1/5

The Cloister at Sea Island

Sea Island • Sea Island Beach • SPLURGE

avg. $648 / night

Includes $34 / night in cash back

Cash back is redeemable via Virtual Visa, Venmo, or bank transfer starting 24-48 hours after check-out

Exclusive PressBeyond Benefits

Get to where you see yourself

Ultra-clean, global, hand-picked hotel curation & imagery designed to help you visualize enticing environments and the elevated social experiences they create

Cash back

5% cash back on all completed stays (redeemable via Virtual Visa, Venmo, or bank transfer starting 24-48 hours after check-out)

Credit card points

Credit and debit card charges are processed directly by the hotel (i.e. not PressBeyond), meaning that any travel-specific credit card points or incentives that you normally get as a cardholder for direct hotel bookings are preserved

Hotel loyalty points

Points accrual and status eligibility with major hotel loyalty programs: Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt, and others

Free breakfast

Breakfast-included rate options available

Room upgrades

Complimentary room upgrades (subject to property availability)

Extend your stay

Early check-in and late check-out (subject to property availability)

Location

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PB hotel design editorial

Addison Mizner's Mediterranean Revival vocabulary — terracotta roof tiles, stucco walls, arched loggias, and Venetian-inflected ornament — found its most enduring expression not in Palm Beach but on a Georgia barrier island, where The Cloister at Sea Island was completed in 1928. The resort was conceived by Howard Coffin and designed by Mizner in the idiom he had perfected along Florida's Gold Coast, and its white-rendered facades rising above the dunes retain that original romantic character even after a comprehensive reconstruction completed in 2006 that expanded the property to 85 oceanfront rooms and suites while preserving the architectural language intact. The interiors carry the warmth of a particularly well-furnished Southern plantation house translated into Spanish colonial terms. Exposed dark-stained timber ceiling beams, painted a faded celadon between the joists, run through the guest rooms, grounding carved mahogany headboards with scroll-top detailing, layered Persian rugs over wide-plank hardwood floors, and gilded baroque mirrors that sit comfortably alongside coral-upholstered armchairs. The dining room pushes the material register further — an elaborately coffered cypress ceiling with worm-eaten patina, iron-and-linen chandeliers, arched leaded windows, and leather-seated chairs with turned stretchers establish a dining atmosphere that owes more to an Andalusian cortijo than a conventional hotel restaurant. From the air, the freeform pool terrace, lined with sabal palms and white-canopied sun loungers, curves toward a wide tidal beach where, characteristically, guests still arrive on horseback.

Travel notes

1hr drive from Jacksonville airport (JAX); 1hr 15min drive from Savannah airport (SAV); 20min drive from Brunswick airport (BQK)

About

Forbes Five-Star resort on the Georgia coast which offers five miles of private beach, fishing, three golf courses, kayaking, horseback riding, sailing, Forbes Five-Star spa, tennis and much more.

Amenities

Pool

Restaurant

Business center

Internet

Room service

Free Internet

Wifi

Free Wifi

Fitness center

Suites

The Cloister at Sea Island Reviews

1,585 reviews

"There is a reason people come back year after year and families make this a generational gathering place. Our stay in early March was absolutely fabulous. We stayed in the Garden Wing, which I highly recommend. The rooms are light, airy and have beautiful patio areas. Our room was well appointed and turn down service, with chocolates, was included each evening. We enjoyed the morning coffee & pastries and afternoon hot cider & cookies. We had gorgeous weather when we visited in March and spent time riding bikes on the beach during low tide, laying by the beach and enjoying the adult-only pool. The service was impeccable-polite front desk and concierge staff and generally helpful staff all around. The grounds were beautiful and well kept. I read some previous reviews that service has gone down recently and we didn't experience this at all. Everything was 10/10. We hope to return someday!!"

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Mar 17, 2026

"Beautiful Resort for conventions Not great for individual guests! Too many private events make it difficult to get a reservation for dinner"

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Mar 07, 2026

"This was our second stay at The Cloister Sea Island and we thoroughly enjoyed our winter birthday getaway. We stayed in the Blacks Bank River suite again this time in the South Wing. 2024 we stayed in the North Wing suite and we prefer that since the porch gets great warm sunshine while overlooking Blacks Bank River. We enjoyed another delicious dinner in Tavola with our same waiter from 2024 - Ashwanie. We also enjoyed a great brunch at Southern Tide after a great beach walk at the Beach Club. The bar staff at The River Bar was terrific again as wad their lunch and bar menus. The absolute highlight of the visit was our birthday celebration dinner at the gorgeous historical Georgian Rooms. W O W what a treat. We enjoyed great craft cocktails at the beautiful brass topped bar with Trey. After cocktails we enjoyed an amazing dinner in the lounge booth. Our server Gianna was fantastic. We enjoyed a terrific wine thanks to the sommelier. We had surf and turf delicious entrees loaded with subtle flavors. Desert was the highlight with Baked Alaska and a Georgian Rooms Cigar cookie (see photos). Cheers."

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Feb 04, 2026

"I write this review with mixed feelings. Some things were great while others fell well below my expectations and what I believe is Sea Island Resort's standard. My wife and I stayed at The Cloister for a couple of nights over New Years. This was our 4th visit over the last 15 years. First the good. The staff, as we have seen in the past was great. Of particular note, the bartender at the Oak Room in the Lodge. the bellmen, car valets, and all the staff at the golf courses (bags and carts, locker room, proshop and starters in particular). Shortcomings; 1. Front desk. Could not complete what I think are basic tasks. For example, creating a second room key and checking on whether services had been correctly charged to the room. "We'll get back to you" but there was not follow up. 2. Upkeep. We noticed several places where trash had not been picked up and it appeared as though it was not recent. Trash containers were overflowing. 3. Maintenance. The bocce court was in a state of disrepair. The liner under the gravel was exposed in several places. Which made it appear as though it had been abandoned. Regardless of the effect overwhelmed the staff on play, the appearance made it look like nobody cared. 4. Room condition. While I do not expect everything to be brand new, it should be fresh. I noticed that there were bleach spots on upholstery that had been cleaned. Not horrible, but not up to what I have come to expect from The Cloister. 5. Could not get through to the restaurants or the concierge on the phone. Either "no answer" or texting were the options. The concierge said the resort was approx 70% booked, busy but not full! My guess is that the combination of resort guests plus the large number of members/guests there for the holidays overwhelmed the staff. We may visit The Cloister again, but certainly not at peak season. I think they may be stretched too thinly to handle the busiest times."

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Jan 02, 2026

"We have been to quite a few high end resorts. Service here just does not compare. We were here in 2017 and it was lovely. This time the food service and experience were lacking. Our suite at the beach club had a sewer smell coming from sink in living area. It was not resolved and no solutions offered. Then we paid for the beach club family NYE which was a joke. We basically felt like we just didn’t belong. Old Edwards in Highlands , blackberry Farm in Tennessee and Triple creek ranch in Montana all far exceed this place. We won’t return and I won’t recommend."

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Dec 31, 2025

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