Charleston, South CarolinaFrench Quarter
The Vendue
Warehouse art gallery
French Quarter Charleston, South Carolina
Renovated
2023
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Heritage LocalOutside the door
Warehouse art gallery
Two 18th-century shipping warehouses across the street run as an open gallery, with daily docent tours through rotating contemporary exhibitions.
“With on-site docents ready to guide you around the property’s exhibition spaces… creative forces are at play everywhere you look.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
A living gallery with three hundred contemporary artworks and an on-site artist studio.
Notable
Combined 1780s shipping warehouses retain exposed Charleston brick and original heart-pine timber beams.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
The Vendue bills itself as ‘Charleston’s art hotel,’ and while in lesser hands that might not mean much, this is the real deal.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Waterfront Park sits at the end of the block, and the dining spots along East Bay Street are steps away.
The rooms
Uneven warehouse footprints give every room a unique shape. Many keep their original brick walls, and some have historic fireplaces.
Bar
The Rooftop
Open-air tables look across Charleston Harbor toward the Ravenel Bridge, with cocktails poured at the covered bar.
A row of historic warehouses dating to 1780 were combined into this sprawling boutique hotel, with each facade true to its original historic color, so you experience a "rainbow row" effect
Restaurant
Revival
Tables with white linens sit beside exposed brick columns and original art. Dinner focuses on seasonal Lowcountry recipes.
At the table
Purple chairs line the white bar counter beneath lit shelves, where guests gather for afternoon wine and cocktails.
How it began
The name comes from 18th-century vendue masters, the colonial auctioneers who once traded imported goods along this waterfront wharf.
Charleston
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The app
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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.