Once the sand gets between your toes, you will always return to the island. Nowhere is this saying truer than St. Simons Island, GA, known by USA Today as one of the “best coastal small towns.” The pace slows down once you reach the island and the sea beckons with its siren song. The magic continues when you reach the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort, the only beachfront hotel on the island. Located a short distance off the main road, the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort combines old-fashioned elegance and luxury with modern conveniences.
I visited The King and Prince Resort as part of a recent media trip, but I’d go back on my own!
Originally opened as a dance club in 1935, the King and Prince expanded and became a hotel in 1942. Commandeered as a Naval Coast Watching Station and Training Facility during World War II, the hotel reopened to the public in 1947. (Interesting historical fact- One of the hotel patrons discovered a strange sight from the hotel while gazing at the ocean view. When he reported the sight, it was discovered that a German U-Boat had breached the shallow waters near the shore. Who knew the war came so close to the USA and that the Georgia coastline was so important to the war effort?) Remodeled from 2010-2013, the Resort offers options to appeal to everyone from families to couples seeking a romantic getaway to corporate retreats.
What makes the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort so special? It has the distinction of being one of less than 300 Historic Hotels in America, has received the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for five years in a row, and the resort restaurant ECHO has won the Open Table Diner’s Choice Awards for the past two years. And did I mention the Southern Hospitality? All of the employees I encountered were friendly and willing to help with whatever a guest might need. The lovely views don’t hurt either!
1. Accommodations: The variety of available room options is impressive and suitable for all price ranges. I was surprised by the sheer number of choices, ranging from two Oceanfront suites, the St. Simons Suite and the Governor’s Suite, to Standard Rooms. They also offer Dog-Friendly Accommodations for those who want to bring their furry friend to the beach.
The Premium Oceanfront Rooms include the Cabana Room with a step-down parlor area that opens onto a private balcony. The beachside swings are only steps away, calling to guests to enjoy the view. I was surprised to discover the Partial Oceanfront Rooms still had a beautiful view of the ocean. The only difference was these rooms didn’t include a private balcony.
I stayed in one of the Beach Villas, two and three bedroom properties that include a full kitchen, a family/dining room combination, several bathrooms, and a private balcony overlooking the beach. This is a great option for multigenerational and family travel. With the full kitchen, it’s easy to keep snacks and prepare a quick meal, plus the washer/dryer makes it easy to keep all the laundry clean. The rooms are still fully serviced daily.
For large families or corporate retreats, the Resort Residences provide a good option. They’re large and spacious, allowing room for private parties and meetings, or plenty of room for the kids to move about freely.
2. Amenities: Whether you want to spend time relaxing or playing, The King and Prince has an option for everyone. Prefer to spend all your time on the beach? The King and Prince have direct beach access and partners with Barry’s Beach service to offer everything from Paddleboarding to Sailing.
Considering a spa day? The Royal Treatment Cottage offers a variety of massages and uses Georgia made products whenever possible. For those preferring more exercise, try the complimentary Exercise Facilities, the two complimentary Har-Tru Tennis Courts, and the beautiful Resort Swimming Pools. While two of the pools are located at the North and South villas, the main pools are overlooking the ocean and located directly beside the Resort living room. Included are two kiddy pools, one that is one foot deep and one that is three feet deep, as well as an adult pool and separate hot tub. There are plenty of places to sit and relax in the sun and shade, plus there’s the perk of poolside service for guests. Who doesn’t enjoy having someone bring you a cool tropical drink while you gaze at the pool?
Prefer a round of Golf? The King and Prince Golf Course is located on the site of the former Hampton Plantation. Designed by architect John Lee, the course has received a Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor and has been voted the Number 1 Golf Course in the state of Georgia by Golf Advisor.
3. Dining- If you enjoy elegant dining, ECHO restaurant is the place to be. The atmosphere is upscale, but relaxed to the pace of island life, and features handcrafted cocktails and classic coastal cuisine. The chef has developed a relationship with local farmers and seafood producers to bring diners delicious Farm to Table cuisine. Take advantage of the Bloody Mary Bar each Sunday with cocktails and appetizers or relax and enjoy a superb dinner with one of the seasonal offerings. For anyone with food allergies, ECHO is happy to work with diners to create allergy-friendly meals, although they do ask for a week notice.
If you prefer casual, check out the outdoor restaurant, The Sea Shack Bar+ Bites, which is open seasonally. They offer a variety of cocktails, sandwiches, salads and of course, the classic hamburgers and hot dogs.
The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort is located at 201 Arnold Road, St. Simons Island. You can call (800) 342-0212 for reservations or visit The King and Prince Beac & Gold Resort Website to learn more.
