Saturday, October 9, 2010

Wingate by Wyndham of Port Wentworth Review

Review of the Wingate by Wyndham in Port Wentworth, GA


The Port Wentworth Wingate by Wyndham by far was the worst hotel we've ever stayed in. While I wouldn't expect a 5-star type room here, I would expect that everything would be clean and that housekeeping would do their jobs.

After first checking in, they put us in room 121. As soon as we walked into the room we saw a large amount mold on the ceiling and the lamp was covered in dirt and mold. It was quite disgusting. We immediately went back to the front desk to inform them of the problem and request another room. However, they were only able to offer us another room with 2 double beds instead of a King-sized bed, even though we reserved a King-sized bed initially.

The next night, after the hotel emptied out some, we asked them to move us to a room with a King-sized bed, which they did. Unfortunately, in this room we found that it was not properly maintained by housekeeping either. There was still soap in the soapdish and the shower curtain rod was bent and one bracket was partially pulled out from the wall so that the curtain wouldn't close, causing the bathroom floor to get soaked after a shower.

The housekeeping in this hotel should be immediately reviewed as they are NOT doing their job. They didn't even replace the toilet paper when the roll was low during their routine cleaning. Due to their lack of effort and also due to the hotel's management allowing the mold problem to fester, it made for a miserable stay in this hotel.

After my stay was completed, I informed the corporate HQ for Wyndham about the issues, who then forwarded the information on to the General Manager of the hotel. I spoke to him on the phone and he has ensured me that these problems will be fixed. He also said that no one should've been checked into Room 121 as the problem was known about, but through a computer mistake, the front desk checked me in anyway. I don't know if this is the truth or not, but that is the information I was given. Due to my issues, he did offer me half of my money back, so at least I can say that they did take care of that. However, I would not recommend this hotel to anyone staying in the area.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Robert Irvine's Eat!

On Hilton Head Island, there are plenty of upscale restaurant choices.  We decided to give Robert Irvine's Eat! a try and it was an excellent decision.  The steak on offer was absolutely delicious as it practically melted in your mouth.  They also have plenty of tapas choices that are reasonably priced.  On Tuesdays though, they offer all of their tapas for half price, as well as discounts on wine and beer.  For dessert, they had plenty of options and we decided to go with the Chocolate Ridiculous Cake and the only way to describe it is WOW.  Just check out the picture below and your mouth should start to water.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Island Explorer - Hilton Head

Island Explorer runs dolphin and nature tours around Hilton Head Island.  They have many different options, but for us we decided to take the boat cruise to "Vanishing Island".  On the private speed boat, you'll be with no more than 6 other guests, so it's a very intimate experience.  On your way to "Vanishing Island", the boat captain will point out the various sites you'll see of Hilton Head Island and Daufuskie Island, as well as let you get quite close to the dolphins in the region.


After you pass through the dolphin area, you'll arrive at "Vanishing Island", which is basically a sand bar that comes and goes depending on the tide.  Here, you'll be able to get out of the boat and explore.  We were able to find various jellyfish and sand dollars in the area and were given about an hour on the "island".


This is a tour we'd recommend to anyone visiting Hilton Head Island and you'll get tons of pictures to remember the trip by.  If you're a nature person, this is definitely a trip for you.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Sea Pines

Sea Pines is a private section of Hilton Head Island is extremely elegant and well-kept.  In order to enter, you'll need to pass through a security gate and pay $5 per car.  Inside, you'll find golf courses, private residences, a resort hotel, and plenty of shopping right on the water in Harbour Town.  Here they have kitchsy shops, restaurants and the Hilton Head lighthouse.  You can also do various activities here such as jet-skiing, fishing, bike riding and more.  This is a great place to come just for relaxation.  There really aren't any tourist-site type things inside the gates, but it can still be worth visiting if you're looking to do one of the many activities on site.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Heyward House

Located in the center of historic Bluffton, South Carolina is the Heyward House.  Tours are offered here Monday through Friday, from 10 AM to 3 PM for a low cost of $5.  On the tour you'll learn about the history of both the city of Bluffton, as well as the Heyward House itself.

We decided since this house was on the way to Hilton Head Island from Savannah to stop here and we're glad we did.  It's a very quaint area and the tour guide was extremely friendly and exemplified Southern hospitality.  If you're in the area, this definitely gets a recommendation from us.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Fort Pulaski

When driving to Tybee Island from Savannah, you'll pass right by Fort Pulaski.  Many people will just keep on driving, but if you'd like to see a National Monument that played a key role in the Civil War, you'll want to stop here.  For only $3 a person, you'll be able to walk around the fort, see how the drawbridge works, get great views from the cannons and listen to Park Rangers discuss the history of the fort.


Sunday, October 3, 2010

Tybee Island Parasailing

One thing we considered doing when going to Tybee Island was Parasailing.  After looking through the internet, we found the only real option was Tybee Island Parasailing.  Unfortunately, trying to make a reservation here was quite difficult.  I tried calling a few times and left voice mails, but my calls were never returned.  I also tried the e-mail route, but they were un-responsive as well, except for one e-mail.  In that one they said they had availability, but when I wrote back looking to make the reservation, they never responded.

I'd recommend against using this Parasailing company as they don't seem to understand customer service as they do not call back or e-mail back when contacted.