Destination by Hyatt Aerial Ocean Horizon

Front desk not very friendly.  In fact, somewhat the opposite.  When leaving, we had a very difficult time getting transport to airport.  If you could get a ride price with lyft and uber was minimum $129.  Ave price $189.  Tried a private driver.  Eventually found one , but it was going to take a while.  Luckily someone had rented a car and noted our dilemma and took us to airport.  Front desk less than helpful.  How do you have a major resort and no way to get to the airport??? The Resort has a shuttle, but won't help us with that. 
Bathroom didn't have a shower curtain.  Called the 24 hr number that you have to call with any problem.  They claim they will respond.  Guess what?  NO RESPONSE.  Had to contact the front office and eventually a curtain was installed. Asked for a bar of soap. Told they didn't know if they had that and I'd have to call that non answering 24 hr helpline.
Very pretty resort.  Rooms nothing special.  Good luck finding your way around.  signage poor and front desk always sent me in the wrong direction.
Ice cream store nice but very limited selection.  Banquet  food for the meeting was good.  Not so sure I'd go here again, but if I did, I'd definitely RENT A CAR!!! and stay away from the grumpy front desk. (and maybe bring my own shower curtain.)

Maybe try a different beach resort.

Nice resort and area. Unfortunately, resort is not within walking distance to any stores or restaurants off site and food is expensive. There is required valet parking.

Nice Resort

1- The beach front was under complete renovation, there was little not beach front at all in front of the club pool(would have been nice to know before planning a fall beach trip)
2- The food particularly for breakfast is extremely over-priced for mediocre to bad food...$28 buffet, the ingredients are identical to the free breakfast at Hyatt Place/Hyatt Houses I've stayed at. 
3- Our room was awful. It was literally dripping wet at all times, mildewy in the bathrooms, Mildew stained pillowcase on my bed

**Positives if you do find yourself at this hotel:
-CoastalCrust Pizza was very good, the only place that met expectations
-The Spa was amazing. My wife and I purchased day passes, 10/10 would recommend, it was beautiful, clean, very nice staff, and quite frankly very fairly priced for what we got.

I only stay at Hyatt's and very much enjoy them. I don't think I had unreasonable expectations of the Wild Dunes meeting a pretty high standard. Not only did it not, it is by far the worst Hyatt I have ever stayed at and the only time I have had a real complaint.

I would absolutely not recommend this to anyone, I would recommend to everyone to visit a Hyatt Place at a different beach. The Virginia Beach oceanfront is always very nice.

Save your money, visit a Hyatt Place at a different beach

I want to say first and foremost I think the staff is doing the best they can. Everyone we met was amazing and helpful. The problem is the facilities and the beach, which are out of their control. (I stayed at the older Boardwalk Inn, the newer Sweetwater Inn may be totally different.) The heavy traffic areas like the elevator and lobby were pretty dirty, especially the floors and baseboards. I probably wouldn't have noticed except there is only one elevator for the entire hotel (for both staff and guests!) so I spent a lot of time waiting and looking around. The room was lovely, with comfy bed, good water pressure, lush towels, just what you would expect for the price. The beach was nonexistent, with huge pipes being installed next to the property which may help in the future? The tennis and golf was wonderful and our conference really appreciated Josh and Peter helping run the pickleball tournament. I am glad that I was at a conference and not going for a vacation, as I would have been disappointed.

Great conference in an aging hotel that needs attention

This property exceeded my expectations in every way, and I will absolutely be returning! My family loved it just as much as I did, making it an even more special experience.

Great Fall Break Getaway

We enjoyed our very short stay at the Sweetgrass at the Residences. Very annoying to pay a resort fee of $65 per night and not be able to use the pool, golf, etc. because of the rain.  This sort of put a damper on my opinion. It would have been nice to park under our building where there were parking spots instead of using valet which was another $35 per night. The unit was nice and well appointed.

Nice resort, resort fees ridiculous when you can't use the facilities due to rain

We loved our time at Wild Dunes! Excellent food the whole time and loved the atmosphere. Shout out to Harris and Richard the valets!

Great for families

Located on Isle of Palm, the hotel was welcoming with excellent staff.  The room was clean and ready for check-in.  Many of the restaurants were not open (around lunch-time) but I will blame that on being there in mid-October.  Sweetgrass Inn is very accomodating to families so if you want a quieter experience, look into the Boardwalk Inn.

Nice hotel in IOP

Had an excellent experience as a family at both the Sweet Grass Inn and the Boardwalk Inn. Both exceeded expectations and would highly recommend either for people wanting to stay in the Isle of Palms area

Wonderful stay at the sweet grass and Boardwalk Inns

Poor overall experience with respect to service.  Clearly understaffed.  Also, very family, sandy beach oriented.  Musty smells in lobby.  No hot water in the morning in the room shower was the capping failure.

Not very good

Check-in was bad. Overwhelmed. Didn't give a tour or overview of what is a huge property. Felt confused for the first 2 days. Just unhelpful. Room was not cleaned.  After calling down at 6pm, I came back to towels on the floor, none refreshed, and hair in the sink (but a made bed). Front desk felt overworked and exhausted. Impossible to get Ubers here, so RENT A CAR.

Meh.

Treated like a homeless person, yet I was there for a corporate conference. Refused to let me bring my vehicle on to the property before check in. I had to park off property to attend the conference and was not allowed to check in until the near time but watched dozens of others able to check in before the 4pm time.

Worst “high end guest “ experience I have ever had.

