Best hotels in Charleston 2023: Where to stay for historic district charm and waterfront views

Visiting South Carolina’s coastal city? These are the hotels to bookmark

From spa breaks to romantic getaways, this is how to do the idyllic city right (Charlestowne Hotels)

Known as “The Holy City’’ with many places of worship built during its development, Charleston, South Carolina, is one of the best-preserved historic cities in the United States. Look to the city’s historic district and you’ll find some of the buildings date back as far as the 17th century.

With cobblestone streets and towering church steeples, the popular coastal destination has plenty in the way of picture-perfect waterfront views to complement its gilded townhouses with their decorative wrought ironwork – everything from the pastel-coloured Rainbow Row homes to horse-drawn carriage tours are sure to charm.

Past the idyllic architecture, though, visitors flock to the Southern port city for its famed and thriving foodie scene, with fresh seafood being a speciality. Not to mention the outstanding nearby beaches, sultry summer weather and trendy rooftop bars, while the shopping haunts of King Street and the historic Charleston City Market always prove to be popular.

When it comes to deciding on the right hotel for your trip, Charleston is brimming with options. Looking to try the local delicacies and soak up some of the best river views in the area? You can do just that. A spa hotel break is on your wish list? We know just the place.

Whether you’re looking for locations on the waterfront, historic settings, world-class food, romantic bolthole, the last word in luxury, or a hub of art and quirky installations, choose your hotel well with our round-up of the very best.

The best hotels in Charleston are:

• Best for art-lovers: The Vendue
• Best for foodies: Zero George Street
• Best for value: Francis Marion Hotel
• Best for luxury: Hotel Bennett Charleston
• Best for waterfront views: Harbourview Inn

Best hotel for art-lovers: The Vendue

Neighbourhood: French Quarter

(The Vendue)

This elegant art-filled hotel has quirky installations arranged throughout an evocative, 18th-century building. The marble-floored lobby is filled with modernist furniture and framed by large, abstract paintings and sculptures. Beyond this, there’s even a large gallery space with 300 pieces of art, which is comparable to any local museum.

The 84 rooms, evenly split between two buildings, are eclectic, thanks to the age of the building – its historic character meaning that the hotel was built around the existing layout. All the rooms boast tastefully curated period and reproduction furniture, and original art inspires you just about wherever you look.

Revival is the hotel’s flagship restaurant, serving local delicacies such as crab cakes, and it’s complemented by a rooftop bar with some of the best river views in the city.

Best hotel for foodies: Zero George Street

Neighbourhood: The Boroughs

(Zero George Street/Easton Porter Group)

The three buildings that make up this hotel date back to 1804, and are arranged in a tranquil residential neighbourhood overlooking Gadsdenboro Park.

The understated period touches allow the rooms to still feel contemporary, and there are subtle European design touches, such as marble countertops and handcrafted armoires. Heart-pine floors and high ceilings keep things light and airy, and guests can stay cool outside in one of the shady plazas – perfect for an evening glass of wine or reading in the afternoons.

The hotel restaurant, Zero, has a world-class kitchen, overseen by Chef Vinson Petrillo. He serves seasonally sensitive tasting menus, which attract foodies from across the region and beyond, so an early booking is advisable. The dining room is as intimate and romantic as the rest of the hotel.

Best hotel for romance: The Spectator Hotel

Neighbourhood: French Quarter

(Charlestowne Hotels)

There’s a full-on celebration of the roaring Twenties at this hotel, though it’s one of the city’s newer properties. Nods to the Jazz Age and its vintage aesthetic evoke a truly romantic atmosphere, and the hotel just exudes a timeless style.

As you explore the lobby and adjacent living room, you’ll find sumptuous leather sofas and decadent velvet fabrics, confidently mixed with Art Deco pieces. Suitably retro light fittings and marble bathrooms grace the guest rooms, and the design is so consistent that it feels like stepping back in time.

As it’s one of the only hotels in town with a butler service, you can really relax into the romance of it all. Sip a mint julep in the hotel’s atmospheric Speakeasy bar, and tap a toe to those jazz tunes.

Best hotel for value: Francis Marion Hotel

Neighbourhood: The Boroughs

(Booking.com)

The kind of historic elegance that Charleston specialises in can sometimes come at a relatively high price, but not so here. This historic property opened in 1924, and its 1996 refurbishment elevated it into membership of the Historic Hotels of America in 1999.

The marble floors and crystal chandelier of the spacious lobby match the style levels of any of its peers, with beautiful floral arrangements framing the public spaces. The rooms are unfussy and have a classic, traditional feel, with a blue, white and gold colour palate that evokes a nautical theme. Rooms on the higher floors come with views of the water.

The hotel even has one of the best spas in town, and the Swamp Fox restaurant has a menu of Lowcountry classics.

Best hotel for urban cool: The Restoration Hotel

Neighbourhood: Lower King

(Booking.com)

A plum central location and an all-suite offering help The Restoration stand out in the city, and a design-forward aesthetic with reclaimed wooden beams and original brickwork doesn’t hurt either.

This property feels immediately modern and urbane, with great amenities – from the complimentary wine-and-cheese happy hours and free bike rentals to the rooftop pool and organic body scrub treatments offered in the spa.

