The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island
Eleven thousand acres of Georgia barrier island, held undeveloped by one family for a century.
Little St. Simons is a barrier island off the Georgia coast, reached only by the lodge's boat, covering about 11,000 acres of maritime forest, salt marsh and seven miles of beach. The Berolzheimer family bought it in 1908 and never developed it; the island is now under a conservation easement that prevents development permanently.
Sixteen rooms in a handful of cottages take a maximum of around thirty-two guests across the entire island. The stay is all-inclusive with naturalist guides, and the island can be taken whole. More than three hundred bird species have been recorded, and the ecological work is continuous rather than seasonal.
Eleven thousand acres for thirty-two people. The lowest density in this register by a wide margin, and it is the whole proposition.
Protected in perpetuity. The conservation easement means the island cannot be developed by any future owner, which is rarer than any hotel feature.
Who it is not for
Little St. Simons is wrong for guests wanting tropical water and warmth, since this is the Atlantic seaboard with a real winter. It is wrong for travellers expecting luxury, as the cottages are plain. And it is wrong for those uninterested in wildlife, which is the reason to come. Those wanting a warm American island should look at Little Palm Island.
Sources
- littlestsimonsisland.com — sixteen rooms, up to around thirty-two guests, 11,000 acres, conservation easement
- Room count, island area and easement terms unverified. Confirm before publication.
Booking
Private Island Resorts arranges each stay on request, quoting the rates available for the island and dates. No benefit should be assumed unless it is confirmed in writing for the individual reservation.
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