Hilton Head - The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly!

[hmansure]

Just returned from a short HHI trip to celebrate the New Year. We were on the waitlist for about a month when a 2 BDR became available mid-December. I had read that the resort was to be at 100% capacity, but it certainly didn't seem that way!

The drive down from NJ was horrendous. To go along with the normal nastiness at the Springfield Interchange near DC there was a nasty accident in that vicinity. We thought we'd be there forever!

The weather, in my opinion, was superb for this time of the year. We hit 70 or close to it on a few days. I don't know who they're trying to kid by saying the resort pool was heated to 82 degrees though! Several people were trying to get the CM to produce a thermometer to no avail!! One of my kids is a tentative swimmer so I had to hit the water a few times. Most of that time I was the only person over the age of 12 in the pool!! It really hits ya when you hop out, too!!!

As always the resort, the CMs, the activities were superb. Our kids loved the NYE parties. The 4 year-old partied at Community Hall. Most of the 3-6 year-old set were found crashed on the floor, under blankets watching a movie around midnight!! Our 8 year-old was at the Beach House and had a fantastic time.

Now the ugly part. Our room was ready early so we went in, threw our stuff down, and then took off to do some activities. We went to dinner and then grocery shopping and ended up back at the villa around 9PM. The kids wanted to hit the bath and ewwwwww. The tub had not been cleaned at all. Hair and all kinds of "stuff" everywhere. While my wife was on the phone with the front desk I checked out the shower - more hair, more dirt! Basically housekeeping skipped the bathroom.

The evening housekeeper (only one on duty at that hour I guess) went home sick. Our choice was to move to a 1 BDR and then move back to the 2 BDR the next day OR wait for the manager to come clean the bathrooms. Before we could decide they called us back and said someone would be right over.

The manager had come over to clean the bathroom. I felt bad, but when she saw the mess I think she felt worse. She also checked out the 2nd bathroom and found that one was not cleaned either. YUCK YUCK YUCK!

She was very apologetic and offered us free housekeeping during our stay. Since this was a short stay we said that wouldn't be necessary and we were just appreciative that she came out and cleaned the bathrooms so quickly.

A light bulb blew out while she was cleaning so we had another visitor around 10PM to fix that. She also returned to bring us some extra towels. A final visitor came from the front desk with a coupon for lunch at Tide Me Over. So I think that the CMs & the manager certainly went above & beyond to remedy a problem and should be commended for their efforts. It doesn't excuse, however, the poor housekeeping which seems to be popping up more frequently as an issue recently.

 

[bethsg]

While I am happy they came and cleaned.. my huge question here is where is quality control. Don't rooms get inspected after housekeeping finished, before they are released for occupancy? If they aren't being inspected then there is a huge flaw. Or do they just think people won't notice. This bugs me, we are paying good money for dues.

 

[gracelrm]

We were there in October. Our room was clean, so we had no complaint with that - but I'll agree about the complaint with the pool temperature. We swam at both the beach house and the resort pool. The beach house pool was fine, but I don't believe it was possible that the resort pool was heated to 82 degrees. I even questioned the lifeguard about when the pool heater would be repaired and he just smiled and said it was 82 degrees. If it was 82 - there must have been a heck of a wind chill in the water!!! It's a great resort and I'm glad you all had a good time, despite the housekeeping problems.

 

[kweaver]

Yikes! I'm sorry to hear you had to deal with a dirty room. I would agree that the mgmt did everything they could to rectify the situation...and how nice that they offered you lunch for your inconvenience.

Yes, it seems that quality control for housekeeping is lacking throughout DVC. Surely there are managers over housekeeping that should be inspecting these rooms. I realize that housekeeping in under a lot of pressure to complete the rooms so that new guests can move in to them. However, I'd gladly wait an extra 1/2 hour for a room if it means that each room will be inspected.

 

[TCPluto]

We were there from the 27th, checking out yesterday. The room was fine in building 12, however, the "Loud Family" were in the room above us. They were an extended family of 10 in a one bedroom, three couples plus kids.

Running and pounding at al hours of the night. We had to call the front desk every night, but it did little good.

We were very discouraged to find that the front desk was not much concerned about the overstuffed room.

I realize the noise issue is a difficult one to deal with, from the resorts perspective.

It was a great time regardless.

 

[gopherit]

It never ceases to amaze me that, here, as I contemplate whether I should (legally) use a 2 br for our party of 8 or get an extra studio, someone always finds a way to show me (two times over, with that many people) that you can indeed fit more clowns in the volkswagon. Unbelievable. And I find it very disturbing that mgmt does nothing about this, based on your post and prior posts. That is a disservice to those around that room. At the very least there should be an occupancy violation fine.

 

[trampslady]

Hi TCPluto!