If overpriced chicken tenders served with fake arena-style cheese and salsa at a pool bar sound like luxury, Wild Dunes may be right up your alley.

To be fair, I don’t think Wild Dunes is necessarily a bad resort. In fact, I think it would probably be a fantastic option for families with young kids. There are multiple pools, plenty of activities, beach access, golf, and everything is contained within a large resort environment.

The problem is that we came here for our babymoon and booked Wild Dunes largely because it was listed through Amex Travel’s Hotel Collection. Based on that designation, the price point, and the way the property is marketed, we were expecting a more elevated hotel experience. That expectation was not even remotely met.

We stayed at the Boardwalk Inn, where there is no room service offered — despite room service apparently being available at the more family-oriented Sweetgrass Inn. For a resort charging $300+ per night and being presented as an Amex Hotel Collection property, that is pretty baffling.

The beach setup was another disappointment. At this price point, I would expect beach chairs to either be included with the stay or at least managed as part of the resort experience. Instead, they are rented through a private company for an additional charge. Even better, the chairs are purchased for the entire day, which means you end up looking at rows of “reserved” chairs sitting completely empty for half the day because someone used them for two hours that morning. It feels less like a luxury resort beach and more like buying assigned seating at an event.

The TVs in the rooms are also abysmal. You get Netflix and YouTube, but no Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, etc., and the Xfinity live-TV interface feels like it was designed sometime around the invention of the iPod. It’s slow, clunky, and incredibly dated. Obviously nobody comes to a beach resort to watch television all day, but when you’re paying this much for a hotel room, basic modern streaming capability shouldn’t feel like a luxury amenity.

The bathroom layout deserves a special mention. The toilet is placed inside an absurdly small separate room. At 6’3”, using it feels less like going to the bathroom and more like attempting to fold yourself into an airplane lavatory.

The food has also been extremely hit or miss. Coastal Provisions is good for breakfast, but the lunch and dinner offerings are underwhelming, especially considering it is one of the most expensive restaurants on the property. Oyster Catcher was significantly better and, in our experience, the superior restaurant for basically every meal.

The pool food was probably the biggest “what are we paying for?” moment. Charging resort prices for chicken tenders accompanied by what tastes like stadium nacho cheese and salsa is certainly a choice.

There are positives. The golf course is excellent, and the adults-only pool is nice. The property itself is attractive, and again, I can absolutely see why families with younger children would really enjoy staying here.

That’s ultimately where I land on Wild Dunes: as a family-friendly beach resort, I’d probably give it a 4/5. As an Amex Hotel Collection property and the setting for a babymoon where we were hoping for something a little more upscale, polished, and relaxing, it was a major disappointment.

The issue isn’t that Wild Dunes is terrible. It simply feels like a family resort being marketed and priced as something more elevated than the actual experience delivers. Had we booked it expecting a fun family beach vacation, I suspect our opinion would be very different.

But when you’re paying $300+ per night, booking through the Amex Hotel Collection, and expecting a special babymoon experience, the dated technology, lack of room service, nickel-and-diming at the beach, mediocre resort food, and generally underwhelming service level make the value proposition very hard to understand.

Unfortunately, this was nowhere near the caliber of stay we thought we were booking.

Good Resort, Wrong Expectations for an Amex Hotel Collection Stay

Owner Response

The front desk staff are unapproachable, without warmth, unprofessional, especially Caitlin the nighttime from desk manager. Many of the front desk staff with whom I interacted should not be in the service industry.

Disappointing customer service, unprofessional front desk staff

I get the resort experience you are trying to apply, however having establishments that indicated they could not take cash and had to put everything on the room tab was not professional.

quick visit to IOP

We were very pleased with this property. The staff was very guest-oriented and friendly. There were many amenities available to us and for children as well. The food portions were generous and well prepared. I would definitely stay again, preferably for a longer visit.

You won't be disappointed!

I loved that place, highly recommended. Great atmosphere, my room was excellent, everything was super clean, fantastic staff.

Highly recommended

Awful. Do yourself a favor and book a resort with working air conditioning.  Be prepared to be forced to be 35 a night for valet. Food was ridiculously expensive as well as beverages. 22 dollars for a beer? 90 dollars for 2 hamburger baskets and chicken tenders for a 4 year old? 23 dollars for 2 scoops of ice cream?.. yeah that happened. If you do stay the front desk crew was kind and nice... unlike the valet crew. If you need something out of your car you will be waiting 20-45 minutes. I dont give reviews unless it is 5 stars... but it was horrific I had to share.

Book another property

We got married at Wild Dunes and had an exceptional experience. From the initial planning to the execution, everything was flawless. Our guests traveled from all over the nation (and internationally) to IOP to celebrate with us, and raved over the resort grounds, property amenities, food, services, etc. Highly recommend for family vacations, couples weekend away, and for weddings/events!

Wedding of a Lifetime!

The Boardwalk Inn is a special place. It is in a great location, has incredible facilities, and a warm and friendly staff. We will be back.

Great trip to Isle of Palms and Boardwalk Inn (Again)

This is the perfect combination of a full-service resort and a community of families that provides freedom to bring/do what you want. It was perfect!

A resort and a community

Its always a wonderful time on this property! So much to do, or just simply relax. I love the resort setting where my teenager and her friends are free to be 🩷 Such a magical setting to male wonderful memories!

Magical Memories

We had a very enjoyable trip to Wild Dunes.  This was our fourth time visiting.   There is a lot to do, and it's very family-friendly.

