The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Look, I’ll be honest – when you first pull up to The Westin Savannah Harbor, you might think you took a wrong turn somewhere. You’re literally on Hutchinson Island, which means you’ve crossed the river from downtown Savannah, and suddenly there’s this sprawling resort that feels like it belongs more in Hilton Head than historic Georgia. But you know what? That’s actually kind of perfect.

The thing about this place is that it gives you the best of both worlds without the tourist chaos. You’re looking right across the water at Savannah’s skyline – and I mean, the views from the river-facing rooms are legitimately stunning, especially around sunset when the light hits those old buildings just right. The hotel runs a free water taxi that’ll zip you over to River Street in about ten minutes, which honestly beats trying to find parking downtown (trust me on this one). But when you want to escape the carriage tours and bachelorette parties, you can retreat back to your own little island paradise. The pool area is where this place really shines – there’s this lazy river that winds around, and the kids go absolutely nuts for it, but there are also plenty of quiet corners where you can actually read a book. The golf course is solid too, though I’d skip it in July unless you enjoy feeling like you’re golfing inside a sauna.

The rooms are typical Westin – those heavenly beds live up to the hype, and everything’s clean and well-maintained, though some of the furniture is starting to show its age a bit. What I really appreciate is how quiet it stays, even when the place is packed. The spa is genuinely relaxing (try to book treatments in the late afternoon), and the restaurants are better than they need to be for a resort. The breakfast buffet will definitely fuel you up for a day of wandering through Forsyth Park or the Historic District. Service-wise, the staff actually seems to care, which isn’t always a given at bigger properties like this. Check-in is usually smooth, though summer weekends can get a little hectic when the wedding parties descend. Speaking of which – if you’re not into that scene, maybe avoid peak wedding season unless you don’t mind sharing elevators with bridesmaids in full regalia. The whole place has this relaxed, almost Carolina coast vibe that works really well if you want to experience Savannah without staying in some cramped historic inn where you can hear your neighbors’ entire conversations through paper-thin walls. It’s not cheap, but for what you get – especially that location and the fact that you can actually unwind here – it’s worth the splurge.