Surfwatch View Question

[Big Matt]

I have a reservation that I booked with Club Points a while back that starts in May. The view says Courtyard. Can someone who is a Surfwatch expert explain to me what this means and what buildings I may be assigned to>

 

[jmhpsu93]

One of two buildings...Tidemark and Ocean Marsh (by the pool). Ocean Marsh also has some garden view units that face towards the wooded nature preserve, but units that face the pool are the courtyard view you mentioned.

 

[SueDonJ]

SurfWatch map

"Courtyard" view at SurfWatch means the units designated "oceanside" mid-property at the feature pool, including all of Tidemark-55XX and the units oriented to the pool in Ocean Marsh-51XX. Both buildings have five floors with 3BR non-lock off units on both ends of all floors and all other units 2BR non-lock off.

SurfWatch uses a placement system that prioritizes owners using their Weeks, Club Points users, owners exchanging back in, cash stays, then II exchangers. But they also sometimes will look at past stays and rotate placements so that a "better" placement one year may be followed the next by a "worse" placement (within the parameters of Weeks/Points/Cash booked views always being honored.) The resort staff consider a "high floor" placement to be any that occurs on floors 3-5.

I'm sure you know it's my favorite resort and I'm happy in any unit, and I don't have a preference between the two oceanside buildings, but request a high floor and hope for the best!

 

[NboroGirl]

I've never been to Surfwatch. Based the on view of my MGV exchange, I will be in Sea Dunes or Sea Cove. Which is better? I'm thinking Sea Cove because it is a shorter walk to the beach and both pools (indoor and outdoor). We will be in a 3BR with my son, daughter-in-law, and 2 young grandkids. Thoughts?

 

[jmhpsu93]

I've never been to Surfwatch. Based the on view of my MGV exchange, I will be in Sea Dunes or Sea Cove. Which is better? I'm thinking Sea Cove because it is a shorter walk to the beach and both pools. We will be in a 3BR with my son, daughter-in-law, and 2 young grandkids. Thoughts?

I prefer Sea Dunes because we usually stay there in the time of the year when the sun is lower (Oct- Mar), and that building faces south-ish so you get afternoon sun on the balcony. It's a little shorter walk, but to the beach it's a hike from both and they have a shuttle that can scoot you around.

 

[sea]

We have a reservation for a 3 bedroom at Surfwatch with a garden view designation. I’m leaning towards a request for a low floor in the Ocean Marsh building oriented to the wooded area as I believe this qualifies as garden view. Is there any reason we should consider the other garden view buildings instead, or is this a good central location?

We stayed here previously and had 3 X 3 bedroom villas and if memory serves, 2 of the villas were located at the corner of the L in Ocean Marsh and had really large foyers in the villas. This was a nice open entryway for our large group. I seem to recall there was no window in the 3rd bedroom of these villas. Does this sound right?

Are there any other disadvantages to the floor plan of these 3 bedrooms with the large entryways?

Are there any 3 bedrooms with the larger entryway and windows in all bedrooms?

Thank you.

 

[SueDonJ]

We have a reservation for a 3 bedroom at Surfwatch with a garden view designation. I’m leaning towards a request for a low floor in the Ocean Marsh building oriented to the wooded area as I believe this qualifies as garden view. Is there any reason we should consider the other garden view buildings instead, or is this a good central location?

We stayed here previously and had 3 X 3 bedroom villas and if memory serves, 2 of the villas were located at the corner of the L in Ocean Marsh and had really large foyers in the villas. This was a nice open entryway for our large group. I seem to recall there was no window in the 3rd bedroom of these villas. Does this sound right?

Are there any other disadvantages to the floor plan of these 3 bedrooms with the large entryways?

Are there any 3 bedrooms with the larger entryway and windows in all bedrooms?

Thank you.

