At Marriott's Legends Edge - any questions?

We are the Marriott's Legends Edge at Bay Point until next weekend. MLE is a relatively small Marriott resort, but so far it has been great! I'll elaborate later.

The Bay Point Resort is huge, so we rented a four person golf cart to get around - mainly back and forth to the Bay Point Marriott hotel and the golf courses. Took the family out to practice at the Nicklaus couse earlier.

Marriott has a sales office for its Grand Residences here on site at MLE, but I have not been it to inquire. I will be at the owners' meeting tomorrow and can ask questions if anybody has antything they would like to know.

Terry

I would be interested in your opinion about the resort's unit quality, maintenance and furnishing. Since MLE is no longer a new resort, how would you rate their units relative to other newer Marriott's Florida properties ? I have visited MLE resort once about five or six years ago but have not been there more recently. I am not interested in ownership at MLE.
K.

I am in Building 1 and must say that we love the layout of the units. The soft goods (furniture, flooring, curtains, etc.) in the unit I am in appear to be nearly new, at most 2 years old.

The furnishings are very nice - typical Marriott. I would say, however, that they may be a step down from Waiohai where the chairs and sofas are bit more plush. The counter tops at MLE are laminate verses granite at many MVCI loactions.

The maintenence around the complex, both inside and outside, appears to be excellent from what I have seen thus far. Exactly what I want to see as an owner.

I will try to make my way around to the other building at MLE and the adjacent Grand Residences in the next couple of days.

I hope to post online photos when I get back home.

Terry,

How far from the beach are you? Is it walkable?

Any water views?


Richard

Every Marriott TS that we have stayed at has been "on the beach. "MLE is not on the beach, and NO the beach is not walkable. My wife and I have commented how it is actually refreshing to to just sit out and see the boats and jet skis toodling around in the bay for a change. Actually seeing something different than just beach and waves.

This is similar to what we had at the Ocean Pointe in the Kingfish Bldg facing the intercoastal canal inlet. Now that was great.

There is a part of the bay, called the Grand Lagoon, that separates MLE from the oceanfront. Directly across the bay is St Andrews Park, with its fantastic beach and snow white sands. It is about five miles to get around the Lagoon and ten minutes to get there. We went there yesterday. I must confess, this was the some of clearest, cleanest water I have ever seen. The waves were great as well. But, to qualify, I have been to Destin (40 miles away) many times and have see the water there change several times during one stay.

MLE has water every where. You can see Shell Island and its large white dunes. You can also see the inlet to the ocean. There are "bay beaches" here at the resort and down the street. They are nice, have white sand, but are not like being on the ocean.

Rental boats and shuttle boats can also get you ove to Shell Island. I have not been there yet.

Can you post some pictures. In addition, can you tell me what there is to do in the area, what are the restaurants like in the area, does the Marriott resort have a Faldo's Grill, does the clubhouse have exercise equipment and what is the Marriott Resort like.

Terry, thanks for offering to ask questions. I recently bought a unit at MLE and am anxious to use the Florida Club to trade. Since the units here are selling at really low prices resale, I'm hoping they keep Marriott as their management company. I also wonder what the difference is between the regular units and the the Grand Residence units. Your description of the property makes me want to go there sometime. It sounds wonderful! I think maybe May or October might be the best times there for low humidity.

The Bay Point resort is very large and has many restaurants on site, including in and around the Marriott. I can't say that I have seen a Faldo's Grill just yet, but I will check.

Outside the resort there are many things to do. The newest developement we have frequented is a developement called Pier Park. It is a huge walking, shopping, eating, clubbing with live music, center that also has outdor music, ice cream, a theater - just tons of nightlife. We went to Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville there.

Things to do that we have noticed so far:

Onsite (inludes Bay Point):
Snorkling trips
Dolphin & dinner cruises
Fishing - onsite pier & bay & offshore
Jet skis and boat rides
Golf
Bay beach
Poolside lunch with live music - MLE
Pier dining with live music - Marriott
Waterfront & waterside formal dining - Marriott & Bay Point


Offsight (ten minutes and farther):
Endless beautiful beaches
Unlimited choices of dining
All the typical beach shopping
Waterpark
Several large go cart tracks
Banana boats and parasailing
Golf
Small zoo
Adventure park (bungies and the like)
Ripley's


Added:
Here are a couple of photos I just took with my small digital camera through a screened porch.

Looking straight out.


Looking right (SE).


Looking down and left.



.

I believe that the grand residence units and buildings are identical to those at the TS side. They were originally planned as timeshare units, but when prices of real estate skyrocketed and slow sales of the timeshare Marriott thought it would be better to sell them as residences. This is what our salesman told us on a tour in May 2007. Not sure if they are all sold, if not, they may have made the wrong choice.

We've always wanted to trade there but have been hesitant so, I can't wait to see all the pictures... Enjoy your week..

Thinze,


Thanks so much for your updates and the pics!

I'm much more likely to trade in now.


Richard

In general, I am noticing a strong Southeast to Midwest presence here. Basically, Virginia to Louisiana and Illinois to Texas.

The Grand Residences may be similar to the TS - I hope to find out - but they deffinately have a location about 50-100 yards closer to the water, with big beautiful balconies. Not much action at the pool area there at all, however.

Marriott has put a full service spa, Serenity, in the GR (Bldg 4) next to the Marriott Hotel, two buildings over from MLE Bldg 2. The MLE and GR buildings are numbered buildings 1 through 4 starting with Bldg 1 which I am in on the far west end. My family is hoping to visit it in the Serenity Spa in next day or two.

We went to Shell Island yesterday. Again, the beach was beautiful. I will post a pic later.

Wyndham - Panama City Beach

I had to add. We saw the Wyndham Vacation Resort in Panama City Beach.
WOW!! It is a beautiful, majestic buidling.

Here's the link.

thinze3 said:

I had to add. We saw the Wyndham Vacation Resort in Panama City Beach.
WOW!! It is a beautiful, majestic buidling.[/URL]

Click to expand...

Is it right on the beach?

Wyndham - Panama City Beach

luv2vacation said:

Is it right on the beach?

Click to expand...

Yes it is. There is a crosswalk above Front Beach Rd that takes you to a large parking garage.

Awesome pics and report. I have seen a lot of availability at MLE (great weeks too) with my week and was thinking of grabbing a trade. I'm there.

Is the beach, white sand as soft as I have heard over the years? How about the Gulf of Mexico water. Is it a true clear blue water like the Caribbean Islands water? Enjoy your week !!!!

The beach at Panama City Beach is almost snow white and the water is clear emerald green. We have been to Destin, which is right down the road, several times and the beaches in PCB are every bit as good or better.

My DD's went jet skiing with a guide and rode out to a sand bar that had 6" sand dollars and many live starfish and other crawly animals. The funny thing is, the guide actually let the DD's hold the starfish, which I tought was a no-no. They also stopped, jumped off and swam with half a dozen wild dolphins. The dolphins did not come to within touching distance, however.

At the owners meeting Monday, it was funny talking to the owners and realizing how inexperienced they are compared to us Tuggers. A Horizon Branson owner who had traded in, didn't understand booking his room one year out from a Thursday check-in date. One fellow didn't realize that he should book the most demanded week if wanting to turn it in to II for trading.

I told them ALL to go to www.tug2.net and click on "forums" at the top of the page.

Terry