10 Amazing Hotels in Charleston, SC

Looking for the best place to stay in Charleston, SC? You have a ton of options! Luckily, I’ve got you covered with the best hotels in Charleston.

Charleston is a popular Southern destination for romantic getaways, bachelorette parties, and family vacations. And you’ll need a great hotel to complement your perfect Charleston vacation.

I’ve visited Charleston many times, and I’ve never had a bad stay! Here are my top picks for the best Charleston hotels.

Top Hotels in Charleston

1. Hotel Emeline

Price: $$$ | Rating: 4.1/5 | View rates & availability

Hotel Emeline is a trendy boutique hotel in Downtown Charleston. This top-rated hotel is your home-away-from-home in Charleston, with Southern hospitality and a bed to rest your adventurous spirit.

You can choose from a King Room or a Suite. The rooms come with custom-embroidered linens, signature-scented bath amenities, accessories and decor by a local Charleston artist, free Wi-Fi, smart TVs, a refrigerator, and a view of the quaint courtyard or historic Charleston.

When you arrive, you’ll receive a complimentary welcome cocktail. On each floor, you’ll find refreshment nooks with fruit and water. Suites have record players with access to the vinyl library. There are complimentary snacks in your guest room, a happy hour with free wine and beer daily, and you can borrow a bike to get around, access the 24/7 fitness center, and get a free pass to some of Charleston’s premier fitness studios.

The hotel’s on-site Italian restaurant, Frannie & The Fox, is one of the best restaurants in Charleston. And tucked away inside the restaurant is The Den, a cozy bar. Plus, you have Clerks Coffee company for your morning brew and in-room dining.

Excellent does not even begin to describe our stay at the Emeline. Not only is the hotel beautiful and clean, but it is the perfect walking distance to amazing bars, shops, and restaurants downtown. The amenities were endless, including refreshment stations on each floor and vinyl record players in our rooms! We enjoyed a delicious meal at their restaurant, Frannie and the Fox. Their Taleggio pizza with burnt honey is to die for!!

– Sam D. (see more reviews)

When you stay at Hotel Emeline, you’ll be just off of Charleston City Market in the heart of Downtown. All of Charleston’s top things to do are a short walk away. This hotel is the perfect place to stay when visiting Charleston.

2. The Ryder Hotel

Price: $$$ | Rating: 4.1/5 | View rates & availability

If you’re looking for a fun, free-spirited place to stay, The Ryder Hotel is a boutique hotel that’s calling your name. This hotel is made for fun, from its beachy decor to its built-in experiences.

The rooms at The Ryder Hotel really lean in to Charleston’s beachy side with Queen Rooms, King Rooms, and Suites inspired by coastal Charleston. Rooms come with walk-in showers, luxe linens, free Wi-Fi, and cozy robes. You won’t ever want to leave the room! Except for all the fun amenities the hotel has.

The pool at The Ryder is the perfect place to layout, with comfortable sun loungers and poolside drink service. And while the hotel doesn’t have a fitness center, they can provide you with complimentary access to some of the city’s top fitness studios so you can work up a sweat. If you want to experience Charleston like a true local, pop into their Gear Garage for rental bikes, surfboards, polaroid cameras, and more. And if that’s not enough, the hotel has pop-up events like a Banana Bus, a Cold Brew Bar, Sunset Sessions, a Happy Hour, and more.

From breakfast to late night bites, this hotel has you covered. Little Palm is their cafe and cocktail bar; The Backyard is an island-inspired bar in the open-air courtyard; The Coffee Counter is your go-to morning spot; plus, you can take advantage of in-room dining.

Super cute and oh so aesthetic but also comfortable and clean! They had a room full of toys and gadgets (bikes, skateboards, Polaroid cameras, towels, etc) that made our unplanned day to the beach so easy. This hotel is a dream and feels like a resort in downtown Charleston. The restaurant and poolside bar are so convenient, not to mention delicious. They also have a cute coffee bar area. But if you’d prefer to eat elsewhere, there are tons of restaurants in walking distance, which was so nice! They have truly thought of everything and I would highly recommend!

-Carolina B. (see more reviews)

When you stay at The Ryder Hotel, you’re not far from King Street and City Market. This hotel in the heart of Downtown is a great place to stay in Charleston.

3. The Vendue, Charleston Art Hotel

Price: $$$ | Rating: 4.4/5 | View rates & availability

The Vendue is an art hotel in the French Quarter that’s unlike any other hotel in Charleston. Art-forward, funky, and eclectic, this hotel will blow you away.

