Kiawah Vacation Help

Hello. I%26#39;m planning our family%26#39;s vacation and am interested in a 3BR ';premier'; villa. The Resort says that the only ones available at the beginning of August are those with the ';scenic view';. When I go to book our villa, should I ask for a particular area? If so, which area? We%26#39;ve never been to Kiawah before, so any help or advice is greatly appreciated. We are a family of six, with 4 kids, ages 8 thru 14.

Also, do the villas come with their own beach chairs (I do know that beach towels are not included)? Will we have to rent those on a daily basis?

Thanks for your help!

Kiawah Vacation Help

Definitely inquire about the precise view. ';Scenic'; view can refer to anything from a wooded parking area, to a lovely golf course, to an inland lake or lagoon or the Kiawah River. If it is important to you to have a water view, specify.

Also, inquire about proximity to Night Heron Park, where the big family swimming pool, the Nature Center, etc. are located. With four kids, I am sure that you will make use of the park, and it is best to have it within walking distance.

Some villas may have beach chairs that have been left by the owners or by other guests, but there is no guarantee. You will be able to rent beach chairs, but the rental chairs are set up only in specific areas, so you will not be able to take them with you wherever you go on the 10-mile beach. Consider purchasing inexpensive chairs at most any large grocery store or drugstore in the area. You will save $$$ by bringing or purchasing your own chairs.

Kiawah Vacation Help

Runningmom,

See if the resort will tell you your rental choices. Or at the very least get them to define ';premier';. Is the resort%26#39;s premier granite countertops, pillowtop mattresses, etc.

I%26#39;ve seen properties listed as ';premier'; but were nothing more than average. Spending the kind of money you%26#39;re thinking about spending, I%26#39;d want enough dining chairs around the table so everyone can eat together; enough matched dinnerware, nice cookware and tvs in every bedroom.

JM2cents

';Premier';, which is the KI Golf Resort%26#39;s highest rating, is supposed to be exactly as OurGreatEscape has described - every thing you need, plus a distinctive, fresh decor. Also, if the owner doesn%26#39;t maintain the place at ';premier'; level, it gets ';downgraded';.

';Premier'; rated villas are available wih all views, and all over Kiawah. The rating has only to do with the interior decor and equipment.

In June, at the start of the peak rental season, any ';premier'; rated unit should be in excellent condition. Even (especially!!!) ';premier'; places get a lot of wear and tear during the high rental season. In the fall, owners are sent evaluations suggesting improvements and additions that must be made. Most owners spend the slow, winter season addressing these needs.

It is a good idea to ask about all sorts of details to confirm that your family will be comfortable. A three-bedroom place is supposed to accommodate 6 people, so you should have 6 dining chairs. On the other hand, there may not be 6 chairs on the porch, the deck, etc. Ask if the resort can email you some photos.

Also, remember that all of these places are individually owned and decorated. One persons ';premier'; may be someone elses%26#39;s disaster. I was recently in a premier villa that had a very tall dining table with tall, bistro/bar chairs. It would be great for an adult golf group, but it would not work for a family with small kids.

Final caveat: The resort takes requests for particular units, but it will not guarantee that the specific unit will be available upon your arrival. This can happen either (1) because there has been a maintenance problem with the home or (2) because the owner has had an emergency change of plans.

E.G.: I once - only ONCE - had to renege on a rental of my Kiawah resort-managed property. My father was taken ill and hospitalized in Charleston. My mother and I had to stay on, for an additional week, until he recovered.

I should add that you may not actually need to rent a ';premier'; rated villa. Unless you really want an interior space that walked right out of ';Southern Living';, concentrate on the location and the view. Your children probably will not complain if the countertops are not granite! You might even find a great place on the beach.

Kiawahvilla and OurGreatEscape, Thank you very much for your replies! I am planning to ask the Resort a lot of questions when I call back to book our villa. I%26#39;m also planning to see what ';deluxe'; villas are available. Oceanfront would be nice, if they still have some available in the East Beach area, especially if we are going to carry beach chairs, snacks, towels, etc. I%26#39;m looking forward to planning this trip...I have a feeling that my family is going to love Kiawah.

Good luck with your search! Please post again, or send me a PM, if you have further questions about Kiawah.

Runningmom,

I wouldn%26#39;t get so hung up on ';oceanfront';. There are plenty of rentals within easy walking distance from the beach (Sparrow Pond, Ocean winds villas, etc.)

Kind in mind that Kiawah and Seabrook Island have tried to be responsible builders. Building away from the ocean front protects the island in the long run. Isle of Palms and the Wild Dunes area are experiencing lots of beach erosion because of building directly on the ocean front. WD lost one of it%26#39;s golf holes; A few of the condo buildings have waves ';lapping'; underneath them.

Oops, stepping down from my save-the-nature soapbox;-)

Also, Kiawah and Seabrook are bicycling islands. No matter where you stay, rent bicycles so that you can explore the many miles of bike trails.

For my children, part of the fun of staying off the beach was the opportunity to bike to the beach, and on the beach!

Think about going on vrbo.com or homeaway.com. Look at units with 10-12 pictures where the pictures are of the interior mainly. If you need a pool, some units have access, but the pools are very warm that time of year. Going to these sites, you can see what you are getting instead of hoping Kiawah will get you a good unit. You can also talk to the owners to find out if they have chairs, boogie boards etc. You also may be able to get a bigger unit for less $$ that Kiawah. Remember, Kiawah is the rental agent, so they need to get their commission, as well as the owner getting money. Using online sites cuts out the middle man....