"How did it strike you on arrival?This hotel feels brand new to me, though technically it was redesigned and relaunched in 2017, so Renaissance is a perfect name. Its exterior is inconspicuous, but inside, its lobby cavernous and vibrant—accented with teal and chocolate, full of edgy furniture, diagonal bookshelves, and even a “bowtie wall” with instructional diagrams. The life-sized metal pig next to check-in hints at all the great BBQ you'll find in town, in case you needed that hint. Nice. What’s the crowd like?Anyone and everyone, Marriott loyalists, business travelers, extended families (in connecting, ADA accessible suites), giggly little girls playing chase in the lobby. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.Room numbers are engraved with images of Charleston door knockers, and entrance hallway ceilings sport the telltale superstitious “haint blue” believed to ward off evil spirits. Wood vinyl flooring feels both rustic and clean. Curated artwork in my Executive King drew my attention, especially the framed image of a folded starched shirt with bowtie and cufflinks as seen through an X-ray scanner. Whimsical black-and-white rabbits line the bathroom wall—a deliberate allusion (per the bellhop who brought up my suitcase) to Alice in Wonderland falling down the rabbit hole. I like this place. Oh, and Aveda products! (Insert smiling emoji here.) How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that find its way into your suitcase?TVs hook up to your Netflix and Hulu accounts so you can continue binge-watching. When you log off upon departure, you are discontinued, so no one else can access your accounts. The in-room coffee and tea maker carries Charleston Tea Plantation varieties (a working tea farm you can tour on nearby Wadmalaw Island). Free Wi-Fi for Marriott members but $14 a day for non (clearly they want you to join). With no hesitation, I would steal the pair of hanging bird cage chairs in the lobby—fanciful and surprisingly comfortable. Also, the framed art piece comprised of Dum Dums lollipop wrappers folded into tiny origami boats. Drinking and dining—what are we looking at?Chef Vivian Howard has got you covered. She’s the brains (and the beauty) behind the PBS television series A Chef’s Life. Her new Handy & Hot pit-stop branches off the hotel lobby, “open every dang day.” The bake shop serves fist-sized biscuits with sweet & savory fillings, and piping hot hand pies stuffed with delicious and surprising flavor combos like fresh ginger with sweet corn and onion. From heavier fare (pimento cheese grits and sausage) to lighter fare (chilled shrimp succotash) everything is portable if you wish. You can even order up a BBQ beach basket to-go for a small group. Hit up the Life Raft Treats cart for a locally made banana pudding ice cream popsicle dipped in dark chocolate. Chef Howard’s onsite restaurant Lenoir launches in fall 2020. Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.There’s a small gym full of cardio equipment and free weights, if you want to work off some of those biscuits and hand pies. Plus an outdoor, heated saltwater pool on a rooftop, surrounded by cushioned sofas and chaises longues. Bottom line: worth it, and why?This is a top notch, Marriott branded, completely refurbished hotel with all the technological perks you would expect (with the only drawback being that Wi-Fi is free only to Marriott members; otherwise, you'll be dinged $14 a day). Better yet, it is situated on a lesser trafficked cross street downtown, so it feels hidden despite being in the center of everything." - Allston McCrady
