Just a short drive from one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and located along white sand beaches, is Wild Dunes Resort. Among the large oak trees covered in Spanish moss, swaying palm trees and winding bike paths, this resort is surrounded by the ocean and intra-coastal waterway. It is truly an island getaway.
What Is the Wild Dunes Resort?
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Wild Dunes Resort is an oceanfront resort with gated access located on the north end of Isle of Palms, a barrier island on South Carolina's coast. It is a thirty-minute drive to historic, downtown Charleston, a city named by Conde` Nast Magazine as the Best U.S. City, eight years in a row.
Wild Dunes resort offers everything one could possibly need to unwind and relax. The resort has two golf courses, the Harbor Course, and the Links course, both designed by Tom Fazio, and rated as the best in the state by Golf Digest. There is also tennis, biking and walking trails, a spa and wellness center and plenty of places for both casual and fine dining.
There are a variety of choices for accommodations including the Boardwalk Inn Hotel and The Village. If you are looking for a more family-friendly stay, there are houses, condos and cottages available to rent.
Product Specs
The Boardwalk Inn Hotel offers 93 hotel room and suites. The hotel is oceanfront with rooms offering private balconies and ocean views. The Boardwalk Inn Hotel has received the AAA Four Diamond award every year since it opened. Guests have the beach at their doorstep, and can easily walk to the Wild Dunes Tennis Center, golf courses, or restaurants and shops lined along the boardwalk within Wild Dunes Resort. There is also an adult-only pool and cabana available.
The Village at Wild Dunes is a short walk from the beach and offers one, two and three bedroom fully furnished suites and penthouses. Within walking distance are restaurants, the Sand and Sea Spa and resort pool.
If you are looking for more space or privacy, or something more family friendly, there are privately owned houses, condos and cottages, which can be rented from Wild Dunes Resort. This option opens up the possibility of staying on the intra-coastal waterway, on one of the golf courses or on the ocean itself.
Pricing
Wild Dunes Resort offers a variety of price ranges. For the Boardwalk Inn Hotel, guests can expect to pay anywhere from $120 a night to over $400 a night depending on the room selection and time of year.
The Village offers suites from $150 to over $600 a night, again depending on room selection and time of year.
The houses, condos and cottages available within the resort range from around $400 a night to well beyond several thousand for a week-long stay. Prices depend on size, location and time of year.
How It Compares
We picked a few similar products available on the market to see how they compare.
- The Palms Oceanfront Hotel
- Seaside Inn
- The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor
Wild Dunes Resort
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The resort is located only thirty minutes from historic Charleston, which is home to some of the best restaurants in the country as well as shopping on the famed King Street.
Price
Rooms range from approximately $120 to over $600 a night, depending on selection of room and time of year.
Rooms
(4 out of 5 stars)
Rooms are decorated in a casual, low-country style known for in Charleston.
Service
(5 out of 5 stars)
Staff at Wild Dunes Resort is professional and welcoming. The resort offers room service and beach rentals. The resort pools offer towel service.
Amenities
(5 out of 5 stars)
Wild Dunes Resort offers golf, tennis, spa and wellness center and many biking and walking trails. There are also two resort pools available to guests and bike rentals within the resort. The Boardwalk Inn offers free wifi and complimentary valet parking.
Value
(4 out of 5 stars)
If a guest is looking for a place to slow down and relax, this resort is perfect. It is quiet and tucked away, yet has all the amenities a guest needs.
Location
(5 out of 5 stars)
The location of Wild Dunes Resort is perfect for those looking for a beach getaway. Since it is located on the north end of Isle of Palms, guests must cross the bridge to the mainland to get access to most conveniences like grocery stores and shopping. While there is a small market on the island, guests are about a fifteen to twenty-minute drive from everything else they may need.
PROS
CONS
The Palms Oceanfront Hotel
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The Palms Oceanfront Hotel reopened in 2018 after a complete renovation. It is located in the heart of Isle of Palms and within walking distance of restaurants, shops and a county park. The Palms Oceanfront Hotel offers 57 renovated rooms, some with private balconies offering beachfront views.
Price
Rooms range from approximately $99 to over $300, depending on selection of room and time of year.
Rooms
(4 out of 5 stars)
The newly renovated rooms offer a more modern, beach-luxury style. Rooms with private balconies and sleeper sofas are available. All rooms come with free wifi, mini-fridges, microwaves and personal safes.
