The Best Hotels and Places to Stay in Isle of Palms, South Carolina

Relax poolside at the Wild Dunes Resort | Courtesy of Wild Dunes Resort / Booking.com

24 December 2021

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On the barrier island of the same name, Isle of Palms is a resort town near the Old South city of Charleston. The resort stretches alongside miles of white-sanded Atlantic beach on one side and waterways on the other and has been a popular getaway since the 19th century. Today, it has a quiet, upscale feel. Here is our pick of the best hotels and vacation homes in Isle of Palms, South Carolina, bookable via Culture Trip.

Wild Dunes, for a resort stay with a bucketload of amenities

Bedroom with an ocean-view balcony at the Wild Dunes Resort

Courtesy of Wild Dunes Resort / Booking.com

This impressive resort is one of the best hotels in Isle of Palms. The accommodations have fresh, nautical interiors, some with carved wooden beds and a Caribbean flavor, while the balconies are an ideal spot for enjoying the sea views. The rooms are wrapped around a lavish, palm-shaded outdoor pool. Wild Dunes is only a five-minute walk from the beach, and guest perks comprise two championship golf courses, a spa, tennis courts and a gym. Dine on anything, from pizza at the Laughing Gull to cocktails and chunky po’boys at Huey’s Southern Eats.

54th Avenue – Derby in Isle of Palms, for self-catering sea-view getaways

Simple bedroom with a blue comforter on the bed at the 54th Avenue

Courtesy of 54th Avenue / Booking.com

A convenient self-catering property overlooking the beach (you may access the sand via a private boardwalk), this hotel in Isle of Palms has multiple verandas with views over the sand dunes and out to sea. The sitting and dining rooms are large and open-plan, and the look is high-end rustic, with polished wood floors, cane furniture, nautical touches and long shutters on the french windows. The six smart bedrooms, decked out in pale hues and with individual touches such as accent fabrics, are spacious enough to accommodate you and up to 10 of your friends or family members.

The Palms, Charleston, for lounging by the saline rooftop pool

Bedroom with two beds at the Palms Oceanfront Hotel

Courtesy ofThe Palms Oceanfront Hotel / Booking.com

A landmark on Ocean Boulevard, set squarely on the waterfront, this 68-room hotel in Isle of Palms is a great place to kick back and enjoy the beach life while remaining within easy reach of Charleston’s urban elegance. Rooms benefit from plenty of natural light and are decorated in neutral tones that really make the sea views sing. It’s worth splurging a little on accommodations with balconies overlooking the beach. If you don’t wish to take a few paces across the white-sand beach to plunge into the ocean, there’s always the more tranquil bathing option in the form of the saline pool on the rooftop.

Pelican Modern Beach Retreat, for a vacation home near Country Park Beach

Spacious living room with an adjacent open-plan kitchen at the Pelican

Courtesy of Pelican / Booking.com

With a swing seat on the veranda that looks out to sea and a long al fresco table for convivial family lunches and dinners, this is a superb vacation home. It comprises five bedrooms, six bathrooms (no morning lines here!) and airy communal spaces with pale weekend-at-the-Hamptons furnishings and polished wood floors, plus an open-plan kitchen equipped for some serious cooking. Kids and adults alike will appreciate the games room and the outdoor swimming pool. As a bonus, you’re mere yards away from Isle of Palms County Park Beach.

Twin Oaks – Sweet Tea, for idyllic family vacations

Winter garden with wicker chairs at the 22 Twin Oaks

Courtesy of 22 Twin Oaks / Hotels.com

Waterside Twin Oaks is a raised clapboard cottage with verandas overlooking a thicket of palm trees. The interiors are light and bright, with polished hardwood floors, and feature wallpapers in the three bedrooms upstairs, while, downstairs, the lounge is equipped with a tan leather sofa and stylish mid-century armchairs. There are cane armchairs in the conservatory, and you can fire up the gas barbecue on the terrace and sip an ice-cold beer while waiting for your steaks and burgers to be done. This is an ideal property for family vacations and lake excursions, and you’re only a 10-minute walk from Front Beach.

Ocean Point – High Tide, for proximity to beach and golf course

Bedroom at the High Tide, decorated in light colors

Courtesy of High Tide / Expedia

This pitch-perfect beach house gets many things right, from the big sea views to the huge palm-shaded outdoor pool. The house is fronted by a double, colonnaded veranda, where you can laze about on cane furniture while checking out the breezy sea panoramas and show-stopping sunsets. Inside, there are polished wood floors, pale beach-style furnishings, three bedrooms (with sea views) and three bathrooms. You’re ideally placed, too, only a four-minute walk from Dewees Island Beach and within a putt of the Wild Dunes Links Golf Course.

Hartnett – Orchard in Isle of Palms, for beach house backyard barbecues

Airy living room with an adjacent open-plan kitchen at the Hartnett - Orchard

Courtesy of Hartnett - Orchard / Booking.com

Close to the white-sand Isle of Palms Beach, this attractive beach house consisting of four bedrooms and three bathrooms is overlooked by tall swaying palms that rustle in the sea breeze. White-and-cream interiors beneath a double-height pitched roof add to the wow factor, and there are long indoor and outdoor dining tables as well as a barbecue on the terrace for those lazy al fresco meals. Continue the fun out in the tree-shaded yard, where there’s a fire pit for evening gatherings, and a table tennis table in case you want to challenge your vacation buddies to a match.

Hartnett 2 in Effingham, for a beach house with a private hot tub

Bedroom with a white metal bed at the Hartnett 2

Courtesy of Hartnett 2 / Booking.com

This is a lovely beach house hideaway tucked away among some greenery and shaded by palms, all only a block from the white-sand beach, washed by the rolling Atlantic surf. With its dazzling white interiors, handsome woodwork, ceiling fans, open-plan kitchen and a window-lined sunroom overlooking the leafy garden, it has a breezy, magazine-shoot feel. There are five bedrooms, all with white wrought-iron bedsteads, plus four bathrooms (to ensure minimal morning bottlenecks). Onsite amenities include a games room with table football, shuffleboard and poker tables, plus a hot tub out on the deck for a romantic soak with your sweetie.

For more options, discover our guide to the best hotels in Mount Pleasant and book now on Culture Trip.

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