I booked unit 5402 before reading the review giving it a rating of 1. I was understandably anxious after I found the review, but we were pleasantly surprised upon arrival. The carpet has been replaced with good-quality carpet. (I have a crawling baby, so I was especially attentive to the state of the floor.) I noticed no unseemly smells, and the kitchen ceiling tiles looked good enough; maybe not brand-spanking-new, but I didn't worry about any of them falling out on my head. There were a few places on the furniture and fixtures that could be easily fixed (dark spots on the coffee table, burn marks on the lampshades), but all in all this was a good place to stay.
My family and I have stayed in five or six oceanfront condos on Hilton Head, and this was by far the best view of the ocean. We were the closest we've ever been, with nothing between our balcony and the ocean except sand dunes and about 10 feet of well-manicured grass.
The kids' pool is spectacular, with zero-entry, a mushroom, and several spouts and fountains. Our baby loved it! We were also pleased with the on-site bicycle rental, cornhole and ladderball games in the grass, nice grills in common areas (which were either well-maintained or purchased new every year, because they showed no signs of damage that comes from constant exposure to saltwater air), great playgrounds, and clay tennis courts.
Another perk of staying at the Island club is that it's secluded. Granted, we were there in September when most families aren't traveling, but we found the beach directly in front of the property to be sparsely populated. This was both a pro and a con - we couldn't easily ride bikes to dinner and shopping as we could when staying in more central areas like Sea Pines or Forest Beach, but it was worth it to feel a little more secluded. We would definitely go back to the Island Club.
- Island Club Hilton Head