I'm not 100% sure, and I hope that if I'm wrong then either a SW 3BR Gardenview owner or a call by you to the resort will correct me, but I don't think that any of the Ocean Marsh-51XX designated-gardenview units are 3BR units. I think that the only 3BR non-lockoff units in that building are on the ends of all five floors of the long side of the building oriented to the feature pool, and designated oceanside. (And in all of them the 3rd bedroom has a small side window.) If I'm right, and again I seriously want to be corrected if I'm not, all of the units that are designated gardenview in that building are in the short side of the el oriented to the pond and are 2BR non-lockoffs.

 

[GrayFal]

TBBV....Surfwatch...................Ocean Vista........3BR unit.

DBBV....Surfwatch...................Ocean Vista........2BR unit.

I have these two units reserved thru II over New Years. For my family situation, the units closer to the indoor pool and kids activity center would be preferred.
Do you think I can request that location? How far out?

 

[SueDonJ]

TBBV....Surfwatch...................Ocean Vista........3BR unit.

DBBV....Surfwatch...................Ocean Vista........2BR unit.

I have these two units reserved thru II over New Years. For my family situation, the units closer to the indoor pool and kids activity center would be preferred.
Do you think I can request that location? How far out?

SurfWatch plays around a little bit with exchange placements although it seems to happen less often than it used to, but certainly more often than the resorts which are sticklers for the designations shown on II confirmations. I'd try any requests and hope for the best! You'll get a pre-arrival email a few weeks before the stay; that's when I'd start talking with them about placements because none of the staff at the resorts thinks about it any further out. But be aware - Christmas/New Year's is a fairly busy time on the island and at the resorts so if they're less inclined to mix up placements when there are fewer openings in the inventory, you might not be successful asking for placement in anything other than what's on the II confirmation. Good luck!

 

[GrayFal]

SurfWatch plays around a little bit with exchange placements although it seems to happen less often than it used to, but certainly more often than the resorts which are sticklers for the designations shown on II confirmations. I'd try any requests and hope for the best! You'll get a pre-arrival email a few weeks before the stay; that's when I'd start talking with them about placements because none of the staff at the resorts thinks about it any further out. But be aware - Christmas/New Year's is a fairly busy time on the island and at the resorts so if they're less inclined to mix up placements when there are fewer openings in the inventory, you might not be successful asking for placement in anything other than what's on the II confirmation. Good luck!

Are main request would be to keep the units together, thanks for your insight.

 

[SueDonJ]

Are main request would be to keep the units together, thanks for your insight.

That'd be mine, too. But with both of your exchanges being oceanvista, at least if your two units are separated you'll all still be in the same building. It wouldn't be so bad to have both options of hanging out having tea one day on a high balcony with the sweeping marsh/ocean view, and the next on a low balcony with a closer view of all the birds in the marsh.

 

[pedro47]

As I can remember our 3 bedroom villa at SurfWatch was outlooking the lake/pond and the outdoors recreation area (horseshoe, ping pong and the small fishing pond).
We had the usually two bedroom villa with a large walk in shower and the third bedroom room was outside our villa; next to ours two bedroom villa. My son and his spouse had total privacy from us. LOL

We had a garden view.

 

[sea]

Thank you for the helpful input.

I spoke with Marriott's Surfwatch this morning and the rep indicated that Garden View villas are located in:

• Sea Dunes 5400
• Sea Cove 5300
• Main House 5200 (only 2 bedroom villas in this building)
• Ocean Marsh 5100

According to the rep, there are 3 bedroom villas located in the corner of the 'L' in Ocean Marsh that overlook the wooded / treed area and qualify as garden view. These 3 bedroom corner villas also have large entryways and a window in the 3rd bedroom.

Not sure if this floor plan (3 bedroom with large entryway) exists in any other Surfwatch buildings, but it sure was nice to have the extra space for a bigger group on our prior trip!

 

[SueDonJ]

Thank you for the helpful input.

I spoke with Marriott's Surfwatch this morning and the rep indicated that Garden View villas are located in:

• Sea Dunes 5400
• Sea Cove 5300
• Main House 5200 (only 2 bedroom villas in this building)
• Ocean March 5100

According to the rep, there are 3 bedroom villas located in the corner of the 'L' in Ocean Marsh that overlook the wooded / treed area and qualify as garden view. These 3 bedroom corner villas also have large entryways and a window in the 3rd bedroom.

