minimize walking distance to the fitness center. For the kids, it's all about the pool. For my spouse, it's hot tubs.

How far of a walk is it to the main building from Sea Cove? It looks like one has to walk all the way around the pond. Sorry if I'm rambling. I wish I had a better resort map that showed the sides of the buildings

Since you can't really park in the pond, the parking is on the other side . Balconies face the pond. Sea Cove is probably a little closer to the fitness center and Sea Dunes a little closer to the pool but no significant difference really.