kpeiper - If you are looking for "most spacious, updated accommodations and resort amenities"...I'd suggest SurfWatch. It is technically the 'newest' MVC on HHI..and I believe (if my memory serves me right) has the largest villas. Each HHI resort accommodations are updated frequently with the standard maintenance, so getting the most recently renovated villa/building in any....would give you the nicest villa quality (furniture, carpet, appliances, etc). Those villas/blds on the further end of the maintenance refresh...would feel older....irregardless of resorts.
In reality, any of the 'Big 3' HHI resorts are great. I've been to Surfwatch and Barony. Both are excellent, with pros/cons for each. I haven't been to Grande Ocean, while many TUGgers prefer it to the others. Monarch, while also preferred by many based on location, has smaller villas I believe (sleeps 6 vs 8)...and perhaps few less amenities on-site. Monarch plus is location, location, location.
Surfwatch has the third largest villlas of the Big 3 mentioned....
Grande Ocean has the largest, Barony second largest, and Surfwatch smallest. Marriott built it that way...every subsequent resort had smaller villas. Barony made up for it by having a spa, Surfwatch the 3BR villas...... All marketing.
That doesn't mean SW's villas are small, just that they're smaller than GO's & Barony's. Of the "other" Marriotts on Hilton Head, Monarch has the smallest, then Sunset Pointe and Harbour Point......then Heritage & Harbour Club in the middle.
To your point about Surfwatch being the "newest resort",
yes it is regarding time elapsed since construction, but imho that is totally irrelevant now, as Surfwatch has been around quite a while. At this point any newness has worn off, especially given the timely renovations that are rotating through all the other Marriotts at all times. To me, the newest is the one with the latest renovations.
In addition, both Grande Ocean and Barony have far newer renovations, which in my mind makes them newer.
Not to mention the outdoor additional structures and amenities at both GO & Barony which have added much to the enjoyment.
Consider GO's huge beachfront deck, tables & umbrellas, two large fire pit areas, etc and Barony's new bathrooms and awesome outdoor Grill & Bar. Surfwatch did complete the transition from the old Sales Office to more villas, but it was not unexpected.