We really enjoyed Wild Dunes

Spent a couple nights with grandkids 5 & 6 years old. Two bedroom, two bath  suite was large and nicely furnished with full kitchen and walk out balcony. Great pools and facilities. Great family beach resort on Isle of Palms.  Very family friendly. 

Only real complaint is would have liked a few more food options and more activities for young kids. 

My wife and I have been there several times as a couple. One of our favorite places to stay. For couples the golf courses, tennis, spa and dining are wonderful. Convenient to historic Charleston.

Wild Dunes with Grandkids

Excellent resort with everything a family, or individual would need for a relaxing time. The staff is amazingly friendly and their customer service is Nordstrom and Ritz Carlton level service. 

The lodging options were plentiful and extremely clean. From hotel-room style, to one, two, and three bedroom residences, to multi-room villas, there is something for everyone's preference and needs. 

The food on property was great. From breakfast options to lunch and dinner, the ice cream shoppe, to the Tacos and Tequila trailer at the pool, it was simply great. Try the pizza, will not regret it! 

The only setback was the migrating jellyfish in the ocean. My wife and several guests were stung. A warning about migrating jellyfish in August and September would have been good to know. The staff however, we're super helpful and provided information on how to care for a jellyfish sting. It made for an uncomfortable afternoon though.
Overall, a wonderful stay. My family and I will be back (just not in August or September).

Best Stateside Vacation Resort

Room was rundown. Resort was nice overall. Tennis was well run. Pools could be a little bigger.  Staff was well trained ..

Average room. Resort was nice.

I’m not sure how common our experience was but we really didn’t enjoy our time here. Got off to a rough start when we arrived early and couldn’t check in until 4, which is fine and expected but we tried to kill time by taking our daughter to one of the scheduled kids activities at the other hotel only to find out that it had happened earlier in the day and the schedules weren’t update at the Boardwalk Inn. Then our AC broke during our stay and leaked all over the floor of our bathroom. They came to fix it later that day but our bedroom still did not cool nearly enough and made for hot sweaty nights. On top of that everything was way overpriced for very mediocre food.

Didn’t enjoy our stay

Great family vacation spot! It offers the beach, several pools, hot tub, spa, shopping, restaurants, bars, golf & tennis, and a short drive away from Charleston.

Beautiful oceanfront resort☀️

What a fabulous experience. The rooms, the resort, the amenities, food options absolutely terrific! We fully intend on going back in the future.

Excellent experience

Great oceanfront resort, stunning beach, a lot to do for kids and adults.  Our daughter got married there and the experience blew us away!  Will definitely go again.

Beautiful oceanside wedding and vacation.

Great service and staff. Clean and modern. Close to the beach. Had everything we needed. Very impressive staff. Food and service are quick and nice.

Great family vacation at a resort

No oversight of rooms and if they are ready for occupancy.  Transferred from a room that smelled like smoke, to then another room, given active keys to said room that was actually occupied when we walked in (how embarrassing and how is that possible Hyatt), to then a new room situation that separated our family into different rooms with no kitchen due to nothing being available our cooler of food melting away,  to then being moved the next day to our final room, back together as a family BUT with a large mold situation.  Lots of loading and unloading of our luggage cart and trekking, 3 kids in tow room to room.

Awful Experience

We were celebrating our 2 year anniversary here! We got married at Wild Dunes, and wanted to relive the memories. The staff here is always incredible, and part of the reason we keep returning! 

We had some issues with our AC the first night, which was pretty frustrating, as maintenance had to come and go a few times throughout the night, especially with our service animal with us. Marc, Maddie, and Elizabeth were on top of everything to make sure we had a positive experience the rest of the weekend. We moved rooms immediately, thanks to them. Marc had bottle of wine and charcuterie sent to our room on our anniversary, which was so thoughtful! 

Richard at valet was an awesome guy, we loved chatting with him while waiting for our cars, and he always put a smile on your face, we felt like we knew him for years! 

Francisco over at Coastal Crust gave us the best pizza and wine experience! We could have hung out with him all weekend! The staff there was a blast. 

Kiki at the spa was so sweet as well! We always love going to the spa, and she made it a memorable experience. 

We can't recommend staying here enough, we love our trip every time!

We can't recommend staying here enough!

This is not a luxury resort as advertised.  We stayed in the Boardwalk Inn.  It's showing its wear and tear.  Ripped carpet in the hallways in the 3rd floor.  Sliding balcony doors that are difficult to open.  The ice machine on the 3rd floor had no ice either day I tried to use it.  Dirty pool at the Boardwalk Inn.  If you pay for beach chair and umbrella service, expect the chairs to be set up entirely too close to each other and the umbrella in your face because it is so low. Golf was ok, and the spa was ok, but we had trouble charging these experiences to our room.  Food is mediocre at best.  Nothing we had was amazing.  Reservations for the nicer restaurants were only available to us at 8:30 or 8:45 p.m., and after a day at the beach, that is way too late.  This is a resort with multiple pools and a beach.  You are not allowed to hang swimsuits or anything on your balcony, but they only provide a single hook in the bathroom to hang anything up.  If you are from the area, this might be an ok getaway, but don't fly here for this resort.  Just go to Florida.  You'll have a better beach experience.  This was overpriced and underwhelming.

I'm not sure why this is advertised as a "luxury resort"

Pretentious and overpriced. Our room was very nice, although we were first given the wrong room type. The food was just fair at an outrageous price. The resort as a whole is beautiful,

Not for me...

