A one-of-a-kind getaway nestled amid a 20,000-acre private community in South Carolina’s Atlantic-coastal Lowcountry, the spectacular five-star Montage Palmetto Bluff hotel and resort is a luxurious nod to the best elements of the southern gentleman’s lifestyle—bourbon, boating and sporting pursuits among them.
With 32 miles of waterfront it’s surrounded by a lazy river, wetlands, and pine forests, it abounds in natural beauty, with a protected wildlife preserve laced with walking bridges, waterways, and ancient live oaks draped in Spanish moss. Exotic birds flit everywhere. You may even sight an alligator along the drive leading to the quintessentially Southern-style inn.
In addition to the main inn’s luxuriously appointed rooms, and view-inspiring suites, there are charming screened-porch cottages for a more private escape. These are noted for their rocking chair-lined porches, flickering gas lanterns, tree swings, verandas, pine-wood floors, vaulted ceilings, as well as working fireplaces and outdoor fire pits for the cooler months. You get the feel of a private property with all the amenities of a luxury hotel.
Montage Palmetto Bluff is the embodiment of Southern hospitality, drawing guests from its own region as well as across the Mason-Dixon line. For kids there’s even a tree house that’s as big as some homes. Sportsmen and -women can take advantage of a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, a Shooting Club, water sports, a wood-paneled library, and a massive marina with bar. The property is lushly planted and even the long driveway soothes you as you enter the grounds.
Shooting sports have been a long-standing tradition on Palmetto Bluff for years, if not centuries. The Palmetto Bluff Shooting Club invites you into the world of shotgun shooting. Learn to shoot clay targets on one of the elevated 5-Stands, or hone your advanced skills on the unique sporting clay courses winding through an expansive 120-acre facility.
If you are looking for fun for the whole family, come enjoy the Archery Range, .22 Rifle Range, and Axe Throwing Range. World-Class instruction is provided by National Sporting Clays Association Certified Instructors. The Shooting Club is both “an ideal experience for those who are looking to try something new, and for advanced shooters looking to improve their abilities.”
While actual hunting for one’s meal isn’t part of the program, the shooting club provides every available means of aiming to please. Located on 120 acres of the grounds, the array includes clay-pigeon shooting, a trap and skeet field, and a “simulated quail wall,” a .22 rifle station and ax-throw. Yes, there will be an archery hunting course too. Locals often come for the frequent competitions; it’s not uncommon to see one of nearby Arkonik’s custom Land Rover Defenders on the grounds.
The hotel also has its own boats for tours and line fishing), and two actual villages in the development for upscale dining, morning coffee with a paper, a home-grown farmer’s market, and retail shopping. Walk off breakfast on one of the 20 acres of nature trails or take out off the marina on a kayak or paddleboard. Boating excursions of all kinds can be arranged via the Canoe Club and marina office. There’s even a resident hound who loves to be taken for walks.
The Canoe Club is also home to one of the South’s most stunning restaurants, an epic ode to nautical style and Lowcountry cuisine. These days the restaurant is reserved for those who own private estates on the Montage Palmetto Bluff acreage. However if you make a special request, the concierge just might be able to accommodate you; it’s well worth asking, in our opinion. You can even see for yourself what real estate opportunities are available.
Situated on the May River, between Hilton Head Island, S.C., and Savannah, Georgia, the 200-key Montage hotel features two over-sized swimming pools, three diverse restaurants, multiple bars (including a basement “speakeasy”), and an award-winning spa. Bicycles and golf carts are supplied for traversing the sprawl of it all, including the old ruins of a turn-of-the-century 72-room mansion and high-society ballroom that set the sepia tone and time. The original mansion tragically burned down in an attic fire in 1926, but the ethos of a former era remains.
Rooms feature black-and-white photos on the walls, of the former R.T. Wilson Jr. mansion and bluffs, as well as freestanding tubs, and wet bars. Guests once arrived by steamship and railroad. Now they can come from the nearby airports in Charleston and Savannah, south and north, respectively. Cadillac is the Official Vehicle of Montage Palmetto Bluff, and guests can reserve a complimentary driving experience in one of Cadillac’s award-winning vehicles to explore the property or visit the towns nearby.
From morning through night, all of the restaurants take their cues from traditional Lowcountry recipes. At the five-star white-tablecloth River House, regional dishes include plump crab cakes, oysters galore, as well as prime cuts of meats. Surf and turf, South Carolina style. The wine cellar features 2,500 labels, from which the sommeliers can provide their origins and suggested accompaniments for each. Jackets for men are recommended out of respect for the classic dining room and Old School etiquette, though not required.
Taking its name from its distinctly rare shape, Octagon, situated just off the gracious lobby, provides casually sharable fare. That includes locally sourced sushi and sashimi of all kinds, and a stellar burger. Après dinner, there is a s’mores bar by the fire pit, just past the screened porch where afternoon tea is served. As sumptuous as the food is, the hotel abides a health-conscious palate too, even down to gluten-free graham crackers.
One of the newest venues is Hush, the semi-secret bar reached through a covert entrance below the main restaurant. Mixologists know their stuff. The bar has an extensive collection of bourbons (naturally–it’s the South) and premium pours. This is your later-night drink Wednesdays through Saturday. Morning time, Fore & Aft , located along a poolside inland waterway, is a tranquil spot for cheese biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, Hoppin’ John, and other indigenous fare. As its adjacent to an aviary, egrets and herons can be watched getting their own morning meals.
The pinewood floor Spa Montage is highly regarded, providing fitness classes, HydraFacials, a unisex hair salon, massages, and multitudinous spa treatments and a new light therapy bed, which helps with circulation. Each month the hotel organizes seminars, tastings, and dinners around a theme. Last January focused on Renewal. In February, Well Living was devoted to honoring Black heritage. Events, many of them complimentary to guests, often highlight locals who showcase their unique knowledge and talents.
And there are always new activations, such as the recent Veuve Clicquot Picnic + Pedal. Via this package, guests could venture out with a bottle of the finest Veuve Clicquot bubbly and a picnic of their choice to explore on the property’s complimentary bicycles. “We’ve mapped out all the best trails and picture perfect settings to spread out your blanket and enjoy the view,” the hotel notes. We’ll drink to that.