The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, a AAA Four-Diamond award winner for eight years in a row, is located on Hutchinson Island, just across the river from downtown Savannah's Historic District. The resort is near all of the Historic District's attractions, including Riverfront Plaza, Factor's Walk, the Jepson Center for the Arts and the city's many historic homes and churches. The Westin can be reached from Interstate 16 via U.S. Highway 17 across the Talmadge Bridge or from Riverfront Plaza via a free ferry across the river.
The 403-room hotel opened in late 1999 to great fanfare in Savannah. According to the Savannah Morning News, the hotel had booked $16 million in sales and more than 200 meetings before it ever opened. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted, "Savannahians may love their city's cobblestone streets ... gardens and ... squares, but they are not immune to a Stylish New Thing. Especially when it's as pretty as the Westin.'' A complete renovation of the property, including rooms, public spaces and meeting rooms, was completed in early 2009, updating the resort's dycor, amenities and technological services.
The Westin's rooms are 300 square feet; a few suites are available, most around 600 square feet. The upgraded amenities include in-room video games, a 42-inch flat-screen television, Westin's signature Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Bath, wired and wireless high-speed Internet access and a work area. Most suites feature an additional seating area and bath, and all suites have balconies. The hotel's other amenities include a fitness center with group classes, an outdoor heated pool with cabanas and a deepwater dock. Dining options at the resort are the Midnight Sun Lounge, a casual bar with cocktails, light fare and cigars; the Club Grille, also offering light fare with an emphasis on healthier food; and Aqua Star, the upscale but resort-casual signature restaurant, which specializes in Low Country cuisine with a modern touch.
The Westin's prize facility is its 18-hole PGA Championship golf course, designed in part by Sam Snead and managed by Troon Golf. The course has been named one of the Top 60 Golf Resorts in the United States by Condy Nast Traveler and a Four-Star Highly Recommended Places to Play by Golf Digest. The course hosts the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf tournament every year. The 22,000-square-foot clubhouse has a pro shop, lockers, dining and a meeting space. The clubhouse is also home to the Greenbrier Spa at Savannah Harbor, the only Greenbrier facility located outside the legendary resort in West Virginia. The luxurious spa offers a full line of treatments, including baths and soaks, body peels and wraps with seasonal fruits, manicures and pedicures, and a large menu of massage and facial treatments.
The resort is adjacent to the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, which has over 250,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel has 35,000 square feet of its own, however, including an 11,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom that accommodates 840 banquet-style or 1,600 reception-style; lawn, deck and pavilion areas that are perfect for weddings; and conference rooms of varying size. An onsite audiovisual service company provides up-to-date equipment of any sort. Banquet and catering services are available through the resort.
Reviews of the Westin Savannah are average to good. Many guests on Internet review sites complain that the resort is overpriced for the value - "It is not 5-star as some ... claim,'' says one recent visitor. Others cite poor customer service and the inconvenience of getting to the island. The resort has its share of great reviews, too. "The staff was very friendly and always had a smile,'' says one guest. Others love the amenities - "The BED!! OHHHH, the BED!'' raves one. The Professional Travel Guide gives the resort five stars (of five) based on the amenities. Frommer's, on the other hand, gives it one (of three), disliking its remove from the rest of the city. The bottom line seems to be that if you like a corporate business hotel with great add-ons, you will love the Westin. If you are looking for the idiosyncratic charm of a 200-year-old bed and breakfast, you will be better off staying elsewhere.
