HHI Beach Report W/Photos Marriott VS. DVC

[CarolA]

If I am not misstaken Monarch was either built by someone other the Marriott or was a VERY early Marriott timeshare. It is very different from the other timeshares Marriott is building at Hilton Head. (That said my SIL loved it last year so I assume the "improvements" are good)

Grande Ocean is beautiful. It was the first timeshare I ever toured and I was VERY tempted (but could not afford it at the time) I found the tour to be VERY low key and I got lots of "spending bucks" for HH. We ate out on that "money" all week LOL!

I have considered a timeshare at HH, but found that I could rent from owners down there for about the going price of the maitenance fees. Not always as nice as Marriott, but clean, nice and good locations.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

but I do love Panama City

Tell me about Panama City.... I am very interested in what it might be like. Is it a beach area? Do they have waves? Is it in Georgia? What is special about it to you?

 

[starbox]

Tell me about Panama City.... I am very interested in what it might be like. Is it a beach area? Do they have waves? Is it in Georgia? What is special about it to you?

The sand and the water. The sand and the water. The sand and the water. :

I can't tell you how disappointing it was as a child to find out that all beaches don't have sand like soft powdered sugar and crystal clear blue green water. The first time I went into the ocean and could not look down and see my feet and the fish swimming around me was a sad day

Waves are going to be somewhere in between Vero and HHI - but the visibility even when you go further out makes the water great for snorkeling and scuba. There aren't a lot of cool shells.

The bad thing about Panama City Beach is that it is ultra-developed and is very much a "miracle mile" standard beach tourist strip - but while I prefer the natural beaches, I can enjoy Alvin's Magic Mountain Mall and goofy golf every now and then.

It's a great area - Alligator Point and St. George are not far away and they are very, very wild areas of gulf coast Florida - lots of cool rivers and springs. For wildlife, you and DW would probably love to stay in the amazing historic lodge (marble bathrooms, 1937 decor, no t.v - run by the state and priced at about 100 bucks a night!) at Wakulla Springs for a day or two - it's very nearby. http://www.floridastateparks.org/wakullasprings/default.cfm

 

[starbox]

double post

 

[alldiz]

Thanks for the report...

I can't wait to try every DVC.....
HHI sounds cool....

What is the closest airport?
Is there an autotrain nearby?

Just wonderin my best transportation options from NY.
thanks
Kerri

 

[Dean]

It was not so much a "bad" sales tour as it was a weird tour. I'm guessing that the sales person could only sell us the Surf Watch property or something.

Hilton Head itself does not appeal to me as a destination to potentially return to every year - but I do love Panama City - I grew up about an hour away and spent lots of time there as I was growing up. I could happily own a week at Panama City or on the Emerald Coast/Sandestin area and use it as a beach week w/ my parents to supplement what we already do with DVC. It seems like it would be much cheaper that buying enough points for 7 nights in a 2-bedroom via. DVC.

I am sure I'll be asking for more advice when the time comes!

BTW - I think Monarch recently got a room update and the units looked great - 100X better than the old ones that are on the website!

I know they did recently redo monarch. I have heard it looks great overall. The only resort in active sales is surf watch however they can also sell any resale property And really any property that's currently being sold including the new resort developing on Marco island. That resort has two and three bedroom units but unfortunately does not have lock offs. One can easily trading in to legends almost any week of the year with possible exception off platinum plus weeks. Since all the units are two bedroom, one can easily trade in with a one bedroom or studio and get two bedroom much of the year. Therefore anyone wanting to own to trade and use a portion of the time, probably should consider buying elsewhere possibly in a lock off unit and trading in. While trading in is not guaranteed, neither is reserving a floating week.

While I would agree the beach is better in Panama City, I prefer Hilton Head overall by far. And this from someone who grew up going to Panama City every year and who lives one and a half hours from there. I'm sure you know that legends is nowhere near the beach and is really more of a resort area. It's still a nice resort if one wants to stay there much of the time but it's trade value is suspect at best.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

The sand and the water. The sand and the water. The sand and the water. :

I can't tell you how disappointing it was as a child to find out that all beaches don't have sand like soft powdered sugar and crystal clear blue green water. The first time I went into the ocean and could not look down and see my feet and the fish swimming around me was a sad day

Waves are going to be somewhere in between Vero and HHI - but the visibility even when you go further out makes the water great for snorkeling and scuba. There aren't a lot of cool shells.

The bad thing about Panama City Beach is that it is ultra-developed and is very much a "miracle mile" standard beach tourist strip - but while I prefer the natural beaches, I can enjoy Alvin's Magic Mountain Mall and goofy golf every now and then.