Beautiful accommodations with everything you would need on site. From the friendliness of the staff to the activities, restaurants, and shopping at the resort, our team loves coming here to relax, have fun, and reconnect as friends. The event planning staff made our stay so easy to plan and were on-site and available for anything we needed.

Perfect Company Retreat

Loved almost everything about our stay here last week. Something to be aware of is if you're looking for more food options outside of the resort you'll need to drive anywhere from 10-25 minutes can get you just about anything your heart desires. 25 minutes may sound long, but I promise it passes quickly and has some nice views going over the bridges.

Beautiful place

Pictures are worth a thousand words. There were some highlights, like the pool and Coastal Crust, but the rest was incredibly disappointing. Debris on the beach. Sweet shoppe lacking in sweets. Mold and stains in our hotel room. Very subpar for a Hyatt property.

We will not be returning

It's a big resort with lots of amenities, but also a lot of guests... Do not expect any special benefits as a Hyatt member at this resort, at least that was our experience. If you are staying at the Residences at Sweetwater, lower your expectations, especially if you have a room without a balcony as this building is not as nice as the others on site.  There is not a laundry on site even if it lists that as an amenity on the hyatt app. You can find parking if you are willing to walk a bit, even if the valet tells you there is not any. The resort is very nice, however, having stayed here once before this last visit did not live up to our expectations.

Disappointed Hyatt Member

The Boardwalk Inn is a beautiful property with a great location, and we enjoyed the beach and overall atmosphere. However, for a resort at this price point, we expected a more polished level of service and attention to detail.

Our check-in experience was disappointing. We were given a booklet, but there was no personal introduction to the resort or explanation of basic amenities. Since we were first-time guests traveling with a toddler, it would have been helpful to have a quick overview of where to find towels, beach access, dining options, the fitness center, and family-friendly activities.

The next day, we actually went back to the front desk hoping to get more information about the resort and its amenities. Instead of a quick orientation or recommendations, we were simply given a thicker booklet. While the information may have been available on paper, it did not feel like the welcoming, personalized service we expected from a resort of this level.

There were also some maintenance and service issues that affected the overall experience. The indoor seating area at Hudson’s Market had a noticeable fly problem, and staff appeared more focused on chatting at the counter than addressing the cleanliness of the area. The walkway to the beach also had a significant number of bees, making the walk uncomfortable and giving the impression that additional pest control may be needed.

The property itself is lovely, but the small details matter at a resort in this category. A warmer welcome, better communication of amenities, and more attention to cleanliness and upkeep would make the experience feel much more premium.

Beautiful Resort, But Service and Attention to Detail Fell Short

A great place for families but a little underwhelming for couples getaway — the food was sub-par for the price and the cocktails were def not worth the price.

Great for families but maybe not for a couples getaway

Usually thoroughly enjoy this family vacation; however, this trip had several problems. Bathroom ceiling in our room at the Boardwalk was falling down with water and drywall on the toilet and the bathroom door was very difficult to close. Requested maintenance twice for the door, which was a no show, and on the day of checkout asked for the manager to come up and see the ceiling.  I also killed a black ant on my pillow.  Was told he was busy, waited for over an hour, spoke with the front desk and then left the resort. I definitely will not be going back to the Boardwalk. Also, to note, the loungers at the Boardwalk pool and the Swim Center had mold and mildew on them each day we were there. Sad to see how the resort is going downhill. Been going for over 20 years and the quality is definitely lacking.

Disappointing experience

Beautiful resort. Clean. Great atmosphere for our family of 4 with a toddler and 7 year old. The room at the residence far exceeded our expectation. The walk to the beach was easy and comfortable. The multiple family pool options were great especially the oceanfront pool (our toddler hates the sand so we I was able to do the pool with her while my husband was in the sand with our older son) we were still close together. All staff were kind, courteous and patient. I do wish there were a few more activities that were free like bracelet making (that was a huge hit with us as well as all kids doing the activity) however this was already above what we expected.

Wonderful short vacation for our family!

I would have saved money at a VRBO. This place is over priced no flexibility,  paid parking is ridiculous, room was ok but not for the high price and I’m still trying to understand the resort fee. I will not stay at this spot again in IOP I’ll find my own place with out hidden charges.  I would rather self serve than pay for the  lack of service and cost.

Don’t waste your money at the Sweetgrass Residence

The hotel and grounds in general were absolutely beautiful, but nothing compares to the staff and their commitment to customer service. I arrived during the midst of a storm that knocked out the wifi making them unable to check new guests in. The front desk staff was kind and helpful taking my number to text when things were back up and running. I had dinner at the restaurant, Coastal Provisions, and the bartender (John) made an incredible espresso martini and the food was amazing too. The room was spacious and beatufiul. I will definitely go back!

Top Notch Customer Service

Outstanding stay. 5 stars. Spa experience a hidden gem for sure and much bigger than it looks! Beach clean, super safe. Everything done well and the people were gracious. Planning additional week this year already!

Outstanding

Amazing beach resort for the highest price i have ever paid. But wait, after resort fees, parking, priced amenities and other taxes and fees, my breath was taken away. If money is not an issue- I highly recommend staying here.

Hyper-expensive Beach Resort

The room was very nice, much better than expected.  Several food options, although somewhat pricey, but to be expected for on-site restaurants.  Very nice pool and beach access.  It was a fun trip, and we plan to go back again.

