SurfWatch 2013

[SueDonJ]

We're settling in to our second week here at SurfWatch; it's fantastic as usual and the weather is perfect! Last week we were in a top-floor unit of the Oceanvista building, up in the right corner as you look at the building from the beach. Gorgeous view! This week we're in a second floor Oceanside unit overlooking the pool and very convenient for taking the stairs instead of waiting on an elevator. Don's favorite will always be the ocean view; I love that view too but also love feeling like we're in the middle of the resort activities.

We have a few family members with us; we're all having a great time! The resort and units are in great shape. Last week they opened a new tiki bar at the High Tides pool; the theater is showing movies three times a day; they moved the grill area at the Oceanvista building across the walkway so you don't have to walk by the hot grills on your way to the beach; the wifi connection seems to be upgraded; the bike barn has been expanded ... Above all, the resort staff has been WONDERFUL - it's nice to catch up with the ones we've met before and to introduce ourselves to the new ones. Man, what a perfect summer job for college kids!

(Puck, we can pick up the hockey games here on Versus but I think tonight we're heading out to a sports bar to try to find Bruins fans. Go B's!)

One of my favorite things on TUG are the pics so I'll be adding a few throughout the week. Hope you enjoy these ...

And finally, my new desktop!

 

[Ann in CA]

Beautiful photos! I love TUG pics also. We stayed at Barony and GO in April, but toured SurfWatch and loved the grounds, and the views across the property to the ocean. Definitely on our list for future stays!

 

[LAX Mom]

Sue,
Thanks for posting your update & pictures. It looks like a great resort. I've only been to Hilton Head once and stayed at Grande Ocean. Hilton Head is on my list of places to return. Surf Watch looks very nice, maybe I'll be able to get an exchange into there sometime. I prefer off-season weeks, so hopefully I'll get back to Hilton Head.
Loved your pictures! Enjoy your week!

 

[puckmanfl]

good morning...

great pix... Hockey is on NBC Sports net... Versus is long gone... name change... Was not able to watch hockey at Oceana palms in roon or in bar at facility.... Had to go down to Marriott Hotel down the street...

How do you directly put pix in TUG... I tried thru my iphoto and it doesnt seem to work...I can put links in but not the actual pix...

 

[SueDonJ]

good morning...

great pix... Hockey is on NBC Sports net... Versus is long gone... name change... Was not able to watch hockey at Oceana palms in roon or in bar at facility.... Had to go down to Marriott Hotel down the street...

How do you directly put pix in TUG... I tried thru my iphoto and it doesnt seem to work...I can put links in but not the actual pix...

Ha, Versus is gone? At home we pick up NBCSports no problem but it's not on the list here and the channel guide still says we're watching Versus - not hi-def though so we're suffering. (When I texted my son at home with that comment he commented, "#firstworldproblems." Smart***.)

I upload my pics to a photobucket.com account and then directly to TUG but other TUGgers use different photo-sharing sites. This sticky from the TUG Lounge should help - good luck!

 

[sb2313]

I was just going to say the same thing about nbc sports as Vs went away a couple years ago I think it was-getting ready for game 1 Hawks/Kings this afternoon.
Fantastic pics Sue! We just matched overnight for a second 3 bedroom unit for our early October trip with friends. We stay in garden view due to proximity to indoor pool with our little ones and my 3 year old was very excited to see your pic of the fountain as that is our usual view there!

 

[SueDonJ]

Steve, late Sept/early Oct is one of our favorite times to visit, too. Warm days, warm ocean for swimming, cool nights with the heated pools, no traffic jams or crowded restaurants, and I seem to get the best sunrise pics that time of year. Plus you can't beat spreading out in the 3BD units with family and friends!

With our two "kids" getting married this year (July and November) we have no idea yet what we'll be doing later this year, except we already know that our usual fall trip won't happen. I'll have to live vicariously through your posts/pics then.

 

[hawk5]

Great pix! I love that they moved the Ocean Vista grill area to the other side. What is in the grill area place now? Is it just the walk way? Thanks!!

 

[SueDonJ]

Great pix! I love that they moved the Ocean Vista grill area to the other side. What is in the grill area place now? Is it just the walk way? Thanks!!

A much bigger bike rack - I'll get a shot of it for you.

 

[Berea1]

Why a move from one building to another?

Sue - May I ask why you had to move at the end of your first week to another building? Did you ask that the two weeks be linked so you could stay in the same unit? Second question, if you attended the owners' meeting, what did the General Manager say about whether Surfwatch is number 2 or 3 out of all the Marriotts? When we stayed at the Grande Ocean, we were told that Surfwatch was number 2 and Grande ocean was number 3. Just curious???

Patrick

 

[SueDonJ]

Sue - May I ask why you had to move at the end of your first week to another building? Did you ask that the two weeks be linked so you could stay in the same unit? Second question, if you attended the owners' meeting, what did the General Manager say about whether Surfwatch is number 2 or 3 out of all the Marriotts? When we stayed at the Grande Ocean, we were told that Surfwatch was number 2 and Grande ocean was number 3. Just curious???

Patrick

We had to move because we're here on our owners' weeks, OceanVista Gold and OceanSide Plat, so no chance of staying in the same building.

