Marriott's Grande Ocean

front desk was not amenable to requests. The front desk manager seemed to care but his employees were not wonderful or that helpful. My sister and I both had issues. The front desk manager was nice and helpful in the end, but it was just a cluster.

We enjoyed another wonderful week @ Grande Ocean. The morning tennis clinics are fantastic - Marc & Debra are absolutely amazing and make it fun, competitive and interesting regardless of level of play & number of participants. They organize creative learning sessions that keep you moving and improving many different aspects of your game.

eBike owners beware!!! We had our 2 eBikes stolen from the Dolphin garage. They were locked with u-locks and cables under 2 security cameras. Marriott security was useless/non-existent to allow 2 thieves with bolt cutters onto the property and then exfiltrate with 2 stolen eBikes right under the nose of 2 security cameras. Marriott management was defensive and every action taken by them geared towards protecting themselves and the company from liability with absolutely no concern for us as the victims. We have been coming here for 30+ years and were treated terribly by the GM Massimo and the head of security Jack. Beware!!! Suggest if you bring eBikes store them in your room, the garages are not safe!!!

My family and I recently spent a week at Marriott Grande Ocean in Hilton Head for vacation.  This was our second trip to the Grande Ocean, third to a Marriot Vacation Club on HHI overall.  Generally, we love the Marriot Vacation Club properties.  They are extremely family-oriented, have tons of activities for kids and adults alike, and the properties themselves are very nice and well-situated on the island.    Our week in June started no different, we were in a room in the Dolphin building, close to the North Pool and North Beach Access.  However, our unit’s AC went out on the second night of our stay (Monday night).  We called first thing in the AM and they sent up maintenance that morning.  The maintenance worker (Deion) was very kind and respectful but was unable to fix the problem.  He informed us that a third-party contractor would need to be called in to fix the issue, and that they would be coming this afternoon.  Not liking where this was headed, my wife called the front desk and asked about moving rooms.  She spoke with Clayton, who told her the plan was to bring in the contractor to see if they could fix the issue and that we would be moved to an equal or better room for the inconvenience if they could not.  Deion also brought up a portable AC unit to try to keep the room at a comfortable temp.  Clayton assured us that they would take care of us for the warm evening we had already spent and the inconvenience the following day.     By late afternoon, the contractor left having fixed nothing.  We called the front desk immediately, explained the situation again and they sent another maintenance worker up to look at it.  We told him what the other workers said, he told us he couldn’t do anything for us and that we should call front desk again to change rooms.  My wife called the front desk again only to be told that all the rooms were filled by that point and there was nothing that could be done.  She stressed that she spoke with Clayton that morning and was told we would be moved and taken care of for the issues.  The individual at the front desk told us that there was nothing they could do for us and that we would be stuck in the room for the night, but that it would get taken care of in the morning.  This entire time, the portable unit was running nonstop, struggling to keep the area right next to the unit below 80 degrees – the rooms were even warmer.   We spent another very hot night in the unit Tuesday night; my son woke up at 1am soaked with sweat, I woke up throughout the night, even having to drain the water basin from the condenser at 3am (I dumped it right before bed too in hopes that it could last the night).  The next morning my wife walks down to the front desk to discuss, tired of the runaround we had been getting on the phone.  Again, she is told that there isn’t a single room in the complex that we could move to (even though we could have booked one on the website the night before – we looked!) and they would send up maintenance again.  Exasperated, she came back to the room and informed us that we are being told that we will have to spend the rest of the vacation in the swamp room.  I am furious at this point.  Finally, we get a call mid-morning that a room opened up that we could move to!  Now the room was a downgrade from the oceanfront building we were in (not the same or better we were originally promised) – in fact, it was the furthest building from the areas we spent time on-property – but it had AC, so we moved.  Through all this, we had spent 2 days in a unit with no AC out of 3 days we had been on the island.  I went down in person to speak with Brandon Moore, Customer Relations Manager, on Wednesday to see how they were going to make this right – I was told he was in a meeting and that he would call me back shortly, but he never called.      I have been a Marriott member for nearly 20 years, spending over 700 nights at Marriott properties.  There’s are several reasons I always choose Marriott, but the primary one is that they take care of you when things don’t go as planned.  This is not the first time that we have had something come up in a Marriott room, but every time that it has happened in the past, the staff went above and beyond to build loyalty.  But not this time.  We spent thousands of dollars for a room for 7 days/nights, 2 of those days/nights (nearly 30% of our entire trip) we did not have AC in our room.  Multiple commitments were made to us that were not followed-through.   At the end of the day, we paid for two nights/days at a premier property and didn’t receive a premier living or customer service experience.  I was told that they would take care of us – in the past that meant that we would be compensated for at least the point value of the rooms for the 2 nights/days (at the current market rate we paid, not owners’ rate), perhaps more.  Instead they gave us 25,000 Marriott points, which cannot get a night at a Fairfield off the interstate, let alone a Vacation Club night. I reached out to Marriott Corporate and they did not even bother to respond. Sad how Marriott’s customer service has fallen since Covid.

Spent seven days at the Grande Ocean. We are owners at another property (Aruba) this one was as a rental. Although F&B options are limited, the room design and lay-out more than makes up for any shortcomings this property may have. Perfect for couples and families. Beaches are beautiful and we found the staff to me very accommodating. Can't recommend highly enough is staying on HHI.

I gave this a four instead of a five for a couple of very specific reasons. I will say.

We had so much fun. The pools were clean and fun for grandchildren. I would definitely stay again

When they say this is a family friendly hotel, believe them. I came as a solo traveler (the aunt to my brother’s three kids) and it was the loudest and most irritating “vacation” I’ve experienced (and I’m pretty adventurous and love kids). Kids screaming all day and into the night, with it echoing off the concrete walls and floors. Parents too hammered on cheap cocktails from The Loggerhead to care. Good luck getting any view of the ocean from the units. The place was clean and the condos somewhat updated. But the toilets drip all night and if you’re unlucky enough to get a unit over one of the utility closets or pool cleaning systems, you better be okay with the loud cycling every 3 hours or come armed with alcohol and ambien. Would never stay here again for the price or to expect any kind of R&R.

We were welcomed to our stay at this lovely resort by Mr. Brandon Moore-Guest Relations Manager. He went beyond and above in assuring that our stay would be a fantastic one. Our room, the view, and the outstanding service made this vacation one to remember. We are making plans to return and to bring family with us. Such ourselves service is rare to find in today's world. But, Mr Moore's actions should be the standard at all of your Vacation Clubs. Thank you, Mr. Moore for making our stay a pleasant one.

Incredibly comfortable condo-like villas; always clean, and if you need anything, the staff answers request immediately. Atmosphere is lovely, beautifully maintained gardens and walking paths; wouldn’t want to stay anywhere else on the island.