It's a great area - Alligator Point and St. George are not far away and they are very, very wild areas of gulf coast Florida - lots of cool rivers and springs. For wildlife, you and DW would probably love to stay in the amazing historic lodge (marble bathrooms, 1937 decor, no t.v - run by the state and priced at about 100 bucks a night!) at Wakulla Springs for a day or two - it's very nearby. http://www.floridastateparks.org/wakullasprings/default.cfm

Thanks for the link. I think we will check that out. Not deluxe accomodations, but we really like staying in federal and state parks. This looks to be right up our alley.

I know I always am talking about waves, but one of my favorite places (without waves) is Sanibel. Corn starch soft white sand, clear waters, and wildlife everywhere.

 

[Dean]

If I am not misstaken Monarch was either built by someone other the Marriott or was a VERY early Marriott timeshare. It is very different from the other timeshares Marriott is building at Hilton Head. (That said my SIL loved it last year so I assume the "improvements" are good)

In order to get into time sharing, Marriott actually bought resorts and management contracts to do so on Hilton Head. They got the management contracts of what is called the Sea Pines Villas, Harbor point , swallow tail and spice bush resorts. They also bought monarch fairly early in it's construction phase. That's one of the reasons there are both fixed weeks and floating week at monarch. There are a few other resorts that Marriott took over as well none of which are currently in the Marriott system. The only resorts I can think of that remain in the Marriott system but not totally completed by Marriott are monarch, Harbor pointe and few remaining portions of Vail. Harbor point is the lone remaining resort that Marriott had no hand in building. Marriott did build a resort next door that shares amenities.

 

[Dean]

Thanks for the report...

I can't wait to try every DVC.....
HHI sounds cool....

What is the closest airport?
Is there an autotrain nearby?

Just wonderin my best transportation options from NY.
thanks
Kerri

I suppose the nearest larger airport is mobile. There are number of smaller airports including Pensacola Panama City and Tallahassee. Atlanta, Orlando, Jacksonville and Birmingham and are all viable options. It should not be too difficult getting into any of these city's with a change of planes.

 

[littlestar]

The sand and the water. The sand and the water. The sand and the water. :

I can't tell you how disappointing it was as a child to find out that all beaches don't have sand like soft powdered sugar and crystal clear blue green water. The first time I went into the ocean and could not look down and see my feet and the fish swimming around me was a sad day

http://www.floridastateparks.org/wakullasprings/default.cfm

I, too, love the beaches of Destin, Fort Walton, and the Panama City area. Love that powdered sugar sand and blue green water.

 

[gscott8075]

The great thing about DVC is that there are so many options. We bought at OKW in 2001 and had talked about vacationing at Hilton Head for many years. I grew up in Maryland and our big trip growing up was to go to Ocean City. It is over-commercialized and not my idea of a beach vacation.

So, we used our points and headed into the great unknown. My wife and I fell in love with the resort and have vacationed there almost every year since. We like the separation of the beach from the resort. I love sitting on the deck and watch the constant changes in the tides across the marsh. The family looks forward to biking to the beach house.

I can relax and unwind in the wonderful environment Disney has created there.

Have a great one!

 

[Fortywinks]

Thanks for the report...

I can't wait to try every DVC.....
HHI sounds cool....

What is the closest airport?
Is there an autotrain nearby?

Just wonderin my best transportation options from NY.
thanks
Kerri

Savannah airport ~30-45 mins away. You can easily fly into Atlanta and catch an air shuttle to the Savannah airport for $50-$75.

 

[CarolA]

I suppose the nearest larger airport is mobile. There are number of smaller airports including Pensacola Panama City and Tallahassee. Atlanta, Orlando, Jacksonville and Birmingham and are all viable options. It should not be too difficult getting into any of these city's with a change of planes.

Dean, I think the poster was asking about Hilton Head and I am pretty sure Mobile, Pensacola etc are not reallly good options there!

For Hilton Head I have used Savannah, Charleston and Jacksonville. There is an airport on Hilton Head but it uses small commuter planes and tends to be costly. Jacksonville tends to be the cheapest and have the cheapest rental cars in my past experience.

Atlanta is an option, but it's a four or five hour drive from there to HH.

HH is one location where I think a car is mandatory.....

 

[Dean]

Dean, I think the poster was asking about Hilton Head and I am pretty sure Mobile, Pensacola etc are not reallly good options there!

For Hilton Head I have used Savannah, Charleston and Jacksonville. There is an airport on Hilton Head but it uses small commuter planes and tends to be costly. Jacksonville tends to be the cheapest and have the cheapest rental cars in my past experience.

Atlanta is an option, but it's a four or five hour drive from there to HH.

HH is one location where I think a car is mandatory.....

Thanks for pointing that out, and is the Hilton Head component.

 

[alldiz]

Thanks...Dean, Fortywinks, and Carol A

I can't wait to go to HHI....although it probably
won't be till 09 way to far away....

That would be nice to fly to savannah....stay there a night...
then head on to HHI
thanks
Kerri