Great place for a family trip

Great location!  I loved having so many restaurants and shops within walking distance. Anytime you can park and stay in one spot for a weekend is a great vacation.  This was a last-minute trip, and I am so glad we did it!  It was extremely crowded over July 4th though, so I would probably not come on a holiday weekend again but definitely love the Boardwalk Inn and Wild Dunes Resort.  Overall, the resort offers great customer service.  Plus, I am a sucker for a beachside bar and JJ did not disappoint!

July 4th @ Wild Dunes

Excellent family resort on the ocean! Quality restaurants and multiple pools to choose from. Very clean and safe for families and children.

Beautiful Ocean Resort

We had a major issue trying to get the ADA room we reserved and were promised.  It didn't ruin everything, because Mason worked out a solution for us. Not what I wanted but it worked and the facilities were nice.  It was overall a rather expensive  vacation, but it we did have fun being together.

Started out a disaster but worked out to be fun.,

We had a wonderful stay and would definitely recommend this resort. The property is beautiful, very clean, and well maintained. Something for everyone to enjoy, pool, spend time at the beach, or take advantage of the many activities. We also enjoyed the food and found the staff to be friendly and welcoming. The only thing that surprised us was the limited hours for some of the amenities. The sweets shop, which serves ice cream, doesn't open until 1:00 p.m. and closes at 9:00 p.m., making it difficult to enjoy a treat after lunch or later in the evening. The rooftop bar closes at 7:00 p.m., which seemed very early for such a great spot to watch the sunset or enjoy an evening drink. We also discovered that bike rentals end at 4:00 p.m., which limits the opportunity for an evening ride. Overall, we had a fantastic experience and would absolutely return. We just hope the resort considers extending the hours of some of these popular amenities.

Excellent Resort with one small drawback

I specifically booked the Sweetgrass Inn because I wanted the newer accommodations and to be closer to the family pool. Unfortunately, we were somehow placed in the Boardwalk Inn instead, which was not what I reserved. While the Boardwalk Inn was okay, it was disappointing to pay for one hotel and be assigned to another without explanation or notification.

My biggest complaint, however, was that  there was no hot water in the shower. I wasn't able to take a hot shower at all. For the price of this resort, that simply isn't acceptable, even if it only happened for the one night we were there. I mentioned it when checking out, and while the staff apologized and seemed concerned, there wasn't much done beyond that.

One thing I will say is that the pool area, especially the children's pool, was fantastic. It was clean, well maintained, and had plenty of seating. We actually spent more time at the pool than we did at the beach because it was such a great space for families.

Overall, the pool was a highlight, but between being placed in the wrong accommodations and the lack of hot water, the experience didn't match the expectations or price of the resort.

Great Family Pool, But Several Major Issues

The classic rooms are in desperate need of updating. While I realize when I booked the room it was not updated, I didn’t expect the furniture to be visibly stained, worn, and/or scratched. The arm chair was soiled and stained with ink. The coffee table was so scratched that it no longer looked like glass. The couch was severely worn and dirty. The room was equivalent to rooms that costs 1/8th of the price.

Furniture needs to be replaced

I booked this stay through the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program, but the property failed to deliver on most of the standard benefits. Furthermore, a frustrating checkout process left a poor final impression. While management did eventually apply my breakfast credits, the front desk staff went line-by-line through my breakfast receipt questioning if I should be allowed to eat a sandwich for breakfast. This property does not meet the standards of the Amex FHR program and is not yet equipped to provide the seamless experience Platinum cardholders expect.

Fails to deliver on Amex FHR benefits

First time to Wild Dunes to celebrate a 70 th birthday with family of 10 of all ages Was a great location filled with activities to keep everyone happy

Excellent and memorable time

The rooms are very nice! Staff is friendly. They have a spa, restraunts & shopping at the resort. Pools are nice & very clean.

Wonderful resort!!

Staff have hospitality backwards... And you need to meet them where they are.  This is a leadership issue not blaming the young staff

4 lumps of coal not 4 diamond

As far as a beach resort it was nice. Nice pool area, easy beach access, resort was clean and had a lot of amenities (of course for pay, but that's expected) The rest was miserable. Our AC did not work, the first day we had multiple maintenance people in our room and were not able to fix it. After that first day no one ever came back despite multiple requests, after that we were promised management would contact us and they never did. We have text messages from their customer line as well stating someone from management would be contacting us and never did. We had bees nests on our balcony and had to ask multiple times to be removed. Just in general the staff is very young, and very indifferent towards their jobs, customers, etc. 

We had a gift card for the resort which we were told could be used at most places on the property, turns out nowhere could take the gift card, the front desk told us to charge everything to the room and the gift card could be applied at leaving. At checkout they could not figure out to apply the card to our room and checkout took almost an hour because I would not leave without getting it applied. The front desk associate just kept telling me she didnt know what to do and seemed very indifferent to everything. 

I guess since we are just visitors and not owners/members they don't care

Horrible experience with staff, maintenance, and indifferent management

Awesome resort. Very well maintained and clean. Provided so much at the resort that you would never have to leave. Beautiful walking paths

Great family resort

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The resort was very nice.   However, restaurant prices inside the resort were pricey.  The restaurant inside Sweetgrass charged $28 for the breakfast buffet.  For the price per night per room, breakfast should be included.

Restaurants on site were very pricey.

