The Cloister

As you might know from our last blog post, “The Greyfield Inn“, we have been visiting the Georgia Atlantic coastal islands to experience stay-cations in the Southeastern US. The Cloister at Sea Island Resort is our last stop on the coast. Sea Island has always been that glowing star in the heavens beckoning to us.

Golden Isles

All of the resort’s promotions created an allure that was very welcoming. After all, Sea Island is part of the Golden Isles of Georgia, which include St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island and Little St. Simons Island. This is where all of the monied families in the early 1900’s established their ultra luxurious vacation homes. The Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, Goulds and the Coffins all had summer estates here. Wait a minute, the Coffins? Who are they?

Howard Coffin was a very successful industrialist and engineer who in 1908, along with others, started the Hudson Motor Car Company. Before the age of 30 he was already a millionaire. He also had the good foresight to buy oceanfront properties on Sea Island where he opened the Cloister Hotel in 1926. He nicknamed it the “Little Friendly Hotel”.

Preserving the Sea Island Resort

We could not wait to experience the unique way the Cloister has catered to its guests for decades. We anticipated a haven composed of people with a disposition toward gentler times when language, manners and dress truly mattered. After all, The Cloister has hosted seven US Presidents, starting with Calvin Coolidge. Two UK Prime Ministers and other heads of state, including the G8 Summit in 2004, have also enjoyed the experience of the Cloister.

Bill Jones III, the former CEO and Chairman of Sea Island Company was quoted as once saying “We think it is important to preserve the manners of earlier times and that is rare today. I would argue that there are a considerable number of people out there who are offended by the general rudeness of society today and who relish being in an environment like we have created.” He definitely was speaking to us.

But alas, it wasn’t meant to be. It was not due to the effort and commitment of the staff. Each and every member of the staff, no matter their position or their assigned task, performed above and beyond expectation. They were like old friends or our favorite cousins. Many of the guests, however, forgot where they were. They were loud, inconsiderate of others and inappropriately dressed.

Current management seems to have dropped the bar considerably for acceptable dress and behavior by their guests. There were many multi generational families vacationing when we were there. We are sure many were returning guests many times over. They most probably experienced this seismic change too. As the resort has evolved through the years, the simple traditions that once defined the Cloister at Sea Island have not been preserved.

The Cloister – Like No Other

There is no other place like the Cloister at Sea Island. The resort offers just about anything you can imagine at an upscale seaside resort. There is, of course, a fabulous beach and the usual activities of golf, tennis, swimming pools and children’s programs. Unlike other beach resorts there is also horse back riding and skeet shooting at separate facilities, with schools for novices. But it is not just the activities that makes the Cloister special.

There is a sense of history all around you even though the current building is only 15 years old. The fixtures and appointments trick your mind into believing you are living in a long ago era, but with all of the modern day conveniences and technologies. This is further strengthened by all of the historical photographs showing many visiting dignitaries from the US as well as other part of the world. It has the look and feel of a cathedral, no wait, a palazzo, hmmm maybe a grand European theater.

Bill Jones III was correct when he said “This building deserves a lot of reverence. You are a little more reverent than you might normally be. I feel that way. I wouldn’t feel right coming in here in boots and jeans and a camouflage shirt.” This Cloister, like the first one, should have codes of conduct and dress that Jones believed were as important to preserve as the appearance of the building itself.

Annual Tradition

The Cloister at Sea Island is truly a Special Place. We intend to make our journeys to the Cloister an annual tradition. We will do our part to uphold the codes of conduct and dress Bill Jones III believed in