Free Room Upgrade at the Oceanside Inn & Suites on Jekyll Island from May 1st – 31st
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
Posts Tagged ‘ jekyll island hotels ’
What’s New at the Days Inn on Jekyll Island?
Friday, April 9th, 2010
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Historic Savings For a Historic Destination
Thursday, April 8th, 2010
A Hot-Hot-Hot Deal from the Jekyll Oceanfront Resort
Monday, April 5th, 2010
People Love the New Hampton Inn and Suites on Jekyll Island
Friday, April 2nd, 2010
Thought we’d share a letter the General Manager of the new Hampton Inn & Suites on Jekyll Island received from a guest:
Good Morning Deborah,
I am a Hilton Gold Member and my husband and I just celebrated our 24th Wedding Anniversary and we stayed at your Hotel this past weekend. I just wanted to say thank you for the sweet little gifts and we had a great time. I’m so happy that we final have a Hilton on the island. My family and I have vacationed at Jekyll for several years. We just live in Callahan, FL so it is a easy hour and half drive.
We look forward to our next stay with you. Have a wonderful and blessed day.
Cindy Russ
A FAMILY REUNION AT THE JEKYLL ISLAND CLUB HOTEL, “IT’S ALMOST LIKE COMING HOME”
Thursday, April 1st, 2010
When winter is just a memory and warm breezes remind the family of good times on Jekyll Island, it’s hard to get the car packed and down the driveway soon enough.
The Jekyll Island Club Hotel each year welcomes families from across the country and many from abroad. This time of year, the landscapers have nurtured the lawns and gardens, the chefs have created exciting new menus for the season, and the accommodations have the charm and appeal of a life of elegant leisure. Special packages have been created to accommodate families on a budget. The Jekyll Island Club Hotel is the ideal location for a family getaway or reunion. Situated on this beautiful barrier island with ten miles of ocean beach, the hotel offers an adventure opportunity for every member of the family. The Grand Dining Room and the Courtyard at Crane restaurants offer gourmet dining. The kid-friendly favorites are Café Solterra, a bakery/delicatessen and the Poolside Grill (open seasonally).
In this historic landmark setting, the choices for customizing a family reunion are many. For example, several cottages may be reserved for the exclusive use of the family. One of these, Cherokee Cottage, has ten rooms and suites plus a spacious area for the family to gather for those memorable, cozy evenings together. The Sans Souci building, which has 24 rooms and suites, also has two beautifully appointed hospitality rooms. Crane Cottage, an Italian Renaissance structure, has 13 rooms and suites as well as the Courtyard at Crane restaurant for alfresco and indoor dining. Arrangements may be made for volleyball on the lawn or beach, a croquet tournament, or a shrimp boat excursion. The Hotel also has a photographer for hire (available by appointment) to take family photographs and group portraits.
Betty N. Mori, who has coordinated her family’s reunion here, described her experience in a recent interview. We have had several family reunions, five or six, at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. Several generations of us gather for this important tradition. Many times, we’ve gathered at Thanksgiving. Family members of all ages begin appearing at the hotel on Wednesday night from various parts of the country. They bring their little children, and one family member is in his mid 80’s. For some, it’s the only visit of the year, and we’re so very glad to see one another.
This year it was my turn to coordinate the event at the Club, and we expected 60-100 people. The hotel has some wonderful, professional people who helped with everything we needed. From Sales to Catering, they handled it graciously. Our Thanksgiving dinnerin the Club Ballroom was, well… wonderful. Our sales representative suggested the hospitality suite in the Sans Souci building as a central meeting spot, and it was lovely. At the last reunion, we organized a trip on a shrimp boat, and we had such fun. Later some of the family took a nature walk while others visited the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. I just cannot think of a better place to have a family reunion.
• more information
Every member of your family will find exciting, fun things to do together at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. For information or reservations contact the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, 371 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA, 31527, call 912-635-2600 or 800-535-9547, e-mail sales@jekyllclub.com or visit our web site at www.jekyllclub.com
Discover the Gold Standard by Yasmin Smith
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
Discover the Gold Standard by Yasmin Smith
Jekyll Island, one of Georgia’s Golden Isles, delights travelers with its rich history and natural beauty. Whether you’re seeking a weekend away with your honey or a family-friendly vacation, this place has it all and is a mere stone’s throw from Atlanta. Read the full article here.
New Jekyll Island Hotel Takes Green Practices to the Next Level
Friday, March 5th, 2010
Build an eco-friendly, beachside hotel using sustainable practices to help preserve one of the eastern seaboard’s few remaining true maritime forest and dune eco-systems. The developers of the new Hampton Inn & Suites on Georgia’s Jekyll Island did just that when building the barrier island’s first new hotel in 35 years.
