After writing guides for countless publications about Charleston, including the best places to stay around the city, it became time for our own guide to accommodations. There is a large diversity in the types and prices of properties spanning every loyalty program.
We’ve denoted which ones are our picks and which ones come highly recommended on travel websites so that you can be sure that you’re staying in the best place.
We occasionally accept complimentary accommodations in exchange for a review to offset costs but write honestly about our experiences.
This post contains affiliate links.
Accommodation Type
Don’t limit yourself to just one type of accommodation!
Charleston Hotels
Looking for a Charleston hotel? Look no further. In this city, you’ll find a little bit of everything, from the chains in all corners of the city to stylish boutique brands to historic inns.
Hotels are the preferred type of accommodation for visitors to the city due to the abundance of options. Shop around on multiple websites, but we prefer Booking.com and Hotels.com.
Charleston Hostels
Believe it or not, there are hostels in Charleston. The Not So Hostel is the area’s only shared accommodation, inspired by the ones in Europe.
They have two buildings at the main hostel, made up of two Charleston row houses with bunk beds, and another guesthouse down the street with private rooms. There’s a full kitchen and bicycles for rent.
Charleston Airbnb and Rentals
While you might be thinking about how great it would be to stay in one of the gorgeous houses downtown, there are no short-term rentals allowed in the city. You might be able to find some rogue listings, but it is not recommended.
Airbnb does exist off “the peninsula,” namely in James Island and West Ashley. If it’s your first time staying with Airbnb, you can use this link to receive a discount.
This sailboat was one I stayed on in the harbor. Beach houses on Folly Beach, Sullivan’s Island, and Isle of Palms can be booked through websites like VRBO.
Camping
There is even camping near downtown Charleston. James Island County Park is the closest campground to the city, with both cabins and campsites with full hookups, a bathhouse, WiFi, picnic facilities, and a store.
Over in Mt. Pleasant, the KOA campground has standard tent and RV sites as well as cabins, including those in old train cars. Further afield, there are campgrounds on Johns Island and within Edisto Beach State Park.
Charleston Neighborhoods
Most visitors to Charleston try to stay downtown, which is where the majority of the hotels are located. But there are plenty of other areas to explore.
Downtown
Most of the city’s best hotels are located downtown or “on the peninsula,” as it is known. King and Meeting streets are especially full of big-name and boutique brands of varying levels of luxury.
Further towards Market Street lies Belmond Charleston Place, the Market Pavilion Hotel, and the DoubleTree, as well as smaller bed and breakfasts and inns.
This is the best area of town to stay if you want to walk everywhere, but keep in mind that parking comes at a price, as do the rates.
Lockwood Drive
An alternative to the prices and paid parking of downtown is the area around Lockwood Drive. This busy road connects downtown to James Island and West Ashley and is near the city’s medical complexes.
It’s also near The Citadel and the Riverdogs baseball stadium as well as some of Charleston’s up and coming neighborhoods. The Charleston Marriott, Courtyard Marriott, and Hilton Garden Inn all have views of the water.
West Ashley
If you’re planning on visiting the Charleston plantations, West Ashley is a good place to base yourself. You can dine out at the restaurants of the Avondale area and shop at the boutiques and big-name shops at Citadel Mall.
The Holiday Inn Charleston Riverview is just barely over the bridge to downtown, but there are also outposts of Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, and Comfort Suites in this area.
Mt. Pleasant
Mount Pleasant is just over the bridge, but a great place to get to both downtown and the beaches of Sullivans Island and Isle of Palms. Shem Creek is the best place in the city to dine on fresh seafood, with many choices of restaurants.
There’s even a weekly farmers market with many of the same vendors as the one downtown. The Hotel Indigo has its own pool and parking, while The Beach Club at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina is conveniently located to the USS Yorktown attraction.
North Charleston
If your stay is a short one, your best bet might be North Charleston, home to the airport. But that’s not all. This area has its own museums and attractions, like Park Circle, the Navy Base, the North Charleston Fire Museum, and Magnolia Cemetery.
North Charleston also has its popular performing arts and convention centers, as well as the outlet mall. This is where chain hotels, including Aloft, DoubleTree, and Embassy Suites are located.
Our Picks
Between the visits before I lived there and afterward, I’ve had the chance to check out plenty of Charleston hotels. We have personally stayed in each of the below-mentioned properties.
Hotel Emeline
Hotel Emeline is one of the first new properties to the Market area, set in a former bank building and opened in 2020. Designed by Makeready, the team behind Savannah‘s Alida Hotel and Nashville‘s Noelle, every detail is considered from the signature scent to local artwork.
There are over 200 guest rooms and suites, all of which are pet-friendly. The rooms have luxurious sheets, flat-screen televisions, and a wardrobe. The bathroom has plush bathrobes and top-of-the-line toiletries.
The lobby has a popular coffee shop, a living room area with records, and the Keep Shop, a curated gift shop with locally made goods like jewelry, books, and a custom-made Stetson hat.
If you like: Instagrammable decor, Italian restaurant
Other features: sparkling water on every floor, valet parking
Read our review or click here to book your stay.
Post House Inn
The Post House Inn in the Old Village of Mount Pleasant is an 1800s building that has been a number of businesses over the years. A few years ago, the team behind Basic Kitchen reopened it as a boutique inn and restaurant.
The property has seven rooms, all decorated differently, with plush bedding, large windows, a minibar of locally made goods, and luxury toiletries. Guests also enjoy a daily European-style breakfast during their stay.
If You Like: culinary experiences, quiet neighborhood
Other features: free street parking, bike rentals
Read our review or click here to book your stay.
