There are many interesting resorts along the coast of the southeastern United States. Kiawah Island has become increasingly popular in recent years. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort features a premier hotel and serves as the centerpiece for an extensive real estate development that also includes beachfront villas, condominium units, and country club amenities. The hotel features miles of quiet beaches and has luxurious accommodations, fine dining, gracious service, and extraordinary golf, tennis, and spa facilities. The Hotel has earned listings as an AAA Five Diamond Rated Hotel and a Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Award Hotel. 

Background

The island was developed for tourism forty-five years ago as the Kiawah Island Inn. This resort featured several hundred rooms near the waterfront with a golf course, a tennis complex, two pools, two restaurants, and activities for families and adults. After decades of successful operation, that resort closed and was later demolished. 

In 2004, the Sanctuary opened its doors and brought a new luxury resort to the island. The Sanctuary is located twenty-one miles from Charleston and is reached by a causeway from the mainland. It is heavily wooded and surrounded on one side by the Atlantic Ocean and on the other by a shallow estuary known as the Kiawah River which is popular for fishing, paddleboarding, and kayaking. The Island is considered one of the most eco-friendly developments of its kind.

Design and Rooms 

The Sanctuary describes the four-story property as “a casual but elegant building, reminiscent of a grand seaside mansion…. characterized by grand spaces and traditional, but light, southern décor highlighted by antiques.” The building was raised twenty feet to allow unobstructed views of the ocean from the ground floor and more than four hundred trees were transplanted to the site including a 160 foot high Live Oak. 

The lobby features two grand staircases and its “ceilings soar high above hand-planked walnut flooring.” It includes large sitting rooms with small clusters of furniture and decorations which allow guests to gather and talk, enjoy a drink, or just look out across the Grand Lawn to the ocean. When combined with the elegant design of the Ocean Room dining room on the second floor, the public areas are upscale but designed to be comfortable for country club attire.

There are 255 guest rooms with balconies looking out across the dunes to the ocean. Guest rooms average 530 square feet in size and suites range up to three thousand square feet. The furnishings are classic with dark woods, a writing desk, and extra-large bathrooms that feature a soaking tub, separate shower, a dual vanity, and other amenities 

Activities

The Sanctuary offers a complete range of resort activities starting with the five professionally designed golf courses. Major golf events including the 2012 and 2021 PGA championships, a Ryder Cup, and two World Cup tournaments have been held on the Ocean Course. All courses make use of the Island’s distinctive features such as rolling sand dunes, saltwater marshes, and tranquil forests which create a special experience for guests. 

For guest relaxation, there is the ocean to enjoy along with two outdoor pools, a kids’ pool, an indoor pool, and a fitness center. Three other activities available at the Sanctuary are especially notable. First, the spa was awarded the Forbes Five Star Award for 14 years in a row. The spa includes spacious treatment rooms and a tranquil solarium. Spa guests can also enjoy a variety of aqua experiences from saunas to mineral whirlpools along with restorative services and treatments from experienced and certified therapists. Second, the Barth-Hawtin tennis complex has twenty tennis and pickleball courts. The respected professional team there offers private and group lessons along with organized play on har-tru courts. Third, there are miles and miles of trails and paths on which to ride the hotel’s bikes, jog, walk or observe nature for fitness or relaxation. 

Dining

The Sanctuary offers fine dining and casual dining options at eleven different venues locate in the hotel, at the golf course clubhouses, or at the pool. There are a variety of themes and prices presented starting with the quality steakhouse Ocean Room located on the second floor of the hotel which requires evening resort attire. Low country cooking and special seafood is featured on the main floor of the hotel at the comfortable Jasmine Porch which is open for all three meals. Other restaurants emphasize Italian recipes, southern barbecue, and premier seafood. 

Summary

For guests seeking a luxury resort to unwind and dine or golf enthusiasts looking for a variety of challenging courses to play, the Sanctuary is worth a visit. Kiawah Island has always been a special place for our family since my wife and I had our honeymoon there and we enjoyed a special vacation there at the beach when our children were young. During our most recent visit in September, heavy rain and flooding drowned out all outdoor activity on two of our four days, Unfortunately, the spa was sold out and no additional bookings were offered to guests during the rainout days which may reflect the shortage of skilled workers at many hospitality establishments. Nevertheless, we still found enough to do and enjoyed the return visit. The cleanliness and service of the hotel were excellent and the food from breakfast to fine dining was special.