Charleston, South CarolinaFrench Quarter
The Palmetto Hotel, Charleston
Playful Lowcountry French Quarter hotel
French Quarter Charleston, South Carolina
Renovated
2023
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Luxe LocalOutside the door
Playful Lowcountry French Quarter hotel
The hotel runs like an easygoing Charleston residence, welcoming guests with parlor games and afternoon drinks in the open lobby.
What it’s good at
Notable
A gilded crystal palmetto chandelier hangs beside palmetto wallpaper and sweetgrass baskets.
Listed
Monogrammed bathrobes, Bamford toiletries, and evening drinks poured into cut crystal glassware.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
Its lobby and public spaces freely mix authentic, eclectic antiques with contemporary art and a modern design sensibility.
“The 45-room Palmetto Hotel is one of the city’s newest boutique options… it highlights Charleston’s character with design accents like palmetto print wallpaper, sweetgrass baskets, local artwork from the early 1900s, and a showstopping gilded cut-crystal chandelier”
In a lively part of town
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
East Bay Street buzzes with dining spots right outside. Waterfront Park and its harbor pier sit just one block east.
The rooms
Bedrooms have recessed grass-cloth ceilings and king beds. In selected rooms, French doors open onto narrow iron balconies.
The Palmetto Lobby Bar
Bartenders shake Lowcountry craft cocktails behind a marble counter lined with green velvet stools and arched shelving.
The result is a playful and progressive take on traditional Charleston motifs: a vintage Isle of Palms postcard superimposed on custom upholstery, skillfully painted human eyes peering out from wall-mounted vintage china.
How it began
Excavations on the site in 2019 uncovered brick remnants of the colonial fortification wall built around 1700 to defend the waterfront.
Charleston
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.