The Best Hotels to Book in South Carolina, USA

Housed in a mid-19th century building, clustered around three foliage-filled courtyards, rooms at this downtown boutique have preserved original features such as fireplaces, plaster molding, mahogany four-poster beds and hardwood floors. Perks include bagels slathered with cream cheese and fresh OJ each morning along with papers delivered to your room, a wine and cheese reception every evening and a glass of sherry before bed. Enjoy the location on King Street, a buzzy thoroughfare lined with cafes, bars, restaurants and shops of every kind.

A relaxed, beachy theme dominates this playfully bohemian bolthole with rooms decked out with a light-blue decor, pine accents, shell-shaped cushions on wicker armchairs and wall-mounted knots above the beds. Poolside hangout Little Palm does creative cocktails and coastal-inspired plates such as local oysters with a frozen mignonette and Atlantic shrimp with fennel, celery leaf, crushed tomato and rouille. Folly Beach and Sullivan’s Island are both within a 20-minute drive from the hotel.

All rooms at South Carolina’s only Relais & Châteaux inn feature four-poster beds, antique furniture and silk drapery, reflecting the building’s history as a refined country retreat. Evenings at fine-dining restaurant Peninsula Grill follow a long-established routine, starting at 4pm with champagne and slices of the hotel’s legendary, twelve-layer coconut cake. Early evening, the courtyard is illuminated by carriage lanterns and tea lights, providing a romantic setting for gourmet Southern fare.

The stars of the show at Sea Pines Resort’s five-star hotel are the three premier golf courses – PGA-featured Harbour Town Links, Heron Point by Pete Dye and Atlantic Dunes by David Love III. Groups of four can book the elegant Fairway Suite with French windows opening onto a terrace with views of the ninth hole, moss-covered oaks and Carolina pines. Head to Ocean Lounge for cocktails and the Links Grill for prime beef and seafood.

A distinguished veteran of Charleston’s hospitality scene, Mills House has cozily proportioned rooms dressed in pale greens and blues, with city views, private balconies or poolside porches. Dine on Charleston she-crab soup at Barbadoes, one of the town’s most seductive after-dark spaces – a tranquil patio centered around a fountain, surrounded by colonnades and the dining room’s high, arched windows. A casual vibe prevails on the pool’s rectangular terrace, where you can relax with a tipple on rooftop-view lounge chairs.

No expense was spared in making this modern complex look like it’s been there for centuries: the largest mechanical spade in the world transplanted 160 live oak trees (50ft/15m tall) into the grounds, and the lobby’s hand-planked walnut flooring was put on sleepers to make it creak. Rooms and suites are characterized by the light, classical style of a grand seaside residence, and all have ocean-view balconies. Indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, a spa and several bars and restaurants complete the five-star offering.

Fronted by palm trees and without neighbors for a mile (1.6km) in each direction, this ocean-facing resort feels like a desert-island getaway. It’s perfect for families, with light-filled rooms and suites to sleep in and an ancient ruin-themed water complex with a lazy river, tunnel and waterfall, as well as indoor and outdoor pools to enjoy. Golfers are also well-placed, with the Pine Lakes Country Club and several other premium courses easily reachable on foot. The Cypress Room serves hearty breakfasts, and the poolside Tiki Hut does a great fish taco.

Impressionistic murals of palm trees, kitchenettes, work desks and retro-orange ergonomic chairs feature in every room at this Charleston base. At Ripley Grill & Bar, build your favorite breakfast omelette and take on the “Lowcountry Loaded Fry” for lunch or dinner – a belt-stretching feast of skin-on fries heaped with black beans, onions, peppers, bacon, cheese and pico de gallo. Other on-site amenities include a well-stocked grocery store, an inviting outdoor pool and a small gym. Charleston’s Historic District is a five-minute drive away.

Rooms at this elegant extended-stay mansion have marble-patterned headboard walls, whitewashed decor and self-catering facilities; guests cooking in can also have groceries delivered to their rooms. Situated in the heart of the history-filled Ansonborough neighborhood, it’s two doors up from the affiliated raw bar and seafood specialist Delaney Oyster House.

With views over Charleston’s spires, mansions and harbor, rooms at the twelve-story Francis Marion are perfect for watching the New Year’s Eve fireworks. Opened in 1924 and named after General Francis Marion (the “Swamp Fox”), a local hero of the Revolutionary War, the hotel recreates 1920s grandeur with high ceilings, glittering chandeliers, silk-draped windows and live jazz in the lounge. Modern-day treats come courtesy of a well-known coffee chain and the Swamp Fox Restaurant, which serves award-winning shrimp and grits.