The Inn at Sea Island

Located on Saint Simons Island and associated with the world-renowned Sea Island complex resorts the Cloister and the Lodge, the Inn at Sea Island is a popular option for discerning vacationers who want the Sea Island experience without the price tag. Its location and facilities also attract corporate business travelers, and the lobby often fills up with people working on laptops or awaiting coworkers as much as it does with golfers awaiting the free shuttle to the nearby links. The beach-inspired white-walled lobby has high ceilings with dark wooden beams, blue crushed velvet couches, a fireplace, and an open-plan design that makes it a relaxed and low-key place to lounge, especially with a drink during the lobby bar's happy hour.

Though not immediately on the beach, the Inn at Sea Island is a convenient and pleasant place to stay,and is a five- to 10-minute drive from just about anywhere on Saint Simons Island, including local beaches and golf courses. The hotel even provides a free shuttle for guests to the other Sea Island properties and amenities. Popular attractions such as the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Summer Waves Water Park, and Emerald Princess II Casino are also easily accessible. There are woods and marshlands immediately surrounding the hotel, as well as a few businesses and restaurants. The road in front of the hotel is one of the two main thoroughfares on the island and is often busy with moderate traffic, though you don't hear it in the inn.

As might be expected with a newer property, the rooms at the Inn at Sea Island are clean, modern, and spacious -- most are around 400 square feet. Simply decorated with the same white and blue color palette found throughout the hotel, the rooms feel airy and beachy, if not quite luxurious. Modern amenities -- including free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and in-room coffeemakers -- help make the spaces even more comfortable. Bathrooms are spotless, but only have showers, and not tubs. Rooms overlook the parking lot, pool and interior courtyard, or surrounding woodlands. The property is generally very quiet, although some guests report that the in-room air-conditioning units make more noise than window units.

The modest Inn at Sea island has a pleasant, mid-sized pool situated in an interior courtyard, surrounded by sun loungers and outfitted with blue-and-white striped towels. The fitness center is basic and bland, but has all the requisite modern equipment for a good workout. For business travelers, there is a business center with a computer, printer, and newspapers. An on-site laundry room has multiple washers and dryers, as well as detergent, all of which are free. Parking is plentiful and also free. Though there is no on-site restaurant, there is a lobby bar that has an evening happy hour, as well as a free daily buffet breakfast, which includes an extensive range of options. Thanks to its affiliation with the Sea Island complex, the hotel also offers guests free access to most of the Sea Island facilities, including its golf courses, spa, restaurants, and tennis; access to the Sea Island Beach Club and Fitness Center may be available for a fee, and the hotel offers a free Sea Island shuttle for guests.