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You won’t be handed a kids’ menu when sitting down to dinner with your little gourmand at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn, but that doesn’t mean kids aren’t welcome. In fact, the Five-Star, South Carolina restaurant caters to them. The servers ask kids what they like to eat and the kitchen jumps to make it. The Dining Room can accommodate humble requests, such as hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken fingers, or happily whip up something more sophisticated — lamb sirloin with candied kumquat, perhaps? — depending on your youngster’s palate.

It may surprise you to learn that kids of any age are welcome at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn. Although the Five-Star restaurant serves up a fine-dining experience, the management isn’t looking to create a stuffy environment. The lack of pretention means children can dine at the restaurant three meals a day — they are even encouraged to make requests of the kitchen in lieu of a kids’ menu. Luckily, your picky tots won’t be stuck ordering a tasting menu, even if the rest of the party does. That said, the formal restaurant — outfitted with huge crystal chandeliers, potted palms and white columns — is romantic in the evenings. You may want to hire a babysitter and enjoy your meal alone.

If you’re passing on the wine list at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn, the Five-Star restaurant offers some fruity non-alcoholic alternatives to accompany your meal. Choose from several types of juice smoothies, which use fruits such as strawberries, mangoes, raspberries and bananas. One popular alcoholic-free option is the Mango Twist — mango puree shaken with lemon juice, orange juice and grenadine. Of course, if you want to keep things simple, you also have the option of sparkling or still San Benedetto water, along with coffee and a range of herbal and infused teas.

Order à la carte or choose a tasting menu at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn. Chef Andrew Chadwick creates the constantly changing dishes at the Five-Star restaurant, where the cuisine is modern and American with international influences. The à la carte menu is divided into first tastes; salads and soups; steaks and sides; and specialties such as Maine lobster and milk-fed veal. The menu shows hints of the South Carolina culture around Woodlands Inn — try Low Country-influenced dishes such as she-crab soup, dressed up here with shiitake mushrooms, or choose local products like Carolina squab. On the seven-course tasting menu, the chef makes use of premium ingredients in elegant and flavorful dishes, such as ravioli with a liquid black truffle center, served with foie gras and consommé.

By day, the offerings at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn are more straightforward. The lunch menu features midday classics such as Reuben sandwiches and buttermilk-fried chicken along with salads and pasta.

The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn’s wine-by-the-glass list offers up several white, red and champagne options, mostly from the United States, Italy and France. The Five-Star restaurant serves five classic white wines and five classic reds, along with one red and white glass “of the moment” — favorites of sommelier Fabien Duboueix. Straying from the straightforward rosters of vino you’ll see elsewhere, The Dining Room’s list offers a lighthearted description of each wine. On a recent visit, the offerings included a 2006 Gengiovese di San Marino with the description, “In Italy, I am the king, with a spicy, smoky and smooth taste. Salute!” During our meal, the lineup included three sparkling wines, including a rosé and a crisp Peruvian port.

The sweet side of The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn is sophisticated and complex — the dessert menu features reinvented versions of classic dishes certain to satisfy your most sugary desires. The desserts at the Five-Star restaurant take on familiar flavors, but are presented with multiple components and inventive techniques. You’ll find sweets with a touch of whimsy, such as a deconstructed brownie sundae and milk chocolate sesame ice cream cake, along with treats that play with savory ingredients, like herbs and Earl Grey tea. Housemade sorbets and ice creams are standard on the changing menu, which almost always includes some type of the crowd-pleasing crème brûlée.

Since reservations are required for dinner at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn, you shouldn’t have to wait for a table. But just in case, the Pines Bar & Café outside the dining room is a cozy place to pass the time and order a drink before or after your meal. The space boasts an updated English pub feel, with exposed brick and red leather seating, and serves cocktails, wine and a selection of liquors — try the small-batch bourbons. You can also take a seat in the lobby — Woodlands Inn’s small size makes it easy for staff to let you know when your table is ready.

Executive chef Andrew Chadwick creates the modern and decadent cuisine at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn. He’s been the chef at the Five-Star restaurant since late 2010, and has experience working in acclaimed hotels — he ran the kitchens at The St. Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point, Calif., and Meadowood Napa Valley. Before that, he operated his own restaurant in Nashville, Andrew Chadwick’s at Rutledge Hill. Chadwick originally hails from California, where he received his training at the California Culinary Institute. The chef brought his love for local ingredients to Woodlands Inn, where he designed his own vegetable garden to incorporate into his dishes on the menu.

The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn oozes an old-fashioned brand of Southern charm. The design is traditional and ornate, just like the rest of the circa-1906 mansion at Woodlands Inn hotel. The floor-to-ceiling paned windows flood the space with sunlight, while white columns, dramatic crystal chandeliers and the gleaming gold vaulted ceiling make the space feel formal. The dining room is two-tiered, with a decorative railing running around the top floor. Round tables are spread around the room, adorned with white tablecloths and red upholstered dining chairs. Potted palms keep the space from feeling too prim, but the atmosphere and service definitely make you feel like sitting up straight.

Like the rest of the Five-Star hotel Woodlands Inn, The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn is quiet and serene, which means if you’re planning to dine with a group larger than eight, the private dining room is your best bet. The handsome room off the lobby features a long oval table with a crystal chandelier hung in the middle, along with a fireplace and large windows. The room comes with a rental fee, but the Five-Star restaurant sometimes waives it if putting a group in that room will keep the romance alive in the main dining area.

Smaller groups can work well in the two-tiered dining room, where there is plenty of space between tables, and the formal service and decadent cuisine are most certainly celebration-worthy.