Wonderful stay with our elementary age children. The pools and beach are incredibly convenient and all the staff was amazing. You can watch kids play in the pool with a view of the beach, order food and beverages and towels are provided.  Bike rentals were easy, and we enjoyed morning rides through the neighborhood trails. The mattresses at the Boardwalk were below Hyatt's typical standard and some small room updates are needed but not deal breakers. Check your receipts for towel charges. We were charged for towels we returned and there is actually no system of record for the return process so it felt like a money grab. The wonderful front desk staff reversed the charge. I've already booked a girls' trip and will report back with restaurant feedback as we mostly ate at casual spots with the kiddos.

Return trip booked!  Some opportunities for improvement.

We had a great stay at Wild Dunes! It was a great vacation with 3 kids ages 9 and under - we enjoyed the beach, the pools, tennis, s’mores, and walking around the property.

Great family trip

Absolutely wonderful experience. The rooms were amazing. The staff was excellent and the location was phenomenal. Right off the beach you simply walk outside tothe pool and go straight to the beach was very nice, it was suggested to me next time to try to get even rooms or  a suite for  more space.  Woodys  for  breakfast is a must. They also have tennis and pickleball!

Wow!

Will definitely be back to Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms, SC.  Great location right on the beach!  Stayed at Sweetgrass Inn.  Clean, well kept & comfortable.  I was solo but there were lots of families.  Definitely lots to do for the kids.  

Room walls seemed bit thin as I can hear some muffled noises (kids) from next door & in hallway.  But overall surprisingly quiet.  There is a noise observance late night.  And entire resort was lovely and quiet then.  Beautiful time to step out on your balcony and hear the ocean waves.  Haven’t felt this relaxed in a while.  

TIPS: 
Rented beach chairs w/ umbrella (so great!) and a bike for couple hours.  But everything is in walking distance.  Food there was good ($$$).  But venture into Charleston (excellent food scene) or IOP too for good eats (like seafood)!  Beach was clean and not as crowded & loud as Folly Beach.  Can take the “water taxi” (saw dolphins!) from Mt. Pleasant to downtown Charleston and back.  Go on a kayak or deep sea fishing tour, golfing, shopping, Charleston history tours/ museums/ Aquarium.  So much to do!

Wild Dunes Resort

Lots of surprise fees (well over $100 per night), amenities promised were not delivered, rental agreement was not honored, room was overall very good, beach quality was fair at best far worse than all of the Florida and California beaches. Food quality was meh, would recommend eating off resort, there is a lot of excellent food in the area, just not at the resort. Overall it was relatively clean as a resort, service was inconsistent either excellent or nonexistent, it was very quiet at night and I did sleep well. However rarely have I ever paid more and I got less amenities, worse views, and access to the beach. This one is best left out at sea.

Mediocre resort with a 5 star bill and fees galore.

We loved Wild Dunes so much that we are already planning our trip for next year and trying to wrangle some friends to join us. It is a perfect combination of being toddler friendly but still feeling like a very nice hotel. Not sure how they accomplish that balance but they do a great job of it! We can't wait to come back next year with our family :)

Favorite family vacation spot so far!

The resort itself is wonderfully located, with great pools and easily accessible beaches. The spa was wonderfully relaxing and quite nice. The staff were are very warm and inviting.

That's about all the positives. 

Cleanliness around the hotel is an issue, we found a couple cockroaches in our room. There were a ton of sticky spots in the carpet. After we mentioned finding the bugs and asking for a quick clean, they didn't bother to even 'try' to re-make the bed or replace the towels. 

The food is by far the worst part. A premium stay as this should not be offering Ken's dressing for their salads. Nor should it claim that some sort of melted Cheese-Whiz is a "queso" for their $14 nachos. The ice cream place gave large scoops of decent enough ice cream. The drinks had a heavy pour to forget about all the shortcomings found elsewhere on property.

For being 30 minutes outside of a cultural city like Charleston, there's not really a good reason for the most basic 'resort' menus they offer, besides keeping overheads low. 

I'd love to come back to this resort. The location is really worth it. I think there needs to be a large revamp of all food offerings, the family pool needs more than one entrance, the rooms could use a refresh (Boardwalk side). 

Alas, this review will most likely be lost in the flood of positives. If you care about premium offerings, this isn't the place for you. If you want good pools and beaches with over-priced resort food, then, sure, it's good. I paid with my points, and if I hadn't, I would be quite upset with spending the money that they charge.

"Premium" resort not worth the money

Stayed in one of the Sweetgrass penthouses with a few of my besties for a girls getaway.

Appreciate the cleanliness of the rooms and grounds. The staff was friendly and helpful from check in to check out. 

Great food and service at onsite restaurants Coastal Provisions, Coastal Crust and Laughing Gull. 

Enjoyed the beach and pools again with outstanding and fun service!

Market was convenient with a great atmosphere. Only negative was the price of wine in the Market. 3-4 times the cost of what I’m used to. Suggest you bring a bottle with you if you indulge. 🙂

Would highly recommend!

Fantastic Girlfriend’s Getaway

Save your money or go to Europe for the same money.  The place costs a small fortune, which you would expect comes with a premium experience.  Staff barely can be bothered to help, dining options were limited and service was bad at Oystercatcher and Coastal Crust.  Every last resort amenity comes with an upcharge.  It's near nothing so to get to even a grocery store, much less Charleston, plan to pay a lot for Uber, etc.  Screaming kids under 10 taking over the hot tub until all hours makes it unusable.  Beach was great but you don't need to stay at this resort to enjoy a great beach.  Breakfast at Coastal Provisions was great.

Save your money

Excellent experience overall. Amazing food. Friendly staff. Clean rooms. Everything is very convenient. Easy beach access.