Embassy Suites Charleston
Located in the former building belonging to The Citadel on Marion Square, the structure of the Embassy Suites thus resembles a military fortress. But there’s no better location in town for guests, steps away from the weekly farmer’s markets as well as the shops and restaurants of King Street.
Guest rooms are situated around the large atrium. The large rooms are modestly furnished with cozy bedding, pull out couches, flat-screen televisions, and coffee makers. Suites have complimentary Internet access.
What sets the Embassy Suites apart from other Charleston hotels is its free made-to-order breakfasts and evening reception with drinks and snacks, both complimentary daily. There’s also an outdoor pool and fitness center.
If you like: historic hotels, shopping, walkability
Other features: meeting rooms, paid self and valet parking
Click here to book your stay.
Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina
If you don’t mind staying just over the bridge, Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina is Mt. Pleasant’s best accommodation, with two unique properties within one complex.
Harborside is a hotel with 125 nautical-inspired rooms, in traditional, deluxe, and suite options, with coffee makers, refrigerators, flat-screen televisions, and some with balconies.
The Beach Club is the resort’s luxury property, a Leading Hotel of the World, with 92 guest rooms and suites with patios and balconies, custom beds, and Gilchrist & Soames toiletries.
Guests have access to a private beach, multiple pools with games and cabanas, and the Estuary Spa. Bike rentals are also offered. The resort has four separate food and drink outlets.
Charleston Harbor Fish House is one of the city’s best, open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a menu of coastal dishes.
The Bridge Bar is on the roof and overlooks both the harbor and the Yorktown. The seasonal Reel Bar is the perfect spot for a cold pint with one of their sandwiches or pizzas. The Beach Club Tiki Bar has shareable bites with tropical drinks like daiquiris and punch.
If you like: spas, pools, relaxation
Other features: boat slips, downtown trolley, stores, paid self and valet parking
Read our review or click here to book your stay.
Inn at Middleton Place
Located on the grounds of one of Charleston’s most beautiful plantations, the uniquely designed buildings are surrounded by trees and greenery.
The inn has 55 guest rooms full of light with king or queen beds, handcrafted furniture, marble baths, and wood-burning fireplaces.
Some even have pull out couches to accommodate more guests. The inn’s only suite has a wraparound balcony. All have high-speed Internet, Keurig coffee makers, and Beekman 1802 toiletries.
Guests have access to daily breakfast, the spa, riverside swimming pool, bicycles, walking trails, kayak rentals, horses, and access to the landscaped gardens at Middleton Place. They also have room service available from the Middleton Place Restaurant. Most pets can also stay with you.
If you like: spas, relaxation, access to nearby plantations, honeymoon
Other features: onsite restaurants, parking included
Click here to book your stay.
The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel
A hotel named for Otis Mills, the builder and local grain merchant, was first built in 1853 on this site, hosting prestigious individuals like Theodore Roosevelt.
The original hotel fell into disrepair in 1968 and was eventually demolished, but rebuilt in a style similar to how it once appeared. There have even been rumors of hauntings at this Meeting Street hotel over the years.
The Mills House Hotel has stylishly furnished rooms with king and double rooms, some even with balconies. They also have suites with additional living and working space.
Rooms come with flat-screen televisions, coffee and tea makers, high-speed Internet, complimentary daily newspapers, and workspaces.
The Barbados Room is the hotel’s in-house restaurant, open all day, and the Best Friend Lounge is their cocktail bar. They also have a business center, fitness center, and outdoor pool. This hotel is well located for visitors interested in the Gibbes Museum of Art and the nearby Charleston City Market.
If you like: history, walkable location
Other features: wedding and meeting space, paid valet parking
Click here to book your stay.
Charleston Marriott
Set on Lockwood Drive, the Charleston Marriott is a good option away from the chaos of downtown, but easy to access the area via the hotel shuttle.
The property has 335 rooms and 9 suites with WiFi, coffee and tea makers, mini-fridges, flat-screen televisions, and bathrobes. There are king and queen rooms and suites, some with balconies.
The hotel’s onsite restaurant, Saffire, is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu has coastal flavors, including flatbreads, sandwiches, and salads.
Grab a drink at the Aqua Terrace, a rooftop bar overlooking the Ashley River. The Marriott also has a saltwater pool, business center, and fitness center.
If you like: value
Other features: event space, complimentary self-parking, paid WiFi
Click here to book your stay.
Other Recommended Properties
We haven’t had the chance to stay at these properties yet, but they are highly rated on TripAdvisor and other hotel review websites.
Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant
- Stylish boutique furnishings
- Pool, fitness center, and yoga area
- In-house restaurant
- Book here
The Vendue
- Rooftop bar
- Art gallery
- Complimentary breakfast, champagne, and Internet
- Book here
The Spectator Hotel
- Butler service
- In-room continental breakfast
- Complimentary WiFi and bike rentals
- Book here
Zero George Street
- Set in 1804 buildings
- Complimentary bike rentals
- In-house restaurant
- Book here
The Dewberry
- In-house restaurant and spa
- Complimentary bike rentals
- Rooftop bar
- Book here
Belmond Charleston Place
- Over 400 luxurious rooms
- Multiple shops and restaurants
- Award-winning spa
- Book here
Kings Courtyard Inn
- Continental breakfast in rooms
- Evening wine and cheese reception
- Access to King Street restaurants and shops
- Book here
French Quarter Inn
- Sound Sleep menu
- Evening wine and cheese reception
- Complimentary bike rentals
- Book here
The Restoration
- Stylish suites
- Rooftop bar
- In-house spa and nail bar
- Book here
Grand Bohemian Hotel
- Rooftop garden restaurant and bar
- Wellness center
- Art gallery
- Book here
Wentworth Mansion
- 1860s Victorian mansion
- Afternoon wine reception
- In-house restaurant
- Book here
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