9th hole at Pete Dye’s Ocean Course
Having grown up in the South Carolina Lowcountry, I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years. Sadly, many have not been good. Beautiful old plantation houses, piers, beaches, islands, and buildings have been destroyed by Mother Nature and by greedy developers. But not all change has been bad. A good example of good change is The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island. They have built a first-class resort that shares the island harmoniously with nature.
Many shorebirds can be found here.
History: The island was once used for fishing and hunting by area Kiawah (KEE-a-wah) Indians, who eventually died of diseases brought by the white man. The island played an important role in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, and World War II. The island was owned by an alleged pirate named Raynor and the Stanyarne family before being owned by General Arnoldus Vanderhorst. He lived here until he died in a hunting accident and many believe his spirit remains on Kiawah. Some swear that they have seen the ghost of General Vanderhorst. 
The island stayed in the Vanderhorst family for more than 200 years before being sold to C.C. Royal in 1951. His heirs sold it to developers in 1974, who sold it to the current developers in 1993. The Sanctuary opened in 2004. I had the privilege of being there when it first opened and I am happy to report that everything is still as superb now as it was at that time. Sometimes resorts decline over time but management here pays attention to every little detail to ensure the resort retains its stellar reputation. It closes for a week every January to redo the magnificent black walnut plank floors and replace carpet, update wallpaper, repaint, etc.
Why This Place Is So Great: It is a fifteen mile drive from Highway 17 to the resort. At first, it will seem like a long way from “civilization,” but by the time you reach Johns Island, you realize that the drive is a good thing. After all, the point of coming here is to get away from everything. As traffic thins out and you pass under a canopy of giant old oak trees draped in ribbons of Spanish moss, you will realize that you have indeed entered a sanctuary; a place devoid of the crowds and chaos and air and noise pollution that you’ll find at many other vacation destinations. Instead, you’ll find tidal marshlands, snowy egrets, loggerhead turtles, miles of nature trails, a secluded beach, and a prime view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Alligators are prevalent on the island but they won’t bother you as long as you don’t bother them!
Still worried that you might get bored? No way! The 10,000-acre island has everything one needs for a perfect vacation, including the 255-room oceanfront resort. You’ll see a lot of golfers because The Sanctuary offers five championship golf courses. Five! But don’t let that fool you. It has so much more to offer. The Sanctuary reminds me of a luxury cruise. You’ll be torn between doing absolutely nothing but sitting by the pool enjoying the view and having your every need and whim tended to and trying to do all the activities that are offered.
When I checked in, I was greeted warmly by the front desk clerk and then by the General Manager Bill Lacey, who gave me a most cordial welcome. He has done a great job of instilling in his staff that this is a hospitality industry. There was never a time that I encountered employees who failed to make eye contact and offer a greeting. That’s just the way things are done here. The staff realizes that guests are their livelihood. The Sanctuary employs more than 400 locals and that number swells to up to 1,600 during the summer months—plus all the local vendors and contractors they utilize year round.
Amenities: The interior design and furnishings are reminiscent of a grand old plantation home, from the morning room filled with distinctive antiques, fine art, and paintings to the hand-sculpted wrought iron doors to the Ocean Room.The exterior of the four-story hotel combines Charleston brick, stone, stucco, wood, slate, copper, and ironwork.
Aerial View of Resort
The Ocean Room is the most formal dining option in the resort, specializing in steaks and sushi. You can tell who is on their way there by the way they’re dressed. This is the only time you’ll see men sporting dinner jackets and women wearing sequined tops and four-inch heels. Their food is renowned but my favorite is The Jasmine Porch because the dress code is more casual and it features Lowcountry Cuisine, which is my favorite. The chef makes the best She Crab Soup and offers fresh local seafood—and don’t get me started on the desserts. The pastry chef makes a variety of delicious desserts daily, including five different pies. She says that based on reservations, she will make up to two dozen pies so that she won’t run out.
Other options include The Loggerhead Grill, which is casual poolside dining, and Beaches & Cream, where you can buy drinks, muffins and pastries, fruit and yogurt, ice cream, and breakfast sandwiches. Some food can be ordered in the Lobby Bar and there is always room service.
Grand Lobby of The Sanctuary
Speaking of the rooms, they are heavenly. The first thing you’ll notice is that a standard room is much bigger than those in similar hotels. There are iPod docking stations, high speed Internet, DVD players, HD flat screen televisions, and private balconies (most with views of the ocean). They have the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in and I’ve been to many four and five-star hotels. I found out that the reason is that the beds are custom-made for the resort.
I love the garden-themed spa for many reasons. It may be overshadowed by golf, but it has been given the rare Forbes Five Star, Travel & Leisure’s Best Hotel Spas in America, and Top 100 Resort Spas by Conde Nast Traveler. I don’t normally opt for spa treatments because of my skin. My dermatologist recently retired to spend more time at his oceanfront beach house, thanks in large part to me.
Spa solarium
Since my skin rejects almost all products and treatments, I usually am not able to enjoy any spa services except an occasional massage. However, I was reassured that their products (Naturopathica) would not harm my skin. I have a lot of trust in the staff at The Sanctuary so I decided to trust what they told me. Not only did the mint julep hydrating facial NOT send me running to a dermatologist (which is good since I have not found another one yet), but the facial actually left my skin glowing and baby soft. Color me surprised and pleased! The spa includes eleven treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room, solarium, and whirpool. Their most popular service is a sports massage, which is perfect after a day of playing tennis or golf.
A Day at The Sanctuary: I could go on and on about this place, but let me share with you a typical day and that says it all…
7 a.m. Complimentary coffee on the veranda while watching the sunrise and then a scone and fresh fruit from Beaches & Cream
9 a.m. Yoga at the fitness center (or laps in the indoor pool during adults only swim time)
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Day of golf or sunbathe, nap, swim in ocean and/or in main pool (or adults only pool which is only a few feet from the beach), bike, tennis, walk on beach and/or nature trails (eight different walks or biking routes are listed in a brochure placed in every room or spend the day at the 21-acre Heron Park which includes a game room, nature center with workshops and full-time naturalists, children’s camp, and three swimming pools with water slides), shopping, spa treatment, marsh canoeing or ocean kayaking, and lunch at Loggerhead Grill or Night Heron Poolside Bar & Grill.
Kayak or canoe in the marsh creeks or ocean.
4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Jacuzzi soak; shower and dress
5.30 p.m. – 6.45 p.m. Dinner at Jasmine Porch or Ocean Room. There are more restaurants and shops three miles up the road at the Town Center or in the resort’s clubhouse restaurants or Straw Market.
6.45 p.m. Nature Cruise
9 p.m. drinks in Lobby Bar or cozy martini bar (includes great selection of micro-brew beer and scotch)
The Nature Center offers lots of fun programs and a chance to see snakes, turtles, and alligators up close.
See what I mean about a perfect vacation?
Rates: Rooms are $275 – $825 per night and suites are $585 – $4,700 per night. There are also villas and luxury homes for rent on the island. There is 19,000 square feet of conference space so it is a popular choice for corporate retreats.
Awards: Too numerous to include but to name a few…
#1 Golf Course in South Carolina
#1 Tennis Resort in the World
Best Award of Excellence for Ocean Room (dining)
Forbes Five Star Award
Five Diamond Award by AAA
Top Family Resort in the World
Gold List Award
Visitor Information: Kiawah Island is located twenty-one miles south of Charleston. It is 231 miles from Charlotte, NC; 788 miles from New York, and 341 miles from Atlanta, GA. www.kiawahresort.com
Though rarely seen, you may glimpse a bobcat during your visit.
