Isle of Palms, South CarolinaWild Dunes
Wild Dunes Resort
Lowcountry oceanfront playground
Wild Dunes   Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Renovated
2021
Price
$$$
Rated for
Resort Wellness SocialOutside the door
The house
HyattLowcountry oceanfront playground
The resort occupies 1,600 acres of marsh and beach, built for golf, tennis, and long days on the ocean.
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Two Tom Fazio golf courses and five pools across sixteen hundred oceanfront acres.
Notable
Heated garden plunge pools and Vitamin C showers pair with sound healing therapies.
What they say
Also in AFAR.
Wild Dunes Resort, popular for family and golf vacations, takes up the north end.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
The grounds take up the northern tip of Isle of Palms, thirty minutes from downtown Charleston.
The rooms
Guests stay in hotel rooms across two central inns, or in private condos and vacation rentals.
The water
Bring a swimsuit.
The spa and pools
The spa has fourteen private treatment rooms for marine-inspired bodywork, and palmettos shade a heated lap pool.
Gym and tennis
Twelve Har-Tru clay courts sit beneath the trees, and the fitness room looks out through floor-to-ceiling windows.
At the table
Coastal Crust bakes wood-fired pizza along the plaza, and Coastal Provisions serves regional seafood beside the pool.
How it began
The property opened on the Fourth of July in 1977 as a racquet club with just two tennis courts.
The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.