The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Opens
The Sanctuary at Kiawah
Island, one of America’s most anticipated resorts, opened its Atlantic
oceanfront doors at 1 p.m. Friday. The doors opened after a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by a “Who’s
Who?” of South Carolina politicians, business leaders and celebrities. The
hotel was formally opened by owner William H. Goodwin and his wife Alice,
Managing Director Prem Devadas, U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings, Charleston
Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Kiawah Island Mayor Bill Wert and Chad
Prosser, director of the South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism
department. Owned and operated by Kiawah Island Golf Resort, The Sanctuary has been
designed to reflect the style of a grand southern seaside mansion and is
located along 10 miles of pristine beach only 30 minutes from Charleston.
The 255-room, $125 million oceanfront resort features some of the largest
and most luxurious guestrooms in America, including a 3,100-square-foot
Presidential Suite. Ninety percent of the rooms have ocean views.
“This is the kind of place that will stand the test of time, and benefit
not just Kiawah Island, but also the state of South Carolina,” said
Goodwin.
In addition to its luxury guestrooms, The Sanctuary has two oceanfront
restaurants: the Ocean Room, featuring New American cuisine; and Jasmine
Porch, which serves regional favorites. There is also a casual seaside
grill, two bars, seven boutique shops, more than 18,000 square feet of
meeting space, a luxurious nature-based spa, and wireless Internet access
stretching onto the beach. Guests can also play five championship golf
courses, including The Ocean Course—home of the 1991 Ryder Cup and last
year’s World Cup.
The Sanctuary has two historic, sister properties: The Jefferson Hotel in
Richmond, VA and The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, TN. The Jefferson is
one of only 24 resorts, inns and hotels in North America to hold both the
prestigious Mobil Five Star and AAA Five Diamond awards. The Hermitage
Hotel recently garnered the AAA Five Diamond Award.
“Despite its youth, we expect that The Sanctuary will be considered a
grand hotel, much like The Jefferson and The Hermitage,” said Prem
Devadas, The Sanctuary’s managing director. “We have created magnificent
public spaces and amenities and that invite community interaction and
togetherness, much like the grand hotels built at the turn of the century.”
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At the height of the travel season, The Sanctuary will have over 350
employees, and is projected to contribute over $3 million per year to
local and state tax bases, while the projected annual expenditure by
out-of-state guests in the surrounding community is about $40 million.
“If you’re looking at economic clusters that are going to continue being
key drivers in our state’s economy, then you’ve got to start with
tourism,” said S.C. Governor Mark Sanford. “We’ve got a tremendous
competitive advantage compared with other states on that front and The
Sanctuary at Kiawah Island is a perfect example of why that’s the case.
It’s a truly breathtaking reminder of the kind of quality of life South
Carolina has to offer and one we’re sure will promote our state’s natural
beauty while continuing to bolster our tourism economy.”
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