Marriott's Barony Beach Club

First off, let’s start with the positives. This place has obviously been remodeled recently, and unlike some remodels, it was very well done and looks great! However, like many Marriott vacation club villas we’ve stayed in, there were some mechanical and maintenance issues. Both of the bedroom fans would buzz incessantly when turned on above the lowest level, making them almost unusable. The central air conditioning had something loose in either the the ductwork or the vent that caused a noticeable rattling sound that was very annoying. But to give credit where it is due, the maintenance guy Eduardo came into the villa and fixed everything - he was especially courteous and was very prompt - well done Eduardo! The outside pool was nasty - my wife and son found a woman’s sanitary pad floating in the deep end near the slide. That was very off-putting. There was a fair amount of debris at the bottom of the pool as well.

Loved this ocean front resort. We had an oceanfront corner villa in Sea Oat building. Everything we needed to a fun trip with daughter's family. The fitness team was great. Martha and Hannah are good instructors. We did Aquafit every morning. Lots of participants for a fun workout. Grandkids loved the reptile program bubbles and juggling and morning cereal and pop tarts. Adults enjoyed happy hour and gym. We vacation a lot. This was a lovely place will be on repeat for sure. If you were in the garden buildings or didnt have an ocean view you might not enjoy it ss much.

Typical vacation club clean two bedroom unit. A/C not the best. The pool was large but a little too warm for hot summer days. Music and pool activities would have been a plus. Garden view was in a separate section of property with Westin between. Strangely Closest and recommended path to beach was through Westin which had a very nice upscale lobby and pool area. Beach was flat and great for walking, darker sand-we prefer lighter sand beaches. Did see baby turtles, jellyfish and sand dollar. Heard of sharks feeding in area day before in shallow waters. The best HHI restaurants are several miles from this location.

The resort itself was great. It had beautifully maintained grounds, modern accommodations, and nice views that make for a truly relaxing atmosphere. We stayed in 9428 in the Morning Glory building and had no issues with parking, elevators, and it was in good proximity to the pool/beach. The rooms were spacious, clean, and well-designed, offering all of what you need to make meals, do laundry, etc. I was surprised there was no baking sheet, but we made it work. The resort was family friendly and had normal activities (bingo, movies, etc). We went to the caramel apple bar, which was really sliced apples and toppings and attempted to get ice cream sundaes (freezer malfunctioned ‍♀️). Unfortunately, the overall experience was dampened by the staff. From check-in to check out, the service felt cold and impersonal. There was a noticeable lack of warmth or hospitality. A resort of this caliber should come with friendly, attentive service, and that just wasn’t the case during our stay. Simply saying “Welcome” or “How did you enjoy your stay?” should be standard at the front desk. Twice my daughters and I passed a desk near the spa where 5 employees stood and not one spoke. We checked out on my birthday and I called to ask for a late checkout (at least an additional hour) and was told they couldn’t accommodate that. I could attribute the service to the lack of diversity (I’m African American), but I try not to jump to conclusions. My family had a nice stay overall. WiFi worked well and Netflix was on all of the TVs. The beach and pools were great and never felt overcrowded. We cooked some meals in the villa and tried some nearby restaurants. There were plenty of stores for groceries/shopping and an outlet is minutes away. If you’re simply looking to enjoy beautiful surroundings and don’t mind limited engagement from staff, Marriott Barony Beach could be a nice option.

Very good

Our unit was a two bedroom unit with two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. There was a washer and a dryer in the unit which was nice. We were assigned a garden building which overlooked the garden pool but was about a 20 minute walk from the beach and a little far for three children under 5 to go back and forth during the day. There were lots of activities and we participated in ceramic painting, saw the magic show, and attended a bourbon tasting by a local brewery. We also played shuffleboard, ping pong, foosball, and utilized the water slide and the splash pad. Our only complaint was the kitchen utensils, plastic spatula and no baking sheet. We checked out a grill kit from the front desk. It did not have a metal spatula either. Trying to cook hamburgers on the outdoor grill was interesting. We found a metal spatula at a local dollar store for $1.25. The room only had five plates so we were doing dishes daily. Overall it was a good stay with nice facilities. Staff was friendly and helpful.