Planters Inn

Built in 1844 as a dry goods store, Planters Inn is a historic boutique hotel nestled on a street with stately oak trees, moss-draped canopies, and brick-laden pathways. Located across from the restored City Market, one of the oldest public markets in the United States, the hotel is also within walking distance to the Antique District on King Street, a waterfront park, and a number of excellent restaurants.

Two green French doors open onto the lobby, where an antique chandelier hangs above a table with freshly cut flowers. A wooden fireplace with gold crown molding adds another lovely touch.

The Peninsula Grill, the hotel’s on-site restaurant, serves renowned Low Country cuisine in a sophisticated atmosphere amid antique cypress woodwork and rich, gray velvet walls. Outside a lushly landscaped intimate garden with a reflecting pool offers guest seating.

The Planters Inn sits across from Charleston’s open-air City Market, one of the oldest public markets in the United States, which showcases the work of Low Country artisans who specialize in such crafts as sweetgrass basket weaving. There are many restaurants within walking distance, antebellum mansions that have become museums, art galleries, and historic churches. The hotel is a block away from King Street, which is lined with boutiques and antiques stores such as George C. Birlant & Co., and is close to the Lore Ghost Theater and the Gibbes Museum of Art. The waterfront, and starting point for tours of Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began, are within a half mile of the hotel.

The 10-foot ceiling rooms and suites include handcarved four-post mahogany beds with hem-stitched Italian linen bedding and high-quality reproductions of antique furnishings. Some have terraces, working gas fireplaces, and views of the courtyard, although rooms and bathrooms can be small. The bathrooms have Italian marble counter tops, but not all the showers have glass doors -- guests have complained about flimsy shower curtains. The staff offers a nightly turndown service, which includes free sweets from the Peninsula Grill's pastry chef, along with a card that gives the next day's weather forecast.

The Planters Inn serves free coffee each morning in the parlor, and breakfast is available for a fee at the Peninsula Grill, which is considered to be one of Charleston's best restaurants, famous for its decadent coconut cake. The bar serves classic, handcrafted cocktails in the evening. Orange spice tea and fresh apples are served daily in the hotel’s parlor. There’s a 24-hour business center with two computers, and free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. Self-parking can be a challenge, as there is no on-site lot, but 24-hour valet parking is available for a nightly fee. There is no pool or fitness center, but the hotel offers discount passes to Eco Fitness, about two blocks away.