A few notes from Oceana Palms if anyone cares

This is our second trip to Oceana Palms. Both have been in ocean front units. The first trip was in a center ocean front, this trip is a corner ocean front.

Of note: the wrap around balcony of the corner unit isn't all that and a bag of chips IMHO. We are in a north corner unit. The building design doesn't allow us to view the beach to the south. Essentially, we have a front view and north beach view. It does allow us a nice view back towards the intercoastal waterway that is not provided by the center ocean front balcony. The balcony of the corner unit is considerably smaller than the center balcony. There is room for a full size patio table and chairs but the side portion is narrow. So narrow it's difficult to sit comfortable in the chair provided on that side. The center balcony had a patio table with chairs, a lounge with table and chair with table and plenty of room to spread out.

The interior is more cut up in the corner suite. The guest bedroom has a lovely floor to ceileing window but its view is north towards the high rise complexes on Singer Island. Still a nice view but, the center balcony guest room has a full frontal view of the ocean. The kitchen of the corner unit is a more traditional C-shape instead of the more open floor plan you see on Marriott's web site. The living room feels somewhat crowded with the couch and chairs. It's fine for 2 people, maybe a little tight for 4 adults and scary confined if you have 5 or 6 adults IMHO. Even with children 4 adults and 2 children would have a confined feeling.

The shower in the master bath is not the majestic shower in the Marriott pictures if you're in the corner unit. It's OK but it's just not the same IMO.

The view fromt he master bedroom in the corner unit is spectacular. Floor to ceiling windows with a notched feature that allows you to see both east and north. truly a great view out the masterbedroom window. Unfortunately, I don't really spend a great deal of time in the masterbedroom.

The biggest plus of the corner unit is all the windows. From anywhere in the unit you'll have a magnificent view out. The center unit doesn't afford such views out from the interior but, has the larger and IMHO more comfortable balcony.

Overall we are of the opinion that the layout/design of the center balcony units is a better fit for us and what we'd prefer if we brought guests with us. Others would disagree. At any rate the odds of getting a corner unit are 2:1 so if you're booking an ocean front unit, it's probably best to plan on getting one of those. Because of that I'm not sure how often we'll be willing to spend the points to return to Oceana Palms as we prefer ocean front when we travel.

I believe only certain floors have the wrap around or larger balconies? Are some corner units have smaller balconies or do they not wrap around?

Is it every third floor has the larger wrap around? Going on memory.

Doug, just curious. I know you own at OP, was this an exchange or a DC Resie?
To get OF once would be great but twice unbelievable especially this time of year.

Enjoy your stay.

I'm not trying to steal your thread, but I do have a question.

We're interested in an exchange to the Palm Beach area in spring 2017. I've got an ongoing request in, and I know it's still too early (a bit more than a year) before our desired dates (in May 2017). But I'm checking Interval every once in a while for other possible trades. I can see availability at several other Marriott Florida locations in early 2017 (the panhandle, Orlando). But I see absolutely nothing for the Palm Beach resorts (Oceana Palms, Ocean Pointe) after January 1, 2017.

Is it that popular a trade? Why is nothing showing up for the Palm Beach area Marriotts after Jan 1?

GrayFal said:

Doug, just curious. I know you own at OP, was this an exchange or a DC Resie?
To get OF once would be great but twice unbelievable especially this time of year.

Enjoy your stay.

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Pretty sure it's a DC reservation - in his last paragraph Doug says he booked oceanfront and he's not sure he'll use Points again for Oceana Palms because corner OF units outnumber full-on by 2 to 1.

jd2601 said:

I believe only certain floors have the wrap around or larger balconies? Are some corner units have smaller balconies or do they not wrap around?

Is it every third floor has the larger wrap around? Going on memory.

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I believe that all of the corner units have the wrap around. Looking at photos of the Sunrise tower, some of the center units have extended balconies (every third floor), but it looks like all the corner unit balconies wrap and are the same size. Except perhaps the 7th floor (I think that is the first floor with villas). I appears that the wrap on those corner balconies may be extended.

We were in a corner ocean front a few years ago and it was adequate for four adults. We have never stayed in a center ocean front to compare though. Good to read insights from someone who has.

Doug, have you stayed at Crystal Shores? I'm wondering how the size of its living/dining/kitchen area compares with the size of the Oceana Palms full-on and corner OF units? Thanks!

SueDonJ said:

Doug, have you stayed at Crystal Shores? I'm wondering how the size of its living/dining/kitchen area compares with the size of the Oceana Palms full-on and corner OF units? Thanks!

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The kitchen, living room, and dining room at Crystal Shores seems to be larger or at least more open than that of the Oceana Palms corner unit we stayed in. I think at Crystal Shores they took four hotel units to create a 2BR unit. In the unit we stayed in, the bedrooms were on each and and the middle seemed like it was the size of two hotel rooms. The support post between the living and dining room would lead me to the same conclusion.

