BLUFFTON, SC— The independent hotel group Auberge Resorts, known for its Northern California roots and eclectic luxury properties on the West Coast, has reversed a traditional axiom deciding to “head East” and gain its first foothold on the Atlantic seaboard. The Mill Valley, CA-based company has under construction The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, a series of 50 cottages and cottage suites anchored by a Main House, all set to open in September. It will serve as the lodging component for Palmetto Bluff, a master-planned residential community occupying 20,000 acres on the May River, north of Savannah, GA. Both the development and the Inn are owned by Crescent Resources LLC, a division of Duke Energy. Auberge is managing the hotel. “[Crescent] is trying to recreate an ‘Old South’ town, with a town square and a waterfront village. Our Inn, golf course and spa will anchor that,” said Rick Reiss, Auberge Resorts’ COO. “It’s interesting for us because we’ve been predominantly based on the West Coast.” The company has had opportunities before in the East but nothing that jelled, he said. Auberge looked at Florida, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Martha’s Vineyard in New England; however, none of the sites available met Auberge’s overriding criteria to be a unique setting that can not be duplicated. “When we first heard about this property in South Carolina, we were a little skeptical it would be the right market for our clientele,” said Reiss, adding several of Crescent’s board members who are fans of Auberge Resorts approached the company to be part of Palmetto Bluff. A site visit convinced Auberge executives its guest base would embrace the vastness of the space, with its marshland, river and deep forestation, all teeming with wildlife, from bald eagles to bottlenose dolphins that feed there. Indeed, the initial sweep of residences were developed as 20-22 acres sites. “So when we saw the site, it was just magical and we said: “Okay, we’ll do this.” The Palmetto project—$38 million for 50 keys— also marks the first time Auberge does not have equity in a hotel it operates. “We offered, but they prefer to keep all their stuff in-house,” said Reiss. At approximately $800,000 per key, Reiss acknowledged the cost might seem “out of control.” He said, however, ownership wanted to “set the bar and build one of the best new small boutique resorts on the East Coast.” Palmetto Bluff, being developed over 10 years, eventually will have deep- and shallow-water marinas, commercial retail, small equestrian center, steeplechase courses, as many as three golf courses and a raft of other amenities and services such as bakeries, restaurants and a house of worship. Noting the property is off the beaten track, Reiss said Crescent “is using our brand to bring credibility and awareness to that site. While Auberge does not have exclusivity as the community’s lodging component, Reiss doubted there would be another hotel layered into the site. The 21 cottages, grouped as two side-by-sides, and the eight freestanding cottage suites are situated within the Village of Palmetto Bluff that is anchored by some 75 residences and proximate the Main House, which holds Auberge’s River House restaurant, ballroom and front desk. A separate building holds the 9,600-square-foot spa. Owners of the village residences will be able to put their two-, three-, four-bedroom homes into a hotel rental pool that Auberge Resorts will manage. “We’re anticipating about half will do it,” said Reiss. The residences that go into the rental pool will need to adhere to interior design standards so there is consistency within the inventory. Those properties will range from $800,000 to $1.6 million. The cottages feature some 300 feet of screened porches, vaulted ceilings, fireplace, seven-fixture bathrooms and FF&E designed for a luxury residential feel. Cottages, with 1,140-square feet of indoor/outdoor space seasonally will run $450-$600. Cottage Suit