The Sonesta Resort recently underwent a $30 million renovation. They took this beachfront resort down to its framework and rebuilt it from the ground up. Now it sparkles with a new spa, bars and restaurants, additional meeting space and all sorts of new amenities and features around the hotel.
“We completely redid everything—from the guest rooms and the meeting space to the bars and landscaping,” said Chris Braken, the Director of Sales and Marketing. “It’s really transformed into a brand new resort.”
Before the renovation, the Sonesta Resort was known as Crowne Royal. Now Trip Advisor boasts that the Sonesta is the number one resort on Hilton Head Island. It has also been named Best of the South destination, Best Hotel and Best Wedding Venue in various magazines in 2013. Without the hard work put into polishing and perfecting all the little details, the Sonesta would not be named an AAA 4 Diamond Resort.
Walking in the lobby, guests are greeted by the charming orange, pink and green accents that thrive throughout the hotel. From little details on pillows and chairs to the fresh flowers on side tables, these little sparks of color brighten everything up. Even the chandelier spanning four stories, made of driftwood and sea glass, fits in perfectly—especially with the sun shining through the ceiling-high windows. There isn’t a bad view from any corner.
Rooms
The Sonesta Resort has 340 newly renovated rooms fit for vacationers and anyone else looking for a relaxing stay. All of the rooms are nonsmoking and feature a private balcony or patio, so guests can step out to see the beautiful gardens or wake up to a beautiful oceanic view. They even have pet friendly suits on the first floor so dog lovers can bring their furry friends.
These rooms feature more than just the regular amenities of other hotels. Along with a dual line telephone and 46” LCD smart television with Internet, they have an iHome docking station and a Keurig coffee and tea station. They even have a motion activated nightlight, just incase someone has to get up during the night. Located underneath the nightstand, this light is dim enough not to wake anyone up and the perfect guide so no one will stumble in the dark. It’s the thoughtful touches like these that make everyone’s stay a little bit better.
The small refrigerator makes it easy to save any delicious meals from restaurants across the island and the electronic safe is there to protect any valuables while you’re away. And on nights you or the kids might want to tuck in early, in-room movies and video games are available, as well as high speed Internet.
Hospitality suites are available for anyone looking for extra room to entertain. These suits feature an additional living and dining area, as well as an extra balcony. There is a wet bar and a table to eat at and two different areas to watch television in these suites.
“We have TV’s that are really state of the art,” Braken said.
So whether it’s a golf tournament, football game, Internet surfing, playing games or a movie, these TVs can do it all. They have everything kids like and adults can enjoy.
Nearby
The Sonesta is located on the 800-acre Shipyard Plantation, a quiet getaway where guests can enjoy the 11 acres of beachfront property and all of the facilities the planation has to offer. Visitors might even get to see deer, native island birds, turtles or alligators during their stay.
The plantation has pools and tennis courts for visitors to take advantage of and there is also the Shipyard Golf Club, golfers can visit during their stay.
Whether visitors want to stay on the plantation or go explore the rest of the island, the Sonesta is the right place to start. It’s edged right on the ocean in the middle of Hilton Head Island. Just a short drive, or bike, will take you to the Coligny Plaza Shopping Center, where you can shop at Bennali’s, Island Girl Boutique, Tee Hut, Jamaican Me Crazy, Tropical Styles and an assortment of other beachy stores. And if there is anything worth going out of the resort and off the plantation for, it is ZipLine Hilton Head.
“We recommend that from the resort. It’s very close and people have a great time going on the zip lines,” said Braken. “It’s less than 10 minutes away.”
For more information about the facilities at the Sonesta Resort, go to the Sonesta’s Facilities Page.
To find out more about the four different restaurants at the resort, visit the Sonesta’s Dining Page.