Are you ready to step back in time to a place that exudes true Southern hospitality and incredible charm? Here is a place where time seems to have stood still.
Lively jazz music spills out onto the street from open doorways where whiffs of good ‘ol Southern cooking makes mouths water.
Strolling down cobblestone streets filled with rainbow colored homes and magnificent old pillared mansions past horse-drawn carriages are just a few of the things to expect in charming Charleston.
Founded in 1670, Charleston is a charming port town in South Carolina. It’s signature cobblestone streets still offer horse-drawn carriages for visitors to take in the sites. Pastel antebellum homes along Rainbow Row plus historical mansions in the elegant French Quarter and Battery District are worthy sites to see.
Both the Battery promenade and Waterfront Park overlook Charleston harbor with Fort Sumter yonder where the first shots of the Civil War broke out. Deep South culinary cuisine paired with local live jazz music is a prominent part of the fabric of this society.
What better place to welcome you than the Belmond Charleston Place, a luxury landmark hotel in the center of historic Charleston just 13 miles from the airport. This hotel is like a city within a city with almost everything you could need or want on the premises.
Outside the hotel, guests are greeted by a monumental sculpture of galloping bronze horses at the circular driveway and once inside wowed by the five-ton Murano glass chandelier under the double grand staircase in the Georgian-style lobby.
Newly renovated rooms including the private Club Level, plus rooftop pool and jacuzzi, full-service spa and award-winning dining await visitors. Additionally, there are arcades of luxury shops and a salon on the lobby level along with award-winning dining options. Meeting and special occasion venues are also available on-site.
With 434 rooms and suites including 72 on the Club Level, there is plenty of room for social distancing at Belmond Charleston Place which seems to cover almost a whole city block. Especially noteworthy in today’s times, are the guest rooms sanitized and sealed before each new guest’s arrival with door signage saying it’s been “Cleaned, Sanitized and Sealed”. Staff do not enter rooms unless requested by a guest nowadays.
Other modifications have been made like preparing and serving personal plates of hors d’ouvres on the Club Level rather than self-service buffets. Similarly, the Palmetto Cafe no longer has their breakfast buffet, but still serves up gourmet dishes like their signature omelette stuffed with lobster, crab and gruyere cheese accompanied by biscuits or grits. The spa and fitness center are open by reservation only to allow social distancing in these amenities.
The Belmond Charleston Place Signature facial is worth a pampering with professional and knowledgeable aestheticians. The Spa hosts are friendly greeters who personally show you to your assigned lounge next to the saltwater infinity pool with a retractable roof. Nearby, the jacuzzi sits under a glistening glass dome with sunlight filtering through from both above and its porthole windows..
The Clocktower Terrace offers hunger loungers casual snacks like their famous truffle fries and shrimp Caesar salad. Properly distanced Peloton bikes, Life Fitness and Cybex machines are available at the well-equipped gym by appointment.
Dining is divine at Belmond Charleston Place where classic Southern cooking is combined with a contemporary twist. Charleston Grill has been voted the “Most Romantic Restaurant in America” several years in a row. It also has been given the esteemed Forbes Four Star, AAA Four Diamond Award for Food Excellence and is a must on any visit to Charleston.
Chef Michelle Weaver takes local culinary delicacies to new levels served in the dining room on crisp linen table clothes in an atmosphere where gastronomy meets world-class jazz. The daring dishes are divided into four quadrants: Social & Shared, Roots & Stems, Waves & Marshes and Field & Pasture. A long-standing favorite is the signature crab cakes generously packed with fresh crab meat and a unique blend of herbs and spices.
The Thoroughbred Club is a refined and relaxing lobby bar offering live jazz music nightly. Comfortable leather couches invite guests to stay for hours enjoying cocktails and cuisine at their leisure.
The Palmetto Café is also a AAA Four Diamond dining room at Belmond Charleston Place. Meeting at Market is an upscale sporting pub.
Both fine dining and casual options are available to choose from at the hotel. Of course, it’s worth a stroll or carriage ride to one of Charleston’s other fine dining establishments which are plentiful in this Foodie town.
