A Luxurious Stay at the Montage Palmetto Bluff Resort
One of my absolute favorite trips this year was to the Montage Palmetto Bluff Resort in Bluffton, South Carolina. You drive on to the property and instantly you’re surrounded by miles and miles of nature. The property consists of 20,000 acres that include 700 residences, the Inn, 7 different restaurants, a state of the art equestrian facility and one of the more diverse natural habitat conservation programs in the United States.
The best part about this resort is that you never have to leave the property. With a variety of restaurants offering different delicious cuisines. One of my favorites parts about the 3 nights I spent at the Montage Palmetto Bluff resort is that everyone greets you with a smile and genuinely loves their job.
**Scroll down to find out how to get a complimentary stay at the Montage Palmetto Bluff Resort!**
The view from behind the Inn.
As the car pulled up to the front of the Inn, I instantly knew I was in for some exceptional Southern Hospitality. With large wooden rocking chairs out on the porch, a beautiful wood staircase leading to the second floor, lemonade and iced tea waiting in the lobby, and May the canine mascot wagging her tail to greet you. It truly is a spectacular entrance.
The architecture of all the buildings on the property is absolutely stunning. The photo above shows the bridge behind the Inn connecting the separate cottages and suites to the main grounds.
Our first part of the press trip started with a conservation tour led by the lead conservation manager, Jay. He’s one of those people you can tell is immensely passionate about his work including maintaining the property grounds, keeping the delicate eco-balance between wildlife and the visitors to the property and even an own revival project starting next year.
We urged Jay to start his own YouTube channel because he was just so much fun to listen to and had a plethora of fun facts to share.
After our tour, we, headed to dinner at Cole’s one of the restaurants on the property. What is epic about this particular location is that it houses both a game room (pool tables, shuffleboard) and a four-lane bowling alley. We had a family-style meal of biscuits, the BEST fried chicken I’ve ever had, mac & cheese, fried pickles and every dessert on the menu. Hey, when you can’t choose one, just try them all.
As an avid horse lover and rider, one of my favorite activities was visiting the Longfield Stables to visit with some of the resort’s horses. They offer a “Paint the pony” event for the kids that would have been a dream for me as a child!
The property hosts a variety of activities including swimming, trail riding, bowling, game rooms, clay disk shooting, golfing, a put course, kayaking, bike rides, s’more making, and river cruises to the Montage’s own private islands.
What is so great is that there are activies for every age. Although this hotel is family-oriented, there are plenty of adult-centered activities as well. You can see a list of all the current activities here on the website. They also send out a brochure when you arrive on the property letting you know about different events, classes and happenings. Another personal favorite of mine was the s’more truck brought out every night during the summer.
5 am on our first day there we rolled out of bed and headed down to what was one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. The sun slowly starting to shine over the May River with incredible hues of gold and pink reflecting off the water. We guided our kayaks through the Lowcountry as dolphins and their young swam near us and our guide taught us about the delicate ecosystem of these marshlands. At one point, you could hear the clams snapping shut in the distance as the tide began to rise and submerge them. It was all worth the early wake-up call.
Another highlight was a personal cooking and tasting class with the hotel’s executive Chef Nate Beriau. He described Palmetto’s farming practices and how more and more of the restaurant’s menus are now featuring item’s from the properties own farm including the delicious tomatoes in the photo below that were farmed only the day before and had to be the best-tasting tomatoes I’ve ever had.
Clay disk shooting was a very interesting experience. I cannot say that I was a natural at it (I shot three out of ten!) it was fun watching our instructor shoot while bending over backward and other members of our media group find their new favorite hobby.
Our Lowcountry day on the water complete with fishing with our boat captain (I helped him reel in what I later realized was a small shark) and a visit to the private Paige Island for some swimming in the river.
Another favorite activity was a tour of the town of Bluffton; one of the fastest-growing in South Carolina and that doesn’t surprise me with how charming the town is. We took a short boat ride over from the resort, then a bike taxi tour through town stopping to learn the history of different buildings including this one in the photo above that was built in the 1800s as a private residence and is now the offices of a local charity.
Absorbing the sunshine by the May River before we headed off on our bike tour.
Bridgeway access points between the Inn and the private cottages.
My favorite room in the Inn decorated with old books, photos, and artifacts about the history of the Palmetto Bluff and a fire crackling at your feet. In the wintertime, they fill the room with a huge Christmas tree and Santa visits for the children. I would absolutely love to see this for myself and plan to bring my family here one day to experience the magic of the Montage Palmetto Bluff.
The exquisite classic southern decor and detailing all around the hotel.
One of two pools behind the Inn.
This trip was an incredible experience and the great hospitality made it difficult to leave.
Right now the Montage Palmetto Bluff resort is offering an exclusive for you all, use the code: MPBLauraLily for a 3rd Night Complimentary Package, where guests who reserve any cottage, guest house, or Inn suite, 14 days in advance will receive a third night complimentary, and two reserved bicycles for exploring the for stays June 20-September 30, 2019.
More activities on the property include:
Spa Day: enjoy a facial or back massage
Bike ride around the property
Bowling + Games at Cole’s Restaurant
Clay disk Shooting
Horseback riding: trail rides and kids can paint a real-life unicorn
Lawn Games
Three treehouses on the property
Private boat ride to the private islands
Fishing
Shopping at the adorable boutiques all over the property
Also, the resort offers cars to take a day trips to local towns including Savannah which is only 30 minutes away. I’ll be posting my day trip to Savannah very soon.
Website: www.montage.com/palmettobluff
Visit their Instagram: @montagepalmettobluff
SHOP MY LOOKS
Photos by Joanna Johnson Photography