New Castle Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel ownership and development company and third-party manager, and co-developers Jekyll Ocean Oaks, LLC, an affiliate of the ownership group of the island’s existing Jekyll Island Club Hotel, followed an extensive set of guidelines, adopted by the Jekyll Island Authority, that require development respect and preserve the unique natural environment and historic character of the island. Developers applied a range of conservation practices throughout the building process, and incorporated sustainability practices into the hotel’s operation, including:
- Building the new hotel on the existing footprint of an older motel in order to avoid cutting old growth trees on the 5-acre site.
- Detailed mapping of tree locations and evaluation of their health and relative importance by a certified arborist.
- Planting of new live oak trees to replace a dozen trees removed to accommodate redevelopment of the site, and more than two dozen trees that were in poor health.
- Recycling materials like steel, copper, concrete and aluminum from the demolition of the older motel.
- Mounting elevated exterior downlighting on existing trees to avoid the cost and energy use related to manufacturing and installing aluminum poles for parking areas.
- To provide hotel guests with beach access and still preserve the forest and dune area, developers built an elevated wooden walkway. Hotel operations employ a host of sustainable practices, including:
- Rainwater is collected from the 25,000-square-foot roof and stored in a cistern for irrigating landscaping.
- The hotel’s laundry system recaptures final rinse water moisture from the dryers for reuse as wash water, conserving both water and energy. The system also scavenges waste heat from the dryers and reuses it to preheat water for the washing machines, recovering up to 90 percent of the waste heat and reducing overall energy consumption in the laundry by more than 50 percent.
- Use of solar thermal panels on the south-facing roof to preheat water for hot water systems that service guestrooms, restrooms and kitchens. The system reduces the burning of propane, a fossil fuel, to produce heat, thus reducing the total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced by the property.
- Thorough insulation and cladding with cement board, as well as the four-story design, require less energy for HVAC systems. Motion sensors control bathroom ventilation fans, and ENERGY STAR rated appliances and equipment further reduce overall energy consumption.
The 138-room Hampton Inn & Suites Jekyll Island opened in January 2010, the first new hotel to be built on the island in 35 years. Among Georgia’s 14 barrier islands, Jekyll Island is one of just four accessible by causeway.
Give Yourself a Break this Spring at the Days Inn & Suites on Jekyll Island
Monday, March 1st, 2010Relax at the Award-Winning Days Inn & Suites on Jekyll Island. “Some of our best weather of the year is during spring break, from mid March to mid April,” exclaims Shirley Rayhon, general manager of the Days Inn & Suites on Jekyll Island.
“The days are warm, the azaleas are in bloom, and the beach is perfect for walking and sunbathing. And for our guests who think the ocean is a bit chilly, we have a large new heated pool and a hot tub.”
Located on 2,500 feet of beachfront property, the Days Inn & Suites boasts 84 tastefully decorated, very affordable guest rooms and 40 oceanfront suites with kitchenettes. The hotel, which completed a $4.5 million renovation in 1999, has a number of attractive amenities, including a complimentary continental breakfast (some say it’s the best on the island!) served to all guests on the second floor of the inn overlooking the Atlantic.
The famed Historic District of Jekyll, with its majestic Jekyll Island Club, quaint shops, and fascinating museums is only minutes away. Rent a bike at the hotel and tour this scenic island that in the late 1800s and early 1900s was the exclusive retreat of the Vanderbilts, Morgans, Goodyears, Pulitzers, and other wealthy American families.
The Days Inn & Suites offers several exciting vacation packages. “The Treasure Island package is one of our most popular,” says Shirley. “It includes accommodations for two people for two nights with deluxe continental breakfast each morning, a Jekyll Island Historic Tour, and a dinner/gambling cruise on the Emerald Princess casino ship. Guests also receive a unique island treasure as a gift upon arrival, two themed t-shirts, and a $50.00 dinner voucher for two at an island restaurant.”
The hotel’s new Land and Sea package is also very popular. It includes a 90-minute guided dolphin cruise along the Intercoastal Waterway of Jekyll Island, four hours of bike rental for two (choice of two bikes or surrey), dinner voucher for $50.00 to Latitude 31 restaurant overlooking the water in the Historic District, and a tour of the acclaimed Georgia Sea Turtle Center.
Golfing and other packages are also available. To learn more and to make reservations, visit daysinnjekyll.com, or call 888-635-3003. Reservations for packages must be made at least five days in advance of arrival.
