Ocean Point

[mamadot]

I am sending my sister and her husband to Ocean Point. Have booked ocean view high floor.
What would be the best building to request? They will use the pool and gym plus she wants to attend the water aerobics class.

 

[dioxide45]

I am sending my sister and her husband to Ocean Point. Have booked ocean view high floor.
What would be the best building to request? They will use the pool and gym plus she wants to attend the water aerobics class.

Water aerobics are held every morning in the pool between Cobia and Pompano. The gym is also located at the base of Pompano. So request either Pampano or Cobia.

Just one note, you only have them booked in to an ocean side unit. Floor is not guaranteed nor part of any reservation you can make. You will want to request a high floor, but nothing is for certain that they will be placed in such a villa. Good luck.

 

[mamadot]

Thanks. Yes, I know the floor and building request are just that, request.
I own 3 weeks but convert to points now. It actually seems the point request gets me more times than not a better placement than my weeks trade did.

 

[dougp26364]

I'd request Cobia over Pompano. With Pompano it's possible to get a south facing room that looks upon a old pink condo building. You have a better chance of a decent view with Cobia IMHO.

 

[dougp26364]

Water aerobics are held every morning in the pool between Cobia and Pompano. The gym is also located at the base of Pompano. So request either Pampano or Cobia.

Just one note, you only have them booked in to an ocean side unit. Floor is not guaranteed nor part of any reservation you can make. You will want to request a high floor, but nothing is for certain that they will be placed in such a villa. Good luck.

Unless your renting direct from Marriott.com. Unless things have changed, they were charging more for high floor rooms for nightly rentals. I haven't looked in some time so I suppose it could have changed.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Just one note, you only have them booked in to an ocean side unit. Floor is not guaranteed nor part of any reservation you can make. You will want to request a high floor, but nothing is for certain that they will be placed in such a villa. Good luck.

I rented from an owner back in 2012 and the reservation was listed as "high floor guaranteed". I ended up on the 6th floor. Not sure how they were able to guarantee a high floor but I believe the reservation also stated that they were Premier Plus. It was also Ocean Front.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

I am sending my sister and her husband to Ocean Point. Have booked ocean view high floor.
What would be the best building to request? They will use the pool and gym plus she wants to attend the water aerobics class.

This is much more a factor with Ocean Front but requesting a specific building will decrease your chances of the highest floor. Since there are four check-in days, as high as 75% of the units will be unavailable for a given check-in day. The specific number is subject to occupancy rates so it could be less but this is a very real issue when wanting a high floor and only specifying one building. I usually say highest floor possible among 3 or all 4 of the main buildings.

 

[hcarman]

Mom owns at Ocean Pointe and likes to do the pool, gym, and water aerobics. She likes Pompano for its convenience to that. Plus, the pool next to the Pompano building has quiet hours for adults for part of the AM - not sure if that is of interest, and a very large spa. I think they also do the massages in this building now. As someone else pointed out - Cobia would also be convenient for these activities. Sailfish a little further removed. But, the Kingfish is actually separated from the rest of the resort by a condo so you have to walk down the sidewalk to get to the main part of the resort. I always thought it would be a nice building to try - just being on the inlet. And, it has its own pool, spa, and tiki (and possibly gym?). But, that being said, it is definitely not as convenient to the rest of the resort.

She is an owner and usually gets a high floor. But, I too have noticed weeks owners at resorts not getting quite as good of a location now that we have premier points owners. Not something I agree with - even though I am both - I still feel the prime locations should go to those that physicially own and pay maintenance fees to the resort.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

And, it has its own pool, spa, and tiki (and possibly gym?). But, that being said, it is definitely not as convenient to the rest of the resort.

The pool is decent and the only beach entrance pool at Ocean Pointe. The spa is tiny, but it's for one building so acceptable.

I notice that the dining location that used to be Pizza Hut Express but went generic is completely gone from the on-site dining options on Marriott.com. I know it was always seasonal but has it been closed for good?

 

[dougp26364]

The problem with Kingfish is that the majority of units are considered ocean front. The ocean side units for Kingfish are the north facing units, which have a fabulous parking lot view and look directly at the old pink condo building PLUS, it's bit of a walk to the main complex. I'm pretty certain the inlet views (south facing units) are still considered ocean front units by MVCI.

While we prefer Kingfish, we prefer it because we're 3 bedroom ocean front owners there and all of those units are on the NE corner of the building. I request Kinfish if 3rd floor or higher is available, otherwise high floor main complex any building. If we owned the ocean side view it would be the last building we'd request.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Marriott.com has changed the official label of the "Oceanfront" rooms to "Oceanfront/Inlet". It still says "Oceanfront" when you book, but if you look at the room details it now shows "Oceanfront/Inlet". Not sure how recent that is but this is the first time I have noticed it.

 

[mamadot]

check in days

I booked using my points through MVCI. You can now check in any day of the week and for as many days as you would like. The flexibility of the MCVI pts works better for our family.

 

[dougp26364]

I booked using my points through MVCI. You can now check in any day of the week and for as many days as you would like. The flexibility of the MCVI pts works better for our family.

I'm curious. Were you able to obtain a reservation that guaranteed a high floor?

For the purposes of villa assignments I'm of the understanding that points reservations are treated as resort owner reservations when it comes to the hierarchy for unit placement.

FWIW, Ocean Pointe is mostly weeks owners with fewer trust interests and, in platinum season, is high owner occupancy staying on the time they bought, which affects the ability of other MVCI owners exchanging in to get the preferred unit locations. I do not believe that Silver and Gold seasons have nearly as high of owner occupancy, leaving better odds for MVCI owners exchanging in from other properties a better chance at preferred unit locations.