How coronavirus affects Hilton Head hotels, restaurants as governor shuts dining rooms
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster closed dining rooms of all state restaurants and bars, effective Wednesday. The announcement Tuesday afternoon comes as South Carolina sees an increasing number of coronavirus cases and local leaders try to slow the spread.
He said he would not limit takeout or delivery services. But the move signals a new era of response to coronavirus on Hilton Head Island, which hosts 2.5 million visitors each year.
The governor’s announcement comes after Hilton Head’s Disney Resort said it would close March 20 through the end of the month due to the coronavirus spreading.
Prior to McMaster’s announcement, at least one major restaurant group on Hilton Head Island reported a sharp drop in guests.
“Our business at Coastal Restaurants and Bars had been down marginally over the past few weeks from the coronavirus, but in the past few days, as more events etc. have been canceled, it is down about 50 percent,” Brendan Reilley, CRAB partner, told The Island Packet.
The restaurant group includes the Crazy Crab in Sea Pines and on Jarvis Creek, Reilley’s Grill and Bar, Aunt Chilada’s, Fishcamp on Hilton Head and in Port Royal.
Reilley said the group’s goal is to keep employees and guests safe and healthy, “while also trying to minimize any financial impact this could have on our employees and their families, as well as to our local economy, since the hospitality industry is so predominant here.”
Restaurants on the island are finding new ways to deliver food.
Both the Southeastern Entertainment Restaurant Group (SERG) and CRAB are offering curbside pickup of all orders. The two restaurant groups own over 20 establishments on the island.
Lisa Bernstein, owner of The Purple Cow dessert shop on the island’s north end, is offering at-home cookie decorating kits to keep kids who are home from school occupied and continue sales through the pandemic.
She said she’s worried about the upcoming effect on her business now that the governor has closed bars and restaurants.
“We have already lost so much business. This past weekend was supposed to be our season opener, and instead we are losing money. It is supposed to be the happiest time of year,” she said.
Hotels
At least one major resort on Hilton Head Island has closed to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Hilton Head’s Disney Resort said it would close March 20 through the end of the month. The resort, which attracts thousands of out-of-state visitors, appears to be the first hotel on the island to close its doors due to coronavirus.
Jerome Stewart, the resort’s general manager, could not provide more details about the closure.
Statewide hotel occupancy rates were down by 5.4% in the first week of March, according to Dawn Dawson-House, director of communications for South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
The numbers from last week will be released Wednesday, but Dawson-House said her organization is preparing for another drop.
“Usually this time of year around March with spring break and (RBC) Heritage, we, especially on the coast, start moving into the 70% occupancy range,” she said. “Right now were hovering around 20%.”
Dawson-House said that although the number of travelers to the state is dropping, over 80% of visitors drive to South Carolina, which makes it less likely to be hit by low airline travel.
Although the Town of Hilton Head Island has canceled all meetings, town staff will still be working to issue wedding and business licenses, Mayor John McCann said.
And yes, the beach is still open.
To rent or not to rent?
The uncertainty doesn’t stop at the service and hotel industry.
For homeowners who rent, the decision of whether to close rests on safety and the hope to not to lose all business. If vacationers cancel, is it unfair to keep their payment during a pandemic?
Tammie Schmieler Ferraro, a Pennsylvanian who rents her home in the South Forest Beach area when she’s not spending the winter on the island, said she’s had two cancellations that have set her back over $1,000.
“Lost bookings are a lost mortgage payment,” she wrote to The Island Packet. “It hurts the owners too.”
But Schmieler Ferraro said she refunded the renters’ money for their lost vacation, even though it was impossible to re-list and book her home.
“People should not feel they are ‘forced’ to travel or lose their money during a pandemic,” she wrote. “I agree with those who feel (that) less outside visitors to the island, the better for the time being for the safety of the residents.”
But the uncertainty of coronavirus is hurting her ability to rent long into the future.
“What can’t be determined is the April bookings that never materialized,” she wrote. “Right now, my summer bookings are much slower than last summer.”
Schmieler Ferraro also mentioned her rental is vacant the week of RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, which is still on and scheduled to be played just a few miles away in Sea Pines April 13-19.
“That never happens,” she wrote.
Should I cancel my vacation to Hilton Head Island?
While it’s a deeply personal decision to choose whether to travel, many have taken to Facebook groups and even The Island Packet inbox to ask whether they should cancel upcoming trips to Hilton Head.
Here are some facts that may help you make your decision:
- Island restaurants and bars have been forced to close dining rooms as of Tuesday afternoon. SERG restaurants are offering discounts for pickup orders.
- Beaches and nature preserves are still open.
- Law enforcement and emergency services are active and responding to calls.
- One major hotel has closed as of Tuesday afternoon: Disney Resort
- Store shelves are being hit hard by preparations. Many shoppers have reported no eggs, bread, paper products and other staples at Beaufort County stores.
- RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing is still on for April 13-19 as of Tuesday afternoon.
Do you know of a closure or business hours change? Tell us about it at http://bit.ly/ClosedinBeaufortCounty.
Do you have questions about the coronavirus? We will get the answers for you. Go to bit.ly/virusBeaufortCounty and let us know what you need to know.
This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 4:59 PM.