Golf Tips by Steve Godley, Director of Instruction, Jekyll Island Golf Club
Monday, March 1st, 2010CHIPPING & PUTTING, THE KEYS TO LOWER SCORES
By Steve Godley, Director of Instruction, Jekyll Island Golf Club Georgia Head Professional, Bird Golf Academy
I recently read an article about two young boys playing in a junior tournament. One was smaller in stature than the other was and his game was one or two clubs shorter in distance. Halfway through the match the larger boy was asked how he was playing. He responded by saying that he was losing and the smaller young man was “getting it up and down from the garbage cans and that this was driving him crazy.” The smaller boy won the tournament. After, the smaller of the two boys was asked how he developed such a phenomenal short game. It turns out that he had been in an accident and was only able to chip and putt for the past two years. Through his love of the game and practicing, his lack of distance meant nothing to him or his performance level. This is the perfect example of the importance of a sound short game, solid chipping & putting.
The first element of a sound short game is putting. While putting is very individualized, there are certain things to practice to make your shot more consistent. The first thing is getting your eyes directly over the ball allowing the putter to move along the intended target line. Second is to work on the length of the backswing. Most players tend to take the putter back too far and decelerate through the stroke. A good way to develop a consistent stroke is to take the putter back only as far as the right foot. This will help make a good accelerating motion through the ball. However, a few drills incorporated into your practice routine will help improve putting; for example, putting 3 or 4 foot putts, while looking at the hole, will put your focus on your target. It will be surprising how easy these short putts become with practice.
Another critical element to a sound short game is chipping. This shot generally lies 4 to 6 feet from the green in the second cut. When presented with this shot I have found that players are in the habit of using just one club. They fail in the shot before they ever attempt it. They get infatuated with getting the ball in the air when in fact the ball has a better chance of going in if it is rolling. The chip shot is very simple if players set up in a manner that will allow them to get the ball close to the hole. A good rule of thumb is the 1/3 – 2/3 rule. Let the length of the shot determine which club you choose. Ideally, the club chosen is one which will direct the ball towards the target with the first 1/3 of the distance in the air and with the remaining 2/3 distance rolling on the ground. Therefore, for a shorter shot the choice may be a sand wedge or pitching wedge. A little longer shot an 8 iron would be needed. Longer then that a 6 iron does the trick and so on, all the way to a hybrid club for the longest of chips. Players need to help execute this shot by setting up properly. Primarily the club head must never pass the hands. The hands should always lead. Set up with a narrow stance, slightly open with 60% more of the weight on the left side. The ball is played off the right foot in order to set the hands well ahead of the club head. Remember what was previously said about deceleration? A long backswing and slowing through the hitting area will not work. Make the motion as if it was a putt. In essence, putting with a lofted golf club, having the proper set-up, using all of the appropriate clubs and utilizing the putting stroke will improve your chipping.
So the next time you have practice time available, do not spend it all beating balls on the range. Use a portion of that time to practice chipping and putting for they are the keys to lower your scores.
Travels with Jake and Stone: A Paradise Lite
Friday, February 19th, 2010Thanks for Sharing Jake and Stone!
Reposted with permission from travelgracenotes.blogspot.com
Travels with Jake and Stone: A Paradise Lite.
A Paradise Lite
Jake and Stone had been to Jekyll Island back in the pre-blog days of early 2008 on our way down to Florida to visit our old friends, the Farles, who were being held captive in Hollywood, FL, by the collapsing real estate market. On our drive down we stayed two nights in Jekyll and liked it so much we vowed to come back for a longer visit. Two years later we did so.
Thursday, January 21, 2010 – Our ride down from Jersey to Washington, DC, proves to be surprisingly easy. We rendezvous with our old DC pals, Da Labetts, and the previously mentioned Farles, for dinner at the Carlyle in the DC suburb of Shirlington. When we parked in the garage nearest the restaurant we parked in one of the many spots reserved for “The MacNeil/Lehrer Report: 9am-5pm.” And sure enough, WNET was right across the street, where they are apparently in no hurry to repaint the reservations with the updated “NewsHour” name.
Our meal was a wonderful all-around experience – great food, good wine, good service, and a stylish atmosphere. The crowd was typically DC, which meant it was hard to find anyone over 30 years old. And it was busy. It seems that in DC they have yet to hear about the recession. The dinner was a terrific way to start this vacation, that celebrates our 30th anniversary, with two other couples so happily married for almost as long. God bless us, everyone.
Friday, January 22, 2010 – We breakfast at a suburban DC diner called the Music Box and again we are six in number. But here Mrs Da L (who had to work, poor dear) has been replaced by the Farles’ son who will soon begin work in DC as a lawyer. After eggs and ham, and hugs and goodbyes, we hit the road aiming for Lexington, VA. The drive is rainy and cool, with some trees actually frosted by twinkling ice.