The Vendue is two historic buildings combined, and so they actually have two different vibes for hotel rooms: rooms at The Vendue are playful and full of energy, meanwhile rooms at The Enclave at The Vendue are intimate with an atmosphere of privacy. Rooms come with Queen or King beds with comfortable linens, natural light, free Wi-Fi, and flat screen TVs.

The hotel is filled with 200 pieces of original art that make fun, photo-worthy backdrops. When you check-in, you’re treated to a welcome drink. You can also attend the afternoon art receptions, an evening of milk and cookies, get baked goods and fruit in the morning, daily snacks, a weekend mimosa bar, and rent a bike to get around town.

There are two on-site restaurants and bars. Revival on the bottom floor serves creative modern cuisine with a Southern flair. Up on the roof, The Rooftop at The Vendue is a top Charleston bar with perfect sunset views and a collection of creative cocktails.

The check-in process was wonderfully eclectic, setting the tone for the entire stay and atmosphere. The artist talk and receptions were excellent along with the the food at the Revival and Rooftop restaurants. Within walking distance of so many downtown attractions. Over the top service!

-Cheryl H. (see more reviews)

When you stay at The Vendue, you’ll be right in the French Quarter, just a short walk away from the iconic Pineapple Fountain and Rainbow Row.

4. Holiday Inn Charleston-Riverview

Price: $$ | Rating: 3.9/5 | View rates & availability

The Holiday Inn Charleston-Riverview is a waterfront hotel just across the Ashley River from Downtown Charleston. You get all the standard amenities of a Holiday Inn, plus a great location and a much cheaper price then hotels in Downtown. This is where Kevin and I stayed for our week in Charleston, and we loved it!

The hotel has rooms with Double or King beds, plus King Suites. The rooms are simple and clean, and thanks to the circular design of the hotel, every room comes with a unique view. I recommend upgrading for a Riverview from a higher floor. Plus, rooms have a refrigerator, free Wi-Fi, and complimentary tea and coffee.

One of the highlights of the Holiday Inn Charleston-Riverview is their free shuttle to Downtown that runs daily from early morning to late at night. You don’t have to worry about driving in Downtown or paying for parking! Other amenities include an outdoor pool, a fitness center, and free parking.

Up on the top floor of the hotel is the Harborview Restaurant & Lounge where you can get breakfast, Sunday lunch, dinner, and cocktails with a panoramic view of Downtown Charleston.

We really enjoyed our stay here. The location was perfect for what we needed. Just outside of the craziness of the main downtown area, but close enough that we could still drive anywhere we needed to pretty quickly. Nearly everything was within 10 minutes. There is a shuttle as well, but we preferred to drive ourselves. The pool area was nice, and the pool temp was perfect. Everyone on staff we interacted with were so friendly and professional. I knew as soon as we checked in we would have a great experience solely based on our interactions at the check in desk. Housekeeping was timely, and again, super friendly! The rooms were really clean, and were average size rooms.

– Ashley M. (see more reviews)

When you stay at Holiday Inn Charleston-Riverview, you’ll be just across the river from Downtown, with a free and convenient shuttle to take you straight to Market Street, plus you’re not far from plantations like Magnolia Gardens and Drayton Hall.

5. Grand Bohemian Hotel Charleston

Price: $$$ | Rating: 4.5/5 | View rates & availability

Grand Bohemian Hotel Charleston is a boutique luxury hotel with an art gallery, rooftop bar, wine bar, and so much more.

Choose from a Queen or a King room with either a view of the art atrium or of the city. The rooms have a distinct luxury, from the pillow top mattress and luxury bedding to the lighted make-up mirror and signature bathrobe. Rooms come with free Wi-Fi, TVs, a mini-fridge, and in-room tea and Starbucks coffee.

When you check-in, you’re treated to a glass of champagne. You can valet your car and charge up at the electric car charging station. Relax by the outdoor fire pit at the end of the day, and get your workout in at the 24-hour fitness center.

For breakfast, you can dine in the Mason Cafe on southern-inspired dishes. Up on the roof is Élevé Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge where you’ll find dishes with a Bohemian twist, great views of Charleston, cocktail classes, and live music. In the Grand Bohemian Wine Bar, you’ll be able to sample wine from around the world.

Great food, artwork, and everything was clean with no issues. Room service was all very quick and professional. Extremely helpful valet team as well, really made the experience much easier! Always stocked with waters for the hot weather we were having and helped out with every need we had.

