Best Hotels in
Charleston

The finest hotel in Charleston occupies a beautifully restored 1964 Federal Building, with interiors that reference mid-century modernism through warm wood panelling, Italian marble, and American craftsmanship at every turn. The Henrietta's bar and Minero restaurant are among the city's most reliably excellent, and the rooftop plunge pool and bar is the best in the city.

• Downtown
• Luxury
• Design

A cluster of five adjoining 19th-century buildings transformed into a 18-room boutique with the intimacy of a private residence and the polish of a genuine luxury hotel. The carriage house restaurant and cooking school under chef Vinson Petrillo is one of Charleston's most distinctive dining experiences, and the walled courtyard is magnificent.

• Ansonborough
• Boutique
• Food

A 41-room Art Deco boutique that brings a distinctly Manhattan energy to the French Quarter — the lobby's chandeliers, the Art Deco detailing, and the Spectator Bar's craft cocktail programme are exceptional. Rooms are among the most polished in the city, and the location on State Street puts you steps from the historic City Market.

• French Quarter
• Art Deco
• Couples

Charleston's 'Art Hotel' occupies a pair of renovated 18th-century buildings in the French Quarter with a curated collection of original artworks commissioned specifically for the property. The rooftop bar overlooks the rooftops and steeples of the historic district in what may be the best free sunset view in the city.

• French Quarter
• Art
• Rooftop

The most consistently excellent small hotel in Charleston for over three decades, with handsomely appointed rooms, an enclosed piazza garden, and Peninsula Grill — one of the South's greatest restaurants, famous for its twelve-layer Ultimate Coconut Cake. The location on Market Street is ideally central without being in the tourist scrum.

• Market District
• Historic
• Food

The only hotel in Charleston with direct views across Charleston Harbour to Fort Sumter — a 52-room property on Vendue Range with a rooftop terrace that captures the most dramatic sunrise light in the city. The included continental breakfast and evening wine hour add exceptional value to already competitive rates.

• Waterfront
• Views
• Value

The anchor property of Charleston's Upper King Street design and food corridor — 16 rooms and suites spread across a collection of historic buildings, with rooftop lounge access, an included pantry breakfast, and an ideal position amid the city's best restaurants and boutiques.

• Upper King
• Boutique
• Design

A jaw-dropping 1886 Second Empire mansion converted into a 21-room inn with individually decorated rooms featuring period antiques, fireplaces, and free-standing tubs, plus a carriage house spa and Circa 1886 restaurant in the original kitchen building. The most romantic hotel in South Carolina, without question.

• Cannonborough
• Historic
• Honeymoon

A 40-room inn in a converted 19th-century warehouse in the French Quarter, offering comfortable, historically appointed rooms at some of the most reasonable rates in the historic district. The included breakfast and prime location make it an exceptional value for a city where accommodation prices run high.

• French Quarter
• Historic
• Value

The best budget option in Charleston occupies a beautifully maintained Victorian house near the corner of Cannon and Spring Streets, with dorms and private rooms in a neighbourhood that locals prefer to the tourist-dense Market District. The porch culture, common kitchen, and knowledgeable staff create a genuine community experience.

• Cannonborough
• Budget
• Solo