Service
(4 out of 5 stars)
The service at The Palms Oceanfront Hotel is courteous and welcoming. The hotel offers free complimentary breakfast, towels for the pool and beach chair rentals.
Amenities
(3 out of 5 stars)
The Palms Oceanfront Hotel has a new heated saline pool and sun deck. Parking is available but there may be fees. There are outdoor showers available for those coming back from the beach. Wifi is also available in all the rooms.
Value
(3 out of 5 stars)
This is a great hotel for those guests looking to stay in a nice hotel right on the beach and in an easy location.
Location
(4 out of 5 stars)
If you are looking for an upscale oceanfront hotel, you can’t get much better. The location of The Palms Oceanfront Hotel is right on the beach and right in the heart of Isle of Palms. Guests are within walking distance of everything they need on the island. To access more conveniences, guest will need to cross over to the mainland.
PROS
CONS
Seaside Inn
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Seaside Inn is located in the heart of Isle of Palms, right on the ocean. This smaller hotel is situated next to a live music venue and makes for fun times listening to music on your private balcony. The Seaside Inn has a more vintage beach theme. Guests will find simple rooms with a 1950’s beach décor.
Price
Rooms range from approximately $100 to $300 a night depending on selection and time of year.
Rooms
(3 out of 5 stars)
The rooms at the Seaside Inn are simple as most of the focus is on the fact that guests are just steps away from the beach. The rooms are clean and modestly furnished with a 1950’s vintage beach theme. Each room has a mini fridge, coffee maker and microwave.
Service
(3 out of 5 stars)
The staff is friendly and welcoming at the Seaside Inn. There is a complimentary breakfast and guests are able to use the 1950’s beach cruisers as part of their stay.
Amenities
(3 out of 5 stars)
There are complimentary cellphone charging stations, towels for the beach and a game area. Wifi is available in all rooms, and they offer a small complimentary breakfast. There is a small pool and sunning deck.
Value
(3 out of 5 stars)
This is a fun, charming hotel to stay in with options for guests when they don’t feel like going to the beach. It may not be luxurious but if guests want a place to stay on the beach with access to lots of local activities, this is a good place to stay.
Location
(4 out of 5 stars)
The location is great for those looking to be in the middle of the action. The hotel is located next to a live music venue and in the heart of Isle of Palms. If a guest is looking for something quieter, better to find something down the beach a bit.
PROS
CONS
The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor
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The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor is a luxury hotel right over the Ravenel Bridge from historic, downtown Charleston. The hotel offers 92 rooms and lots of amenities. The hotel is located on the Charleston harbor, offering views of downtown, the bridge and ships coming in and out of Charleston. Guests are about a fifteen-minute drive to the two closest beaches, Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms.
Price
Rooms range from approximately $200 to over $1000 depending on selection and time of year.
Rooms
(5 out of 5 stars)
The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor offers luxury rooms, decorated in an upscale, low-country theme. Rooms are available with balconies, sitting areas, fireplaces and separate showers and soaking tubs.
Service
(5 out of 5 stars)
The staff and service provide for a very personal and upscale experience.
Amenities
(5 out of 5 stars)
The amenities at The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor are meant to keep guests at the hotel. There is a private beach on the harbor for guests, complete with sand and beach chairs. There are multiple pools, a 30,000 square foot sun deck, bocce ball, private poolside cabanas and fire pits.
Value
(5 out of 5 stars)
The value in this hotel is focused on the amenities and luxury rooms. Guests will find plenty to do around the hotel or are able to relax in a breathtaking setting.
Location
(4 out of 5 stars)
Guests will find that they are close to downtown Charleston and close to the beach but they must drive to get to either. While there is a private beach at the hotel, you can’t actually see or hear the ocean.
PROS
CONS
Conclusion
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Wild Dunes Resort offers the best in a relaxing beach vacation. Guests can enjoy a quiet resort but still feel like they have everything at their fingertips, including golf, tennis and first-rate spas and restaurants. Wild Dunes Resort is set among beautiful, winding bike and walking trails which are perfect for those guests who want to enjoy the outside but need a break from the beach.
The resort is a short drive to one of the most beautiful cities in the world, historic Charleston, where guests can dine at some of the best restaurants in the country.
The resort offers a place for business retreats, couples, or the entire family seeking a fun and relaxing beach vacation. We give this resort 5 stars.