55 Best Hotels in Charleston, South Carolina

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. 

Five restored 19th-century residences have been joined together to create this hideaway in the heart of the Ansonborough neighborhood that's surrounded by well-heeled homes. The 16 studios and suites are spread out among the interconnected historic structures—three former homes and two brick carriage houses, with private piazzas throughout—and many feature original elements like pine floors or millwork details. Rooms have a varied decor inspired by different elements of Charleston's past—tailored British trade, airy French romantic, and nautical yachting design—and feature natural linens and fabrics, marble bathrooms, and custom furniture. The superb Restaurant + Bar at Zero George serves breakfast and $145 prix-fixe dinners; libations can also be enjoyed in the garden courtyard.

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.

Mount Pleasant's finest hotel sits on Charleston Harbor, so you can gaze at the city's skyline with your feet on this resort's sandy beach or from the waterfront pool. The Beach Club's spacious rooms all sport oversized balconies overlooking the pool and harbor. Grounds include a bocce court, life-size chessboard, and a private movie theater. The resort's original hotel, the adjacent Harborside, shares the grounds and includes an additional 125 rooms and the Estuary Spa. A lot goes on here, from splashy boat shows at the marina and wedding celebrations to summertime concerts on Friday evenings. Children can jump into the mini-mariners' program, and parents can learn to navigate a sailboat. A number of annual sailing events are held here, and the bar scene at the three on-site restaurants is fun. Get here via a 10-minute ride on the Charleston Water Taxi (bikes are welcome) or on a trolley that runs to the Market area.

Set on an idyllic peninsula surrounded by salt marsh, the seven fully furnished cabins at this state park are a perfect place to spend an afternoon or an entire week. The cabins are actually climate-controlled houses, with flat-screen TVs, comfortable couches, and all the amenities of home. A trail system connects to 7 miles of hard-packed pathways through the woods or across several bridges and hammock islands to the beach. The park also has two campgrounds—one in the maritime forest and another that's beachfront.

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. 

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.

Built in the renovated Federal Building overlooking Marion Square, the Dewberry exudes style and sophistication from the travertine marble to the mahogany and walnut that adorn the lobby and in-house bar and restaurant. Rooms are among the city's priciest and most luxurious, from the Irish linens to the original local art. The reservations-only rooftop Citrus Club has enviable views of the city.

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.

With a swing bed, wicker furniture, and a wall-sized landscape painting of a Southern estate, the lobby of this fresh-faced newcomer is designed to feel like you're entering a stately mansion. Spacious, simple but tastefully adorned rooms—many with private balconies or views to the nearby St. Philip's Church steeple—sustain the Southern Living aesthetic. The rooftop lounge and bar may be the city's best, with complimentary cocktails each evening and live music on weekends. There's a fitness center, free bike rentals, nightly turndown service, and an impressive breakfast spread in the lobby bar each morning. 

The Mills House, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, celebrated its 170th anniversary in 2023 with a multimillion-dollar renovation. This modern iteration of Charleston's most iconic hotel feels shiny and fresh, yet rooted in history. The lobby sports high ceilings, an elaborate crystal chandelier, and marble floors, while all guest rooms feature art with female subjects by female artists. The terrace and delightful rooftop pool are among the Peninsula's best escapes, and the excellent Iron Rose restaurant, with its concise surf-and-turf menu, is a local destination for special occasions. Dine or sip cocktails in the courtyard or the comfortable porch and dining room filled with natural light.

A small enclave of 1840s-era buildings make up this homey, idyllic hostel. Nightly prices put the rest of the city's downtown lodgings to shame and include both dorm beds and private rooms. Of course, you need to be able to handle sharing a bathroom and kitchen space with fellow travelers. Linens, a locker, parking, and Internet access are free. A nearby sister property, the Annex, shares the same check-in desk but features six private rooms with queen beds and one room with a double bed and private bath.

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.

Guests at this 1,600-acre island beachfront resort can choose from two Tom Fazio–designed golf courses, a nationally ranked tennis program, and miles of paved trails to walk and jog. The focal points are the bright-and-airy Boardwalk Inn, which sits among a cluster of homes painted in pastels to resemble Charleston's Rainbow Row, and the Sweetgrass Inn, a 153-room hotel. Guests have access to multiple pools, including a heated adults-only enclave and two beachfront pools—and a bar and café—at the Grand Pavilion. Downtown-quality meals and drinks are served in myriad hot spots near (or in) the Sweetgrass Pavilion and beyond. The chef-driven Coastal Provisions restaurant serves date-night-worthy crab cakes and gnocchi, and Huey's, at the Links Course club house, offers hearty breakfasts and upscale pub grub.

