16 Best Hotels in Charleston, South Carolina

Facing White Point Garden, this 11-room inn within a five-story 1843 mansion makes you feel like you've stepped back in time. Gaze up at the ceiling in the massive ballroom or relax in the sitting room with views of Fort Sumter and Charleston Harbor. Five of the inn's rooms are built into the carriage house of an adjacent 19th-century home, overlooking the magically pleasant courtyard and garden. Two rooms are in the former basement but are surprisingly light and welcoming. Breakfasts often include local treats from Callie's Hot Little Biscuit, and the evening wine and charcuterie gatherings on the front porch are Charleston living at its finest.

At this boutique hotel you can relax in your comfortable suite or indulge in evening wine and cheese on the expansive rooftop terrace while enjoying views of the city and Cooper River. The architectural details of this early-1900s building—a former stationer's warehouse—have been emphasized by leaving brick walls exposed and designing around the grand heart-pine beams and wood ceilings. Oil paintings of hunting dogs hang above clubby leather chairs and sofas around the fireplace. The classy British pub downstairs is perfect for a nightcap. Self-parking is $25 at an open lot across the street.

Gaze up at the immense handblown Murano glass chandelier in the open lobby, click across the Italian marble floors, and browse the gallery of upscale shops that complete the ground-floor offerings of this landmark hotel with bright, modern rooms. Should you need more enticements, there is also a deluxe day spa, a fitness center, and an inviting indoor salt-and-mineral-water pool with an illuminated skylight for night swimming, along with four fantastic restaurants and bars that include the equestrian-theme Thoroughbred Club, known for their top-shelf whiskey selection. 

This former DoubleTree feels like a boutique hotel despite its size, thanks to an endless array of thoughtful touches, from welcome cocktails and staff who remember your name to in-room record players with classic albums like Piano Man and Pet Sounds. Although some rooms are small, the smart use of space, custom furnishings, and hip art and fixtures convey pure luxury. Interior rooms open to a lengthy courtyard, where fountains, a brick fireplace, and ample greenery set the mood. Two terrific on-site restaurants bustle with activity and are popular with locals, especially on weekends.

From raffia ceilings to elaborate molding to light fixtures fashioned from seagrass baskets, Lowcountry-inspired design surrounds you at this high-end newcomer. Most rooms are designed for couples—king beds, elaborate showerheads, in-room wet bars—but a few have pullouts for families. Balconies overlook East Bay and side streets, but the action is in the lobby, where the bar draws both visitors and locals for inspired, international spins on classic cocktails. 

Charleston architect Neil Stevenson designed this boutique hotel to be swank and suave to the hilt, featuring several rooftop terraces with sleek sofas and prime views. Step inside the suites within this pair of 1800s buildings and you're in a world of exposed brick, warm wood floors, soaring ceilings, and swank decor. With its wine-and-cheese (plus mini-kegs of beer) cocktail hour each evening, a heated rooftop relaxation pool with views of the city, and the on-site Rise Coffee Bar, it offers the best of creature comforts. Set above the shops on King Street, the location is ideal for those who want to explore all aspects of the city. And no worries on the noise factor: most shops close by 7 pm and you're a few floors up, so any residual action is nicely buffered.

Designed with the young, hip, and high-tech traveler in mind, this chain hotel has everything from touch-screen check-in kiosks to a stylish bar with a pool table. The small rooms continue the retro-chic look with smartly designed wall panels and high-tech touches like 42-inch flat-screen TVs with plugs to connect your own device. The inexpensive price tag alone may be enough to tempt you away from the downtown peninsula. But be forewarned—it's a $20 cab ride from downtown.

This company's inventory of privately owned beach homes ranges from one-bedroom condos to six-bedroom manses smack-dab on the beach. Units are furnished, with one to several TVs and DVD players, and their kitchens are stocked with pots and pans, dishes, cutlery, and microwaves. During peak summer months, most properties require one-week minimum stays.

A sunny swimming pool and breezy patios overlooking the Ashley River are among the main attractions at this modern hotel that's a convenient stop for boaters docked at the nearby marinas. Guest rooms include docks for your electronic devices and 42-inch flat-screen HD TVs. There's also a fitness center and a 24-hour convenience store.

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. 

The New Orleans–esque exterior of this National Historic Landmark (the former residence of politician and slaveholder John Rutledge) has wrought-iron architectural details, and inside, parquet floors sit beneath 14-foot ceilings adorned with plaster moldings. Families gravitate to the privacy and quiet of the two carriage houses overlooking the shaded brick courtyard. Breakfast—continental as well as at least one hot item—can be taken in the ballroom, the elegant but simple courtyard, or your room.

The three delightful courtyards at this centrally located circa-1853 inn are great places to enjoy your continental breakfast, afternoon sherry, or evening wine and cheese in the open air courtyard. Numerous windows give some of the guest rooms—filled with antique reproductions and Oriental rugs on the original hardwood floors—great views of busy King Street. Despite the historic touches, rooms still feel modern. Working fireplaces add romance to a selection of rooms, and the two-room suites give families ample space.

Combining a Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites, this spot draws large groups away from the crowded peninsula to its modern complex set tucked into a pine forest just off I-26. Suites feature full-size fridges, views of the woods, and handsome, modern decor. The large outdoor pool and cabanas are a perk for families and summertime visitors, and a nature trail winds from the parking lot through the adjacent wetlands.

When The Ryder opened in 2021, repurposing the old King Charles Inn, it immediately endeared itself to locals thanks to its poolside bar, Little Palm. On steamy summer days, it's the place to kick back with a cocktail. A stay here puts you close to the action—and the City Market. Rooms sport natural and muted tones, and furniture with surprisingly few right angles, creating a relaxed aura. 

The grandest inn in town features Second Empire antiques and reproductions, elaborate woodwork, and original stained-glass windows, as well as sweeping views from the rooftop cupola. In the colder months, the staff draws the velvet drapes and lights the gas fireplaces of the baronial, high-ceilinged guest rooms. Italian linens and down pillows add to the opulence. The complimentary evening wine and delectable hors d'oeuvres are served in the sunny, glass-enclosed parlor. The hot breakfast is made in the inn's laudable restaurant, Circa 1886, which shares the former carriage house with a spa, where treatments include couples massages.