Which Marriott in Hilton Head do you like most?

[amycurl]

@SueDonJ, the last time we were at Surfwatch, we had a three bedroom in the building that overlooked the outdoor pool and had a view of the marsh, with the ocean beyond it. I think we were on the second or third floor, and in the left-most building looking towards the ocean, to the right-most looking towards the resort. I wouldn't mind that unit again--that was Easter week. We'll be going in Jan this year, and I'm wondering if because it's so low season, it's worth asking for the true OF building. Thoughts? Other recommendations for building/unit requests?

 

[jmhpsu93]

@SueDonJ, the last time we were at Surfwatch, we had a three bedroom in the building that overlooked the outdoor pool and had a view of the marsh, with the ocean beyond it. I think we were on the second or third floor, and in the left-most building looking towards the ocean, to the right-most looking towards the resort. I wouldn't mind that unit again--that was Easter week. We'll be going in Jan this year, and I'm wondering if because it's so low season, it's worth asking for the true OF building. Thoughts? Other recommendations for building/unit requests?

Though January is considered low season there, don't think Surfwatch won't be busy. You'll likely be in your reservation category. I prefer the building you're speaking about anyway (Tidemark), rather than the more oceanfront one. Tidemark faces almost due south, so you get sun on your patio/balcony most of the day.

 

[iftravel]

From the resort map, it seems any building has its own pros, some close to the main pool, some close to activities and some close to the beach. Curious if any to avoid such as noise, bad view or lack of repair etc.

 

[pedro47]

We were also in a 3 bedroom Villa at SurfWatch. I love that third bedroom unit. It was so private. LOL.

 

[Dean]

From the resort map, it seems any building has its own pros, some close to the main pool, some close to activities and some close to the beach. Curious if any to avoid such as noise, bad view or lack of repair etc.

Given this is an exchange and you are not a MVC owner, you should expect the 2 GV buildings (Sea Cove or Sea Dunes). I'd request close to the beach and hope for the best.

 

[iftravel]

Given this is an exchange and you are not a MVC owner, you should expect the 2 GV buildings (Sea Cove or Sea Dunes). I'd request close to the beach and hope for the best.

Thanks. In Interval, i find this code. does it mean anything to you?

Marriott's SurfWatch
MSF

Unit: HTHBR (3 Bedrooms)
Week: 34

 

[SueDonJ]

@SueDonJ, the last time we were at Surfwatch, we had a three bedroom in the building that overlooked the outdoor pool and had a view of the marsh, with the ocean beyond it. I think we were on the second or third floor, and in the left-most building looking towards the ocean, to the right-most looking towards the resort. I wouldn't mind that unit again--that was Easter week. We'll be going in Jan this year, and I'm wondering if because it's so low season, it's worth asking for the true OF building. Thoughts? Other recommendations for building/unit requests?

We've had quite a few January SurfWatch stays. What @jmhpsu93 posted above is correct, even though it's January SurfWatch will still be almost full. Not jam-packed like July but I wouldn't expect it to be anywhere near empty either. Empty enough, though, that it's worth shooting for the moon with your requests.

January Hilton Head weather runs the gamut from nice days where you can sit on the beach in the sun with long pants and a sweatshirt to days when you need a winter coat, hats and mittens to counter the bracing cold, dampness in the air and fierce winds! We still walk the beach in January but it's more a slow trot than a walk, followed by a really hot cup of tea for me and something more spirited for Don and most of our guests!

You already know that you enjoy the marsh-to-ocean view from the oceanside buildings. The same view is that much better from the single oceanvista building. All 3 of them will have sun earlier in the day than later - and the sunrise views over the ocean in winter are spectacular from the higher floors in any of the three.

If birding is a thing for you, which is one of the major reasons I enjoy SurfWatch's natural footprint so much, I hope you get one of the very few days where huge flocks of cedar waxwings fly through on their migration path and hang in the trees for a day or two. Some birds are on the island year-round and they're all very nice too, but the cedar waxwings in January are a rare, beautiful treat!

As for requests (finally!) One consideration in January is whether you'll make frequent use of the indoor pool, in which case the two gardenview buildings are much closer to it. If that's not so important, in your shoes I'd definitely request oceanvista because it can't hurt to try and if there's wiggle room in any season, it's winter. But I'd tell them at the same time that wherever they put me I'd really appreciate a higher floor (which at SurfWatch they consider to be floors 3-5.)

 

[dioxide45]

Thanks. In Interval, i find this code. does it mean anything to you?

Marriott's SurfWatch
MSF

Unit: HTHBR (3 Bedrooms)
Week: 34

Drop the H and then check it against this list.

Marriott II Unit Codes

Heyyyyy dioxide... We ended up with an exchange into MM1 coming up in May. It's an Ocean View Studio and the room code is TOGV. Your list shows OVOG as the code but both II and Marriott's website are showing me TOGV with an OceanView description. Just wanted to let you know if an update is...

tugbbs.com

 

[SueDonJ]

Thanks. In Interval, i find this code. does it mean anything to you?

Marriott's SurfWatch
MSF

Unit: HTHBR (3 Bedrooms)
Week: 34

A note about SurfWatch's process and 3BR inventory that really impacts placement:

SurfWatch claims that among all exchangers they prioritize SurfWatch owners exchanging back in over owners of other Marriott timeshares over all other exchangers. In my experience they seem to follow this process but, others say that they've been placed into the view/building type indicated on their exchange confirmations every time. I don't know which happens more often ...

