South Carolina’s Newest Luxury Resort has a Beautiful Marshfront Pool, Luxe Spa, and an Incredible Southern Restaurant

The Dunlin, the newest Auberge Resorts Collection hotel, opened this past summer in the South Carolina Lowcountry. The property, named for the small wader bird, features 72 guest rooms and suites, a serene spa, a picture-perfect pool, and three distinct dining options, plus a slew of activities that highlight the natural beauty of its Kiawah River location. Surrounded by marshland on Johns Island, the resort is just 20 miles (about a 40-minute drive) from downtown Charleston, but it feels like a world of its own. As a born-and-raised South Carolinian who grew up not too far from this resort (but now lives in New York), this part of the state holds a special place in my heart, and I’m not alone. The Lowcountry is well-loved by locals and visitors alike, not just for ever-popular tourist destinations like Charleston and Hilton Head Island (which are always worth the hype), but also for its laid-back pace, wide-open salt marshes, and warm people that prove Southern hospitality is still alive and well. And at The Dunlin, you can get a taste of that Lowcountry magic for yourself.

The resort looks like a collection of white, porch-lined South Carolina homes, with rooms and suites spread across several buildings that look out over the river and marsh. The property, designed by architect Robert Glazier, showcases Amanda Lindroth’s whimsical and nostalgic interior design that pairs the natural beauty of the coast with a fresh take on a classic Lowcountry aesthetic, complete with plenty of pretty pastels (including the resort’s signature mint green color found on the walls, bedding, and furniture throughout the resort), wicker, and gingham.

I checked into The Dunlin early this fall with my sister (a Charleston local) for a girls getaway, and we spent our days taking in the sunset while sipping Swizzles on the Willet Room porch, snacking on hush puppies at Linette’s, and laying out by the pool, lined by mint-green loungers, overlooking the marsh. The most exciting moment of our stay happened during our Into the Salt Marsh excursion, when we went out on the Kiawah River and found ourselves completely surrounded by more than a dozen dolphins who spent half an hour jumping and swimming all around our boat.

The Dunlin

• Make yourself at home in spacious rooms decked out in modern Southern style, each with a private outdoor space.

• Enjoy elevated takes on classic South Carolina cooking at Linnette's.

• Grab a cocktail and light bites on the porch of the Willett Room at sunset.

• Book the Into the Salt Marsh excursion for your chance to see local marine life, including dolphins.

• Indulge in a treatment at Aster, an Auberge Spa, and relax under the mint-green, scalloped umbrellas in the outdoor lounge area.

Here, our review of The Dunlin.

The Rooms

All 72 rooms and suites at The Dunlin are defined by touches of gingham, wicker, and honey oak wood against a backdrop of bright white and the property’s hallmark mint green. Rooms range from The Dunlin Double Queen to the two-bedroom Sweetbay Cottage with a wrap-around porch, outdoor soaking tub, and ample space to spread out. I stayed in a Saltgrass Suite and loved having my breakfast out on the porch (every room has outdoor space) where I could sip my coffee as I watched for birds flying over the marsh and river. From the gingham bed canopy to the adorable wicker dog in the living area, the suite felt more like an extension of someone’s fabulous Southern home than a basic hotel room, capturing the warmth this area is so well-known for.

Food and Drink

As a native South Carolinian, I’m admittedly skeptical when I see new restaurants touting their take on modern, elevated Southern cuisine. How much can a fried oyster or hush puppy really be improved? Thankfully, the menu at Linette’s, The Dunlin’s signature brunch and dinner restaurant, delivers. With local food products sourced from top Southeastern producers (including cheese from The Goatery just a stone’s throw away) and dishes that celebrate the Lowcountry’s favorite flavors, Linette’s offers a take on Southern food that’s both familiar and fresh. Buttermilk fried oysters topped with caviar, sorghum and benne-lacquered steak, Cheerwine-glazed beef cheek, and perfectly pickled shrimp are just a smattering of the offerings that come together to create an only-in-South Carolina menu. The cocktail menu at Linette’s goes far beyond your basic hotel restaurant offerings with the Hickory Punch (using Charleston black tea) and my favorite, the Blue Ribbon Tomato Martini, garnished with a pickled green tomato. While the restaurant interior is gorgeous (grab a seat at the bird cage-inspired bar for a cocktail), you can’t beat a table outside on the screened-in porch for breakfast or lunch.