We were also at Hilton Head between December 28 and January 2. We had the great fortune of being placed right next to the "Loud Family" and can confirm the number of folks crammed into one room and just how loud they were! We also informed the front desk with little or no assurance that they were as concerned as us. This really bothers me from a Member standpoint. I would think that, if nothing else, this poses a safety issue (fire codes, etc.). I do plan to write a quick note to DVC because I believe that something should have been done about this. This is not to say that we did not absolutely love the Hilton Head Resort! WE DID!!! It was very relaxing and the CM's, for the most part, were extremely friendly and helpful. The only exception to this was after we confirmed the number of people bedding down next door. We stopped by the front desk and told them of this and just how loud the family was. All we got was "we already know, someone else told us." Okay....but an "I'm so sorry for the noise level" or something acknowledging the problem would have been more appropriate.

Loved the long, clean beaches and the Disney Beach House was great!

Our room was very clean and a nice sized studio with a great, peaceful view of the marshes of Broad Creek.

It was a real pleasure to meet and visit with TCPluto, his wife, and brilliantly clever and beautiful daughter, Courtney!

We plan to return to Hilton Head next Thanksgiving with my family. There will be seven of us and, although it's apparently okay with the CM's to pile into a one bedroom, we gave it much thought and decided upon a two bedroom! HA!

Here's wishing everyone a safe, healthy, and happy 2004!!

 

[Disneyaholic]

Sorry I didn't get to meet you, tampslady and TCPluto! We were there from 12/28 till 1/03. We absolutely hated to leave yesterday, with the temperatures near 80 º!!!

I guess there was more than one loud family at the resort. We had a family with two (I think only two!) toddlers directly above us in building 15. Up at 6 a.m. and it sounded like they were BOWLING up there!

We are going through serious withdrawal here and are trying to figure out how we'll last till our next trip for spring break!

BTW, this is not the first time I've heard of people exceeding the room occupancy at HH. My guess is that the front desk/management has run into problems when they've tried to enforce it in the past. Sad, isn't it? I hope they are able to find a way to remedy the problem soon.

 

[SimplyMagical]

We were at Hilton Head August 2002 and had a bad experience with the room cleanliness as well. The bed in the master bedroom and the other bedroom both had dirty sheets - really dirty.

 

[dcfromva]

hmansure,

What day did you drive down?

We were at HHI, too from Dec 26-28th. Leaving from Springfield, VA, we found the traffic to be very bad, too. We continued onto WDW on the 28th and it was quite congested nearly the whole way from Savanah to Datona Beach--we just couldn't catch a break . Coming home on the 2nd and 3rd of Jan, traffic was just as bad. How was your drive home?

We had a 2BR unit. Thankfully, the rooms were clean and good condition and we had quiet neighbors (I think we were in bldg 20.) We shopped, took walks, played monopoly and had wonderful family time free from distractions. I wish we could go there every weekend.

-DC

 

[BWVDenise]

Wow! Sorry to hear about the dirty bathrooms. We were there in November and I could not find a single hair in the whole unit. I was really impressed with how clean everything was... it's a shame it isn't that way all the time.

I am disheartened to hear that they do not even loosely enforce the occupancy limit.
My family loves HHI and I hate to see the resort ruined by those who think rules don't apply to them.

 

[hmansure]

Originally posted by dcfromva
hmansure,

What day did you drive down?

How was your drive home?


-DC

We drove down on Monday (12/29). I know from many previous trips through the DC area that it's best to avoid that area during the day - especially during the week. With good intentions we left NJ in time to avoid rush hour; however, there was traffic on the NJ Turnpike...then only 2 lanes through the tunnel in Baltimore were open and confused drivers had blocked the EZ Pass lane for awhile. It was a nightmare near the Springfield Interchange because of an accident.

The ride home got off to a rocky start at mile marker 12 in South Carolina while we sat in a 3 mile gaper delay...then someone's luggage flew off their truck all over I-95....after that it was all clear all the way home.

 

[TCPluto]

Hi trampslady! It was nice to meet you too.

We got caught in a three hour traffic jam on S/B I-26 and I-95 on the way down on the 27th. A woman we ran into after we got off the highway said the traffic was bumper to bumper on 95 all the way from Maryland!

On the way back North on the 3rd, we sailed through the I-95/I-26 area with no problems.

 

[hoosiergirl]

Hi! We were at HH from 12/24-1/2!! I couldn't believe the amount of cars that were there on NYE. I even mentioned to my DH that I bet people were "camping out" with each other because the parking lot was so full!

We, too, had a great time. Overall, however, I think housekeeping is lacking. When we were there in May, we thought the bathroom was dirty (again, hairs, etc.) as well as the kitchen sink and counter. My DH had housekeeping come and re-clean; the manager came and agreed that it looked like the bathroom had either been missed or else got a shoddy cleaning. We've been members since '93 and I'd have to say that I've noticed a decline in housekeeping over the years.

To end on a positive note, we found the rest of the CM's to be excellent and the entire vacation a success.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by gopherit
It never ceases to amaze me that, here, as I contemplate whether I should (legally) use a 2 br for our party of 8 or get an extra studio, someone always finds a way to show me (two times over, with that many people) that you can indeed fit more clowns in the volkswagon. Unbelievable. And I find it very disturbing that mgmt does nothing about this, based on your post and prior posts. That is a disservice to those around that room. At the very least there should be an occupancy violation fine.

I agree, this is the very reason some units are so heavily damaged and we know who gets to pay for that.