The two oceanside and one oceanvista buildings have only ten 3BR units in each, on both ends of all five floors, so only 10 total in oceanvista and 20 total in oceanview. The two gardenview buildings have the same 3BR's on both ends of all five floors PLUS 3BR's in the center stack of each building. I'm not sure if it's only one 3BR or two in that center stack so the total in each building is either 15 or 20. That gives the rooms controller much more wiggle room to prioritize the oceanside and oceanvista 3BR's to owners.

I'd still shoot for the moon in making requests but like @Dean always says, don't let your requests set you up for disappointment.

 

[Dean]

Thanks. In Interval, i find this code. does it mean anything to you?

Marriott's SurfWatch
MSF

Unit: HTHBR (3 Bedrooms)
Week: 34

Since that is a GV code, even more likely that is what you'll get. Personally I'd just ask for a single request either high floor, close to beach or best view possible.

 

[SueDonJ]

One more thing about SurfWatch in January - one of our best memories was of a very, very cold day when an overnight ice storm closed the bridges onto the island and most of the roads, which didn't re-open until the sun melted it away after a few hours. We jumped in the car around 10 and went exploring, west on 278 out to a right onto 170 through Beaufort and just kept going. It was a beautiful drive with marsh views, passing through some of the islands north of Hilton Head until we ended up at Hunting Island. You know how in winter the waves set up puffs of sea spray along the coast? Well, that storm set up giant ones and brought in a whole lot of driftwood, too. It was so pretty with the lighthouse, big waves, nearly deserted ... if you have the time, go.

 

[Superchief]

Although this is off topic, I noticed that Delta airlines doesn't have any flights to HHH at this time. Did they stop flying there or is this a seasonal disruption?

 

[jmhpsu93]

Although this is off topic, I noticed that Delta airlines doesn't have any flights to HHH at this time. Did they stop flying there or is this a seasonal disruption?

ATL is supposed to be year round, but it looks like that's gone from Delta.

 

[amycurl]

Our first trip ever to HHI was basically this same week in 2000 we checked in Jan 2, and fell in love with HHI in the off-season. We went almost every year to one of the beachside Marriotts sometime in the Jan-March time period for well over a decade, so I know what to expect weather-wise and occupancy-wise.

I really appreciate the knowledge about the location of the three-bedrooms. I will ask for a high floor and an end unit, and then maybe for Tidewater or the ocean vista building. We do use the indoor pool a lot, but also tend to use the outdoor hot tubs first thing in the am after walking the beach at sunrise—and then scamper back to the unit.

Thanks for everyone’s thoughts! And I’m not a Marriott owner, but I also won’t share my all-in cost for this week compared to what the MF for the week is, either.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[jmhpsu93]

Thanks for everyone’s thoughts! And I’m not a Marriott owner, but I also won’t share my all-in cost for this week compared to what the MF for the week is, either.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Those Bronze HHI have a really bad value proposition. Even Abound points are only like $800 for a 3BR garden view, and maybe $1100 for the ocean vista.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[iftravel]

A random search and find I am able to retrade 3-bd SurfWatch into 2-bed Barony Beach for the same week end of August. I find no reason to do that since I've already paid the upgrade fee and not sure if II will refund me if I do retrade and downsize.

A couple of things I like about Barony Beach is 1) the water slide 2) next to Westin (we like timeshare space, but we do like hotel restaurant convenience) so it's a good combination. Anyone strongly prefers Barony over SurfWatch for the same or other reasons?

 

[Steve A]

Those Bronze HHI have a really bad value proposition. Even Abound points are only like $800 for a 3BR garden view, and maybe $1100 for the ocean vista.

Enjoy your trip!

Most people would agree with you. I don’t. I have a bronze Barony. It’s a great trader. I’m in Palm Desert right now in a DSV 1 two bedroom with a January 2025 Barony. We often use it to go to PD and elsewhere. We always trade it because we live around the corner from the Barony in Port Royal P.

Lots of Canadians and midwesterners on the Island in the winter months using cheap bronze weeks.

 

[jwalk03]

A random search and find I am able to retrade 3-bd SurfWatch into 2-bed Barony Beach for the same week end of August. I find no reason to do that since I've already paid the upgrade fee and not sure if II will refund me if I do retrade and downsize.

A couple of things I like about Barony Beach is 1) the water slide 2) next to Westin (we like timeshare space, but we do like hotel restaurant convenience) so it's a good combination. Anyone strongly prefers Barony over SurfWatch for the same or other reasons?

No refunds of upsize fees. If you re-trade to a smaller unit you are out the fee.

Now if you trade down and then subsequently trade back up into a larger unit you do not have to pay the fee a second time.

 

[Ixchel]

BTW, Shelter Cove and Harbour town are up for grab now so I was asking if that’s a good enough first visit.

Shelter Cove units will be getting refurbished in 2025, causing a lot of disruption with dust and noise. If that isn't an issue, they are good value. Front desk told us in August that Sunset buildings are getting bigger kitchens and Harborpoint larger master baths.

Harbortown is up for refurbish 2026. We were there yesterday and saw the announcement.

 

[jmmoultn]

Just came back from Heritage Club, such a great location and we enjoyed proximity to HarbourTown and The Quarterdeck and all the free golf. Wilma at the front desk is terrific!

 

[iftravel]

Just came back from Heritage Club, such a great location and we enjoyed proximity to HarbourTown and The Quarterdeck and all the free golf. Wilma at the front desk is terrific!

Awesome. Heritage Club is easy to trade into. Curious if any club offers good beginner lessons for young kids. Will check it out perhaps a good introduction to golf and see if my kid is into it.