As much as we love discovering something new, we also take great pleasure in returning to hotels that are already recommended. Sometimes we reassess a previously reviewed property because we’ve received unfavorable reports from members, and sometimes we go back because of new management or a major renovation. We always have various justifications, but let’s be frank. Foremost among our reasons for re-reviewing the hotels below was simply that we could. These three ranked among our favorite revisits of the previous year.

The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Kiawah Island, South Carolina

This storied Lowcountry hotel opened in 2004 as part of Kiawah Island Golf Resort, and it’s been on our list of recommended hotels for almost as long. On our most recent visit to this private island, we found the 255-room property to be just as refined and genteel as we remembered. With its sweeping staircases and antique furnishings, The Sanctuary epitomizes Southern elegance. Adding to the ambience, live music welcomed us in nearly every venue: a pianist in the Lobby Bar, a concert on the Grand Lawn, a guitarist at the pool and a musician at Jasmine Porch, our favorite restaurant there. Guest rooms feel plush and timeless, with mint-green walls and classic Schumacher fabrics, while the oceanfront grounds are immaculately kept and the golf courses as inviting as ever. Time has passed, but The Sanctuary keeps pace.

Read our full review of The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort »