HOTEL INSIDER: A Stay at Sea Island

On the coast of Georgia in the Golden Isles sit Sea Island and neighboring St. Simons Island, home to The Cloister at Sea Island and The Lodge at Sea Island, respectively. Capturing the true essence of Southern charm, you’ll find next-level service, Southern prep, a sunset bagpipe tradition on the green, and a perfectly crafted gimlet.

DESTINATION: SEA ISLAND ??

Tiny Sea Island has a big reputation. At only five miles long and one-and-a-half miles wide, it’s dotted with picture perfect homes and dripping with Spanish moss, and a golf cart is practically the only vehicle you need to navigate within its borders. The Cloister is its heart, while the uber-polished Lodge is the charming counterpart on the golf course on St. Simons. It’s so picture-perfect it’ll blow your mind.

Sea Island is Southern charm personified. Think dark wood, frosty mint juleps, Adirondack chairs on lush green grass, and a requisite American flag swaying in the breeze. For those focused on R&R, spend a day at the five-star spa where you’ll be wrapped, scrubbed and massaged into oblivion, and enjoy the pool scene where you can laze in the summer sun with a pause for lunch. For those in search of active pursuits, you’ll be spoiled for choice with world-class options for golf, tennis, horseback riding, boating, biking, hunting and shooting. The Sea Island Shooting School is one of the country’s oldest, second only to Savannah.

If there’s one must on my list when visiting Sea Island, it’s a drink at The Lodge during sunset. Grab a table – or an Adirondack chair – and cozy up with your drink of choice over bagpipe music before dinner. For dining, Tavola serves upscale casual Italian cuisine with some nice wines by the glass, perfect for a less formal dinner a deux or a night out with friends or family. For a splurge-worthy fine dining experience, head to Colt & Alison at The Lodge, named for the architecture firm behind the golf course, or head to The Georgian Room at The Cloister, Georgia’s only Forbes five-star restaurant.

Planning your getaway to Sea Island? Here’s some inspiration for your trip!

• Planning a Girls Getaway to Sea Island
• Experience the Shooting School at Sea Island
• Travel Style Guide: Packing for Sea Island
• Top 5 Experiences for a Girls Getaway to Sea Island

?? Book a Stay at the Lodge at Sea Island in Georgia

Number of Rooms: 175 at The Cloister // 42 rooms at The Lodge
Cost Per Night: $549 – $3000
Must-Try Eats & Drinks: Grab a gimlet on the green at The Lodge while bagpipe plays over sunset.
Hotel Highlights: Spend a day at the five-star spa + fitness center, and try your hand at the shooting school, the second oldest in the US.
Worth the Investment? Yes – I preferred the charm of the Lodge to the larger-scale feel of The Cloister.
Points Perks: None.