Have you visited St. Simons Island?
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Love how they kept the air of long ago elegance in the resort, even with the modern conveniences. Seems like perfection to Babushka. BB2U
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This place looks wonderful! I love all of the decor!
What a beautiful resort! I’d love to visit, I have to save this so that I can refer back to it next time I visit! Great pictures too!
Im actually schedule for a visit in July. I am so excited and great to see your recap!
I NEED to go here! This looks amazing and has everything I would love. I haven’t been to Georgia except once but would love to go back.
I would love a getaway at The King & Prince Beach& Gold Resort! I can sit by the pool with a drink while the hubby golfs, win-win for everyone!
This is one of my all time favorite places. Seeing all of your photos has me wanting to pack up and head back there now.
I would love to drag my husband here when it gets stressful. How awesome is it that you get to bring your fur baby when needed! So cool.
Wow! You definitely have everything that you need here for a peaceful and relaxing vacation away from work and everything else! I love that there are plenty of things to do here.
What a beautiful place to get away from it all. I would spend lots of time on the beach, or in the pool if I were there!
This place looks very relaxing for a getaway. I would love to visit with my husband, Jared for a weekend!
Wow! Sign me up. Would love to visit! It looks absolutely gorgeous, relaxing and like it would really be a great place to have a quiet vacation!
It sounds like an amazing place to stay, but gah those views and lounge areas. I wouldnt want to leave!
This place looks really nice, I like the Naval Coast Watching Station history. My family and I love to take big family vacations together. I appreciate a place that an accomodate a lot of us at one time. I love Georgia, I don’t get to visit often enough.
This is such a lovely place. I cannot wait to go back there myself. I haven’t been there in about three years, but I would love to return.
What a gorgeous place and gorgeous view. My husband would love to golf here.
Looks like a very nice place. the lounge and bedroom looks very comfortable to stay with. Plus the view is very beautiful too.
I haven’t visited this place yet but I am already in love with it! It looks so amazing and relaxing to stay there. The little history is so interesting too.
Your pictures are so lovely – they almost take me to this location.
The destination looks like such a nice escape to relaxation.
This is amazing!! Bedrooms look so comfortable! Looks like a great place to spend summer!
Looks like the perfect getaway in the winter. A place with sunshine and no snow!
I love that saying. I know a lot of beaches that are just so majestic and beautiful. This one should be among in my list.
I love that they use local products in their spa! Whenever my husband learns to swim, we are so going to someplace like this for vacation!
What a gorgeous resort! I’m not a golfer, so I love that there are all types of activities you can do there.
This sounds like such a fun resort. I would love to visit this place. We are definitely due for a little vacation!
I have never visit Georgia but I would love to! That pool looks so relaxing and refreshing!
Wow the resort looks so nice! This post makes me miss my honeymoon haha. I have never been to St. Simon and now I am adding it to my list if places to go to!
This resort seems to have it all – even an extravagant dining experience! And also, let’s talk about that pool. I would love to take a dunk right now!
What an extravagant resort! It’s making me want to go on vacation right now! The bedroom looks so relaxing – love how comfy that bed looks.
Oh my goodness how amazing does this place look. I would absolutely love to visit myself and that drink it’s so humid right now I could totally do with a sip of that.
I forgot how beautiful St. Simons was! I have not been there in years. The King and Prince Resort looks amazing!
St. Simmons isn’t too far from us but it has been a while since I have been there. I need to go back and stay at the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort !! Beach and spa for me and golfing for the hubs = PERFECTION!!
That place looks heavenly! Signed me up for a week of R&R at this place. The next time you travel there I think I might need to pack myself in your suitcase LOL.
That looks awesome! I could go for a few days there. St. Simons is gorgeous island.
i love St. Simons. We go there whenever we have a chance. We live in Atlanta, so it’s not a huge deal to get out that way.
What a beautiful looking resort. Very beautiful and well laid out. The food looks delicious and wonderful.
This sounds like an amazing place to stay! I have never been to St. Simons Islands. Perhaps it’s time to add it to my bucket list?
What a beautiful resort! I would love to be able to stay there and get spoiled rotten LOL. A friend of mine goes to this Island sometimes. I have no idea if she’s been here but I will definitely tell her about it.
What a gorgeous resort! I have never been to St. Simons Island, but I’d love to stay there if I did!
Same here. It looks like an amazing place to stay. St. Simons Island sounds like a great vacation destination.
That sounds like an amazing place to stay. I would LOVE to plan a trip to that area just so I can stay there.