The Starlight Motor Inn

The room deserves a 4.5 as does the total review, it would be wrong to round down. The Starlight Inn is a great property, we thoroughly enjoyed the concept and I hope this is a trend in other cities. We have one in our hometown, but that’s a hard one to try given we live there, so this was a treat. Positives Location - not in the prime area but easily accessible. This helps with cost Price - great value! Decor -lots of touches to support the time period of this property’s heyday Service - check in/out was online and super easy. The staff, when we did converse, was exceptional Suggestions The coffee maker was dirty, and needs a deeper cleaning more often. This happens at home too, it’s just an attention to detail on which to improve. The room smelled a little musty but noticeable overly so. This is something to investigate. The biggest question, would we stay here again? That’s a resounding yes. Best of luck!

This is a diamond hidden in the rough! Awesome place I will definitely be returning! Easy check in. The rooms were very clean and the bed was actually comfortable.the staff are amazing. Love the burgundy lounge! All the bartender we meet awesome. Loved the karaoke on fridays. Can’t wait to visit during the summer time.

Cute place. We stayed for three nights, and enjoyed it very much. We felt welcomed and management was courteous and helpful. The room had a retro feel, which was enjoyable. I stay in a lot of places, and this may have been the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in. We will stay here again next time in the Charleston area.

My husband & I took a mini vacay to celebrate his 70th birthday. Everyone made our stay so awesome! Very friendly staff. The retro vibe was fantastic. The bed was super comfortable. The upstairs lounge was a wonderful surprise with live music and friendly people. Can't wait to go back

Pulled in late at night to a clean parking lot. The nostalgic marketing already had me, but the clean, simple room and pristine bathroom sold me. I loved being able to check in online and have my room code delivered to me, as well as being able to park directly in front of my room, becauseI had to leave early in the morning. I will definitely be back, and hope to see more of the place in the day time next time. Also loved the Richard Pryor graffiti down the street. Perfect, fuss free, felt safe and room was clean.

This is a fun and quirky motel. Room was spacious and comfortable with good workspace. The Burgundy Loing upstairs is very fun and has that same 1960s vibe. Jessie and Megan are both great bartenders and the live music is a treat. Immediate neighborhood is definitely transitional, so you won’t be going for evening strolls, but safety isn’t really an issue on premises.

We had a great stay here! The pool was clean and well maintained. Loved the jazz playing on the speakers until 11am and then it switched to oldies. The room was super clean and stocked with coffee, ice bucket, soap, etc. Staff was friendly and the security guard on duty was as well. Would definitely recommend staying here! The surrounding location isn't great, that is true but we drove to our destinations and had no bad interactions or experiences. You can't really fault the motel for the city itself..

My daughter and I just stayed one night for a concert at Firefly. Price was stellar and location was amazing for the concert; just 6- minute drive. Room was super clean with comfy beds. Smells a bit old, but that’s to be expected. Loved the mid-century decor and vibe and small, community feel. Safe and secure. Did not use pool but looked nice. Communicative staff and simple check-in, etc. We will be back!

Thank you all for comfy and clean accommodations while we in town for High Water. Your shuttle service paired up to do good in your community was much appreciated! We loved the decor and your renovation is amazing! Will be back again.

It's nice on the inside. The have a live band on Thursday nights and it seems very historical! The bartender was not knowledgeable of drinks and she also charged me too shelf prices for a mid shelf liqour. It's definitely a cute place to stay and checkout but I would suggest getting the price list before ordering anything.

This was easily one of my favorite stays ever. We love to travel and have stayed in a lot of nice places, but this hotel is so nostalgic and so well done that I couldn't recommend it enough. The rooms were so clean and comfortable, and the staff was phenomenal. They text you before your check in with your code for your room, so no need to have to get out and check in, and that text number is available for anything you need, we loved that. If you are ever in Charleston, do your self a favor and check this place out. I promise it will not disappoint.

The place had such a charming vibe! Even though finding parking was a little tricky, I had a blast attending this afrobeats gathering at this location. The hotel was spotless, had a one-of-a-kind design, and a lovely pool area.

Delightfully renovated mid mid motel. Don't be swayed by the industrial and liquor store surroundings it is quite safe. Thoughtfully retro decorated and well appointed with all you need for an overnight. Exceptionally loud patrons and guests on karaoke night and loitering in the parking lot. It's definitely a hip place to be on a Saturday night. Room comes equipped with a sound machine but I recommend earplugs and a eye mask. Clean comfortable bed and easy check in and out.

