Villas by the Sea, Best Romantic Inn Reprinted with permission from Best Romantic Inns. By Jackie Sheckler Finch Cradled by lush natural landscaping and towering windswept oaks, the Villas by the Sea boardwalk leads through tropical greenery to uncrowded and unspoiled beaches. The nearby Driftwood Beach was recently named among America’s Top Romantic Beaches. An old saying goes that “once your feet touch the sands of Jekyll Island, the sands will always draw you back.” “That really seems to be true,” says Stephanie Noble at Villas by the Sea. “We have so many people who come back time and again.” Located on glorious Jekyll Island in Georgia, Villas by the Sea Resort Condominium, Hotel and Conference Center is an enchanting ocean side resort with 161 rental condos. Charming, individually owned and personally decorated condominium apartments are on the beach, yet nestled under huge oak trees draped with Spanish moss. “The condos are fully equipped and have everything you need to feel at home, including dishes, pot and pans, coffee makers and toasters,” Noble says. “Each one is individually decorated and they are beautiful, down to the last detail.” The spacious one, two or three-bedroom condos feature full kitchens, separate living and dining areas and private patios or balconies. Guests can fall asleep to the sound of the surf and awaken in a “leave-the-world-behind” oasis. “You can sit on the balcony and watch the sunrise or sunset,” Noble says. “You have excellent views from the living room. When the tide is in, it sometimes feels as though you are sitting over the ocean.” Cradled by lush natural landscaping and towering windswept oaks, the Villas boardwalk leads through tropical greenery to uncrowded and unspoiled beaches. The nearby Driftwood Beach was recently named among America’s Top Romantic Beaches. “It is almost like walking on your own private beach,” Noble says. “You see all this beautiful driftwood that looks like sculpture that nature has made.” Beneath oak canopies, nature trails meander through 17 luxuriant acres. The Villas large swimming pool is shaded by oak trees and has a tiki hut for refreshing drinks and snacks. Other Villas amenities include a jungle-like playground, shuffleboard, free lending library for video movies, volleyball, bicycle rentals, Laundromat, sports equipment and planned activities for varied interests. Villas also provides a wealth of hospitality and services including optional maid service. Free wireless high-speed Internet access is available throughout the property. Without leaving the Villas, enjoy a delicious meal at the Surf Steakhouse. Delectable island specialties include baked brie en croute with fresh fruit, mouthwatering steak, local seafood entrées, pastas, fresh made soups and much more. After dining, relax at the friendly lodge-style Riptide Lounge with large screen televisions, live entertainment and late-night karaoke on the weekends. Villas by the Sea Conference Center is a favorite with meeting planners. The freestanding center totals 5,800 square feet with maximum flexibility and efficiency. The handsome Plantation Ballroom is divided into five fully soundproof meetings rooms and easily seats up to 500 guests. The lofty 14-foot ceiling ideally accommodates exhibits and displays. A state-of-the-art audio system evenly distributes clear, crisp sound throughout the facility. Automated remote recording through house microphones is included as well. Lighting is infinitely adjustable from bright classroom illumination to intimate mood levels. To maximize ease of video presentations, cable connections and a 10-foot electric projection screen are provided. Televisions, VCRs, projectors and other specialty equipment are available by request. An adjoining area offers four small to medium sized meeting room. A beloved vacation destination, Jekyll Island was once the private domain and winter retreat for some of America’s most elite families. In 1947, the state of Georgia took over the barrier island to preserve and protect it as a tranquil refuge for all people to enjoy. Today, the Jekyll Island National Historic Landmark District is a 240-acre waterfront compound and one of the largest ongoing restoration projects in the southeastern United States. One of the most distinguished accommodations on Jekyll Island, Villas by the Sea has invested over $3 million in ongoing improvements throughout the complex since the beginning of 2003. Nearby attractions include 63 holes of golf, 13 clay tennis courts - ranked by Tennis Magazine as one of the 25 best municipal tennis facilities in the country - and water sports galore. The Jekyll Island Marina offers rental and fishing charters. The island’s fishing pier is a popular spot. Marsh tours, air tours, water park, shopping and historic attractions add to the intriguing pastimes. The Villas’ golf, romantic getaways and wedding packages are sure to please. For a day to remember choose a Gourmet Picnic Backpack filled with an array of gourmet goodies to enjoy a perfect picnic snack on the beach, followed by a sunset horseback ride. An ocean side gazebo is the perfect host for an unforgettable wedding – or for a secluded haven to unwind and enjoy the amazing ambiance of Villas by the Sea. “The tranquility and natural beauty of Jekyll Island is what makes it so special,” Noble says. “It’s a place to revitalize and refresh, to relax and be surrounded by nature. Once you’ve been here, you can’t wait to come back again.” Villas By The Sea Resort Condominium Hotel & Conference Center is located at 1175 N. Beachview Drive. Phone: 912-635-2521; toll free: 800-841-6262; web Site: www.jekyllislandga.com; Email: getinfo@jekyllislandga.com. Jekyll Island Museum Holds Door & Shutter Restoration Workshop by Andrea Marroquin, Museum Specialist Have you ever wanted to fix up an older residence, but felt that you lacked the necessary training? Have you ever wanted to make a significant difference in your community, but didn’t know where to begin? Here is your chance to do both. From May 8-12, the Jekyll Island Museum is holding a Shutter and Door Restoration Workshop. Amy Hollis, the museum’s historic preservation specialist, will demonstrate and teach participants how to restore the shutters and doors of a historic building. This workshop will cover everything from scraping and sanding, repairing woodwork and hardware, to priming and painting and suggestions for long-term maintenance. The workshop is open to the public. This program is designed to meet the needs of homeowners, historic preservation students, contractors, and philanthropists alike. “It will be a very rewarding, hands-on experience,” said Hollis. “Participants will have an opportunity to learn a variety of ways to keep wooden doors and shutters attractive as well as functional. And at the end of the week they will have made a major contribution to the ongoing restoration of one of the cottages in the Jekyll Island Club National Historic Landmark District.” Hollis indicated that the workshop would primarily focus on sprucing up Goodyear Cottage. Goodyear Cottage was completed in 1906 for the family of Frank Henry Goodyear, a lumber baron. It is currently the home of the Jekyll Island Arts Association, which maintains an art gallery that is open to the public from 12:00-4:00 pm on weekdays and 10:00 am–4:00 pm on weekends. Repairing the shutters and doors are a priority for Hollis. The appearance of shutters and doors play a major role in the first impression guests receive of the historic district cottages, so they are important from a customer service standpoint. Shutters and doors also protect the historic structures from tempestuous weather, taking quite a beating. “Historic doors and shutters are often the first elements to be lost on a historic home, because they are meant to take the brunt of the weather, and maintenance can get away from you. But replacing them can drastically change the look of a house,” said Hollis, explaining the choice of this particular workshop for Historic Preservation Month. Although this is a public outreach program, there is a fee of $100 for the weeklong workshop. This fee includes the cost of boxed lunches, snacks, tools and supplies. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants’ names will be engraved on an honor plaque to recognize their contributions to the preservation of the Jekyll Island historic district. This plaque will be displayed in a place of honor within the historic district. Reservations for the workshop are required by April 30, 2006. Space for the program is limited. For reservations, call (912) 635-4036. The workshop will take place from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm May 8-12, 2006 on the lawn just south of the Morgan Tennis Court in the Jekyll Island historic district.