-Jeffery L. (see more reviews)

When you stay at Grand Bohemian Hotel Charleston, you’ll be near King Street and City Market, and just a short walk away from some of Downtown Charleston’s top attractions.

6. Andrew Pinckney Inn

Price: $$$ | Rating: 4.5/5 | View rates & availability

Andrew Pinckney Inn offers a quintessentially Southern stay with old-world charm in their two restored historic buildings, without sacrificing modern comfort.

The hotel offers Double, Queen, and King rooms and suites. All rooms come with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, a mini fridge, coffee maker, luxury bath amenities, luxury pillows and linens, and welcome water bottles. Choose from a quaint courtyard view or a city view.

You can enjoy daily breakfast, and end the day with an afternoon wine & cheese reception on the rooftop Solarium overlooking the city. The hotel hosts weekly events and workshops featuring Charleston’s chefs, tour guides, musicians, artists, and more

We were visiting from the UK and the Andrew Pinckney Inn was a 2 night stop as we continued our US road trip. It really was a fantastic place to stay and so convenient for exploring Charleston and for walking to pick up the ferry for Fort Sumter. The room was really nice and very comfortable. The breakfast was excellent and the terrace room was a lovely place to enjoy it. We also took advantage of the great hospitality on offer when the free wine and nibbles took place. It was great to chat to fellow guests and we all enjoyed finding out a bit about where we came from. All in all a wonderful stay.

-Paul P. (see more reviews)

When you stay at the Andrew Pinckney Inn, you’re not far from attractions like the South Carolina Aquarium and the Middleton-Pinckney House. This hotel has a great location in Downtown Charleston.

7. Indigo Inn

Price: $$ | Rating: 4.6/5 | View rates & availability

The Indigo Inn is an intimate hotel in a historic building that was once used to store indigo dye. The indigo theme is carried throughout the luxury hotel in art, throw pillows, and pops of color designed by Charleston-based indigo grower and textile artist Chi Design Indigo.

This intimate inn has 40 guest rooms with Queen and King rooms with a view of Charleston or of the European-style atrium. The room designs are simple and traditional, with cozy spaces for lounging, free Wi-Fi, a mini fridge, and touches of Charleston’s indigo history.

When you stay here, you’ll be treated to a complimentary continental breakfast, which you can enjoy in the courtyard. In the evenings, enjoy a complimentary wine and cheese reception and bedtime milk and cookies.

Highly recommend! The hotel staff is super friendly, helpful. The room was well appointed, comfortable. Perfect location for strolling around town. The continental breakfast has soooo many options, the evening wine and cheese reception is great and we loved the bedtime milk and cookies!

-Anita B. (see more reviews)

When you stay at Indigo Inn, you’ll be just steps away from from world-class shopping on King Street and a 2-minute walk from the pleasant Marion Square, one of Charleston’s most popular parks and a great free thing to do.

8. Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston Historic District

Price: $$ | Rating: 3.7/5 | View rates & availability

The Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston Historic District is a unique hotel set in the restored, pink castle building that used to house the former Citadel Military College.

While the outside may look like a castle, you can rest assured that the interior of the hotel has all the comforts you’d expect from an Embassy Suites. The all-suite hotel has King, Queen, and Double suites. Rooms come with a seating area with a sleeper sofa, a mini fridge, a microwave, free Wi-Fi, and two TVs. For a unique experience, opt to stay in a historic interior suite that was once the original Citadel cadet quarters (you won’t miss the windows).

The hotel features an outdoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center. In the morning, enjoy a complimentary made-to-order breakfast. And in the evening, enjoy the complimentary evening reception with drinks and snacks.

The hotel is a quirky pink castle with a large atrium and suites on balconies surrounding it. The rooms are large and well appointed. There was a refrigerator and microwave. The complimentary breakfast goes from 7-10am! It has custom made omelets, steam table fare, cereals and breads and fresh fruit. Juices, coffee and sodas are available. Every afternoon from 5:30-7:30 a bar is set up in the hotel lobby and folks gather for two ticketed wine and/or well drinks and snacks. The servers were great and joining my fellow hotel guests either in the lobby or outdoors on the patio made for a convivial trip.

-Rowan F. (see more reviews)

When you stay at Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston Historic District, you’ll be right on the edge of the popular Marion Square and just a short walk away from top sights like the South Carolina Aquarium.

