Montage Palmetto Bluffs is the Ultimate Luxury Escape

Can the Lowcountry of South Carolina deliver a high luxury experience? Oh, yes, dear reader. Case in point? The fabulous Montage Palmetto Bluffs, often cited on lists of the most romantic hotels in the world. We first stayed there a few years ago, and fell completely in love with this gracious resort. A couple of years ago, a $100 million renovation made it even more magical. If you want to leave every manner of urban care behind – especially if you’re traveling with small children, or a large group – this serene hideaway is an answered prayer.

You owe it to yourself to arrive for the first time at the Montage Palmetto Bluff when it’s still daylight, because the approach to the hotel is a core part of its luxuriousness. As the roar and hum of I-95 fall away, you turn into a leafy, winding two-lane drive. Soon enough, you approach a guard’s gate. Should you have reason to be there, you’re graciously allowed entry. That’s when the fun begins.

You’ve still got over 4 miles to go, and it’s a spectacularly scenic drive.

First, you round a corner and a marshland vista opens before you, with signs urging you to drive slowly, as there is wildlife all around. We spotted a crane taking flight as dusk settled in, and later learned that the various lagoons are home to turtles, egrets and nesting bald eagles.

There’s also a sign that says “Don’t feed the alligators.” Roger that. Getting back in the car now.

Further on, as you pass under majestic oaks trees with branches full of dangling smoke-grey moss, you’ll pass an idyllic lake house, and several private driveways.

A few minutes more, and you officially arrive in the town of Wilson (named after Richard T. Wilson, a New York banker and the owner of a mansion that once stood there). As you round the bend, you’re greeted by towering moss-covered trees, charming bridges over a meandering waterway and lovely Georgian and contemporary homes.

Round another corner, and there’s a lovely chapel, lit by the rays of the setting sun. All that beauty, and you haven’t even seen the hotel yet!

And it’s just lovely.

A white clapboard building with a wide veranda in front serves as the main hotel. Inside is a library with a roaring fire and two chic dining establishments. We stayed in one of the rooms in this main building, and they’re spacious, elegantly appointed and serene. The color scheme is creamy yellow and ivory, with dark wood furniture. The toiletries in the spacious bath were from one of our favorite brands, Antica Farmacista – the fragrance was called Carolina Summer Orchard, a yummy peach scent that was pitch-perfect for this setting. Our room had a ceiling fan, and a lovely balcony perfect for breakfast and late-afternoon tea.

But the most stunning part of the experience is still to come.

When you exit the main hotel building from the back, you’ll find a charming bridge that crosses a lake.

If you pause mid-span, you’ll see what we fondly referred to as “Egret Island” — a nesting ground and habitat for the snowy egret. There were hundreds of them when we were there.

On the other side of the footbridge lies the true heart of the property: a collection of 50 cottages of varying sizes arrayed in pristine order around a series of walking paths and the shores of the May River.

They range in size from one to four bedrooms, and because all of the paths are closed to vehicular traffic, the only sounds you’ll hear are fellow guests chatting as they walk, or bike, or scoot past your door in a chauffeured golf cart.

The bikes are complimentary with your lodging, and they’re the perfect way to explore this little slice of heaven. The topography is perfectly flat, making it ideal for cyclists of all ability levels and ages.

One of the loveliest parts of the property is the May River dock. As our traveling companion noted: “This place is just like Nantucket – but with palm trees.” This is a very fine thing. We later learned that there are bottlenose dolphins living nearby, and if you choose to go kayaking, you might find yourself surrounded by them.

The River House building was the original main hotel, and is now used for conferences and receptions. The property is much larger than one might originally imagine – it covers 20,000 acres.

Did we mention the food? There’s a lovely dining spot at the main hotel building on the outdoor terrace by the lake – we had cocktails at dusk there, but it would be a fine place for a meal anytime of the day or evening.

If you want something more rustic, there are fire pits where you can make-your-own s’mores, as well home-churned ice cream, and a different fire pit where Lowcountry specialties are served daily at 5:00P.

A short stroll from the dock will bring you to Buffalo’s, a charming little cafe that sells delicious baked goods and books — can we just say, that’s our definition of heaven? They’re best known for their Biscuit Bar breakfast — the hotel receptionist said “it’s so good, that afterward people generally need to lay down for a while.” Are you kidding? We are totally down with that.

In each hotel room, there’s a welcoming package of vanilla salted shortbread cookies and homemade bourbon milk jam (don’t ask, just try it – it’s sublime). Every night, a new offering from the bakery arrives: chocolate-covered shortbread bites in a variety of delicious flavor combinations. it was tough, but we managed to sample them all.

It took us a while, but we finally figured out that those complimentary bikes are really there to mitigate the effects of the delicious dining options. It’s the least the resort can do, because the food is irresistible, and you’re going to need to work off at least some of those calories.

The resort also has a brand-new spa, three swimming pools, two chapels and miles of trails for running, walking and biking. There are spectacular sunrise and sunset views; boat rides, boutique shopping, fishing, pickleball, basketball, nature hikes through the salt marshes, fresh water swamps and lagoons, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, dolphin discovery cruises, tennis, golf on a Jack Nicklaus course, beach-combing, horseback riding, clay shooting, bowling, and lawn croquet.

You can be reasonably certain that neither you nor your traveling companions will be bored.

The only complaint we had during our entire stay was the mosquito population, which is large and voracious. The hotel provides its own elegant brand of insect repellent spray in each room — definitely bring it along and use it. You’ve been warned.

The list of activities and leisure pursuits is impressive. But it’s not just those things that make this place something truly special. We’ve stayed at a lot of corporate retreat properties all over the world, where there’s golf, and a spa, some walking trails and the like.

There’s something magical about this one.

Perhaps it’s that this might be the starriest night sky you’ve ever seen. Or it’s that the flickering gas lamps that light the paths of the resort at nightfall cast the most beautiful golden glow. It could be the island filled with hundreds of snow-white egrets and their chicks. Or the little village of charming cottages, each one the basis for a new story, or at least a chapter, in someone’s life. It could just be the biscuits.

Whatever the source of its ineffable magic, one thing is certain. If you stay here once, you’ll see this place – and hear the night calls of the storks and the egrets – again and again in your dreams.