(credit score: Patrick J O’Brien)
A keep on Kiawah Island combines South Carolina’s appeal with an oasis of pure magnificence together with 5 championship programs designed by the world’s main golf course architects. The island is residence to a per capita earnings of $168,369, the best in South Carolina, in addition to 10 miles of seashores with completely preserved maritime forests, sand dunes and marshes. Simply 21 miles from Charleston, the island is residence to an abundance of wildlife together with whitetail deer, seabirds, dolphins, sea turtles, alligators and bobcats which inhabit the 13.4 square-mile island. It’s residence to 500 charming villas and personal luxurious properties in addition to The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, a 255-room, oceanfront lodge and spa.
The elegant 412,000-sf lodge opened in 2004 and combines the best finishes of Charleston brick, stucco, wooden, slate, copper and ironwork. Designed to evoke an aura of its historic setting, the interiors are grand in nature with excessive ceilings and traditional vintage furnishings within the foyer. Presenting a luxurious setting in an approachable but detail-oriented method, the resort is heat and welcoming, true hallmarks of Lowcountry hospitality. From their excessive degree of service and facilities (12,694-sf spa and salon, well-curated retail hall, indoor and outside swimming pools, two indoor eating places and bars, one oceanfront poolside restaurant and bar and extra) to their location subsequent to the Kiawah River, they current a plethora of choices for all vacationers.
(credit score: courtesy of Kiawah Island Golf Resort)
“The Sanctuary was designed to evoke the sensation of a century-old grand seaside mansion,” mentioned Basic Supervisor Invoice Lacey. “Even the smallest particulars had been thought-about, together with putting in particular spacers beneath the foyer floorboards in order that the hardwoods give and creak barely, simply as they’d in an previous home that has settled through the years. But, befitting its oceanfront setting, whereas the lodge is elegant, it isn’t in any respect stuffy, quite it’s comfortably inviting. We describe it as relaxed class – no a part of the foyer, for instance, feels ‘off limits’ or too treasured for friends to calm down in and revel in. I’d say that’s actually an extension of the spirit of your entire resort.”
(credit score: Rod Pasibe)
With 90 p.c of the guestrooms and suites having ocean views, their most opulent lodging within the lodge is the Presidential Suite. Measuring 3,100 sq. ft, friends are welcomed into the expansive dwelling space with an inviting hearth earlier than stepping foot to the spacious balcony by way of double units of French doorways. Inclusive of an intimate library, separate eating room for 12 and bed room with adjoining dressing room, the suite additionally gives a non-public outside space with views down the size of the Grand Garden to the ocean’s horizon.
Along with the rooms and suite on the lodge itself, unfold throughout the island the resort manages near 500 properties. These models vary from one-bedroom semi-detached models all the best way as much as grand ocean-front homes that may accommodate as much as 20 folks (splendid for multigenerational household holidays). New to the choices are the Ocean Course Cottages which offers a one-of-a-kind golf expertise with a devoted concierge to attend to each element earlier than and all through your keep. From a every day spherical of golf and every day breakfast, extra enhancements could also be organized together with a non-public catered dinner and leisure actions resembling chartered inshore or nearshore fishing excursions.
(credit score: courtesy of Kiawah Island Golf Resort)
“We need to prolong to our friends the real hospitality for which the South Carolina Lowcountry has traditionally been famend,” mentioned Bryan Hunter, Director of Public Relations. “However we additionally need them to discover the distinctive and enchanting panorama that’s an indispensable a part of life on a Lowcountry barrier island. We would like them to watch and encounter the astonishing abundance of natural world the carefully interrelated ecosystems right here help – that along with the world-class golf experiences supplied by the resort’s 5 championship programs.”
