| set in a striking building in charleston's historic downtown, this elegant hotel is a 3-minute walk from the charleston city market. suites add living areas with pull-out sofas, and some also include fireplaces and private terraces. in-room spa treatments can be arranged for a fee. valet parking is available for a surcharge. there's also a dvd library and a gift shop. free perks include continental breakfast, plus champagne upon arrival, wine and cheese receptions, and loaner bikes. the refined rooms feature 40-inch flat-screens and blu-ray/dvd players, plus ipod docks, free wi-fi, minifridges and designer toiletries. check-in time: 4:00 pmcheck-out time: 12:00 pm
Charleston International Airport 29 min
The Charleston Museum (9 min)
America's first museum, founded in 1773, exhibits relics from South Carolina & Confederate history. Historic Charleston City Market (1 min)
4-block city market over 200 years old, with vendors of food, art & crafts like sweetgrass baskets. Fort Sumter National Monument (4 min)
Accessed by boat, this fort with ruins, gun emplacements & a museum saw the Civil War’s first shots. Aiken-Rhett House Museum (13 min)
Tours of this historic home of an influential 1800s family include a back lot where slaves lived. Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum (12 min)
Visitors can explore a retired Naval aircraft carrier, destroyer & submarine docked here year-round. Nathaniel Russell House (11 min)
Ornate, circa-1808 home known for its free-flying 3-story spiral staircase, with guided tours. Rainbow Row (9 min)
Historic District cluster of 13 pastel-painted Georgian-style rowhouses dating from 1748 to 1845. White Point Garden (17 min)
This public garden beside the water offers paved paths, military statues, canons & picnic areas. The Battery (17 min)
Landmark defensive seawall & promenade, lined by stately antebellum homes & historical monuments. Joe Riley Waterfront Park (7 min)
Well-known park with water views plus a large lawn, walkways & 2 fountains. Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge (8 min)
Sleek car bridge (with a bike/walking lane) whose triangular arches are illuminated at night. Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon (7 min)
Costumed docents lead tours of this historic building, formerly a Revolutionary prison & City Hall. Gibbes Museum of Art (6 min)
Portraits & landscapes dating back to the 1700s, housed in a century-old beaux arts-style building. South Carolina Aquarium (13 min)
Massive aquarium with interactive exhibits & hundreds of creatures, including many native species. Old Slave Mart Museum (5 min)
Displays in this former slave auction building tell the story of the slave trade in Charleston. | 
