If I could carve a tiny piece of the South of France right off the map – perhaps some space of the Old world in the warmer months between Eze and Ville de Franche — I would do it. I would slice it off, put it in my pocket and bring it home. To sweeten it, I would sprinkle a dash of mid-century Palm Beach, complete with striped umbrellas and white cast-iron furniture on top. That’s the dream. I didn’t expect to find shades of that dream nestled on a barrier island on the banks of the Kiawah River, so close to home, but I did.
The day started with one of my favorite scenic South Carolina drives through the Live Oaks on Bohicket Road on Johns Island. Passing through the dripping moss, already rubbing my shoulders in anticipation, I looked forward to my massage at the new spa Aster Spa, an Auberge spa, at The Dunlin in Kiawah River. I’d been to the community in the marshes, toured Southern Living’s idea house featured there and enjoyed the ambiance of the modern South’s white houses dotting the greenery on other occasions. However, I hadn’t yet been welcomed to the 72-room Dunlin which features the boutique spa. When I did, I felt like I’d stepped into someone’s home — a large, luxurious dream home — but a warm abode, not a hotel.
The massage speaks for itself; it was delivered by a true professional with perfect pressure in a room that smelled like nature and clean linens. The temperature was perfect. The hospitality was above and beyond. Those are standards of excellence one expects in a spa atmosphere, but it was the environment which set this experience on fire. There is such a thing as luxurious simplicity, and it happens when style lets nature, light and place set its own tone. Nothing was forced here but highlighted. I found myself meandering around the courtyard, just letting the sun shine down on my face before retiring in the lounge chairs which were inspired simpler times. I did not want to leave, and I even edited some design choices I was in the process of making for my own pool area after relaxing here. It showed me where I wanted to be.
The website states, “Relax to the rhythms of the river. Wellness at The Dunlin is a lifestyle, pairing Southern hospitality with targeted therapies and a whimsical natural environment that beckons rejuvenation. Visit our skin atelier for a bespoke beauty treatment to revitalize the face, a massage accompanied by the songs of Carolina wren or a scrub to restore softness to the body. The Dunlin is a haven for living well, breathing Lowcountry ease into your soul.”
Often, I find beautiful wording on a page as a suggestion, good marketing meant to entice. However, the description on this site reflects the experience at this spa with truth. “Bespoke beauty—” it could not have been said better. Visit AubergeResorts.com/The-Dunlin to discover your dream place with flavors of yesterday’s Europe and coastal peace that is second to none.
By Lorna Hollifield
