It’s a nondescript turn in Bluffton, South Carolina that leads to the nearly 5-mile-long two lane road that gets you to the Palmetto Bluff property. Once off the main road, the trees immediately close in to form the thick, distinctive Low Country canopy. On either side of the road, acres of land stretch as far as the eye can see, and just when it seems you’ve driven too far, the trees once again open up and the surroundings are, plainly, like something out of an old southern movie set.
There are suddenly perfectly manicured homes and yards in little rows, lush greenery, and people winding through the roads riding shiny white bicycles. Pretty wooden signs replace standard street signs to direct the way to the main house, known as the Montage Palmetto Bluff.
The Montage’s main property is a stately building, non-discreetly evoking the old plantation mansion style, that sits on a sweeping 20,000 acres. The property is all old-school elegance alongside the natural beauty that defines the Low Country: lush greenery, palmetto trees, sea islands, and easy May River access.
The Bluffton community’s newly expanded five-diamond resort unveiled its latest additions on September 1 of 2016. The Montage added 152 new accommodations to the 48 existing guest cottages, and also added three new restaurants, two new pools with lagoon-side dining, a brand-new spa, more meeting rooms, and an expansive ballroom.
The thing that stands out most about the Montage is the perfectly executed attention to detail. The bar done in buffed mahogany, the gourmet smores (yes, there are house-made marshmallows) offered as you sit around open fire pits to stargaze, the Master Sommelier serving wine tableside, the Labrador puppies posted to greet visitors, the luxe rooms with attached porches overlooking the lawn, the wide variety of dining offered between the six on-site eateries… the list just goes on.
The luxury waterfront retreat is meant to accommodate all types of stays, from business to travel to special events. The Bluffton expanse has a conservatory, bird sanctuary, equestrian center, a Jack Nicklaus golf course, kayaking, boating, fishing, a full shooting range, tennis, fire pits, two wedding chapels, three pools, croquet, shopping, restaurants and the spa. In other words, whatever you’re looking for out of a resort experience, the Montage has accounted for in spades.
The central location of the Montage for Carolinians makes it even more appealing – the world-class accommodations, a rare gem in the region, are only a short distance from Charleston, Savannah, and Hilton Head, and a daytrip away from Charlotte.
