 Island Pleasures
Living
it Up in South Carolina's Lowcountry
By
Joshua Lurie
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The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort offers a modern take on a grand 1850's manor.
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The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina is a modern take on a grand
1850's manor. This beachside lodging offers premier
accommodations, innovative New Southern cuisine and a
top spa to an island resort already offering an alluring
trio of beach, golf and tennis.
A
live oak-lined avenue leads to the entrance of this stately
property. Inside the yellow, four-story building, you'll
first encounter an enormous lobby containing inviting
seating, limestone fireplaces, crystal chandeliers and
a bar serving classic mint juleps. Local artist Karen
Lawson Turner painted four 30-foot-high murals—two
by each of the staircases—inspired by Kiawah's natural
environment. In the east, they depict sunrise. In the
west, sunset. Pick a staircase, any staircase, and you'll
find yourself in either the sophisticated Ocean Room restaurant
or the spa.
Ninety
percent of the 255 guestrooms and suites take full advantage
of their ocean views. Standard rooms offer marble showers,
large tubs and balconies; amenities include all the expected
basics, plus wireless Internet access that reaches to
the beach. The eleven executive suites have the standard
accommodations along with whirlpool tubs, flat-screen
TVs and extra balconies. A concierge level with private
elevator access has a sumptuous three-room lounge. Staying
on this floor costs extra, but you get some nice perks,
which include breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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Those
choosing to dine instead in the hotel's Ocean Room will
be welcomed by Savannah blacksmith John Boyd Smith’s
substantial wrought-iron gates, which incorporate distinctive
Kiawah touches: an egret, sea grass and sea oats. Chef
Kevin Ives combines New American style and local ingredients
to an excellent effect. The best starter is the oyster
tasting: sparkling fresh Kumamoto oysters on the half-shell,
baked with breadcrumbs and lemon aïoli, artistically
placed on a tower of savory bread pudding. Brandt’s
signature duck confit with caramelized shallots and dried
blueberries is just as satisfying. Entrées include
the sensational Kobe beef flat-iron steak with parsnip
and haricots verts frites. Pastry chef Claire Chapman
keeps pace with her Sweet Grass Dairy goat cheesecake
with sour cream raspberry ice cream. The nineteen-page
wine list plays with headings like Tiny Bubbles, Smooth
and Supple Whites and Juicy and Jammy Reds.
For
a more casual alternative, Jasmine Porch is designed to
look like a stable, with exposed brick walls, parquet
floors and wrought-iron lanterns. Chef de cuisine Nathan Thurston prepares modern takes on Lowcountry dishes. We
especially liked the fried green tomato appetizer with
creamy boursin, pancetta and spicy plum tomato jam. The
standout entrée is another coastal Carolina specialty:
shrimp and cheddar grits with tasso ham gravy.
Kiawah
Island Golf Resort has gained much of its acclaim for its five golf
courses, designed by luminaries such as Jack Nicklaus,
whose Turtle Point includes three ocean holes that abut
hotel property, and Pete Dye, whose Ocean Course was awarded
the 2012 PGA Championship. The island also has two tennis
clubs, and if that's not enough to keep you busy, there
are ten miles of pristine beach, thirty miles of bike
paths and tours led by staff naturalists. Don't be surprised
to spot a bobcat, bald eagle or even an alligator sunning
itself by one of the island’s many ponds.
Along
with a modern fitness facility, cardio studio and 65-foot
indoor pool, the hotel houses a spa with twelve treatment rooms. Services with a regional
twist include the Mint Julep Facial, Lowcountry Verbena
Body Polish and a signature massage that uses warm grain-
and herb-filled wraps. Such facilities add to Kiawah's
appeal as a year-round resort, which attracts outdoorsy
types in the spring and fall (cooler temperatures and
lower humidity) and beach-seeking families in the summer.
In addition, due to 18,000 square feet of meeting and
event space, corporate meetings and retreats account for
almost half of the hotel's annual business. Fair weather
or foul, for business or pleasure, The Sanctuary at Kiawah
Island accommodates with gracious Southern hospitality
throughout the year.
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