Sea Island
Georgia


The Experience

Built by the legendary architect Addison Mizner – best known for designing half of Palm Beach -- the Mediterranean-esque Cloister is one of the last, true American resort grande dames. Located on Sea Island -- a sliver of land off the Georgia coast near St. Simons Island -- the Cloister has served as a retreat for America's East Coast elite since it opened in 1928. Fresh from a massive $350 million makeover -- including a new 65,000-square-feet spa -- the Cloister today is the best of Sea Island's numerous resorts, polished enough to host the world's most powerful leaders during the 2004 G8 Summit. Formal enough that men are required to wear jackets at dinner, but still comfortably welcoming children, the Cloister offers accessible grandeur for the entire family.

The Rooms

Cloister rooms are spread among an opulent, riverfront main building and Ocean Houses steps from the beach. In the former -- comprised of a series of grand wings -- rooms are large and elaborately detailed, with handmade Turkish rugs, antique maps on the walls, custom-crafted Italian linens on the beds, stone bathtubs deep enough for soaking, and rich, hardwood-beamed ceilings. Suites get you more square footage and views of both river and garden, but are only worth the upgrade if you need the space. Sea Houses, meanwhile, front a five-mile private beach, with patios and porches made for relaxing. Ocean Houses are linked to the main resort by thickly wooded pathways, small ponds and a clutch of privately owned residential projects.

The Service

Despite its upper-crust ambiance, the Cloister clearly takes a more-is-more approach to service and amenities. Along with expected standards like 24-hour butler service, the Cloister offers complimentary use of Range Rovers and digital cameras while in residence.

The Highlights

A trio of golf courses make the Cloister an essential destination for duffers. Seaside, Plantation and Retreat, designed amid marshes and sand, are among the oldest and most celebrated courses in America. Tennis, horseback riding, boating, fishing and nature hikes are also on the activities menu. There are some half-dozen casual (and more family-friendly) dining options to wind down in, serving Southern-style cuisine with a light, contemporary edge. For a truly traditional Cloister experience, dine at its formal, jacket-and-tie-required restaurants, like the haute-French-style Georgian Room, where you can expect the finest china and silver service. And late 2006 brings a new spa to wind down in, with steam rooms, saunas, Jacuzzis and even a cold-water therapy lagoon, rendered in stucco, wood and stone to mimic the resort's original Mizner design.

-- David Kaufman

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