The Charleston Place
"How did it strike you on arrival?In its three decades of existence, The Charleston Place has become a sort of opulent living room for locals. It’s in the heart of the city. People love to pass through its lobby to check out seasonally themed exhibits, to grab a drink at the Thoroughbred Lounge, or to celebrate milestones, even if they are not staying here. When you arrive, you’ll notice a new fleet of bicycles strapped with oversized clasped baskets designed by Tara Guerard of Soirée for your picnicking enjoyment in one of the city’s many parks. Valets and door greeters welcome you with enthusiasm as you settle in, admire the artwork, and ponder the hidden engineering that keeps that 2.5-ton chandelier in place. What’s the crowd like?Eclectic and fun, young and old. European travelers feel at home here, but so do locals. Families are most welcome, especially given the spacious conjoined suite option on the 8th floor, the on-site pool, and the summertime “Cool Down Concierge” distributing popsicles and misting fans. Best of all, pets are welcome, with no hidden fees, no weight restrictions, pet sitters on call, and custom designed doggy beds in the works. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.I was lucky enough to snag a "Club Level" room, which isn't entirely representative of a typical hotel stay because of its many perks. There's little reason to want to leave the two top floors that comprise the Club Level, given free meals practically round-the-clock (until 10pm), free snacks, free drinks, views over the city, a decadent evening dessert spread, and even a complimentary "artist kit" for those inspired to paint. Those special perks aside, all of the hotel's 434 guest rooms have a comfortable, traditional mahogany bed, free-standing armoires, Carrara marble shower with striking herringbone accents, and a refreshed color scheme (renovated top to bottom in 2016) of soft grays, subtle blues and greens. The effect is one of tranquility. New owner Beemok Hospitality Collection plans a 150 million dollar renovation of the entire hotel in 2023, floor by floor so that guests won’t be disturbed. It’s hard to imagine improving this hotel, but I’m excited to see th vision unfold. How about the little details, any of that worth a mention?Things I loved: adjustable reading lamps attached to bed posts; remote control of room lighting; convenient USB charging outlets. Design-wise, I loved the subtle wallpaper at each landing reproduced from a 19th-century map of Charleston. The revamped ground level boutique stocks lots of interesting local keepsakes (definitely not your typical hotel chotskies). And I stumbled on a pop-up ping-pong challenge in the hotel’s lush internal courtyard. Food and drink: What's the story here?The place is home to some of the best restaurants in the city, Palmetto Café and live-jazz-playing Charleston Grill with advanced sommeliers, smoothly choreographed French-style service, and not a drop of stuffiness. There's also tapas at the Thoroughbred Club just off the lobby, plus a sports bar called Meeting at Market with excellent charcuterie boards, local brews, fish & chips, and wrap-around windows fronting the historic market (position A for people watching). If room service is your thing, all guest rooms enjoy room-service access to both Palmetto and Charleston Grill. I recommend the Palmetto's crab salad (in-room $40), a tower of jumbo lump crab meat, whipped avocado, and zingy golden tomato vinaigrette, topped with shatteringly thin shards of multigrain cracker (in my opinion, enough crab for two hungry people). Anything else we should have asked about?At Charleston Place, the answer is always yes. If you need childcare, they have sitters on call. Need someone to watch your pup? They've got that, too. The hotel has arguably the best pool in the city, rain or shine, thanks to its retractable glass roof and a steaming jacuzzi tucked within the clock tower. This is a family-friendly hotel, so if the echoes of joyful kids in the pool gets to be too much, just head outside to the V-shaped deck, grab a lounge chair and a cool drink from the self-misted bar on deck. A major highlight is the spa, light and soothing, with ten treatment rooms, two couple treatment rooms, all-natural Tata Harper skin products, and Butter London polish. The gym is large and full of state-of-art equipment. Chilled towels and complimentary headphones are a plus. Private or group yoga instructors are a phone call away. Bottom line: Why are we staying here?Stately European elegance with a heap of Southern charm." - Allston McCrady