Awash in style and modern luxury yet firmly rooted in historic authenticity, this boutique hotel caters to the well-to-do with a taste for understated class. The rooms each have a canopy bed but are otherwise unique, from hand-stenciled wallpaper to a stunning free-standing glass shower in the sole room on the top floor. Communal spaces are equally impressive, including a library with an honor bar, a salon where afternoon wine and cheese are served, and a kitchen where the Euro-Continental breakfast is served each morning. 

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.

Nestled in the heart of Charleston, this West Indies–inspired inn offers a range of accommodations, from charming rooms perfect for couples to two-level suites big enough for the whole family. A heavenly breakfast with fresh-baked pastries and biscuits with sausage gravy is offered in the fourth-floor solarium, which overlooks the church spires. Parking is valet only, at $28/day. It's in the bustling Market area, so ask for an interior room.

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.

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. 

Step directly from the heart of the city into the high-tech lobby of this hotel—look for a tucked-away media center and a sleek bistro that offers coffee, cocktails, and breakfast and dinner fare. Guest rooms are equally suited to the modern traveler, with ergonomic plug-and-play workstations and flat-screen TVs. Ceiling fans and framed photographs of Charleston give these spaces a homey feel. Kids will love the heated (but small) outdoor pool, and fitness buffs will be impressed by the spacious gym. Parking is valet only and $37 a day.

The cozy rooms—all updated with modern beds and furnishings—at this quaint, central inn surround a greenery-laden courtyard where you can sip a glass of wine and listen to the chimes of nearby churches. Although some consider the best rooms to be those on the second or third floor overlooking the courtyard, guests who enjoy more privacy might opt for the ground-level rooms along the back of the inn, which each have their own small patio.

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.

Wrought-iron railings, crown moldings, and decorative plasterwork speak of the elegance of 1924, when the Francis Marion was the largest hotel in the Carolinas. Still the tallest downtown hotel, it's a National Historic Trust property. In the handsome guest rooms—many of which overlook Marion Square—bountiful throw pillows and billowy curtains add flair. For the best views and the most serenity, ask for an upper-floor room facing King Street. Flavorful Lowcountry cuisine is served at the Swamp Fox restaurant, and a Starbucks is on the ground floor.

A grand circular staircase under a light-filled cupola—with a wrought-iron banister embellished with iron leaves by a local blacksmith—sets the lavish tone at this boutique hotel steps from the City Market. Breakfast, afternoon wine-and-cheese, and evening milk and cookies are all part of standard service and can be enjoyed on the charming terraces on each floor. The pillow menu is hard to beat; for an extra bit of luxury, try the big body pillows. Some rooms have fireplaces (yes, it does get cold enough for these October to February) and private balconies. Among the best rooms are No. 220, a suite with an office niche overlooking the courtyard, and No. 104, with a spacious L-shape design.

This inn is both lovely and quirky: its Victorian-dressed rooms (some with four-poster beds, handsome fireplaces, and jetted tubs) are laid out in a bit of a floor-creaking maze, but it adds to its individuality. Enjoy the appetizers and wine at the daily happy hour offered at neighboring property Kings Courtyard Inn. Fulton Lane Inn is run by the same folks who operate gems like the Wentworth Mansion and the John Rutledge House Inn.

Hardwood floors, a central fireplace, and leather furnishings in the lobby of what was once an 1860s railroad warehouse help elevate this chain hotel. Rooms are fresh and inviting but not large, and many overlook the pleasant outdoor lawn, swimming pool, and sitting area that make for a relaxing haven amid downtown's bustle. The location—directly adjacent to the Charleston Visitor Center—is perfect for exploring.

If you ask for a room with a view or even a private balcony here, you can gaze out over Charleston Harbor and onto the fountain at the center of Waterfront Park. All of the rooms were updated in 2021, shedding some traditional decor for updated armoires, drapes, and new carpet, plus refreshed local art. Some rooms are in a former 19th-century shipping warehouse with exposed brick walls, plantation shutters, and whirlpool tubs. Afternoon wine and cheese and evening milk and cookies are included. Parking is valet-only for $40 a day. A new hotel, The Cooper, is scheduled to open across the street in 2025, so ask about the state of construction noise and current views of the waterfront before booking.