Still hoping to make our first DVC HHI trip in a couple of weeks and complete our visit to each DVC resort!
We still are not comfortable eating inside restaurants. We haven't been to a restaurant and sat outside for that matter either. Any recommendations of good places not too far from the resort where there is outdoor seating that is properly spaced? I understand all restaurant servers need to wear masks now but reading some other posts there are some restaurants with outside seating that seem to be crowded with tables pretty close. Any recommendations appreciated!
We've been there twice since DHHIR reopened. The first time was for a week the first day they opened, and the second just two weekends ago. There is a new mandate in HHI, specifically, requiring masks in all indoor venues: restaurants, grocery stores, retail shops, et. al. That helps reduce the number who crowd together maskless; however, there are always those who simply won't.
That being said, there are a few restaurants that appear to do better than others. In Shelter Cove, which is literally a 3-minute walk from the Disney resort, you have a few options. Scott's Fish Market is one, and they have decent food. However, the tables aren't particularly well-spaced with some diners still within a 3-4 feet of you when you sit down and it gets crowded. And Scott's, being so close to Disney and sitting on the marina, generally gets crowded. Right next to Scott's is the Hilton Head Social Bakery. It's not a sit down place, and their fare is more French-inspired such as croissants, quiche, tarts, and many other pastries. It's a very good (though expensive) place to grab-n-go, and they practice good social distancing. Farther down is San Miguel's, and I do not recommend it. As a poster eloquently said on another thread, it's basically "a giant mosh pit." We walked by it a few times, and that's an apt description. Even farther down is Ela's on the Water, and they practice solid efforts to reduce the spread of COVID, including outdoor seating. I recommend them--plus, they have good food, albeit slightly more expensive than, say, Scott's.
Nearby, as in a 5-10 minute drive, are two very good restaurants, though both are Italian. First, there's OMBRA Cucina which still employs outdoor seating (I think), as well as indoor seating. It's one of our favorite spots; it's adult-oriented, too. Second, is Michael Anthony's which, essentially, is across the street from OMBRA and also has excellent food and is more adult-oriented, as well. Both of those are located as you head in the direction of Sea Pines.
If you head in the opposite direction, and between a 15-20 minute drive, there are some very good seafood restaurants. Skull Creek Boathouse (not Dockside) is one of our top places, but they do not take reservations, and it's crowded. There are a lot of outdoor tables, to be sure, but there will be a lot of people, regardless. Hudson's is nearby, and they have outdoor seating but, again, it is smaller than Skull Creek and a favorite among many locals. The Black Marlin is another good spot, and they have a lot of outdoor seating, well-spaced, and you can make reservations there. Finally, there is one of our go-to seafood places, Fish Camp on Broad Creek. While the tables inside are a little close for our tastes, the outdoor seating is well-spaced, the views very nice, and the food and service excellent.
Finally, if you have a room with a full kitchen, I highly recommend visiting either Bennie Hudson's fresh seafood market (about 15 minutes from the resort) or Barnacle Bill's (about 5-7 minutes away), and both have fresh seafood delivered off boats every day. You can make your own low country boil, or grill scallops, or do fresh shrimp, or cook any number of varieties of fish (mostly from Bennie Hudson's), or even shuck your own fresh oysters. Best wishes to you in your decision-making. Certainly, pretty much any place in town now does takeout or curbside service, including both OMBRA and Michael Anthony's.
Anyone know about the a.c. in the rooms? My concern is germs being spread from room to room via the a.c.
I'm not an expert, and I can only report what I've seen in my numerous walks around the resort, but it appears each room has its own a/c unit. These are tucked away behind wooden fencing at each building, and appear to correlate one per room. If so, that would mean the ventilation shafts are also unique to each room. Further, I do know that each room has its own thermostat, further indicating such a system. Now, many of the rooms will be 1BR/studio lockoff types, and those would share a doorway through which it's theoretically possible for a small amount of air flow between the two if they are in the lockoff mode. I would say this: if you're uneasy about the possibility of cross-contamination, it might not be quite the time to go to HHI. Personally, I feel the greater risk is walking around town and heading to restaurants or even doing takeout. I hope this helps your thinking. HHI is a great place to visit.
Thankfully they let me un-borrow the points from Oct 2020 and I was able to snag a 2BR at HHI for Aug 29- Sept 2. We all love DHHIR but haven’t been in a few years so now we have something to look forward to!
