Is Marriott's Grande Ocean Family Friendly? Our Real Family Review

Yes. After spending seven nights at Marriott's Grande Ocean with our one-year-old and 4½-year-old, we'd absolutely consider it family friendly. The biggest reason for us was the two-bedroom villa. Having a separate room for the kids, a full kitchen, washer and dryer, multiple pools, indoor activities, and space for the adults to stay up after bedtime made the week much easier than a traditional hotel room would have.

Our Stay at a Glance

• Where: Marriott's Grande Ocean, Hilton Head Island

• Length: 7 nights

• Kids: 1 and 4½

• Room: Two-bedroom villa

• Kitchen: Full kitchen

• Washer/dryer: Yes

• Pack-and-play: Yes

• Highchair: Yes

• Bathtubs: Yes, but not in both bathrooms

• Indoor pool: Yes

• Kids' activities: Yes

• Beach access: Yes

• Would we stay again? Yes

Here we are on the property taking a family photo. This was take 126.

Our Arrival: Finding Reception Wasn't Easy

We got to Marriott's Grande Ocean on Friday night, and honestly, the first thing I noticed was that reception was harder to find than I expected. There was an entrance with a gate, but the main building wasn't very well lit. Since we were arriving after dark with two tired kids, it took us a minute to figure out where we were supposed to go. We ended up driving around the property before we found it.

Once we did find reception, though, the experience got much better. The guest services person was incredibly friendly and reassuring. I'd called ahead about a pack-and-play and highchair, and he confirmed they would be brought to our room. They actually showed up within about 10 minutes, which was a huge relief because, at that point, I was focused on getting both kids ready for bed.

I also asked where I could get coffee in the morning. If you're particular about your morning coffee, I'd recommend bringing your own. There isn't a café that we found, at least, and there is a legit Starbucks machine that offers lattes and Americanos, but if you're looking for your go-to coffee, I'd just bring it with you.

We brought our own cold brew, but it wasn't going to be ready until Saturday, so I ended up driving to Starbucks for coffee the first morning.

The Room Setup Was a Huge Win for Our Family

The room set up was probably my favorite part of the stay.

You walk in and there's a small foyer. On the left, there's a laundry room with a washer and dryer, as well as a vacuum and some light cleaning supplies. There's also a guest bathroom with a stand-in shower, toilet, sink, and some really nice makeup mirrors.

Then there's a guest bedroom with one queen bed and a pullout sofa. This is where I put my kids. I put the pack-and-play in there, my older kiddo slept in the bed, and everyone slept really comfortably.

Then you have the kitchen, which has a large bar-type seating area, a dishwasher, stove, oven, microwave, and refrigerator.

I will say they were lacking trash cans, so we just had to put everything into one big trash bag and then take it ourselves down to the recycling or trash bins. We also have diaper kiddos, so we ended up putting our poopy diapers outside in a trash bin because we didn't have our diaper pail. That was definitely a drawback of not having trash cans in the kitchen and just using the large trash bag.

We were also on the first floor, which is still a level above the parking garage. You still have to either walk upstairs or take an elevator. We ended up walking up the stairs most days, and we'd take the elevator when we had the stroller. Our room was conveniently located right next to the stairs and away from the elevator, so we just took the stairs most days. It also made it convenient to get to the recycling and trash bins when we needed to take our trash out.

Housekeeping was available, but you had to pay extra. We decided to just live our lives for a week without housekeeping and tried to maintain everything ourselves.

Looking over the living room from the kitchen, there's a large dining room table that seats six. We ended up moving a chair away and putting a highchair there for my little kiddo.

There's also a large, full-length mirror. Actually, there are three full-length mirrors in the unit, which was really nice.

Then there's a coffee table, sofa, and two reading chairs. All of the furniture was surprisingly very kid-friendly. Nothing except for the dining room table was glass, and the coffee table was round, so no one could bump their eye or break an eye on it.

Then you overlook the balcony. Our balcony was particularly large because we were on a lower floor, and I ended up liking that more because I felt safer with the kids. We had a partial ocean view and overlooked the Dolphin Pool.

I felt comfortable with my kiddos going in and out to the balcony. There was also a key latch lock so we could make sure they are secured not going in and out of the room

The patio had a large round table and multiple chairs. It was very, very spacious. We sat out there and drank our coffee while our kiddos played, and it was essentially another living area for us.

