My family recently stayed at the Marriott Ocean Pointe Resort on Singer Island in West Palm Beach Florida. I am going to blog about our stay, both the good aspects, the bad and the ugly. I also posted a blog about Marriott Ocean Pointe The Basics. You might want to read that one first so you have an overview of what the resort offers. Between the 4 blogs I am going to try and help people learn everything they need to know and might not want to know about the resort. This one is Marriott Ocean Pointe Review - The Good:
The Room:
Check-in was a breeze and the staff cordial. We didn't get into the bldg we had requested (Kingfish) nor did we get a high floor, oh well. Our room was located in the Sailfish bldg, the oldest bldg on the property. It is also the most convenient to the pools, store, concierge etc. We scoped out the room, a 2 bedroom with the lock-off which includes a small fridge and microwave and separate entrance. My kids liked having their own fridge and we instructed them to keep the door
deadbolted and not to use that entrance.
Parking on-site was a breeze, you can park underneath the bldg, spots are limited and tight. You also have the option to park right outside and we never had to walk very far. Unlike some other Marriott Vacation Club resorts, elevators were very efficient and we never waited long. We also used the stairs alot since we were on the second floor.
The Pools:
There are 4 pools on-site and all were in good shape. We stayed mostly at the pool next to the Sailfish bldg and found ample shade from the huge Palm trees. The pool at the Kingfish bldg is quieter and smaller and has a zero entry end. There is the typical chair towel reserving process that started around 7 am but we never had an issue finding 4 chairs at any time. Everyone in and around the pools was polite and friendly. Most of my fellow vacation club members knew the system and brought their own coolers of water, beer and sodas. While I saw alot of people relaxing and drinking alcohol throughout the day nobody got out of hand. There are no lifeguards at the pools or beach so you have to keep a watchful eye on your little ones.
Kids Activities:
MAZE or Marriotts Activity Zone Experience, for non Marriott folks - the kid rec center, was a bit run down. The arcade was really limited and a bit in disarray. The staff here make up for the lack of activities and were extremely friendly and my kids loved spending time there. Outside there is a pool table that is absolutely hammered and a foosball table.
Playground, there is a small playground on-site that is well kept. Its located nearby the MAZE and Outdoor bar. My kids spent time here each day and we enjoyed getting their energy out after desert. One thing everyone seemed to complain about is that the base of the playground is sand, alot of the parents complained about this but we didn't see the issue.
Shuffle board, across from the playground there are 2 shuffle board courts, they were in good shape and on some nights it was very crowded.
Tennis Courts - there are tennis courts nearby, across the street from the hotel, we didn't play any tennis so I can't comment on them.
On-site Amenities:
Outdoor Bar, is so-so, they serve bar food and the usual assortment of mixed drinks and beer. They have a mixed drink and beer special, basically you buy a plastic glass for 8 or 9 bucks, then you bring that back each time and they knock a couple of bucks off the price. It's worth doing this if your going to buy beverages during the week. There are no signs about this special and the bartenders rarely mention it so be sure to ask about the special. When they told me about it they also said not to run it through the dishwasher but we did all week and it was fine. For Bar Service, see my next blog about it.
Edy's Ice cream and Pizza Hut on-site - offer standard fare, employees working were rude and/or non social.
On-site store - We did our major shopping at a local supermarket and bought things from the store if we forgot something or needed small items. The prices were reasonable for the things we purchased: milk, eggs, a pool noodle. They even carry NY newspapers, Starbucks and anything you need for the kitchen within reason. It seemed a bit smaller than most Vacation Club stores but every item I looked for they had it, so no complaints.
Gym - was clean, modern and was in really good shape.
Grills - throughout the resort there are barbecue grills (propane) setup, the grills were in good order, plentiful and conveniently located, the only complaint I heard was there wasn't alot of shade.
Beach:
We really enjoyed the ocean and the beach much more than we expected. The water was crystal clear, free of any jelly's or debris and was 80 degrees while we were there. Keep in mind there are no life guards so you are on your own, rip tides were strong when we were there.
You have a couple of different options for lounging on the beach. You can rent chairs and an umbrella for the day, I think it was 32 per day for 2 chairs, a small table and a umbrella. I think its $27 per day if you do a weekly rental. Or you can bring your own, we saw people that bought them from Walmart and avoided the fees. You could also just lay on your beach towels if you wanted, keep in mind the sand is extremely hot and has a pitch so this might not be the best option. We opted for renting and the guys there take good care of you, remember its cash or credit card, no room charge as its not managed by Marriott.
One really nice touch, is they have beach wheel chairs (really big wheels) that can bring anyone from the resort onto the beach to enjoy the beach or the ocean. A family next to us had a child that couldn't walk and they brought him into the ocean each day with the help of the wheelchair and the guys working there did a great job helping his father transporting him in and out of the water.
Seashells, if you like seashells this is place for you. There are so many perfect shells you get bored of looking at them.
Grounds: Overall the grounds at the resort are well kept. The resort is about 10 years old and the Palm trees are at a really nice height around the pools to provide a lot of shade and scenery. Unfortunately they are also tall enough to block any ocean views from the first two floors of the bldgs.
Security: The resort is heavily patrolled and the security staff is really nice. The first night we were there my wife left her purse on a table (our arms were full) and the moment we returned to our room the phone we ringing. Security had found the purse and met me in the lobby, they checked my drivers license to make sure I was the right person.
Check out my two follow-up blogs about the Marriott Ocean
Pointe: Marriott Ocean Pointe Review - The Bad and Marriott Ocean Pointe Review - The Ugly, and also tips on finding
great deals on rentals, and a timeshare rental vs buying comparison.
Check out this link to find great deals on rentals at Marriott Ocean Pointe. You can literally find rentals for half the price that Marriott charges for the exact same units.
Matt
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