The Cloister

What a spectacular Forbes 5 Star resort The Cloisters is. As first time guests we were greeted with amazing holiday decorations from the drive in, hotel grounds, and lobbies. The Christmas trees and decorations were simply gorgeous. From the car park, valet, to our check-in -- wonderful welcoming staff. Our visit improved with each staff member we encountered. Day One - Check-in and room arrival was splendid. We opted for the River View suite (north wing) which did not disappoint. The gorgeous, vaulted ceiling (3rd top floor) and veranda overlooking Black Bank River at sunset was spectacular. We enjoyed the adult pool and steamy hot tub at the beach club prior to dinner in the River Bar. Our first day at The Cloisters was epic with sumptuous surroundings, gorgeous landscaping, and superb staff. Day Two - We enjoyed the gorgeous Cloisters Spa which had excellent staff, amazing facilities, and wonderful indoor lap pool and hot tub. Both Men's and Women's locker rooms were excellent. The afternoon was spent at The Lodge at Sea Island Club (25 minutes away by hotel driver) with golf, sunset bagpiper, and delicious dinner in the Oak Room. Day Three - spent off resort exploring St. Simon's Island and the Georgia Sea Turtle Rescue Center on Jekyll Island. Another wonderful visit to the Spa followed by the best dinner yet in Tavola. We had an amazing last night dinner, wine, and Sorbet dessert to celebrate our successful trip. Special kudos to the following Cloisters staff who made our stay fantastic; Alvin - valet car park Bruce - bell hop extraordinaire Morgan & Nicole - Beach Club Paul, George, Valencia, Carl, and Ashley - River Bar staff. Viego and Cericka - Oak Room. Ashawnie - Tavola. Jacquetta, Ada Rosa, and Stefany - room attendants. I give The Cloisters Sea Island the highest recommendation possible. We cannot wait to return in 2025.

We had a fantastic anniversary stay at the Cloister! It was our first time and after reading mixed reviews, I wasn't sure what to think. It was a perfect 65 degrees almost every day, we were able to be outside, ride bikes and explore the island. I will say, I could see if it was summer or on Christmas versus just close, I could see crowds being an issue! The pools were open and heated, the decorations were next level! Our service everywhere we went was great, everyone was so friendly from the valet crew, cleaners, bartenders, all of it - we felt so welcome! Drinks from Sean at the river bar in the cozy living room were fantastic, could have stayed all night! We took a shuttle over to the Lodge and had drinks during the bagpipe player then dinner at the bar - incredible all around. Rhett, Grace and Valarie were incredible. Spa - Great amenities, the outdoor mineral pool may have been my fav! good massage, really nice experience - numerous pools saunas and things to do, could stay all day! festive cocktail offered as well Gym - awesome workout classes! make sure to sign up but really nice facilities Overall, it's a luxe getaway - while family-friendly, it has a high price tag! everything you need is there but there is a premium and you pay for it all. We didn't know we'd be charged for the bikes when we took them out, same with the cost for valet - I think they just assume people are ready to fork over the money! Wouldn't have changed what we did but prices weren't listed at the bike stand, the way we got them very much felt it was included (and frankly should be!) I would recommend leaving the resort, we had great meals at La plancha, the porch and Tramici.

My wife and I really had the most amazing time we have had in over 10 years. The beauty and service is unmatched

I've been to Sea Island a number of times but had not stayed at the Cloister recently. The common areas and our room were beautiful. However, I was very disappointed by the cleanliness, service, and food quality during our stay. Our room's cleanliness left much to be desired. The bathroom smelled strongly of either mold or urine, the shower handle was broken, and some furniture in the room wasn't as clean as it should have been. The dining experience was equally disappointing. Despite some highlights, the food was flavorless and overpriced. Breakfast service was also frustratingly limited, as it did not stay open past 11 am, which seems unreasonable for a resort hotel. The service experience was inconsistent—at times uncomfortably obsequious, and at others cold and almost bordering on hostile. My girlfriend, who is Asian, mentioned that she felt uncomfortable during certain interactions. And while I want to believe this wasn't intentional, it does seem that this hotel caters predominantly to a certain "type" of clientele, which can result in an atmosphere that is less welcoming than one would hope. In general, I expect a hotel of this caliber to uphold much higher standards in cleanliness, maintain facilities properly, and provide consistent and genuine hospitality to all guests. I was extremely disappointed by my stay.

I have been coming to Sea Island for over 4 decades. It’s nostalgic, and now that we have our own family, we have loved creating new memories in what was once our favorite place. We know many employees by name, and I always loved that they say “welcome home” when you arrive. But this is not the same Sea Island anymore. I have brought other friends and families on vacation with us here. They always asked why I love Sea Island so much, and my answer (until this trip) was all they want is for you to be happy. That is no longer true. We had a terrible experience for multiple days that was not resolved. There was no consideration for our years of loyalty. The service has declined dramatically. It is no longer a luxury resort, but they will charge you that price. This has been my favorite place to come for decades, but we will never return due to the service issues.

If you want to visit the overall best resort east of the Mississippi give The Cloister a try. I personally love winter trips - cooler temps and so peaceful and quiet.