In Lexington we have some soup at a little bakery on Washington Street, then walk over to the campus of Washington and Lee University for a tour of Lee Chapel and Museum, which we can highly recommend. Highlights: the early portrait of a young George Washington by Peale that hangs on the left side of the chapel, the recumbent statue of Lee which dominates the scene, the concise museum downstairs, and finally, the Lee family crypt. This chapel — which is not really a chapel in the usual sense, having no religious or denominational connection — serves as a reminder of the religiosity that marked the Civil War, since it could be argued that Robert E. Lee lies in the crypt below the chapel in the same manner and for the same reasons that Popes are interred in the Vatican Grotto.
But then again, this is Virginia, not Rome, and it should be noted that outside the chapel, near the crypt doors as a matter of fact, one can visit another marked interment: that of General Lee’s horse, Traveller.
We spend the night at the Kerr House B&B in Statesville, NC. Unlike DC, here there is a recession. The restaurant we wanted to go to has closed, as has the music place we had hoped to frequent after dinner. At least the B&B proves to be quite nice (though up for sale!) and we get a good night’s sleep.
Saturday, January 23, 2010 – After a good breakfast and a friendly chat with the B&B owners we head down toward Walterboro, SC, which bills itself as “The Front Porch of the Low Country.” In the attractive historic area of town we drop into the Downtown Books and Espresso for a light lunch of coffee and pastry. Two elderly women sit and knit at one of the communal tables; we ask if we can join them, they say “of course.”
One of the best reasons to travel is to realize your own presumptions. We had sat down thinking we would find little in common with these two old, small town women and their knitting. Well, turns out they had just come back from a vacation themselves – to Peru! They talked of sharing some local “brew” with almost toothless native men in a dirt floored café of sorts, of hiking around Machu Picchu, and of para-gliding(!) off the cliffs of Lima. It all made Jekyll Island seem rather tame. Still we had a wonderful time talking with them, and realized what we would realize again and again on this trip – that down here conversation comes easily.
We get to Jekyll at 4pm, get the keys to our 2 BR duplex, and move in, all before 
dark. Down here just above Florida there is at least one more hour of daylight than back home. We want to make it over to the Jekyll Island Club Hotel while there is still light, for we know from previous experience that the Club’s sprawling grounds can be difficult to navigate after dark.
We make it to one of the hotel’s several eateries, Vincent’s Pub, just as happy hour is ending, which is good, because it opens up some seats in this intimate place. We toast our first night in Jekyll with a couple of martinis, then order some crab cakes and a burger from the room service menu, despite the 20% service charge. Though happy hour has expired, several southern male aristocrats are still seriously in the spirit of the hour(s) past, but we find charm in their bluster, thanks to their accents and our martinis.
Just outside Vincent’s and up one level is the hotel’s in-house deli where we get some java and croissants to go. Even at night the grounds of this grand old place, once the exclusive haunt of millionaires, are quietly enchanting. Our walk back to the car, amidst the quiet demi-dark of palm trees and formal gardens, seems magical, but looming as well. But once back in our simple but sweet 2BR place all that truly looms is a good night’s sleep.
Sunday, January 24, 2010 – Bike rental for the two of us for what’s left of the week is about $100. We take the bikes for a little exploratory ride down to the beach via King Avenue where we see way more birds than people. We do some food shopping at the little grocery store in the strip mall that is the only serious retail on the island. Today’s temp is perfect for us: 61 degrees.
Stone drops Jake off for some windy golf at Great Dunes, an interesting 9-holer that dates from 1926 and costs but $10 to walk. The layout is basically links-like, except for the 
occasional stand of wind-blown trees, and the grass is all brown (dormant, Jake guesses) except for the greens, which range in size from small to micro. In fact, Jake stepped off the two axises of the the circular 9th green and they each measured 16 paces. While Jake fights the wind and his game, Stone drives around a bit, visiting the sea turtle center and finding a close-in parking spot for our next visit to the hotel. Back at the ranch/duplex we do some lunch, some napping, some reading, and then it is time for dinner and a DVD movie.
Monday, January 25, 2010 – Stone says Jake slept trough a major thunderstorm last
night and on Jake’s morning bike ride to get a newspaper the evidence of the downpour is everywhere. Puddles dot the bike trail, and the broad and empty beach looks newly washed, with nary a footprint marring its plaster like sand.
Besides Great Dunes, Jekyll has three 18-hole golf courses, but today Oleander is closed because it is too wet to play. The starter suggests Indian Mound where, even though it is sunny and prime golf time (10 am) Jake tees off alone. The course has brown fairways, is very wet and the wind is quite stiff most of the time, but the sky is sun-filled and for $26 to walk it’s one heck of a deal. There is no extra charge for seeing a rather large turtle (at least by Jersey standards) and several herons. Stone spends the morning biking and walking along the beach. We both need some nap time after our lunch back in the duplex.
