Fifteen minutes from Hilton Head, this is the Lowcountry's most luxurious resort. This 22,000-acre property has been transformed into a perfect replica of a small island town, complete with its own clapboard church. As a chauffeured golf cart takes you to your cottages, you'll pass the clubhouse, which resembles a mighty antebellum great house. All of the cottages are generously sized—even the one-bedrooms have more than 1,100 square feet of space. The decor is coastal chic, with sumptuous bedding, gas fireplaces, surround-sound home theaters, and marvelous bathroom suites with steam showers. Your screened-in porch puts you immediately in touch with nature. New is the Canoe Club with its restaurant, family pool, and bar. The spa puts you close to heaven with its pampering treatments. Dinner at its River House Restaurant is definitely worth an excursion from Hilton Head even if you do not stay here. Pros: the tennis/boccie/croquet complex has an atmospheric, impressive retail shop; the river adds both ambience and boat excursions; pillared ruins dotting the grounds are like sculpture. Cons: the mock Southern town is not the real thing; not that close to the amenities of Hilton Head.
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