Crystal Shores Living/Dining Room


Oceana Palms Living/Dining Room (The kitchen is tucked away in the back right)

GrayFal said:

Doug, just curious. I know you own at OP, was this an exchange or a DC Resie?
To get OF once would be great but twice unbelievable especially this time of year.

Enjoy your stay.

Click to expand...

We used points. IMHO there are only two really good reasons to use points. 1. you need a non-traditional check in day and 2. you want to ensure a particular view. We would not be interested in Oceana Palms unless we could ensure an ocean front view. While we enjoy the area, for us the best part is relaxing while watching the ocean, either from inside the air conditioned comforts of our unit or on the balcony.

Because of changes in health a few years ago and then changes in jobs for both of us the last 2 years, we converted our 3 bedroom Grand Chateau unit to points. This will likely be our last year using points. We've disposed of 3 timeshares in the last 2 years and can get better value thru weeks exchanges. Non-traditional check in days are as important (we used that feature to conserve vacation days) and there aren't as many resorts where the view is a must. Should we choose to travel to Hawaii using Marriott or return to Oceana Palms we'll go back to making the reservation with points to ensure the view we want. Other than that, I'm not certain there's a resort we'll be going to that the view is of major importance.

GetawaysRus said:

I'm not trying to steal your thread, but I do have a question.

We're interested in an exchange to the Palm Beach area in spring 2017. I've got an ongoing request in, and I know it's still too early (a bit more than a year) before our desired dates (in May 2017). But I'm checking Interval every once in a while for other possible trades. I can see availability at several other Marriott Florida locations in early 2017 (the panhandle, Orlando). But I see absolutely nothing for the Palm Beach resorts (Oceana Palms, Ocean Pointe) after January 1, 2017.

Is it that popular a trade? Why is nothing showing up for the Palm Beach area Marriotts after Jan 1?

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The Palm Beach area is very popular from January thru March and even into April. The gulf stream comes in close to shore and keeps the ocean temps in the mid to high 70's, which is about what the air temp is most of the time as well. Owner occupancy has traditionally been high during those months.

Early on when Ocean Pointe was being built, property values were VERY high in S. Florida. There was a few condo complexes being built with 1 bedroom units starting in the million dollar range. There are those who winter in this region or, at the very least, come down for a few weeks from the cold New England winters. Many saw the opportunity to buy a few weeks much cheaper than buying a condo. The MF's were even more reasonable than paying condo dues, insurance and condo HOA fee's. So there was a group of people who wanted to winter in S. FL and found timeshare was less expensive than owning a second home. They bought to use, not to trade, and use they have done for many years. I'm not certain how true this is 15 years or so later but, it's always been a more difficult trade for Feb. and March than many regions. I have seen a few weeks on instant online exchanges for January over the years but it's rare. Not many weeks pass through without matching an ongoing request and, with the DC program and Marriott's ability to snag deposits for points reservations, it may be even less now.

SueDonJ said:

Doug, have you stayed at Crystal Shores? I'm wondering how the size of its living/dining/kitchen area compares with the size of the Oceana Palms full-on and corner OF units? Thanks!

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We have not. It's not a resort we're inclined to exchange into and certainly not one we're interested in as a points reservation.

We are deeded owners and once used points for ocean front. I like the view of the inland waterway and the lights at night.msince there isn't much activity on the ocean, we were a little disappointed. We are accustomed to seeing all the activity at MFC and the lights of Charlotte Amelia, so decided we need a side unit at Oceana Palms.

I am at Oceana Palms right now. We are in a side unit on the 11 floor, front building, facing north. I am an owner here. I figured if I want to come here I had better buy here. This is a resort that is completely booked for Spring Break. When they first went on sale here the line to buy multiple Platinum weeks was long. The draw was a winter condo without the upkeep of owning a condo. And, for renters, the maintenance fees were less than the cost to rent a condo down here.

getting back to the original theme of the post.

You won't see May weeks anywhere unless you are looking at resorts with fixed weeks, the developer is dumping inventory, or with Marriott you have owners who have enough units to string together about three or four consecutive week check ins 13 months out.

Big Matt said:

getting back to the original theme of the post.

You won't see May weeks anywhere unless you are looking at resorts with fixed weeks, the developer is dumping inventory, or with Marriott you have owners who have enough units to string together about three or four consecutive week check ins 13 months out.

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May? What is so popular about May? It is shoulder season at best.

I apologize. I was responding to the poster getawaysRrus, not the original poster. May 2017 isn't going to be available for him/her now.

dioxide45 said:

May? What is so popular about May? It is shoulder season at best.

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Big Matt said:

I apologize. I was responding to the poster getawaysRrus, not the original poster. May 2017 isn't going to be available for him/her now.

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Thanks for clarifying. Rereading your post, it makes sense to me now.