The primary bedroom had a large king bed and a TV in it, and the guest bedroom also had a TV, so there were three TVs within the unit.

The primary bedroom also had plenty of drawer space, so we unloaded all of our clothes. There was a desk, which was important to us because both my husband and I work from home. We're working parents, so he did some work, and I was able to check in comfortably. The Wi-Fi worked great.

Then there was a large closet where we hung our clothes, a Jacuzzi tub where our kids took baths every day after being sandy from the beach, and a stand-in shower. There were two sinks, one for my husband and one for myself, and an enclosed toilet where you can close the door.

Why the Two-Bedroom Layout Made Such a Difference

The thing I appreciated most about the layout was that normally, when we travel with the kids, my husband and I are going to bed when they go to bed.

If we share one hotel room, the kids' lights are out at 7 p.m., and we can't be super noisy or loud, so we just kind of sit back in our bed and read our books.

But with this layout, we were able to watch shows together in peace and enjoy the patio and the beach. We could actually have some of our own time while we were traveling, which we really appreciated.

Is Marriott's Grande Ocean Good for Babies and Toddlers?

One question I always wonder now that we have a 4½-year-old and a one-year-old is whether a travel destination is good for toddlers.

I would say yes. This is a great facility for babies and toddlers.

There's a pack-and-play available, they supply highchairs, there's a bathtub, and there's a washer and dryer.

I ended up only packing clothes for three days for everyone because I knew there was a washer and dryer on site, and I didn't want to overpack. It was also nice that I washed everything before we left on the last day, so I avoided having a pile of laundry waiting for me when we got home. Very convenient.

Hangin out at the pool near our room

What Can Kids Do at Marriott's Grande Ocean When It Rains?

We experienced a couple of rainy days over the seven days we were there.

It was rainy the first couple of days, so we had a good opportunity to test this.

There was an activity center with an indoor pool, and we found ourselves going there most mornings just to get the kids' energy out. We would do the indoor pool, and everyone loved that.

There was also an activity center where there were puzzles, an interactive table, and some building blocks. My older kiddo loves to color, so there were coloring pages, and they had Bluey on the big TV.

There were a lot of activities listed when we checked in each day, so you had to reserve them, and some were free while others cost extra. You would just show up for the kids' activities.

When we didn't feel like going to the pool, or if it was rainy, we would just go to one of those activities, and everyone had a great time.

The resort also offers other alternatives on property besides just going to the pool. There were some activities that my 4½-year-old really took to. She loved the shark tooth necklace making, and she loved the soap-making activity, which was a great incentive to then take baths throughout the rest of the week because she was excited to use her soap.

There was also an owl lesson where they brought real owls into the activity center and gave a lesson on what owls are like. There were coloring activities, too, which were really, really helpful.

The Pools and Beach: Which Worked Best for Our Kids?

Onto the pools and the beach. This was something that I really appreciated as a parent: there were multiple different pools you could choose from.

We were situated in the Dolphin building, so we were right in front of this pool. It was a quieter pool, was large and picturesque, and overlooked the ocean.

We went to this pool a couple of times because it was convenient. We could just pop down and be there and hang out. It was a 3-foot pool, so my 4½-year-old loved doing the diving sticks.

Right near there is a little river where some large fish and turtles live. It was really nice that the front desk offered some free fish food that my kids loved feeding the fish. They had a great time when the fish would come up, and it was just a nice interactive experience for them that was free.

Moving onto the next pool was the Dolphin Pool, which is the big-kid pool. It offers a big splash pad, a walk-in beach area with little fountains, a bigger pool area for bigger kids, and then a lazy river.

We spent most of our time here because it was the most kid-friendly for our older kid, and our younger kid found it really sensory-positive. The lazy river was awesome as well.

Next to that pool was what I'm calling the Loggerhead pool, where there was a restaurant, a bar, and music. So that was more of an adult pool, I would say, but kids are also welcome there.

There was a nice boardwalk where you could sit and overlook the beach, and then grab a drink and head to the kids' pool.

There was beach access throughout all of the pools and the property, so that was a really nice opportunity, too.

Can Parents Actually Relax at Marriott's Grande Ocean?

Is Marriott's Grande Ocean family friendly for parents, too?