9. The Inn at Middleton Place

Price: $$$ | Rating: 4.3/5 | View rates & availability

The Inn at Middleton Place is set within the historic Middleton Place plantation. This one-of-a-kind hotel overlooks the Ashley River and offers a quiet retreat in Charleston. The modern building is designed to blend seamlessly into its natural environment, and its greenery-covered walls are almost unnoticeable on the property.

The hotel offers King and Queen rooms with cozy wood floors, walls, and furnishings. The spacious rooms have a variety of different features, from fireplaces to soaker tubs to pull-out sofas to wrap-around decks. Each room has floor-to-ceiling windows for plenty of natural lighting, free Wi-Fi, a TV, a mini fridge, a coffee maker, and Local deep Steep bath products.

For the entirety of your stay, you have general admission access to the Middleton Place National Historic Landmark so that you can explore the expansive gardens at your leisure. You can also relax by the outdoor pool and play outdoor and indoor games provided by the hotel.

In the morning, enjoy a complimentary breakfast buffet in the Lake House. In the afternoon, attend the cheese and happy hour event. For dinner, dine at the Middleton Place Restaurant for Low country favorites. Then in the evening, have a complimentary night cap in the Lodge.

The bed was comfortable, there was a fireplace and coffee maker in room and the breakfast, which was listed as continental had hot and cold servings – which were delicious. I highly recommend and my only regret was staying one night.

-Elizabeth B. (see more reviews)

When you stay at The Inn at Middleton Place, you’ll be on the grounds of the historic Middleton Place plantation and just a short drive away other popular plantations like Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and Drayton Hall.

10. The Dewberry

Price: $$$ | Rating: 4.6/5 | View rates & availability

The Dewberry is a 5-star luxury hotel in the historic 1964 L. Mendel Rivers Federal Building. Created by John Dewberry, the hotel presents Charleston from a personal perspective.

The hotel features King and Queen rooms and Suites, each designed with delicate botanical patterns and marble bathrooms. The mattresses are imported from Ireland, the minibar is chef-curated, you can lounge around in plush bathrobes and slippers, and you can get a wakeup call or a same-day dry cleaning and laundry service.

The Dewberry is a treasure trove of luxury amenities. When you stay here, you’ll benefit from a full concierge service, complimentary shoeshine services, valet parking, morning coffee and newspapers, bike rentals, beach towels and totes, personal shopping, a fitness studio, a spa, boutique shops, and a house car program.

Enjoy a relaxing meal at The Living Room, the hotel’s mid-century modern restaurant that’s designed to feel like a true Charleston living room. Then head up to the 8th floor for skyline and sea views at the Citrus Club, Charleston’s highest rooftop bar.

This is my third time staying at the Dewberry, and I intend to keep coming back. There are many lovely hotels in Charleston, and I’ve stayed at a few that I greatly enjoyed, but I keep coming back to the Dewberry as the perfect combination of sophistication, elegance, service, and atmosphere

-Z. Shariff (see more reviews)

When you stay at The Dewberry, you’ll be right off Marion Square and a short walk from the Charleston Museum and the Joseph Manigault House.

Charleston Hotels Map

Ready to book your stay in Charleston? Use the map below to find all the best Charleston hotels listed in this post.

I hope you have an amazing trip to Charleston, SC!

Where to Stay in Charleston FAQ

More Charleston Tips

Check out the posts below to continue planning your Charleston vacation:

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• 14 Romantic Things to Do in Charleston for Couples
• 50+ Fun Things to Do in Charleston at Night
• 10 Best Tours in Charleston, SC
• 16 Best Restaurants in Charleston, SC
• 11 Best Bars in Charleston, SC
• Your Perfect Charleston Bachelorette Party Itinerary
• 9 Free Things to Do in Charleston, SC
• 37 Best Things to Do in Charleston, SC
• 7 Days in Charleston: Perfect 1 Week Charleston Itinerary
• 14 Tips for Your First Trip to Charleston, SC
• 14 Best Summer Vacation Spots in the South
• The Best Winter Vacations in the South

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Ready to visit Charleston, South Carolina? Plan your trip with these tips.

• Book your flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
• Find accommodation: You can find top hotels in Charleston using Booking.com or vacation rentals near Charleston using VRBO.
• Get packing: Make sure you’ve packed everything you need with my packing list resources.

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Cheers!

Paige

Which of these hotels in Charleston, SC will you stay at? Let me know in the comments!