When we were here before we had a good meal at Coastal Kitchen so we go then again tonight for dinner; we are not disappointed. This classy restaurant, right off the causeway on the way to St. Simons Island, features a large list of wine by the glass and great seafood, including fresh, wild Georgia shrimp.
After dinner we drive into St. Simons looking for the movie theater that seems so easy to find on Google maps. Alas, we get lost in a maze of malls that would do Jersey proud, and are about to give up when we spot a small sign that saves the night. We catch the last show of the night, “Sherlock Holmes,” which gets out at about midnight. Rather than risk another mall maze we see a sign for I-95 and know our way from there, so we take the Interstate home.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 — Jake bikes into the strip mall again for the morning 
paper. The day is sunny and breezy. The ocean along the bike path is much calmer than yesterday and several people walk the sand. After breakfast we two take a beach walk. After our walk we visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and its attached turtle hospital, which proves quite interesting. We had hoped to have lunch at the Crane Cottage but it is closed, so we walk over to Latitude 31, but they are not doing lunch either. We end up at Morgan’s Grill at the golf course(s), which serves surprisingly good golfer food.
Since tonight is our anniversary night we go upscale to Halyards restaurant on St. Simons Island. The drinks and wine are first rate. Stone’s Chilean sea bass is wonderful, as is Jake’s blue fin tuna salad. Finding out that it is our anniversary they give us a free dessert. It all makes for a memorable evening and we don’t even get lost going home.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 – Another day of sunshine and temps (eventually) in the low 60’s. Did somebody say perfect? We do breakfast at Morgan’s before Jake does another 18 holes, this time on Pine Lakes. Jake plays with a friendly married couple who summer in Maine and winter down here. The green fairways (different type of grass?) give Pine Lakes a better look than Indian Mound, and the course is surprising dry, giving a good run to drives that fine the generous fairways.
Stone does a long bike ride of around 10 miles, heading up to the northern end of Jekyll Island and back. Along the way she discovers some gift shops, marsh lands with lots of birds, the historic Horton House and an equally historic cemetery.
As the afternoon lengthens, we head over to the hotel, which is on the western side of this small island (Jekyll must be only about 1.5 miles wide in most places) in hopes of seeing the sunset. At the Lobby Bar (which was featured in the movie, “The Legend of Bagger Vance”) we get our drinks, then find some seats on the veranda 
overlooking the sculptured lawns, the palms trees, the walking paths, and the developing sunset over the small river that separates Jekyll from mainland Georgia. There are maybe half a dozen other people on the veranda. We all fall into easy conversation as the sun sets, the sky ribbons itself in purplish rust, and another wonderful day on Jekyll slips into darkness.
Thursday, January 27, 2010 – Stone is eager to show Jake what she discovered on yesterday’s bike ride, so off we go on the main bike path north. Last night on the veranda we were told not to miss Driftwood Beach, which is on the northern part of the island, and indeed to day we find it just off the bike path through a set of trees. Driftwood Beach is littered with giant trees, apparently washed up during Hurricane Hugo. No wonder it is the most photographed place on a very picturesque island. Along the beach we find some sand dollars that are still alive and some unusual shells, including welks, one with the little animal still inside!
The bike trail then heads into a vast marshland where herons and egrets stalk the muddy ri
vulets with patience and a ballet-like tempo that can be mesmerizing to watch. At the top of the island there is a fishing pier and a picnic area. Then we bike down the west side of Jekyll, curving through miles of high trees that drip Spanish moss almost ostentatiously, as if each tree were trying to out festoon its neighbor.
Back down near the hotel we ride on Old Plantation Road to the Crane Cottage (built in 1919 by one of Jekyll’s millionaire families), where after a comfortable 15 minute wait in the cottage’s “living room,” (made more comfortable by a waitress taking our drink order) we have an alfresco lunch aside the cottage’s center courtyard and loggia (this millionaire had a thing for Italian architecture); delightful in every way.
Later in the day, around 4:30, when it’s safe to say hardly anyone will be on the golf courses, Jake finally gets Stone to join him in hitting and then chasing the little white ball around the landscaping. We have a wonderful time by ourselves on the Oleander course, which is now open for play but still quite wet. We end up having only time for seven holes
before darkness sets in, but during our good-walk-not-spoiled we see a family of deer and a lone bald eagle, hear an owl hoot from somewhere in the gloaming, and watch the almost full moon harden into view above the pine trees, tall guardians of this bit of Nature.
