jjesq99

I did book the 2 room suite with points (45k/nt) plus a $200 daily fee. But as the date approached, I noticed the 2 bedroom offerings disappeared.

Try changing dates if you can.

djohannw

I'm kind of torn in regard to that hotel - have stayed there three times now and while the hardware (room, location, pools) is terrific, my beef is with the staff and there almost always dishonest and sometimes "childish" treatment (talk about hiding away luggage-carts so you can't have them on your own). All in all each stay had at least one issue that could not be resolved to my satisfaction, and also the construction is really a major annoyance for the south-facing rooms - jack-hammering starting right at the 8am point next door was not what I wanted for my vacation. Construction is still going on until fall 2017 IIRC.

All in all I probably will return but then will make sure I have a north-facing room (if you get a 2BR, ask for a xx01 room) and be aware that there will be some issues with doing things outside the cookie-cutter approach. As to upgrades, I had decent experiences with upgrades, but their official policy is best view within the booked category, so accordingly last time we got a 1BR Ocean View on a 1BR non-view booking (and yes, there ARE Ocean view 1BRs that face north - don't believe the "all 1BR Ocean Views are near the construction" statement).

One interesting thing is that the hotel gives a 50% discount on parking for Platinum members - given the hefty $27 fee for valet parking this is somewhat welcome. I have seen cars parked in the lot next door however the lot really closes after dawn, so if you need your car after dark you are out of luck with the state park parking next door.

Greetings - Dirk

jjesq99

Sounds about right. We had similar experiences with the luggage cart where they said we weren't able to take it ourselves, and then later we saw other people walking around with luggage carts, but I consider that to be relatively minor and didn't want to let it ruin my vacation, because I'm the type that will dwell on that sort of thing.

joshua362

Seems to be common at resorts in FL, I once had a guy yell at me from across the lobby at the Orlando World Center when I took one & headed towards the elevators. I rolled it back to him with gusto.

Contrast this to the Philadelphia Marriott where the bellhops wouldn't come outside in the 100 degree heat and the carts were for the taking...

friscotrvlr

Thinking about doing a week at this hotel for Spring Break with a 7 and an 8 year old. My question is about the area. It looks like Singer Island is pretty safe but the greater Riviera Beach area does not seem to be as safe (from the reports I have read - https://www.wptv.com/news/region-c-p...angerous-in-us). Anyone have an opinion on this? How is it driving on and off of Singer Island?

jjesq99

Driving on and off the island is easy. One route is through Palm Beach (north side) and the other is through Blue heron Blvd to the south (start of West Palm Bch). Palm Beach side is much nicer (and far more expensive), so just dont go to Blue Heron. The Riviera Beach area has some shops and restaurants that are more affordable, but they are perfectly safe. The bottom line is, as a guest of this property, anywhere you would likely is safe.

That said, we just stayed there a few months back and I wouldnt give it glowing review. We have been there the past 4 or so Xmas's and they have gotten worse and worse there. Still decent, but there are probably better options out there (though I am not sure given how little time there is left in Spring).

Good luck and safe travels.

friscotrvlr

Thanks for the insights. What specifically got worse? They want 300k points for 6 nights + $100 a night for a 1 Bedroom condo which comes to $1100+ with resort fees, taxes and parking. That's the only option available. Is it worth that?

jjesq99

Service got worse. Pool staff was completely disinterested, and beach crew were scarce. Beautiful property still, and they upgraded me to a two bedroom suite which faced intercoastal but still had ocean view (I am lowest Platinum). That $100 fee I have only seen when booking a two bedroom on points, so thats lousy. We felt like they just nickel and dime you there more and more; the free breakfast turns into a breakfast supplement of $10-$15. So basically 50% off; that's nice, but not free. I guess you can argue thats the way with all resorts.

Worth it? It boils down to what are your other options?

friscotrvlr

Unfortunately, I feel like they're all going that way. I've also got reservations at The Ritz Naples and Marriott Sand Key in Clearwater.

* The Ritz will only give me 1 King for 340k points for just 5 nights. To "upgrade" to 2 Double Beds, I have to pay $100 per night.
* Marriott Sand Key will give me a 1 Bedroom Suite for 250k points plus parking but no resort fees.

We're just looking for a nice spring break place where the kids can enjoy the pool and we can do some activities (beaches/aquariums/zoos/snorkeling/children's museums/science centers). This is for next year btw.

Edit: I will likely also have 5 SNAs which I have no faith in at all.

jjesq99

1) Whats an SNA? sorry I'm ignorant;
2) Unfortunately i havent stayed at those spots, though I'm told the Naples Ritz is better than the Sarasota version.
3) Have you considered the JW on Marco Island? Supposed to be nice...
4) Have you considered Orlando? lots more options there and you only sacrifice the beach. i'm biased b/c I live there, but we do a bunch of staycations here. You have access to the parks, activities and family stuff, plus a myriad of higher end options with great pools. Just in Bonvoy you have the Gaylord, Marriott World center, Ritz, JW, Swan and Dolphin (if you do the mouse), as well as some decent timeshare properties that give you more room (I would only due one attached to the mariott world center).
5) I will tell you that my wife and I decided we werent going back to Singer Island and that will tick my kids off, but we believe we can find something better.
6) I should also say that i am gravitating towards a mix of Bonvoy, Hyatt and free agent status.

Hope that helps!

friscotrvlr

1) Suite Night Award - it's effectively a raffle ticket that gets you a spot in line for some sort of upgrade (and not necessarily a Suite). Earned annually with Platinum and above.
3) I tried booking it at 6am on Sunday morning when the inventory for that week was released and it's completely unavailable for point redemptions. I stayed there before with my wife and loved it.
4) We've been there with the kids 3x now and wanted to do something different (with a beach).

Appreciate all the insights. I think we may end up giving Singer Island a shot because the Sand Key Marriott gets really mixed reviews and it's not technically on a beach. Staying at the Ritz in Naples seems like a great choice but I am super-concerned I am going to get stuck in a King room with a chaise and no place to put a 2nd kid unless I pony up cash.

jjesq99

Thats what i thought it meant and yah, it will be a crap shoot.
The ritz is definitely gonna make you pay $$$
Crap on JW marco island points wise; I have had trouble finding availability there as well

svo242

Anyone have any recent stays here? Debating between here and the Ritz Sarasota on the west coast....

Also, does anyone know what a premium two bedroom ocean view suite is? Looks like maybe these units have wrap-around balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows, but not sure where they are located within the resort. Ideally I'd Iike to see the pools and ocean from the room.

shimps1

Echoing above, any recent stays? 2019 doesn't seem to have been a good year for this hotel judging from the old posts. Maybe they have improved? Looking to book a stay for my mom on points, but 100k/night is steep if this place isn't getting glowing reviews. Any other Marriott hotels in the area that are recommended? She's flying into PBI.

CanuckFlyHigh

• Just finished a one night stay here for work (everything in PB was sold out). This is maybe one step up from a 3 star al inclusive in Mexico. Terrible time share resort. Never again.