Evaluate of The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Assortment

The Dunlin, the most recent Auberge Resorts Assortment resort, opened this previous summer season within the South Carolina Lowcountry. The property, named for the small wader chook, options 72 visitor rooms and suites, a serene spa, a picture-perfect pool, and three distinct eating choices, plus a slew of actions that spotlight the pure fantastic thing about its Kiawah River location. Surrounded by marshland on Johns Island, the resort is simply 20 miles (a few 40-minute drive) from downtown Charleston, nevertheless it looks like a world of its personal. As a born-and-raised South Carolinian who grew up not too removed from this resort (however now lives in New York), this a part of the state holds a particular place in my coronary heart, and I’m not alone. The Lowcountry is well-loved by locals and guests alike, not only for ever-popular vacationer locations like Charleston and Hilton Head Island (that are at all times definitely worth the hype), but additionally for its laid-back tempo, wide-open salt marshes, and heat folks that show Southern hospitality remains to be alive and properly. And at The Dunlin, you may get a style of that Lowcountry magic for your self. 

The resort appears to be like like a group of white, porch-lined South Carolina properties, with rooms and suites unfold throughout a number of buildings that look out over the river and marsh. The property, designed by architect Robert Glazier, showcases Amanda Lindroth’s whimsical and nostalgic inside design that pairs the pure fantastic thing about the coast with a contemporary tackle a traditional Lowcountry aesthetic, full with loads of fairly pastels (together with the resort’s signature mint inexperienced colour discovered on the partitions, bedding, and furnishings all through the resort), wicker, and gingham. 

I checked into The Dunlin early this fall with my sister (a Charleston native) for a women getaway, and we spent our days taking within the sundown whereas sipping Swizzles on the Willet Room porch, snacking on hush puppies at Linette’s, and laying out by the pool, lined by mint-green loungers, overlooking the marsh. Essentially the most thrilling second of our keep occurred throughout our Into the Salt Marsh tour, once we went out on the Kiawah River and located ourselves fully surrounded by greater than a dozen dolphins who spent half an hour leaping and swimming throughout our boat. 

Right here, our evaluate of The Dunlin. 

The Rooms

All 72 rooms and suites at The Dunlin are outlined by touches of gingham, wicker, and honey oak wooden in opposition to a backdrop of vivid white and the property’s hallmark mint inexperienced. Rooms vary from The Dunlin Double Queen to the two-bedroom Sweetbay Cottage with a wrap-around porch, outside soaking tub, and ample house to unfold out. I stayed in a Saltgrass Suite and cherished having my breakfast out on the porch (each room has outside house) the place I may sip my espresso as I watched for birds flying over the marsh and river. From the gingham mattress cover to the cute wicker canine within the dwelling space, the suite felt extra like an extension of somebody’s fabulous Southern house than a fundamental resort room, capturing the heat this space is so well-known for. 

Meals and Drink

As a local South Carolinian, I’m admittedly skeptical after I see new eating places touting their tackle fashionable, elevated Southern delicacies. How a lot can a fried oyster or hush pet actually be improved? Fortunately, the menu at Linette’s, The Dunlin’s signature brunch and dinner restaurant, delivers. With native meals merchandise sourced from prime Southeastern producers (together with cheese from The Goatery only a stone’s throw away) and dishes that remember the Lowcountry’s favourite flavors, Linette’s provides a tackle Southern meals that’s each acquainted and contemporary. Buttermilk fried oysters topped with caviar, sorghum and benne-lacquered steak, Cheerwine-glazed beef cheek, and completely pickled shrimp are only a smattering of the choices that come collectively to create an only-in-South Carolina menu. The cocktail menu at Linette’s goes far past your fundamental resort restaurant choices with the Hickory Punch (utilizing Charleston black tea) and my favourite, the Blue Ribbon Tomato Martini, garnished with a pickled inexperienced tomato. Whereas the restaurant inside is attractive (seize a seat on the chook cage-inspired bar for a cocktail), you’ll be able to’t beat a desk exterior on the screened-in porch for breakfast or lunch. 

Downstairs, the Willet Room provides espresso and lovely pastries within the morning, small bites at night time, and drinks all day. Seize a pimento cheese plate and The Swizzle, a signature cocktail with rum, pineapple juice, pecan and black tea orgeat, falernum, and an aperol float, and get to know the incredible workers as you look forward to the solar to set exterior on the porch. 

You can even seize a chunk and drinks out by the pool or order room service.

Actions and Experiences

Whether or not you’re a neighborhood or first-time customer to the world, The Dunlin provides a variety of experiences that will help you dive deeper into the resort’s Lowcountry location. Crabbing and fishing, naturalists treks, dawn kayaking on the Kiawah River, and extra await. Getting out on the water is a should, so I cherished the Into the Salt Marsh tour. It’s a deal with simply to glide alongside the river, taking within the sights of the inexperienced marsh grass and smelling the salty water and pluff mud, however we had been delighted to lookup and discover our boat surrounded by a pod of round a dozen dolphins swimming and leaping out of the water round us. The Southern Sips cocktail class was one other spotlight. With the gorgeous river within the background, our desk was completely set with every thing we wanted to combine up a few of the resort’s signature cocktails, full with native spirits and substances impressed by the world. There are additionally numerous complimentary experiences accessible on-property, together with Bocce ball, corn gap, tennis, pickleball, bike leases, and, on sure days of the week, s’mores, excursions of The Goatery, and crabbing. 

The Spa

Aster, an Auberge Spa provides a variety of remedies that includes Farmaesthetics and Biologique Recherche merchandise. I had a 60-minute leisure therapeutic massage; the therapy itself was fabulous, however I additionally cherished the ultra-comfortable therapy mattress and exquisite house. With scalloped mint inexperienced umbrellas, a effervescent fountain, and a standalone sauna, the outside leisure space provides a sunny spot to unwind earlier than or after your therapy, and simply contained in the glass French doorways, the indoor leisure lounge provides gentle bites and plush chairs to cozy into. I particularly appreciated the lineup of complimentary facilities, together with Caudalie face spray and Captain Blankenship sea salt hair spray, within the locker room.

Household-friendly Choices

The nice and cozy, laid-back ambiance and lots to do on-site make The Dunlin an incredible alternative for households with little ones of all ages. A number of of the on-site experiences talked about above are excellent for the entire household, like dolphin-spotting throughout the Into the Salt Marsh tour and assembly cattle at The Goatery. Minnow Camp is a children membership supplied on weekend mornings. Two-bedroom suites provide households loads of room to unfold out, and the Minnows Menu at Linette’s has one thing even for the pickiest little eaters. 

Accessibility 

A number of listening to and mobility accessible room sorts  (with tubs or roll-in showers) can be found, and resort public areas, together with eating places, the swimming pool, train facility, and extra are accessible. You could find a full checklist of accessible areas on The Dunlin’s web site. 

Location  

The Dunlin is situated simply over 20 miles (a few 40-minute drive, relying on visitors) from downtown Charleston. Charleston Worldwide Airport (CHS) — served by a dozen airways with direct flights to locations throughout the U.S. — is situated about 28 miles (a 45-minute drive) from The Dunlin. If you happen to’re flying in and wish to discover the world, together with a few of South Carolina’s greatest seashores close by, you’ll wish to hire a automotive. The resort additionally provides friends complimentary use of a fleet of Mercedes-Benz autos on a first-come, first-served foundation. 

The right way to Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

Charges at The Dunlin begin at $749 per night time. Remember to examine the provides part on the web site; proper now, limited-time offers embrace nightly credit, a proportion off the room price, or free nights.