The Sanctuary gives each component to encourage their friends with the platform to discover and respect the character that surrounds the resort. With 30-plus miles of paved trails for biking, strolling and jogging and entry to the Kiawah River for naturalist-led kayaking, SUPing and boating excursions, there are quite a few nature actions to be loved. One distinctive exercise that’s finest loved throughout low tide is the dolphin strand feeding on Captain Sam’s Inlet the place dolphins herd fish onto the sand after which launch themselves out of the water to catch the fish. Distinctive to this a part of the Lowcountry and some, choose different areas on this planet, that is one thing undoubtedly to not be missed.
(credit score: Uzzell Lambert)
The resort additionally offers friends with packages to the 5 championship golf programs (Pete Dye’s The Ocean Course, Tom Fazio’s Osprey Level, Jack Nicklaus’ Turtle Level, Gary Participant’s Cougar Level and Clyde Johnston’s Oak Level) on the island. The absolutely and just lately renovated programs first appeared on the nationwide zeitgeistin 1991 with the Ryder Cup contested on the newly opened Ocean Course. Since then, the island has hosted a number of World Cup tournaments, two PGA Championships (the newest in 2021), one Senior PGA Championship and plenty of different world-class occasions.
The Ocean Course boasts probably the most seaside holes, 10, within the Northern Hemisphere and is on each golfer’s must-play record for a real check of ability. For these seeking to ultimately construct as much as taking over one of many championship programs, the Tommy Cuthbert Golf Studying Middle invitations friends of all ability ranges to refine their recreation in state-of-the-art services with customized teaching from PGA-certified execs. With 22 courts, together with ten new Har-Tru clay courts, the Roy Barth Tennis Middle has earned high accolades and gives various packages for gamers to hone their recreation and be taught from the professionals.
(credit score: courtesy of Kiawah Island Golf Resort)
Again on the lodge, their pool complicated options an outside household pool and an infinity-edge grownup saltwater pool with a boardwalk to the seashore (the place full seashore service offers friends with chairs, umbrellas, towels and seashore toys). Adjoining to their state-of-the-art health middle on the west wing of the foyer, is the indoor saltwater pool measures roughly 50 ft by 24 ft and is lined for laps.
When leisure is the secret, The Spa at The Sanctuary offers companies in 12 remedy rooms with remedies impressed by Kiawah Island’s pure substances derived from the ocean, marsh and maritime forest. The spa combines Southern hospitality with pure design components seen of their leisure solariums and salon, presenting a haven for restoration and rejuvenation. Select from their signature 60-minute Southern Basic Therapeutic massage or a Holistic Facial to a choice of Natura Bissé remedies utilized in quite a lot of therapies which beautify pores and skin of any age.
(credit score: Chris M. Rogers Images, Inc.)
On property the Kiawah eating assortment presents greater than a dozen choices starting from trendy pub fare to genuine Lowcountry delicacies. The Ocean Room, the lodge’s signature restaurant focuses on USDA Prime Beef, domestically sourced seafood and distinctive seasonal facet dishes, which could be paired with their 1,000-label record of exemplary cellar-aged wines. Simply inside the lodge itself, Jasmine Porch is their refined family-friendly institution specializing within the Lowcountry’s distinctive delicacies like their she-crab soup and shrimp-and-grits whereas Loggerhead Grill is an outside, seasonal poolside restaurant and bar for a extra informal vibe. Cease by Seashores & Cream for lite fare breakfast, domestically sourced natural ice lotions and sandwiches for carry-out, or by certainly one of three bars for specialty cocktails, wines, beer, spirits and lightweight fare.
Farther afield all through the resort, 4 of the 5 clubhouses supply distinctive eating choices starting from informal to subtle, headlined by The Atlantic Room positioned in The Ocean Course clubhouse, which focuses on recent seasonal catch sourced from native fishermen, oystermen and shrimpers complimented by recent seasonal produce sourced from neighboring farms. Maybe better of all, the eating places’ financial institution of floor-to-ceiling home windows ushers in panoramic views of the golf course and the Atlantic.
Surrounded by distinctively tranquil pure environment, for a journey expertise you would like would by no means finish, a visit to Kiawah Island offers a retreat into journey and luxurious. One the place Southern hospitality and pure magnificence current a breath of recent air.