The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn offers an upscale dining experience in a secluded part of South Carolina. Here are our tips to keep in mind before your visit:

1. Its hours vary by season. From June through September, the Five-Star restaurant serves breakfast Wednesday through Saturday from 7 to 10 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 6 to 9:30 p.m. From October through June, the restaurant is open daily during those same times.

2. Dinner is an upscale affair. Both reservations and jackets are required for dinner, but the restaurant is also open for breakfast, lunch and Sunday brunch, when things become more casual.

3. The restaurant offers Five-Star dining in an unexpected locale. The only Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant in South Carolina, The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn offers upscale yet unpretentious service and refined cuisine 25 minutes outside Charleston in the small town of Summerville.

4. The Dining Room has its own vegetable garden. Chef Andrew Chadwick designed the two acres on Woodlands Inn grounds and uses the freshly picked harvest in your dinner.

5. There are deals to be had. It’s rare that you get a Five-Star dining experience for a bargain, but it can be done at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn. The restaurant occasionally runs seasonal deals, such as a three-course dinner for $30.

When it comes to the price of a meal at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn, it depends on whether you splurge or just sample a few things. For dinner, you can order à la carte; starters range from $9 to $24, entrées are $24 to $42 and desserts cost around $9. Or, try the tasting menu, which offers seven courses for $140 and wine pairings for and additional $78. If you’re looking to really indulge, get supplemental courses that star decadent ingredients such as foie gras and truffles. Bargain-minded diners should watch out for special events at the Dining Room — like Charleston Restaurant Week, when you can take advantage of big discounts such as three courses for about $30.

Before you sit down to an excellent meal at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn, know that the dress code is upscale. The extravagant tasting menus and elegant dining room merit dressing up. During the evening hours, we recommend slacks or dresses for women and jackets are a must for men. Things are a bit more casual at breakfast, lunch and brunch, when jackets aren’t necessary; but the modern American restaurant serves up a refined experience whether you’re dining on French toast or a flight of foie gras. Service is formal at the Five-Star Dining Room at Woodlands Inn, and the setting is beautifully traditional — you’ll sit below dramatic crystal chandeliers and vaulted ceilings, so dressy attire is undeniably appropriate.

If something comes up and you have to skip your reservation at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn, call at least 48 hours beforehand. If you don’t, you’ll be charged a $50 fee. The restaurant’s small size and Five-Star attention to detail mean reservations are required for dinner and Sunday brunch, and you can make them by phone or online at OpenTable. For breakfast and lunch, reservations aren’t necessary, so if you’re unsure about committing to a table for dinner and don’t want to risk the fee, dine there during the daytime hours.

The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn is the rare Five-Star restaurant that’s not only open for dinner, but also breakfast, lunch and, yes, even brunch. The restaurant’s schedule can be hard to keep track of, however, since it varies by day and season. During South Carolina’s sweatiest and stickiest months of the year — Woodlands Inn’s low season — the restaurant and the hotel scale back their hours. From June through September, The Dining Room serves breakfast Wednesday through Saturday from 7 to 10 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Then from October through June, the restaurant is open daily for those hours. Brunch is Sundays only, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

You’ll need a reservation to take part in The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn’s formal dinners and lively Sunday brunch, when reservations are required. Reservations can be made by phone — call the restaurant directly — or online at OpenTable.

If you haven’t planned ahead, drop in for breakfast or lunch at the Five-Star restaurant, when reservations aren’t necessary. While the food is decidedly less upscale at these meals, you’ll get to take in the same tony atmosphere and attentive service on display at dinner.

Though if you do decide to book a reservation for dinner and need to cancel, you must call at least 48 hours beforehand to avoid getting slapped with a $50 charge.

The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn takes reservations by phone or online at OpenTable. Call the Five-Star restaurant to book your table, especially if you want to dine there in the evening; reservations for dinner are required. Otherwise, stop by for lunch, when you can choose from a menu of sandwiches and ever-changing entrées without reserving a spot. You also can drop in for breakfast, when a range of classic options from organic grits to buttermilk pecan pancakes is served. It’s important to note, however, that should you cancel your dinner reservation less than 48 hours beforehand, you’ll be charged a $50 fee. Try to stick to that reservation if you can.

Driving to breakfast, lunch or dinner at The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn is easy, thanks in part to the complimentary valet parking. The service offered at the Five-Star restaurant comes in handy, especially if you’re donning heels. The circular gravel drive can be somewhat treacherous for those in sky-high shoes — so go ahead and pull right up to the impressive columned mansion at Woodlands Inn. If you prefer to go at it alone, a small, unpaved parking lot sits a short walk from the Five-Star hotel’s main entrance. However, we recommend making it easy on yourself and opting for valet — your feet will thank you later.

The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn is located outside of Charleston, S.C., at 125 Parsons Road in Summerville. It takes 25 minutes to get from downtown Charleston to the small town of Summerville, which offers shopping and a few restaurants in its historic core. As the main restaurant inside the charming mansion-turned-inn, the Five-Star Dining Room at Woodlands Inn sits among 42 acres of parkland grounds, providing a serene setting for a special dinner or Sunday brunch.

Driving is the best way to get to The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn. The Five-Star restaurant is a short 25-minute drive from Charleston, in the sleepy town of Summerville. Complimentary valet parking at the converted mansion makes ditching the car easy, and means you can avoid tromping across the gravel drive from the nearby self-parking lot.

If you’re driving from Charleston to The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn, take Interstate 26 West to Summerville. You’ll quickly realize how the historic inn acquired its name as you follow the windy dirt road through thick evergreen trees to the mansion for your excellent meal.