One special island off the coast of southeastern South Carolina may just be the perfect all-around destination for small to midsize groups.
Hilton Head (the name of both the island and its principal town), is a golfing paradise and a picturesque playground of resorts and beaches. Carefully controlled development has retained the shoe-shaped island’s tranquil feeling of harmony with nature.
With its subtropical climate, rich history and culture, and accessibility—95 miles from Charleston and 20 miles from Savannah—it also makes a distinctive and desirable spot for meetings.
“It’s the fact that we are an island—when you drive over the bridge to Hilton Head Island, you know you’re in a different and special place,” says Jack Reed, director of sales at the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Convention Bureau. “Most businesses are set back from the road and there is a tree buffer. No neon signs, no street lights, just a relaxed and refreshing atmosphere.”
Hilton Head and its surrounding waters have been a hot commodity since Europeans first stopped by in 1521, and it was subsequently occupied by four different nations. Long before that, native residents thrived here. An ancient shell ring, believed to be a four-millennia-old refuse heap, can still be seen outside of Sea Pines Forest Preserve. It is one of only 20 left in the world. These days, the island’s permanent population of 33,000 is dwarfed by an influx of more than 200,000 tourists during its summer peak season.
What lures visitors and meeting planners back again each year?
“The natural and unspoiled beauty of the island,” Reed says. “It’s the perfect blend of nature and man working together—a refreshing, relaxing and rejuvenating environment that makes both the meeting as well as the recreational aspects work well with each other.”
Geared for Gatherings
With 3,000 guest rooms, 6,000 rental villas and 22 properties offering meeting space, the island is suitable for groups larger than 2,000. Many guest rooms and meeting spaces take advantage of the 12 miles of coastline, and several of the largest properties are currently undergoing or have recently unveiled major improvements.
Marriott Beach and Golf Resort unveiled its new 8,000-square-foot Spa Soleil in 2007 as part of a $28 million renovation project. Other improvements will include updates to all guest rooms, the lobby and public areas, as well as a new pool deck capable of accommodating 800. The largest oceanfront resort on the island, the property boasts 513 guest rooms and more than 45,000 square feet of function space.
Westin Hilton Head Island Resort and Spa recently completed $5 million in renovations and opened its new Heavenly Spa by Westin, the first resort in the continental U.S. to carry the brand. Other improvements include a new covered outdoor beach pavilion, an expansive open-air deck for group functions, and updates to guest rooms, public space and restaurant areas. The property has 412 guest rooms and 28,000 square feet of meeting space.
Hilton Oceanfront Resort recently spent $3 million to renovate its restaurant and lounge and upgrade meeting space and guest rooms. All meeting rooms now feature natural light, and eight newly renovated Promenade rooms have glassed porches. Its 324 guest rooms are the largest on the island, and its function space includes 12 meeting rooms, a 4,000-square-foot ballroom and a 10,000-square-foot covered oceanfront pavilion.
Crowne Plaza Hilton Head Island Beach Resort completed a $2 million upgrade to its 340 guest rooms and nearly 10,000-square-foot ballroom. The property offers 20,000 square feet of meeting space. Its two oceanfront banquet venues comprise a 7,000-square-foot pavilion and a 4,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor beach house.
Sea Pines Resort opened its new $9 million Pete Dye-designed Heron Point golf course in September 2007. Already home to the famed Harbour Town Golf Links, the resort now offers 54 holes of world-class golf. Accommodations include a combination of 500 guest rooms, villas and separate homes. There is more than 15,000 square feet of indoor meeting space plus outdoor venues with views of the ocean, golf courses and harbor.
Daufuskie Resort and Breathe Spa recently renovated almost 100 beachfront cottage rooms and added the Melrose Beach Villas to give the property another 32 rooms. The resort has more than 21,000 square feet of meeting space.
The luxurious Inn at Palmetto Bluff offers groups the 200-person River House Ballroom, a 1,000-square-foot wine cellar and two executive boardrooms. Planners can request a traditional oyster roast as a welcome reception or a s’mores roast as a farewell gathering. Accommodations include 50 cottages and several two- to four-bedroom rental homes.
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport also expanded recently, adding five more gates. New flights, including three daily hops to Atlanta and an American Airlines direct, daily flight to Miami, make it quicker and easier to get attendees to Hilton Head for a meeting.
Outside the Box
There are plenty of interesting options off the beaten meeting path, too. Depending on the size of the group, planners can charter a yacht for a combination meeting and dinner or dolphin-watching cruise. Eight marinas and a large number of charter boat companies offer a wide array of choices. Kayaking and fishing tournaments also provide opportunities for team building.
The 68-acre nature preserve known as Honey Horn is home to the Coastal Discovery Museum and a dozen historic buildings, many of which are available for rental. If a group doesn’t mind pulling a late night, the museum offers a turtle watch program that gives visitors a chance to see endangered 200-pound loggerhead turtles crawl ashore to lay their eggs in the sand. Wildlife spotting is a highlight of the island, and groups may see bottlenose dolphins, otters, minks, bobcats, and wild boar, as well as nearly 200 different species of birds.
Outdoor recreational activities are immensely popular and widely varied as people take advantage of the island’s unbeatable weather.
Golf has been popular in the South Carolina Low Country since 1786, when Scottish immigrants to Charleston founded the first golf club in the U.S. The 42-square-mile Hilton Head Island and its surrounding communities of Bluffton, Daufuskie Island and Fripp Island boast more than 40 courses, including many top-rated championship greens prized by golfers for their beauty and challenging designs.
There are also 300 tennis courts on the island.
Arts and culture buffs will be surprised to find far more opportunities than one might reasonably expect from a year-round community of 30,000. Groups might enjoy visiting the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina or taking in a show at Hilton Head Playhouse, the Repertory Theatre or Hilton Head Orchestra.
Hilton Head Island played a significant part in the American Civil War, first as an important base to the Confederacy, then after its fall, to the Union forces. When the war ended, ex-slaves flocked to the island and made it their new home. Today, their descendents maintain a rich tradition of strongly African-influenced food, crafts and beliefs known as Gullah. Groups can experience this unique culture on narrated two-hour coach tours of the island with Gullah Heritage Trail Tours.
Time only seems to stand still on Hilton Head. In reality, the island is dedicated to improving its hotel and resort product while maintaining the balance with nature that makes it so special.
As Reed puts it: “We are continuing to build on our reputation as a world-class resort destination that is meetings-friendly yet unspoiled."
For More Info
Hilton Head Island–Bluffton Chamber of Commerce and
Visitor & Convention Bureau 843.785.3673
www.hiltonheadisland.org
