In the United States, Disney has extended its reach further than the parks and resorts and they have other properties outside of Orlando and Anaheim. One of those is a mere six hours up the road in South Carolina on Hilton Head Island. Of course being so close, it was a perfect excuse for a road trip and to tick another state off the list!
We visited way back in February, when the weather was much cooler than it is now and it hit lows of around 3oC, which for two girls being used to a Floridian winter (I use that word very loosely) it came even more of a shock to the system than Chicago!
Cold weather regardless, the Hilton Head resort is stunning. It sits next to a beautiful lake and marshes and about a mile or so from the beach. The marshes looked like something out of a film- it was speechless! You can walk out to a gazebo over the marshes and although the wind really whipped up a chill while we were there, I can imagine it to be very beautiful during the summer!
Hilton Head is also a Disney Vacation Club resort and because of this, the rooms are either studios or villas which make for a very homely stay. The decor is all themed around a lake house theme which I simply loved! Wooden board floors and very airy spaces, once again I felt as if I were in a film! The bathroom also had a jacuzzi bath which was so relaxing, I ever normally pamper myself with anything like that so I enjoyed it very much.
The amenities at the hotel were also very homely and welcoming. Upon our arrival, we were greeted with warm apple cider and cookies - which are always a winner for me. There's also a lounge with a crackling open fire, super comfy chairs, a selection of board games and newspapers - for us, it was great to warm up after a brisk walk outside!
They also have a whole selection of recreational activities (bike hire etc), a pool (definitely was too cold!) and a Community House where they were hosting a hot chocolate making activity. I think I had whipped cream and extra marshmallows! There's a quick service restaurant which served your regular Disney fare for breakfast and lunch but when you're lounging by the pool, you don't really need anything else!
We did venture down the beach which was basically deserted. The resort runs a shuttle down to the Disney Beach House if you don't fancy the walk. Again, the Beach House would be amazing in the warmer weather with its pool and restaurant but was completely empty during our visit. The beach was lovely; I really enjoy walks along the beach in the cold weather and I had wrapped up warm enough so it was invigorating enough to blow all the cobwebs away!
The Island itself is very much geared up to the golfing tourists with a large range of restaurants and boutiquey shops scattered around. Another perk for us was a Barnes and Noble - I forgot how much I enjoyed browsing through a bookshop, it's these simple pleasures that you can forget about in the busy, bustling, car-less environment of Disney!
Another great thing about this resort was that it was full of Disney magic without being so highly strung like the parks. The cast were warm and friendly and took the time to chat to us and make us feel welcome and at home. The Disney-outside-of-Disney helped me return to Florida feeling refreshed and rejuvenated! Now, I'm very eager to visit Disney's other DVC resort here in Florida at Vero Beach!
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