I'm a Marriott owner in Aruba and chose to exchange to the Surf Watch in Hilton Head. It's a newly opened resort; we had just taken a trip to Mexico for thanksgiving, so going to Aruba was out; we decided Hilton Head wasn't too far and we chose to drive rather than fly. It was about 17 hours each way but we broke up the trip in Delaware one way and VA the other. It's nice to have friends & relatives on the way!!
We'd never been to HH because we don't golf, but we're glad we did go--it's beautiful there even if it was off-season. We were there for New Year's Dec. 29 07 to Jan 5 08, which, in timeshare world, the least wanted time at that resort. Heyy, for a Massachusetts native, it was a heck of a lot warmer than being at home!!
I was very impressed with the resort and unit. Hilton Head itself if beautiful-- they must have a strict bldg code -- all the businesses, markets, malls are same height and beige and set back from the roads. No trash/litter anywhere and the landscape is always groomed and well maintained. At Surf Watch, I was able to exchange into a 3 bdrm unit (I own a 2 bdrm.) We had 8 people in the unit (it slept 12.) We were in an end unit, 3rd floor, near the pool. There were 2 Queen beds in each of the 2 bedrooms and it's own connecting bathroom and 1 king bed in the master suite with a huge tiled, glass shower area. My only beef -- there's no privacy door to shower area (in master) so if anyone opens the bedroom door and you are in the shower.... you are in full view. Maybe I'm old fashioned but I would prefer a bit of privacy while showering.
The boardwalk to the beach is great, it's built above the marsh and meanders down to the shore, about 1/4 mile? Along the way there's info on the species that live in the marsh areas, a couple of wooden benches and umbrellas for shade (during summer heat.) At the end and right at edge of beach there's a year round heated pool which we swam in, lots of areas to sunbathe and a seasonal restaurant/bar. It was all boarded up but I bet it's hopping when open. Some think the resort is too far from beach but I enjoyed it. Although I imagine in the heat of the summer it would seem very far. But you can ride a (rented) bike or hop the resort's golf cart shuttle if you don't want to walk. I live in Gloucester, MA also a beach community so not being right on the beach wasn't a big deal for me. I see the ocean all the time.
The beach itself is wide and long. Not many shells but more prettier than we see in Mass. Lots of people riding bikes (my daughter and boyfriend rented a tandem at the resort which was fun) One of the warmer days we walked about a mile up the beach (to the left of resort) and had a picnic. A couple beachfront residents had small decorated xmas trees in the dunes --clever.
We swam in the outdoor heated pool just outside our building a few times. After New Year's Day the air got a bit chillier even for my New England blood. We never used the indoor pool. And the health /fitness club was still being built -- I wouldn't have used it anyway. As far as resort activities....they had them but we did our own thing as we don't have small children.









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