Yes.

There was an on-site spa called Namaste where you could get a facial, a full-body massage, or other spa amenities.

There's also a fitness center that my husband and I used, which overlooked the ocean.

There are adult activities, too. There was a wine-and-cheese activity that was complimentary, although you had to pre-register.

You could also rent bikes, which we did one day. That could be for families with kids or just adults. We ended up renting a Burley Bee trailer, and my husband pulled our kiddos along in the back. We rode all the way down to the Salty Dog Café, had lunch, and rode back.

Our kids loved it.

There were also other adult-focused things, like quiet pool time. And again, the two-bedroom layout made a huge difference.

So yes, this hotel can be great for kids and still be relaxing for parents. There are plenty of amenities for everyone.

What Is the Concierge and Guest Service Experience Like?

Concierge and guest services are a big piece for me when I stay at a hotel.

I will say that there isn't a ton of on-site concierge service. If you're sitting at a pool and want someone to bring you a drink or food, that is not the case here. You have to bring your own food to the pool, or you can go to Loggerhead, which is the restaurant on site.

You can also mobile order and bring it to wherever you're sitting at the pool.

If you're looking for a hotel that has consistent servers or waiters who will come to your chair at the pool, that does not exist here.

We ended up bringing our breakfast and lunch every day, and we just ate out for dinner off property. We didn't expect to be served poolside, so this wasn't a major issue for us.

I will say the concierge at the front desk was extremely helpful. They were extremely lovely and were always happy and helpful. The activities people were also always happy and helpful.

The restaurant reservation service was also helpful. They contacted us before our stay and offered to help make dinner reservations. We still had to do our own research to figure out which restaurants we wanted to visit, but once we knew where we wanted to go, the concierge was able to make the reservations for us.

What We Didn't Love

• Reception was difficult to find at night.

• There wasn't a coffee bar or café on site, which we were hoping would be a nice little treat or pick-me-up.

• The concierge's responsibilities weren't completely clear to me.

• We needed additional hangers.

• One bathroom had a standing shower rather than a tub, which was the bathroom attached to the room where I put my kids.

• Restaurant research was still our responsibility.

• The lack of trash cans in the kitchen was inconvenient, especially with two kids in diapers.

• Housekeeping was available for an additional fee.

What We Loved

• The two-bedroom layout

• The full kitchen

• The washer and dryer

• Tons of space for the kids

• Separate adult space

• Pack-and-play and highchair delivered quickly

• An indoor pool for rainy days

• Kids' activities that our children actually enjoyed

• Easy beach access

• Multiple pools

• The lazy river and splash pad

• Family bike rentals

• Several adult activities

• The ability to relax after the kids went to bed

So, Is Marriott's Grande Ocean Family Friendly?

For our family, yes, it was 100% family friendly.

Traveling with a one-year-old and a 4½-year-old, the two-bedroom villa made a bigger difference than I expected. The kitchen and washer and dryer made the logistics easier, the kids had plenty to do, and perhaps most importantly, my husband and I didn't have to go to bed when the kids did.

It's not perfect. There were a few small annoyances, and I wouldn't rely on the resort for every detail without confirming it beforehand.

But after spending a full week here, I can see why this type of property works particularly well for families who want more space than a traditional hotel room.

Would we stay there again?

Yes. We definitely would.

• Is Marriott's Grande Ocean good for families with young kids?

  Yes. The two-bedroom villa layout, full kitchen, washer/dryer, and quick delivery of a pack-and-play and highchair made it easy to travel with a 1-year-old and a 4½-year-old.

• Does Marriott's Grande Ocean have a coffee shop?

  There's a Starbucks-brand machine in the villa, but if you're particular about coffee, bring your own.

• Is there an adults-only or quiet pool at Marriott's Grande Ocean?

  There isn't an adults-only pool, but Loggerhead Pool (with the restaurant and bar) skews more adult, and quiet pool time is offered separately from the main kid-focused Dolphin Pool.

• What can kids do at Marriott's Grande Ocean when it rains?

  The indoor pool and activity center, which runs things like soap-making, shark tooth necklace crafts, and an owl lesson.

• Does Marriott's Grande Ocean provide a pack-and-play and highchair?

  Yes, both were delivered to the room within about 10 minutes of check-in after being requested ahead of time.