Guests find dreamy décor, timeless coastal cuisine and salt-marsh scenes at this Lowcountry resort.
by Andrea Nordstrom Caughey
While ocean shorelines first come to mind when thinking about the coastal Carolinas, the marshes, rivers and islands share a breathtaking Lowcountry beauty all their own.
One of the most fascinating of these is the Kiawah River that fronts historic John’s Island, South Carolina’s largest island and the fourth-largest on the Eastern Seaboard. Here, coastal farming predates Colonial times, stretching back to the Kiawah tribe, and remains a staple of Charleston cuisine today.
Now, a new Auberge resort celebrates these tidal experiences from its perch along the salt marshes that frame this inlet. Named after a prevalent shorebird, the Dunlin is only a 40-minute drive from Charleston and its easy airport access.
A suite at The Dunlin; Linnette’s
Its 72 cottage-style rooms and suites, designed by esteemed interior designer Amanda Lindroth, are bathed in a soothing coastal mix of minty hues, textural linens, beadboard and honey-oak flooring. Generous porches, grand clawfoot tubs and verandas around the property capture breezes and sunsets framing riverfront views.
“Planted” in an agrarian region with an adjacent farm, The Dunlin stays true to its Southern roots while serving seafood, greens and grains indigenous to the land. Simple, fresh and elegant wood-fired dishes are a signature of Linnette’s, the prime dining room for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Don’t miss the benne-seed bread and chicory salad. The Dunlin’s lobby bar, the Willet Room (another bird reference!), offers small bites and drinks throughout the day in a setting straight out of Casablanca.
Central to the whole Dunlin experience is the salt marsh itself, just outside the back door. The resort offers many ways to jump in and experience this unusual ecosystem that rivals the rain forests for its diversity of both wildlife and plants.
For a guided safari from its picturesque pier, try a river cruise to spy dolphins, turtles, shorebirds and reptiles. Or hop on a kayak or stand-up paddleboard and venture on your own. Guided excursions on crabbing and shoreline fishing, birding on the tidal flats, forest hiking and even full-moon paddling dial up an intimate experience with the land and water.
Pro tip: Use patience. It’s worth waiting a minute or two to spot a flock of bright pink spoonbills or a pod of dolphins at play. Pay attention to the time of day, time of year and weather, too.
As a treat for foodies and gardeners, the resort offers tours of its sister farm that raises cows, pigs, goats and hens for egg-laying.
Meandering trails, bike paths, fire pits and lawn games, al fresco picnics, or just lounging around the pool in its shade cabanas are other restorative pleasures. And at the end of the day, it’s hard to pass up a true dose of Southern comfort — a honey glow massage at the resort’s Aster Spa, along with other treatments and fitness classes.
It’s little surprise that many of The Dunlin’s guides, skippers and fishermen have been forging these waters most of their lives. And now travelers to the Southeast can, too.
The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection, 6000 Kiawah River Drive, Johns Island, S.C. See more trips for two in the Southeast.
Images: Photographs courtesy The Dunlin