Definitely Recommended

Beautiful resort.  Great rooms and a lot to do.  Beach is big, fire pits are enjoyable, staff are friendly, and relaxing trip!

Relaxing and fun trip!

This was our first time at this resort and it didn´t disappoint.  It was a easy 6 hour drive from Richmond and it was very easy to find. The check in process was very easy and every staff member we met was incredibly polite and helpful, from the valet, front desk and in between.   Our room was wonderful in the main building of Sweet Grass and was overlooking the pool area. Lots of choices for pools or the beach and was easy to get umbrellas or pool cabanas.  
Lots of food choices throughout the day and easy to get great drinks near the pool. The restaurants had lots of options, but by far my favorite was Coastal Provisions!!  Even the rooftop bar The Nest was worth a look and our bartender was wonderful.  While we were only there for 3 nights, it was enough for us to decide to return in the near future.  
Kudos to all!! Wonderful resort, great staff and wonderful amenities.

This Resort is Worth the Trip

My husband and I took a couple of days to get away and we were very pleased with our stay at Wild Dunes.  We rented bikes and road around the island. It was a great experience. We shopped the shops and tried out several of the restaurants.

Very enjoyable time!

We went for our anniversary trip and had an amazing time. We loved the ocean side pool the most! Several pools including an adults only pool. Lots of beach towels available without annoying return policies. Yummy cocktails but prepare to pay; drinks are expensive by the pool.

Pools and beach!

We stayed 2 nights in the Boardwalk Inn. All of the staff we interacted with were extremely pleasant and helpful.  The food was good and about as expensive as expected. Portions were large at least. During spring break week, waits for takeout pizza at Coastal Crust was 1.5 hours for 2 pepperoni pizzas, at 8pm. There’s only one small “heated” pool at Sweetgrass Inn. The larger zero entry pool is NOT heated. And the hot tub was totally overrun with kids. Basically a hot kiddie pool. Most parents let their kids run wild, totally unsupervised. Our standard room in Boardwalk was a little outdated. A few spots of finish missing on the old tub, shower curtain rod not installed properly so the curtain didn’t stay closed in either end, and the metal door handle on the balcony slider broke nearly all the way during our stay. But the beds were comfortable enough (very tall though), the room was a good size, small table and 2 chairs along with 3rd sitting chair, and they gifted us a s’mores kit for my child’s birthday celebration. Overall it’s a nice walkable resort, but the food establishments seemed over stressed during the busy week and the pool was very crowded (and cold).

Nice family resort

Exorbitant resort fees for amenities that were not used. Common guest area that feels like a ball field. Room not serviced as expected. Valet slow at times.

Not worth the price. Will not return.

This was our second visit to Wild Dunes, and after such a wonderful first experience, we were excited to return—this time bringing our entire extended family to celebrate our mom’s 70th birthday (9 adults and 10 kids).
We truly want to start by acknowledging the staff we interacted with. Everyone was kind and clearly working very hard—we often saw the same team members taking on multiple roles across the resort. That said, during a busy Spring Break week, it felt like the resort was significantly understaffed and not fully prepared for the volume of guests.
Unfortunately, this led to consistent and frustrating delays. Food wait times reached up to 1 hour and 45 minutes, coffee regularly took around 30 minutes, and valet service ranged from 25–30 minutes. We also had trouble with the shuttle service—it never arrived despite calling both the night before and again in the morning.
In addition, the poolside taco truck broke down on our first day and was never repaired during our 7-day stay, which further limited already stretched dining options.
We were especially disappointed with the Easter egg hunt. We had signed our children up in advance, but the event felt disorganized. The first group of kids collected most of the eggs—some leaving with overflowing buckets—while many children in the second group didn’t receive any at all. This was particularly frustrating given the expectations set for a family-friendly holiday event.
Overall, while we still see the potential that made us love Wild Dunes the first time, this visit did not meet those expectations. It was especially disappointing given that we encouraged our extended family to join us based on our previous experience. We hope the resort takes this feedback seriously, as improvements in staffing, organization, and guest experience are clearly needed. At this point, we are unsure if we will return in the near future.

Disappointed Returning Guest.

Our experience at Wild Dunes was fantastic! The apparent we stayed in was spacious and comfortable. The access to the beach was easy and the pool was great (although definitely crowded). Expect to spend $ while you are there - all activities cost extra and food isn’t inexpensive, but overall we had a great stay and plan to go back!

Fantastic Family Fun!

Unexpectedly perfect spring break. Last minute trip for just my kids & I after deciding on quick spring break getaway to Charleston. Charleston is wonderful but I knew my kids would not fully appreciate the food/drink/historical scene for 5 days. Wild Dunes was not previously known to me and I discovered it during my research of the area. The resort layout, amenities, food options are absolutely perfect and caters so well to both kids and adults. I have high expectations and don’t usually stay at resorts vs private house. This experience is exactly what I expect from a resort but often cannot find for a realistic, not exorbitant price. I’ve been to HHI several times and I think I now prefer IOP! We’re already thinking of another trip in summer.

Hidden Gem. Wanted to keep this a secret but deserves to be shared.

I absolutely loved my stay at Sweetgrass! The resort is stunning, with a beautiful setting and a wonderful, welcoming atmosphere. The rooms were spotless and very comfortable, which made the stay even more enjoyable. While I wish there were a few more dining options on the resort, my overall experience was truly amazing. I had such a great time and would definitely return again without hesitation!

Birthday getaway did not disappoint!