Not sure if this floor plan (3 bedroom with large entryway) exists in any other Surfwatch buildings, but it sure was nice to have the extra space for a bigger group on our prior trip!

Looking at the map linked above, the 3BR Oceanside stack on the corner of Ocean Marsh-5100 closest to Second Street have that large entry area (but not the 3BR Oceanside stack on the other end of that building.) It's great having all that room for beach gear especially during the busiest season because sometimes they come around and ring the doorbells telling you to clear your outside entry area.

My SurfWatch POS book is up north - I'm heading up there in a few weeks and will look for the building plans in it to post here. Seriously, thanks for correcting me about the 3BR Gardenview stack also in the 5100 building.

 

[SueDonJ]

As I can remember our 3 bedroom villa at SurfWatch was outlooking the lake/pond and the outdoors recreation area (horseshoe, ping pong and the small fishing pond).
We had the usually two bedroom villa with a large walk in shower and the third bedroom room was outside our villa; next to ours two bedroom villa. My son and his spouse had total privacy from us. LOL

We had a garden view.

Are you saying that the 3rd bedroom in your 3BR Gardenview unit was a completely separate unit, like a studio, with its own keyed entry door?!

 

[pedro47]

Are you saying that the 3rd bedroom in your 3BR Gardenview unit was a completely separate unit, like a studio, with its own keyed entry door?!

Yes! The third bedroom was completely separate. We were in the Sea Dunes villas. Third floor.

 

[SueDonJ]

Yes! The third bedroom was completely separate. We were in the Sea Dunes villas. Third floor.

Wow. I haven't EVER heard of that setup! In every 3BR we've had at SurfWatch the 3rd bedroom interior door is near the entry door so they all "feel" like there's good separation from the rest of the unit, but none that actually were. Next time I'm over there I'm going to try to get a look.

 

[pedro47]

Wow. I haven't EVER heard of that setup! In every 3BR we've had at SurfWatch the 3rd bedroom interior door is near the entry door so they all "feel" like there's good separation from the rest of the unit, but none that actually were. Next time I'm over there I'm going to try to get a look.

Ok, maybe you are correct. All I can remember they were not close to me. with age things can change.
SueDonJ, when you pushing 79 years old, the memory bank is not the same.

 

[SueDonJ]

Ok, maybe you are correct. All I can remember they were not close to me. with age things can change.

I'm still going over to take a look - sounds like neither one of us is as young as we used to be.

 

[pedro47]

Please walk over and take a look at the Sea Dunes Villas third floor.
I liked SurfWatch, but The Commander in Chef, liked Grande Ocean. I favorite villa at Grande Ocean is 8426, The Sea Horse Building over lookiing The Atlantic Ocean.
I love SurfWatch large master bathroom.

 

[pedro47]

SueDonJ, I have been corrected by the Commander in Chief, you are correct the third bedroom was off from the entry foyer door.
We were on the top floor. SueDonJ, The Commander in Chief and you, are right. 99.9 % of the time. LOL

 

[SueDonJ]

SueDonJ, I have been corrected by the Commander in Chief, you are correct the third bedroom was off from the entry foyer door.
We were on the top floor. SueDonJ, The Commander in Chief and you, are right. 99.9 % of the time. LOL

I'm saving this and one day I may ask you and your CIC to call Don to tell him this. He forgets it far too often.

 

[sea]

Looking at the map linked above, the 3BR Oceanside stack on the corner of Ocean Marsh-5100 closest to Second Street have that large entry area (but not the 3BR Oceanside stack on the other end of that building.) It's great having all that room for beach gear especially during the busiest season because sometimes they come around and ring the doorbells telling you to clear your outside entry area.

My SurfWatch POS book is up north - I'm heading up there in a few weeks and will look for the building plans in it to post here. Seriously, thanks for correcting me about the 3BR Gardenview stack also in the 5100 building.

You're most welcome SueDonJ!