After you turn into the parking lot, you take a trip back in time. You take a step into the 1960s. You see the classy sign at the entrance. The architecture and the pool have the retro vibe. The atmosphere gives you that nostalgic mod vibe. It's like the 60s got frozen in time. The staff greet you with a smile. The live music is great. The interior decor is eccentric and eye catching. Whether you are meeting for drinks, dancing the evening away to live music, or staying a night or two--it is a perfect place to go.

Very sketchy area but isolated to offset this somewhat and advertised as 'updated' hip interiors. However my room had mold on bathroom countertop, on the light switches and some sort of blood or fecal matter on the shower floor which also had large stain. I brought this to attention of the front desk and they told me I was the first person to ever complain about their cleanliness standards. Then when I sent them a video of me cleaning the mold in different areas. They continued to be defensive and said it was paint. Lol. Business 101 don't argue with or gaslight your potential return customer(s). Should welcome the feedback if anything. Then I asked for my room to be cleaned this AM and returned four hours later. Not done. Looks like great bargain online and would come here monthly but not until they up their game in the sanitary/cleanliness area(s).

What a great addition to lodging in Charleston. We heard that this motel was being renovated and updated, while still maintaining the look and feel of a sixties motel. I remember traveling across country and staying at motels, so I was interested in seeing and staying in something more than a national chain, or a long overused and tired motel. The Starlight is great! The original sign seems to be shining on an industrial boulevard in North Charleston, which connects the airport, through North Charleston, to the center of Charleston itself. The room is modern, super well finished, still fresh from complete renovation, with lots of loving touches from the past, in its decor and its approach. But with a great bed and linens, a great shower, and a keurig! It's still being finished, so the pool isn't ready yet, and there is some work going on to finish the project, but it's an honor to experience the loving work of the owners, and to get a great night's sleep!

We had a great stay . The location is central to anywhere you want to go in Charleston, though the neighborhood isn't the best the location served us very well. I loved the boutique-y retro rooms. They are small but well appointed , comfy beds. There is some more reno to do there but I really can see the vision they have ! The bartender in the lounge was very sweet and we had a good time hanging out in there for a few cocktails - really liked the vibe. I will absolutely stay again.

I highly recommend this property! They office manager was very nice. The place was clean on the outside. Once into the room we were pleasantly surprised! Super clean and well maintained! The pillows and bed were some of the best we have had in a hotel room. The surrounding area looks a little sketchy but give this spot a chance.

Great 1960s vibe. Beautiful rooms, great pool and wonderful bartender in the lounge! Family Friendly and very close to attractions including Charlestowne Landing. We will be back!

We went to a cocktail party here and was impressed how they brought an old motel back to its original look. Great job and definitely a place to check out. We will be back

Was pretty leery about the neighborhood, but this place is a gem. Super cool. Comfy beds, clean. Close to everything. Check in/out is very easy. Communication is excellent via text. Run like an air bnb, with staff of site.

Hands-down, the coolest and most unique cocktail lounge in town. It's got a speakeasy feel, with real "Mad Men" vibes, and great cocktails. Can't wait to come back!

We are visiting from CA and read about Starlight. In spite of the location, we wanted to stay because we were so impressed with the story and the look of the motel. It did not disappoint! Everything was excellent. The service, communication, recommendations of where to shop and eat, the nice sized room great shower, comfortable bed, and the entertainment in the bar during the evenings were just some of the details that made it great. The decorative attention to detail was cool. It felt like a trip into the past. We just took Uber or Lyft each day and came out ahead of the cost of a premier hotel downtown. Super easy. As a point of contrast, we stayed in a historic hotel in the heart of Savannah that was 3.5x more expensive and this place was better by far. We are rooting for long term success! Thank you for a great stay and for preserving the history.

BEAUTIFUL HOTEL for the location. Service was amazing even though it was all no contact and online, it was still very easy and simple to book and get into our room. Rooms were very nice and clean with a beautiful bathroom design!!

We loved staying here. The rooms were extremely clean and updated. Everything in room was brand new. The TV was a Roku which was already logged into the motel's account- didn't even have to login to your own. Check in and check out was the easiest we've ever experienced. Our only concern prior to visiting was the location, but after being there for a few days we realized how easy it was to get to downtown and other surrounding areas. We split our stay between here and another "nicer" hotel in Mt. Pleasant and actually ended up preferring this place over the other and wishing we could go back. We'll absolutely stay here when we come back to Charleston. The price is unbeatable for how great it was.

Awesome place to stay. From the moment you pun in you just get a good feeling. Rooms were super clean with a really cool 60's theme. Staff was great. Great swimming pool and game room. Highly recommend. We'll be back.