The Best Boutique Hotels in Charleston (2023)

The Lowdown: The multi award winning Spectator Hotel’s famous lobby bar is a suave tribute to the Roaring Twenties. The rooms are a bit more modern in appearance, as are the exteriors, but the bygone-era like effect remains throughout. Service is legendary here – they have a small team of classically trained butlers wandering around, always at your service. The focal point lobby and bar serve as a kind of living room here for guests, and with such small numbers staying at any one time the atmosphere is intimate and friendly. It’s a very popular hotel, and also very small – it has just 41 rooms – so booking your stay in advance is recommended. Rooms: Just 41 rooms in total then but you have a deal of choice – from 377 sq. ft. entry level rooms to 538 sq. ft. Premier Penthouse Suites. Their entry level rooms are good value relative to the upper end suites we think, especially the ones with the balconies, and all the rooms seem to come with good views. None of them are particularly spacious though we have to say. But once that’s out of the way it’s very difficult to find fault with anything. They are bright, cheery and mainly dressed in white. They have king size beds, stylish lighting, plush carpets and velvet headboards alongside modern hotel amenities such as Nespresso coffee machines and cable TV. The bathrooms are white marble, and come with double vanity sinks, walk-in rain showers and locally made, Deep Steep luxury bath products. Prices & Availability: Enter your dates and check prices at Booking.com here. Food & Facilities: Surprisingly perhaps, there isn’t much in the way of food made at the hotel itself. Gourmet continental breakfasts are ordered in fresh from a local bakery and delivered to your room for example. There are many good restaurants nearby though, and your personal butler can pick up food from any number of them and deliver it to your room. There are drinks though in abundance at the marvelously atmospheric bar, which is also a popular spot with locals. It does snacks and small bites alongside its famous retro cocktails. READ MORE

The Lowdown: Charleston is lucky enough to have two of the USA’s very best boutique hotels – the smaller, more intimate, Spectator Hotel, and this one here, the very grand, also award winning, Hotel Bennett. It has 179 luxurious rooms and suites, and lots of lovely common space including a rooftop terrace with swimming pool, four drinking and dining venues and a small spa and gym. Rooms: They have a wide range of accommodation here from 355 sq. ft. neat and tidy rooms to very opulent 1050 sq ft suites with balconies and nice views over Marion Square. In between you have some spacious suites and rooms some of which also have balconies and nice views. Whatever you choose you are absolutely guaranteed a very high level of luxury and comfort. They all come with super comfortable king size beds, sofas, work desks, cable TVs and coffee makers, high tech controls for lighting and curtains, and 24 hour room service. Some, as mentioned, also have balconies and they all have quite wonderful bathrooms with designer soaking tubs. Prices & Availability: Enter your dates and check prices at Booking.com here. Food & Facilities: Their signature restaurant is Gabrielle, a sophisticated fine dining venue which has a lovely outdoor terrace overlooking Marion Square. It also has a stylish, lively bar. The menu lies somewhere between Southern U.S. and European, particularly French. Lots of great fresh seafood too. The Patisserie serves a range of coffee and has a European vibe, croissants and all. Fiat Lux up on the ninth floor by the swimming pool is a sleek cocktail bar with a broad wine list and also does small bites and snacks – club sandwiches, salads, cheese & charcuterie boards etc. Then there is the swanky Camellia champagne bar with its mirrored ceilings and pink marble floors and table tops. Other facilities include a gym, open 24 hours, and a spa, with spa treatments and massages etc. also available in your own room. Room service is 24 hours and you can also order off the menu from Gabrielle for room delivery but only until 10pm when the kitchen closes. Hotel Bennett is pet friendly READ MORE