Friday, January 29, 2010 – This morning both of us bike for the paper, and as we pass the beach we spot four or five dolphins less than 100 yards off shore; quite thrilling for us. While watching the dolphins we meet a guy from Florida (he is not particularly impressed by the dolphins’ presence – he says sees them all the time where he lives) who used to live on St. Simons. Again we fall into easy conversation about this and that, and he ends up giving us some local recommendations for food on St. Simons: Barbara Jean’s for crab cakes, Sweet Mama’s for breakfast and the 4th of May for just good local food.
While Stone spends the day reading and biking and walking, it’s another golf day for Jake. He plays on Pine Lakes again, with another husband and wife duo, this time from North Carolina. Jake enjoys the round, which includes a baby alligator sighting, yet finds that the golf on Jekyll has not all that he had hoped. Perhaps his hopes had been too high. The golf is plentiful and cheap, but he found the 18-holers to be without much personality, and with few memorable holes. In fact, the Great Dunes Nine had the most memorable hole: #5: a 466 yard par 5 that ends with a pur-blind shot to a seriously elevated mini green that overlooks the ocean.
We do an early dinner, do the packing for tomorrow’s leaving, and watch another DVD movie. Outside, our near week of perfect weather (ever day sunny, usually a breeze, mornings in the 40’s, highs near 60) seems about to change. The evening’s sky is full of scudding clouds, the moon rises and then disappears behind a bank of pearly, soon to be charcoal, clouds. On a final check before bedtime, raindrops begin to dot the sidewalk.
Saturday, January 30, 2010 – Rainy but a balmy 57 degrees as we drop off the duplex keys and head back north. Our weather continues to be rainy but is not problematic till just outside Fayetteville, NC, where I-95 slows down due to ice and snow. We pull into Dunn, NC, to find the town beginning to shut down, virtually paralyzed by what is a major ice storm. On the main street we find a fast food place that remains open and have what passes for lunch. We are there a good half hour and all the while not another soul enters the place.
Worried that dinner in town will be impossible, we ask where we might buy provisions and are directed to Wal-Mart where we get some nice snacks and two good looking salad platters. When we arrive at our B&B – it is only a couple of blocks off the main street (which seems to be the only plowed street around) and we are one of the few cars on the road which makes driving on the ice and snow a lot easier – our hosts are kind enough to invite us to dinner that night with them and two other couples who live within walking distance. We offer our salads and a bottle of wine as our contribution to dinner, then go up to our room delighted with our good luck.
The dinner is everything a good dinner party should be – good food, good drinks, good people. Jake and Stone are both put immediately at ease, and we both revel in the dinner conversation that ranges from local politics, neighbors, and the history of Dunn, to more worldly affairs – and those southern accents as well!
After such a dinner it should go without saying that this B&B in Dunn is on our highly recommended list, but even if the storm had not occasioned such generosity 
from our hosts, we would still think that the Simply Divine B&B simply lives up to its name. The bedrooms are large and smartly decorated, the parlors are several and comfortable, and throughout the house, which dates from 1906, there is a pervading sense of quality and pride. And the price was divine, too.
Sunday, January 31, 2010 – The drive north from Dunn on I-95 is slow going at first. After our first 2 hours we had gone only 60 miles. But then things got better and once we hit Virginia it was pretty much clear sailing all the way to Washington, DC – or more specifically, Alexandria, VA.
We checked into the Morrison House in the Old Town part of Alexandria, where somehow we had gotten a room for under $200 total – including taxes and valet parking. We feared such a luxury place might be a little snooty, but everyone on the staff was friendly and helpful, and what few patrons we saw seemed normal enough. Everything was just about perfect – from the plush bathrobes to the free wine hour – except for the WiFi. Why such a “luxury boutique hotel,” has such a Byzantine wireless sign-up process is baffling. We ended up doing without the service. But just to get even, Jake wears his plush bathrobe as often as possible.
We didn’t have much time to explore the area, and the foot travel was made difficult by the often still not-shoveled snow on the narrow sidewalks, but we did discover an interesting place for coffee: Misha’s Coffee Roaster Coffeehouse. Misha’s is the opposite of elegant, but with art on the walls, coffee bean bags lying about, and a variety of clientele, it is its own kind of scene and worth a visit.
Down King Street, about a 10 minute walk from our hotel, is Brabo restaurant, where we meet a couple we became friends with recently and who live in the DC area. We hadn’t seen each other in some time and it was great seeing them again. Brabo is a fairly new restaurant and we hoped it would live up to its generally rave reviews. Well, it did. The room is elegant without being stuffy, the service both friendly and impeccable, the wine affordable, and the menu so enticing that we all had to ask for more time to decide what to eat. At the end of the night we all agreed the evening had been – well, great.
