My husband spent 2 weeks trying to get me to choose a resort for our anniversary trip. I had been preoccupied with preparation for the new job and new semester. We eventually came up with our list of must haves.
It needed to be:
- nearby, driving distance, preferably under 8 hours
- located on a beach, the hubs required sun, sand, and spirits
- internet, I had just accepted a new position and I needed to be reachable
- affordable
The Westin fit all of these requirements and bonus, a fitness center, walking trail, and gear lending program.
Beach Well: The Venue
What a beautiful resort! You walk in and the lobby smells sweet, fresh, and tropical. There was a bit of a wait at check in, we picked up all our hotel info and made our way to the room.
The room was huge. We had a king sized bed that was so comfy it was like being wrapped in a warm hug. Their Hevenly Bed lived up to its name. We had a partial ocean/pool view and woke up to the relaxing sound of waves every morning. We also had a couch, table, and desk. A great set up for business travelers.
Eat Well: The Food
You know I loooooove a good meal. We sampled meals from every restaurant on site
The breakfast buffet from the Carolina Room included a variety of meats, breads, fruits, omelette bar and fresh juices. I am a big fan of buffet style breakfast so I can portion my plate to my needs. The buffet also included their fresh squeezed juices, I sampled:
- Celery, cucumber, line, & coconut water
- Lychee, banana, pineapple, & vanilla smoothie
I ate from the menu too, the crab cakes Benedict was light and very tasty.
We celebrated our anniversary with an upscale meal at
3 spreads for out breads:
Shecrab soup appetizer
Salmon with artichoke hearts and roasted vegetables
The hubs got fish and potatoes
Most expensive meal of the trip, but probably our healthiest meal too.
We eventually made a trip off site to "A Low Country Backyard Restaurant". A fun relaxed atmosphere with live music, delicious food, and fantastic moonshine cocktails.
This spot is very popular. When we arrived there was a 45-55 minute wait, or first available at the bar. We went with the bar and had a seat in less than 5 minutes.
My husband started with a moonshine cocktail, but I'm a purist so I went with the flight. 4 varieties of local and regional moonshine. If you have never sampled moonshine before I highly recommend trying the flight: Apple & Maple, Peach, Honeysuckle, and White Lightning
The food was really tasty too. My husband got Shrimp and grits, I ordered the flounder,grit cakes, and collard greens. Yum!
Move Well & Feel Well: Fitness & Spa Amenities
I was really impressed with the variety of offerings at Westin. They have an online exercise library, perfect for a quick in room workout.
They also have a small fitness center, enough for a full body workout and some cardio.
A mapped outdoor trail
And they offer a gear lending program with New Balance
If you forgot you fitness gear, or opted out to make room for other items Westin and New Balance can help you out. For $5 you can borrow a top, shorts, sports bra, socks, and shoes. They were out of shirts in my size, so they let me try the gear for free.
We got off site again and got in my first kayak trip, on our second attempt. On our first attempt it was super windy, I have never kayaked, our tour guide recommended we come back the next day and hope for better weather. The next day was windier than the last. But, we had a larger group and there were only 2 of us that were inexperienced, so he said we could give it a try, if the water were to rough we'd stay in the calm parts.
I'm in love with kayaking! It was on of the most beautiful and peaceful outdoor experiences I have ever had. Steering was a challenge and I would really like to learn to be more efficient with my stroke. It was so much fun and a outdoor recreation is great way to sneak in a workout. We took the 2 hour Guided Kayak Tour with Outside Hilton Head. Our tour guide was fun and knowledgeable, he did a great job keeping us safe, informed and entertained.
Our last day at the resort we treated ourselves to hot stone massage treatments at the spa. This was my 1st time with a hot stone massage. The treatment included placing and massaging hot stones over the body to relax the muscles followed by light traditional massage. It was very relaxing, but I prefer a deeper style of massage.
Our stay met all our needs:
- relaxing
- beach venue
- memorable
- variety of fitness options
- great food and drink
Have you stayed at the Westin Hilton Head? What should we checkout the next time we are in Hilton Head?
Healthy and Happy Travels,
Larissa
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