It's funny, when we bought we thought we had it all figured out. We thought we'd try to do the two weeks straddling Memorial Day every four or five years at the resort, but most years we'd do the OV Gold week in late May and trade the OS Plat. In II the view doesn't matter so we thought, why bother buying OV when OS works the same for exchanging? Almost immediately we learned that one week isn't nearly long enough and instead of staying consecutive weeks only every four or five years, we've exchanged out only twice! I suppose for a minute we considered trying to upgrade the Plat OS to OV back when it was still possible to do that, but only for a minute because this way we get the best of both worlds - an ocean view one week and being in the middle of resort activities the next.

I'll check the schedule later for this week's Owners' Social. Last week I didn't go but this week I may - it's always interesting hearing what they have to say, and so far here I haven't found that they use it as a gimmick to get you to go to a hardsell sales presentation.

(Today's a restful pool day - I'm checking TUG and facebook every time Don checks his email. Pretty sure we found a place for B's hockey in hi-def AND more Bruins fans to hang out with - yay!)

 

[dioxide45]

Second question, if you attended the owners' meeting, what did the General Manager say about whether Surfwatch is number 2 or 3 out of all the Marriotts? When we stayed at the Grande Ocean, we were told that Surfwatch was number 2 and Grande ocean was number 3. Just curious???

Patrick

I would be curious as to what they would be second or third in? There are plenty of metrics out there. Guest satisfaction, owner occupancy, size etc. All the GMs at every resort seem to tout that their resort is in the top three or something like that. Like sales reps, I start to wonder how much of it is really true.

 

[Pens_Fan]

I like all of the pictures except that one with a Bruins logo.

Wanna guess why?

 

[Janette]

Beautiful pictures, especially the moon. We have enjoyed it out in Sun City also.

 

[MALC9990]

Steve, late Sept/early Oct is one of our favorite times to visit, too. Warm days, warm ocean for swimming, cool nights with the heated pools, no traffic jams or crowded restaurants, and I seem to get the best sunrise pics that time of year. Plus you can't beat spreading out in the 3BD units with family and friends!

With our two "kids" getting married this year (July and November) we have no idea yet what we'll be doing later this year, except we already know that our usual fall trip won't happen. I'll have to live vicariously through your posts/pics then.

Oh nice - we arrive on HHI on Sept 7th for 2 weeks !! at Harbour Point.

Great Pics and thanks for the links to posting pics.

 

[SueDonJ]

Back with a few more!

The High Tides pool looking toward the Ocean Marsh building (5100) practically deserted around 6 this afternoon:

The new Tiki Hut and its menu. It opened this week with 11-4 hours, no idea if there are plans to expand the menu or the open hours:

The food is prepared at the Marketplace; we tried the BLT and Grilled Chicken Club, both were very good:

One of the staff members wandered around offering free samples of the Strawberry and Mango Daiquiris and Pina Coladas; hits all around:

Then out of the clear blue sky THIS appeared out over the beach, followed by a very brief shower that felt more like mist than rain. Gorgeous!

 

[SueDonJ]

Beautiful pictures, especially the moon. We have enjoyed it out in Sun City also.

Janette, I hope you got to enjoy the rainbow, too. You and Dave might be interested to know, I wave "hello" at both of you when we drive by Sun City on our way to the island. "Hi Janette, Hi Dave!" Don rolls his eyes and mutters about my invisible friends. :rofl:

 

[SueDonJ]

I like all of the pictures except that one with a Bruins logo.

Wanna guess why?

Hmmmm, you'll have to give me a hint.

No, really, good luck in the series. We can't possibly hope that your team will win but it's okay for all of us to hope that the better team wins.

 

[puckmanfl]

good evening.....

Sue, Pens fan...

good ol' puck is nuetral on this one....just enjoying top shelf hockey!!! Waiting for the Bolts to regroup!!!!

May Best Team win!!!

ol' time hockey...

 

[Janette]

Thanks for the hello. I thought I heard someone calling my name. We didn't see the rainbow or get a shower. I don't like mentioning that we really need rain. Maybe it will rain some night. We have been busy and haven't gotten to the island for a couple of weeks. I'm having island fever.

 

[pedro47]

We stayed at Ocean Watch for 16 days in April of this year and it rain every other day and it was down right cool during our stay.

However, Ocean Watch in my opinon is just a wonderful place to vacation any time of the year.

Enjoy your time on the Island, Surf Watch is one of my favorite resort on Hilton Head.

 

[cp73]

We enjoyed staying at Surftwatch so much last year that we are returning in October and staying at Grand Ocean. But now after seeing your pictures it makes me wonder if we should have stayed at Surfwatch again. It is such a beautiful place in concert with nature. Love the pictures.

 

[Berea1]

Marriott Owners' Meeting

If you went to this week's owner's meeting, was there any discussion of new matters coming to Surfwatch?

Patrick

 

[indyhorizons]

Can someone in the know answer a question about the 3 BDRM at surfwatch. Does the 3rd bed from have 2 single beds or 2 double beds? And does the 2nd BDRM have 1 or 2 beds? There seems to be conflicting information between the floor plan on my vacation and the II into that displays when I choose getaway. Thanks!

 

[cory30]

2 beds in both the second and third bedrooms (at least in all the units we have stayed in). They are at least doubles.