Monday, February 1, 2010 – On the way home, which took us but 3 hours from the hotel to exit 9 on the Dear Old Jersey Pike(!), we reviewed Jekyll to see if we might go again. The weather, the golf, the biking, the walking, the ocean, and the (sea)food, had mostly met or surpassed our expectations. Indeed, our week in Jekyll had turned out to be a sort of toned down version of our month in Sequim, WA, which we consider our summer paradise. We could never spend a month in Jekyll as we did in Sequim, but for a winter’s week (or maybe two weeks, next year) it certainly turned out to be a Paradise Lite.
Stay an Extra Day on Jekyll Island to go to The Georgia Sea Turtle Center
Monday, February 15th, 2010“Worth the side trip to see!”
Georgia Sea Turtle Center
SizzJulian 2 contributions
Roswell, GA
Feb 2, 2010
We were in the area for a wedding on St. Simons Island and decided to stay an extra day to go to the georgia Sea Turtle Center and experience Jekyll Island. Our side trip to the center was so worth staying an extra evening. The center was interesting and the staff was very informed and willing to share information and respond to questions.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Jekyll Island’s Weekend Window on Good Morning America
Thursday, February 11th, 2010ABC re-ran Jekyll Island’s Weekend Window segment on their website Wednesday. We thought it was good enough to share again too! Maybe it will help make those snow storm blues go away with dreams of your Spring Vacation to Jekyll Island!
Valentines Day Specials at Time Out Sports Bar & the Jekyll Oceanfront Clarion Resort
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
Have a Girlfriends’ Getaway on Jekyll Island
Friday, February 5th, 2010No need to go far away for a trip with female friends
By Candy Webb For the AJC
Jekyll Island Authority There’s plenty to enjoy in the Historic District on Jekyll Island.
Juggling obligations for work, school, family and relationships, a woman’s life can get hectic. When it comes time to take a breather, nothing does it better than a getaway with female family members or girlfriends for a weekend of relaxation, rejuvenation and a little retail therapy.
With your confidantes along to provide comedy, conversation and companionship, a visit to one of these three Southeastern destinations is sure to put the pep back in your step.
Jekyll Island, Ga.
Girlfriends who like to travel in style can appreciate a weekend at the grand, historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel (www.jekyllclub.com). The girlfriends’ getaway package includes a two-bed room for two nights, breakfast buffet, bottle of wine, bicycle rentals with picnic lunch, massage and Victorian tea, starting at $775.
Sun worshipers may be content to loll by the pool or on the beach all day, but more active types will find tennis, golf, kayaking, horseback riding, bicycle riding and more.
Shopping options are plentiful along Pier Road and in the Historic District. Just By Hand sells handcrafted items, and The Commissary carries specialty coffees and teas.
● Stay: Jekyll Oceanfront Resort. This Clarion beachside property features 260 rooms and villas. Rates start at $80. 975 N. Beachview Drive, Jekyll Island, 912-635-2531. www.jekyllinn.com
● Eat: Latitude 31 Restaurant & Lounge. Seafood, including fresh-caught Georgia wild shrimp and seafood crepes. $15-$25. 1 Pier Road. 912-635-3800, www.latitude31andrahbar.com
● Info: Brunswick Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce. 912-265-0620, www.brunswick-georgia.com
Jekyll Island’s Olympic Moments
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
by Andrea Marroquin, Museum Specialist
Over the years, a number of Olympic figures spent time in the cottages, courts, woods, and beaches of Jekyll Island, Georgia. Jekyll Island Club Members and Guests have won at least 11 Olympic Medals – 8 Gold, 1 Silver, and 2 Bronze.
Jekyll Island Club Member Charles Meldrum Daniels won 8 medals over three Olympic tournaments (1904, 1906, and 1908), including 5 Gold Medals, 1 Silver, and 2 Bronzes. Daniels was the first American to win an Olympic swimming event. He modified the Australian crawl into what became the “American crawl” and developed the freestyle breaststroke. Setting world records at every distance from 25 yards to one mile, he became known as “the greatest swimmer in the world.”
Jekyll Island Club Member George J. Gould was appointed an honorary Vice President of the 1906 Olympic Committee in Athens by H.R.H. Crown Prince Constantine of Greece. At the 1908 Olympics in London, George Gould’s son, Jay Gould II won a Gold Medal in Court Tennis the only year the event appeared. Later termed the “monarch of court tennis for more than a quarter of a century,” Jay practiced tennis on Jekyll Island at his Uncle Edwin Gould’s luxurious Gould Casino. The Gould Casino contained numerous amenities, including two bowling alleys, a rifle range, a private indoor tennis court, several outdoor tennis courts, and a greenhouse.
Jekyll Island Club Members and Guests George Gould, J. P. Morgan, and Andrew Carnegie all served as Vice-Presidents on an Olympic Committee formed to create interest in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, referred to as the Fifth Olympiad.
