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Diners enjoy a “Farm to Table” dinner at Woodlands. The idea is to celebrate local foods and delicacies.

It’s great to be one of the two top-rated inns in the country, not to mention a ranking of number 4 nationwide in overall hotels and lodging.

But for Casey Lavin and his staff, that’s just the beginning for the Woodlands Inn.

Built in 1906, the Woodlands Inn was recently refurbished, and refocused to offer a more approachable and relaxing experience, Lavin said. It is one of only six properties in the United States to hold the Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond awards for both lodging and dining.

Fodor’s Travel Guide also recently rated the Dining Room at Woodlands as one of the top 10 hotel restaurants in America, he noted.

But what good is being the only five-star rated dining room in South Carolina – one of only a handful in the country -- if nobody knows about it – especially in your own hometown?

“I was astonished,” Lavin said. “We had a booth at the Flowertown Festival this year, and of all the people who came by, surprisingly few of them knew who we were.”

Lavin, who comes to the helm of Woodlands from Kiawah’s Sanctuary Resort and West Virginia’s Greenbrier Resort, plans to change that. In fact, that’s why he joined Woodlands, he said.

“We’re looking at polishing the brand and putting it back on the pedestal,” Lavin said of the inn.

More specifically, Lavin wants to concentrate on several areas. One, he wants to make the Woodlands experience more accessible. To that end, the inn is competitively pricing everything from extended stays to the dining room menu.  Woodlands also recently opened Pines Café, a casual option to the formal dining room that has recently been a hit with local diners who want to grab a salad, burger, or even beer and wings.

“The fact is, we are very competitive – but people don’t know that,” he said. “We are a third less expensive than other similar properties around the country. And our dining room is not only competitive nationally, but locally. There’s just no place you can get this experience for the price we offer.”

As an example, Lavin recently started running a special rate, $94.12 per person, per night stay, based on double occupancy, through December. This is in honor of the recent 15th annual survey of the absolute best hotels in the World conducted by Travel and Leisure Magazine. The readers rated Woodland’s the second finest inn in North America, giving it a score of 94.12/100 out of 100 possible points.

The special offer is for a junior suite, must be booked by September 1, 2010, and is valid for travel until December 30, 2010. It is subject to availability and does not apply to previously confirmed bookings.

The inn also tied for 24th best in the entire world, according to the survey.

Another point upon which Lavin is focusing is the idea of making the inn more prominent in the community. To that end, he is implementing a variety of programs, options, and events. The recent community Fourth of July event was one example of this. Other events include jazz nights in the bar, oyster roasts, barbecues, and most recently, the “farm to table,” dinners, which utilizes and celebrates locally grown and produced food. One of a number of future goals includes developing an on-site vegetable garden that is self-sustaining, he noted.

Nearly everything the inn serves and uses is local, from the food served in the dining room to works of art placed around the property, Lavin said.

“Our goal is to pay homage to South Carolina,” he said.  “We want to utilize as best we can all resources from here. It’s about allowing guests to really experience the best South Carolina has to offer.”

In fact, the Inn is working on plans to establish an artist in residence program on-site, featuring local artists, he said. The Inn is also preparing to launch “The Woodlands Culinary Academy,” a program in which people can take classes to learn how to prepare fine meals, pair foods with wines, and other aspects of the fine dining experience.

Another avenue Lavin and Woodlands is actively pursuing is the idea of marketing the entire area, not just the inn. Summerville used to be a major destination for travelers; indeed, that is why the Inn was built in the first place. Make Summerville, once again, a place people seek out, and everyone benefits, he noted.

Lavin is actively working with local organizations to re-establish the town as a major destination, he said.

“At one point, Summerville was one of the most sought-after destinations in the world, in part due to natural health benefits the area was believed to hold” he noted. “It’s still a incredibly wonderful place. So we want to help market the town, once again make Summerville the destination of destinations.”

For more information about Woodlands Inn or to make a reservation, call (800) 774-9999 or visit www.woodlandsinn.com

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