I genuinely don’t understand how this property isn’t talked about more among Hyatt loyalists… unless everyone’s been quietly gatekeeping it all along.
Wild Dunes Resort is an absolute standout. The service is dialed in, the rooms are beautiful and well-kept, the pools are fantastic, and the activity options make it feel like a true resort experience—not just a place to stay. And then there’s the beach access, which takes it completely over the top.
One insider tip I can’t keep to myself: the $50 spa day pass. Total game changer.
Bottom line—don’t overlook this one. You’ll be glad you didn’t.

Hidden Gem (especially for Hyatt Loyalists) —Don’t Sleep on Wild Dunes

Always our favorite place to stay!  The hotel is consistently very clean and offers a wonderful stay. One of the biggest highlights is that there is no competition for pool chairs, which is a huge plus. They have plenty available, making it easy to relax and enjoy the day. I also love that they offer multiple pool options, including an adult pool, a family area, and an oceanfront space.  I do wish the rooftop pool was open to all guests, as it always seems to be booked for private events and not something regular guests can enjoy. It would be great to enjoy sunset on the rooftop!

Our favorite resort

Staff and facility were top-notch!  Very clean and accommodating.  Food at every site was delicious and beautifully presented.  Great Spa services and many local shops in the resort had unique things.  Love the Low-Country atmosphere and music.

Where Business Meets Pleasure

Great experience. Friendly staff. Nice rooms. Fun pool area for kids. Quick walk to the beach. We enjoyed our time and will be back in the future.

Great place to go with kids

Awesome place to stay. On-property stores and eateries. Pool were kept clean and inviting. Location is spectacular. Highly recommend this property.

Great and unusual experience!

Great resort & fantastic staff! The conference amenities were very well put together.  The variety of dining options was plenty.  The room was very clean & updated.

Had a fantastic long weekend with the family at the Wild Dunes Sweetgrass Inn, was a little cold and breezy but obviously that is due to the time of the year of our visit and did not take away from our enjoyment of the resort or of Charleston. I want to highlight the staff hospitality, specifically Mason the front desk manager on duty who took care of us all weekend. He went above and beyond to assist us, especially as we were traveling with two little children! We will definitely be back for a trip at some point when the weather is warmer so we can enjoy the pool / beach.

February Charleston Family Weekend Getaway

It was a great trip to Isle of Palms, made even better by this fantastic hotel. The facilities were excellent. The location is spectacular. The staff of the Boardwalk our professional and super friendly.

Great trip to Isle of Palms and Boardwalk Hotel (Again)

The friendly staff exceeded our expectations for our special occasion stay with treats supplied to our room and extra attention during dining!

Special Occasion

Amazing atmosphere with private beach access and plenty of amenities. We went for our wedding anniversary and my wife had a relaxing spa treatment. Kids had fun time at their heated pools and hot tub. All staffs are very responsive and supportive. Looking forward to visit again soon.

Relaxing ambience and rejuvenating experience.

Wonderful resort hotel for our 7 day stay!  Even though we endured exceptionally chilly weather, we still found plenty to explore and enjoy.  Some options were limited seasonally, but we enjoyed visiting the Charleston area anyway.  Although parking may be costly, we would possibly want to rent a car on a return visit to be able to visit other beaches and sites, instead of using Uber (however they were a great option) and taxi services.

Beautiful Resort and a great place to stay to experience coastal Carolina charm!

The resort is so beautiful. We were only there for the weekend.  It was beautifully decorated for Christmas.  Great food.

Wonderful visit

Pricey  for food and stay for winter weekend unable enjoy the pool and beautiful outdoors. Rooms clean but shower malfunctions. No shops and resturants open after our conference at 8pm. Unless you went to the pricy  Oystrer restaurant in main building. They did provide umbrella for walking to and from rooms in the rain that occurred the extent of our stay.

Not a place I want to revisit. Others may have had a better time.

We went as husband and wife to attend the Family Life Weekend to Remember marriage retreat. Although the hotel stay was pricey, it was well worth it. There were restaurants on site and many shops, although we only ate at one restaurant. 
At arrival, it’s valet only parking and there was not enough space for the influx of guests arriving. We actually arrived early, thank goodness, or we would’ve been late to the first class. The valet offered to help with luggage but we only had a couple bags. The staff at the  front desk were outstanding and so helpful. She actually walked us outside to point out the direction, in the rain,  to which we were to walk to our building since there was several different hotel buildings. The room was spacious and clean except for the floor. I had to put socks on because there was a lot of grime and dirt on the floor of the room. The hotel had lots of nice amenities. Too bad it rained the whole time we were there and didn’t get to use the facility amenities. That’s NOT on the hotel though and didn’t affect my scores at all. The only downside was I would’ve liked the option of non-valet.

Will definitely return to this hotel resort!

Always a great stay at SweetGrass Inn!Everything is perfect from the immaculate clean rooms to the helpful staff.We will definitely be back.

Thanksgiving stay

The resort is very large but  organized with lots of signs and staff to ask questions. The location is amazing, lots of resturants and ocean is so close. Our hotel room was very quiet.My room was on the top floor with an ocean view. Our room  was large and well appointed. We were so happy to have a sofa in our room with a  very larger TV.  I felt safe at night walking to the resturants and returning  by car to the resort. It it a very special place to celebrate a special occasion or just relax.  We stayed at the Broadwalk hotel.

Reviews

4.0

/

5

Great Fall Break Getaway

Great for families

Wonderful stay at the sweet grass and Boardwalk Inns

You won't be disappointed!

Highly recommended