Downstairs, the Willet Room offers coffee and gorgeous pastries in the morning, small bites at night, and drinks all day. Grab a pimento cheese plate and The Swizzle, a signature cocktail with rum, pineapple juice, pecan and black tea orgeat, falernum, and an aperol float, and get to know the fantastic staff as you wait for the sun to set outside on the porch.

You can also grab a bite and drinks out by the pool or order room service.

Activities and Experiences

Whether you’re a local or first-time visitor to the area, The Dunlin offers a wide range of experiences to help you dive deeper into the resort’s Lowcountry location. Crabbing and fishing, naturalists treks, sunrise kayaking on the Kiawah River, and more await. Getting out on the water is a must, so I loved the Into the Salt Marsh excursion. It’s a treat just to glide along the river, taking in the sights of the green marsh grass and smelling the salty water and pluff mud, but we were delighted to look up and find our boat surrounded by a pod of around a dozen dolphins swimming and jumping out of the water around us. The Southern Sips cocktail class was another highlight. With the beautiful river in the background, our table was perfectly set with everything we needed to mix up some of the hotel’s signature cocktails, complete with local spirits and ingredients inspired by the area. There are also a number of complimentary experiences available on-property, including Bocce ball, corn hole, tennis, pickleball, bike rentals, and, on certain days of the week, s’mores, tours of The Goatery, and crabbing.

The Spa

Aster, an Auberge Spa offers a range of treatments featuring Farmaesthetics and Biologique Recherche products. I had a 60-minute relaxation massage; the treatment itself was fabulous, but I also loved the ultra-comfortable treatment bed and beautiful space. With scalloped mint green umbrellas, a bubbling fountain, and a standalone sauna, the outdoor relaxation area offers a sunny spot to unwind before or after your treatment, and just inside the glass French doors, the indoor relaxation lounge offers light bites and plush chairs to cozy into. I especially appreciated the lineup of complimentary amenities, including Caudalie face spray and Captain Blankenship sea salt hair spray, in the locker room.

Family-friendly Offerings

The warm, laid-back atmosphere and plenty to do on-site make The Dunlin a great choice for families with little ones of all ages. Several of the on-site experiences mentioned above are perfect for the whole family, like dolphin-spotting during the Into the Salt Marsh excursion and meeting farm animals at The Goatery. Minnow Camp is a kids club offered on weekend mornings. Two-bedroom suites offer families plenty of room to spread out, and the Minnows Menu at Linette’s has something even for the pickiest little eaters.

Accessibility

Multiple hearing and mobility accessible room types  (with tubs or roll-in showers) are available, and hotel public spaces, including restaurants, the swimming pool, exercise facility, and more are accessible. You can find a full list of accessible areas on The Dunlin’s website.

Location

The Dunlin is located just over 20 miles (about a 40-minute drive, depending on traffic) from downtown Charleston. Charleston International Airport (CHS) — served by a dozen airlines with direct flights to destinations across the U.S. — is located about 28 miles (a 45-minute drive) from The Dunlin. If you’re flying in and want to explore the area, including some of South Carolina’s best beaches nearby, you’ll want to rent a car. The resort also offers guests complimentary use of a fleet of Mercedes-Benz vehicles on a first-come, first-served basis.

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay

Rates at The Dunlin start at $749 per night. Be sure to check the offers section on the website; right now, limited-time deals include nightly credits, a percentage off the room rate, or free nights. 

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