Jekyll Island Club Member Henry Francis Sears vacationed annually on Jekyll Island, staying at Moss Cottage with his wife, Jean Struthers Sears, and their family. His marksmanship earned him a spot at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. The 50-year-old participated in three Olympic shooting events. He made his strongest showing in the Free Pistol Team Event, earning the Americans a Gold Medal.
James “Stillman” Rockefeller enjoyed family getaways on Jekyll Island as a child. The grandson of Club Member William Rockefeller and future son-inlaw to island visitor Andrew Carnegie, he captained a crew at Yale and rowed with his team to victory in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. The “Yale 8” won by fifteen seconds and three boat lengths. The oars from the winning boat and his Gold Medal remained his most treasured possessions his entire life. When he died at 102 years old, Stillman Rockefeller was the oldest living Olympic Gold Medalist.
Dwight Filley Davis is famed as the founder of the Davis Cup. In 1904, he directed the St. Louis Olympics and participated in the tennis events, but was eliminated in the second round of the Men’s Singles and lost in the quarter finals of the Men’s Doubles. He then served on the American Olympic Committee for the 1906 Athens Olympics. As a younger brother of Jekyll Island Club Member John Tilden Davis, Dwight Davis spent time as a guest of the Jekyll Island Club. He served with many other tennis greats on a committee for Jekyll Island’s annual invitation tennis tournament that began on Washington’s Birthday and drew many star players to the island.
Watson Washburn played on the 1924 Olympic team in Paris along with Dick Williams, Hazel Wightman, and Helen Wills. In the Men’s Doubles, Washburn played with Dick Williams, his former Harvard teammate, but they lost in the quarter finals when the South African team came back to win after trailing by two sets to one. Washburn later travelled to Jekyll Island to win an invitation doubles tennis tournament in 1940. The manager of the 1924 Olympic tennis team was none other than Washburn’s brother-in-law, Jekyll Island Club Member Julian Southall Myrick. While serving as Olympic team manager, Myrick teamed up with Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman to play a mixed doubles match against Vincent Richards and Queen Victoria of Spain. Myrick and Wightman lost.
On February 12-28, 2010, athletes will be competing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for the 21st Winter Olympics. Jekyll Island Club Members and Guests have been part of the Olympic tradition for over a century. This year become part of that tradition and watch the legacy unfold from Jekyll Island.
Buy Your Summer Waves Season Passes Now and Play Mini Golf All Season Free!
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 
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The January 2010 Edition of Jekyll Island’s Beachscape
Friday, January 8th, 2010
The New Hampton Inn
In January, 2010, the first new hotel on Jekyll Island since 1974 will open its doors.
the Hampton Inn & Suites impressive beach access, the ideal place to watch birds.
The Jekyll Island Club Hotel is pleased to announce a new offering — the Hampton Inn and Suites located in the new Jekyll Ocean Oaks development on the south end of Jekyll Island. The beachfront Hampton Inn and Suites will be jointly owned by New Castle and Jekyll Ocean Oaks, LLC, the owner-operator of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel.
Located minutes away from Jekyll Island’s historic district, the Convention Center, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and world class golf courses, the new facility will offer 138 guest rooms, 88 of which are suites with balconies.
The property utilizes solar panels for water heating, and the hotel is a member of the “Green” Hotel Association, a group of environmentally-friendly properties whose managers are eager to institute programs that save water, save energy and reduce solid waste.
Surrounded by 14.5 acres of beachside and maritime forest, the Hampton Inn and Suites provide the ideal environment for a weekend getaway, family vacation or small corporate events.
Features & Amenities • The Cloud Nine Bed — the “better than home” bedding experience available in all 138 guest rooms which include the 88 suites • Suites with balconies and beachfront views • All rooms with 32” flat screen TV s, mini fridge, a microwave oven and a coffee maker • FREE high-speed internet access • FREE On the House™ Hot Breakfast Buffet • Lobby Bar • Outdoor swimming pool, an expansive pool deck, a kid’s pool, and a large hot tub. • Beach access • Whirlpool • Fitness room • Bicycle Rentals • 400 sq ft executive meeting facilities • Onsite Business Center
more | Call (203) 447-7070
online | www.jekyllislandhamptoninn.com.
location | 200 Beachview Drive, Jekyll Island
Don’t Miss the Christmas Bagpiper
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
Aerial Video of the Brand New Hampton Inn on Jekyll Island!
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009Check out this cool aerial video taken just last month of the brand new hotel on Jekyll Island! The resort is near completion, and they plan to open January 7, 2010. Call for reservations: 912-635-3733. JekyllIslandHamptonInn.com
Thanks for sharing Jake and Stone!