The spacious and bright guest suites have polished wooden floors and high-end linens, complemented by reassuringly chic granite worktops in the kitchenettes, coffee grinders and artisanal ice cream in the freezer. If all of this isn’t quite enough, the fried chicken biscuits at The Watch Rooftop Kitchen are also pretty legendary.

Best hotel for luxury: Hotel Bennett Charleston

Neighbourhood: Marion Square

(Booking.com)

One of the city’s larger luxury hotels, it’s hard not to be instantly charmed by the Venetian (Palladian if you want to get specific) architecture and the large, arched windows as you approach. In the lobby, regal staircases and murals snake around the central rotunda, and with this amount of glamour, it’s hard to believe that the building once housed the city library.

The panache of the floral patterned carpets and huge oval bathtubs carry the luxurious aesthetic into the guest rooms, which keep it classy with bright white, gold and cream tones throughout.

There’s a plethora of dining options that will delight guests during longer stays, from the high-end New Orleanian menu of Gabrielle, to the classic Mediterranean dishes at Fiat Lux. There’s also a sophisticated champagne bar and a lovely on-site patisserie, so most of your whims should be catered for.

Best hotel for unique rooms: Planters Inn Charleston

Neighbourhood: French Quarter

(Booking.com)

Tranquillity is a key feature of this property, particularly as it’s in one of the most tourist-heavy spots in town, being on the corner of Market and Meeting Streets.

The Planters Inn is Charleston’s only member of the Relais and Chateaux luxury property group, and dates back to around 1844 – not that you’d know this from the deceptively modern exterior. However, once inside, guests will be delighted by the portraits, period fireplaces and antiques that give the public spaces a Victorian ambience.

The guest rooms continue the Gilded Age aesthetics, whisking visitors back in time with elegant, wooden four-poster beds and thick, velvet curtains. The hotel also has a more contemporary annex, the Piazza Building. Wherever you stay, make sure to drop by the hotel’s Peninsula Grill restaurant, where the coconut cake is a locally beloved delicacy.

Best hotel for history buffs: Andrew Pinckney Inn

Neighbourhood: French Quarter

(Booking.com)

The vibrant-yellow stucco exterior positively radiates colour onto Pinckney Street, making this historic inn hard to miss. The buildings are all 19th-century, though they have enjoyed a recent refurbishment, adding to the value of staying here with comfort levels elevated. You’re surrounded by history on and off site, with the city’s 200-year-old Charleston City Market right outside, in the heart of the city’s historic district.

Wooden floors and exposed brickwork are features of all the guest rooms, and prestige suites, such as the St. Philip Suite, have cathedral views and stand-alone bathtubs.

Access to the beautiful, three-storey atrium is an excellent guest amenity for quiet afternoons post-sightseeing, and although there’s no on-site restaurant, some of the city’s best eating options are within a block or two.

Best hotel for spa aficionados: The Dewberry Charleston

Neighbourhood: The Boroughs

(Kris Tamburello)

Owner and hotelier John Dewberry took some eight years to complete a daring conversion of this historic federal building. What emerged was an impressive reimagining of classic Southern aesthetics, keeping the marble and brick bones but rejuvenating the interiors.

The public spaces are framed by curated abstract art and extremely tasteful mid-century modern furniture. The guest rooms are flooded with light, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the experience is like staying in a chic apartment.

The Dewberry Spa is one of the very few destination spas in the city, and has handcrafted treatments that make use of Southern native plants and sea extracts. The hotel restaurant is also well-loved by locals, and boasts an award-winning brass bar.

Best hotel for waterfront views: Harbourview Inn

Neighbourhood: French Quarter

(Booking.com)

With Charleston’s historic district claiming most visitors’ attention, it’s sometimes easy to forget how beautiful the waterfront is. This inn’s name should give away one of its selling points, and the glinting Charleston Waterfront Park in the foreground of the property is a beautiful sight. If you’re planning to visit Patriot’s Point, you can even travel by water taxi for an added sense of glamour.

The property embraces its aquatic theme, with ocean maps and nautical accessories, polished wooden floors and marble fireplaces. The best waterfront views are from rooms in the more historic section of the building, and these also tend to have original fixtures and exposed brickwork.

The inn’s private rooftop bar is the place to be at sundown, as it’s an idyllic spot to sip a cocktail. The hotel also serves complimentary milk and cookies at 9pm every night.

Best hotel for music-lovers: Emeline

Neighbourhood: French Quarter

(Booking.com)

The swinging Motown soundtrack that serenades guests as they check in sets out the stall for this hotel, which has been converted from a DoubleTree property into one of the city’s hippest spots. There’s also a welcome glass of punch for new arrivals as they take in the bohemian collection of taxidermy and assorted curios that grace the lobby and public spaces. Local artists are featured heavily, including consultations on the vinyl library, from which you can borrow records to play on in-room turntables.

The guest rooms have been designed with a daring, striking colour palate – all emerald greens and mustard yellows. The plush, velvet textures reinforce that elevated vintage look. Don’t miss the outstanding blue crab fritters from the hotel’s restaurant, Frannie and the Fox.

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