7 Best Hotels in Charleston, South Carolina

Ten minutes from downtown but worlds away, these 10 three-bedroom vaulted cabins include kitchens (with utensils and dishes), satellite TV, outdoor grills, and linens—but guests spend most of their time on the screened-in porches, soaking up the view across the marsh and the Stono River. The serene park setting includes easy access to miles of walking trails, a fishing dock, a disc golf course, and a climbing wall. There's also a campground with RV and tent sites. Be sure to book far in advance.

The sunset views from the balconies of this river-view hotel get better the higher you go—they're wonderful from the seasonal rooftop Aqua Terrace bar and lounge, where drinks and tapas are served. A glamorous glass addition with a cascading waterfall houses the concierge desk. The pool area is fringed by plenty of palms, and a fitness center has a wall of windows to let in the sun. 

A courtyard where cadets once marched is now a soaring atrium—complete with a glass ceiling, frilly palm trees, and a babbling fountain—in this 1822 building that once served as the Old Citadel. The restored brick walls of the breakfast room and some guest rooms contain original gun ports. Handsome teak and mahogany furniture and sisal rugs in the common areas recall the British-colonial era. Guest rooms are not nearly as chic, but are comfortable and serviceable. The wall of the tiny pool literally backs up to Marion Square.

Just a five-minute drive over the scenic Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge from downtown Charleston, this is the perfect outpost for those who plan to explore the city for hours on end but want a quiet, modern, and economical spot to lay their heads. The snap-to-it staff is most helpful and professional, and the decor is contemporary, including sleek public spaces and meeting rooms galore. An on-site restaurant includes breakfast service but is not complimentary.

Repeat guests are the norm thanks to the central setting—and $20 self-parking—at this newly renovated, family-owned inn with a peaceful vibe. Take your complimentary "hunt breakfast" or the nightly wine and cheese in the lovely courtyard adorned with greenery and a fountain. 

Guest rooms in this 1874 stucco mansion, with porches on the second, third, and fourth floors, overlook a lovely courtyard with fountains and a hot tub. The nightly wine-and-cheese reception in the lobby is the reincarnation of a more genteel time. Four-poster or canopy beds, chair rails, and patterned wallpaper create a period feel, and many rooms have hardwood floors and oriental rugs.

Offering both a view of the Ravenel Bridge and a free welcome drink (a Moxy-wide amenity that feels especially appropriate in Charleston), the 131-room Moxy is a high-spirited stay close to popular restaurants. Meals aren't included, but there's a full-service restaurant on the premises, as well as a podcast studio for guests who want to be heard beyond city limits.