Hilton HHonors - Hilton HHonors Properties in Charleston

Any comments on the Hampton Inn or the Embassy Suites in the historic district. Or any other properties in the Charleston SC area. Thanks.

The Doubletree has a better location than either the Embassy Suites or Hampton Inn ...

I've stayed at the Hilton and the Embassy and have enjoyed both properties. The Embassy is walkable everywhere, plus the breakfast and cocktails. The Hilton requires a car or water taxi ride.

One word: Hyman's for seafood.

I stayed at the Doubletree last weekend. It is a very nice property, and pretty cheap (same price as Hampton for Sunday night- $89). I had a 2 room Suite with a window out on a small courtyard.

The location also is very good; right next to the "market", and about 2 blocks from the "main" Bay street area. Parking is $14/day.

Gold Honors members also get the free breakfask buffet(and if you're reading this board and still not a gold member, then you don't deserve a free breakfast)

[This message has been edited by srodr (edited 08-18-2001).]

Thank you for the responses and suggestions.

The Hilton at Patriot's Point is somewhat secluded, but has wonderful views of the harbor, and is a fairly new property. It's also closer to the Isle of Palms, Sullivans Island, and several seafood restaurants. Be sure to try the "Low Country Grits" for breakfast.

I've stayed at the Hilton Patriot's Point. It's near the Yorktown Aircraft Carrier but a good drive away from the Market Square and downtown restaurants. Stay downtown if you can. I received a card from Holiday Inn yesterday advertising $59 ~$139 rates at their 5 properties in the Charleston area. I would highly recommend The Mills House, which I sometimes think is embarrassed at being affiliated with Holiday Inn. The breakfast buffet there is one of the best low country breakfasts I've had. I concur with Hyman's Seafood recommendation also...a great place.

I am a current Marriott Platinum but there is no convenient property for an upcoming 6 month project in Charleston.
Any recommendations for a Hilton property?
Any thoughts on Hilton matching my status?
I did randomly receive a Gold membership b/c of USAirways FF level, but have not stayed at a Hilton in quite a while.
Anything I should be looking for?

Have you considered the Renaissance? It's a very nice Marriott property.

If you want to stay in Charleston, I would suggest the Embassy Suites. It's a nice location, but parking is limited and the rooms can be a bit dark. Additionally, there is a nice Embassy Suites near the airport at the convention center. It is actually in North Charleston.

There is a Hilton across the river in Mt Plesant, but I've heard mixed reviews of it; especially regarding upkeep. There's a Doubletre in Charleston and a Garden Inn near the airport, but I don't know anything about them.

[This message has been edited by BillMorrow (edited Dec 10, 2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BillMorrow:
There is a Hilton across the river in Mt Plesant, but I've heard mixed reviews of it; especially regarding upkeep.</font>

That is disappointing to hear.

I was one of the first guests at the Hilton Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina (when Patriots Point was still officially part of its name) when it first opened. It was so new that parts of it were still under construction. It had the potential to be a very nice property.

I have not been back to Charleston since.

Yeah, the Hilton there is not too nice, and the upkeep IS the problem. Was there a month ago and although I had a nice view with a patio the room and the bathroom certainly were worn. This hotel would also be a tough place to stay if you were working downtown because of the driving time. It isn't far per se but the slow commute isn't fun. The comments on the ES or the Hampton would give you a closer location to the city.

To conform to the apparent trend evident in this thread, should BillMorrow and I change our FlyerTalk handles to BillMorrow777 and Canarsie777, respectively?!?

In the historic district:

Doubletree & Embassy Suites... in that order.

Doubletree is the best HHonors hotel in Charleston, SC.

Carnarsie,
True. Ironically, since I fly US so much now, I ought to change it 2 liveonA3XX.

But thanks, all for the suggestions. Have to watch budget there, so it'll probably be the Embassy near the convention center. All of your comments are greatly appreciated!

My cousin lives in Charleston, in West Ashley. I stayed in a Hampton Inn when I was there and had a nice stay. It's off Hwy 17 a few miles S of downtown in West Ashley. It's a nice area to stay in, a bit more suburban with malls and restaurants around. The hotel is only 2 years old in a wooded area off the road, with a nice elegant lobby. Rooms are pretty nice and the place is very quiet....might be nice for an extended stay.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by liveon777:
Carnarsie,
Have to watch budget there, so it'll probably be the Embassy near the convention center. All of your comments are greatly appreciated!</font>

If you are going to stay near the airport and bandwidth is important to you, you might also want to check out the HGI. It is just up the street and has free High Speed connectivity in every room. I am not crazy abot the area, but I do like both properties, and recommend both. If I have a lot to do at night I usually stay at the HGI. As a Gold, you should probably get a Breakfast Coupon too.

Any suggestions (good or bad)on Hiltons, Hamptons, DoubleTrees etc. in Charleston area? We're thinking of a trip there this summer.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bou hunter:
Any suggestions (good or bad)on Hiltons, Hamptons, DoubleTrees etc. in Charleston area? We're thinking of a trip there this summer.</font>

There have been a few recent threads about Charleston that you can find by doing a search in this forum for that key word.

My advice in a nutshell is to AVOID the Hilton and go with the Embassy Suites or Hampton Inn. The Hilton is one of the worst in the entire nation IMO.

I'll be staying at the Double Tree in Charleston a week from Saturday. I'll try to post something after I get back.

FWIW

DLM

I just spent Saturday night at the Doubletree in the Historic District and was not really impressed. The location is great, but the hotel is showing its age. Our room was rather dark and the walls and carpet were worn. The bathroom was spotless, but small. With the exception of some early TV noise from next door, our room was very quiet. (Speaking of TV, I couldn't find any local channels on the set. I like to watch This Week on Sunday morning, but there was no ABC???)

I did receive 2 breakfast vouchers (I'm Gold) but did not use them as we had an early lunch at Hyman's. (If you don't want to spend a lot of time in line, Sunday morning between 11:30 and 12:30 seems about right.)

The staff gets a mixed review, I asked for a late check-out and they offered 12:30 or a quarter to one. OTOH, they allowed us to leave our car in the car park until we left town around 3:00PM.

Overall, I'd say I didn't get a good value for the money. But, if you really want to be in the heart of the Historic District, this place might fit the bill.

FWIW
DLM

PS, The DT book shows a high-speed internet symbol, but there were no CAT-5 plugs in our room. They might have wireless, but I didn't ask.

[This message has been edited by dmunz (edited Feb 10, 2004).]

I thought your comments were interesting. When I was at the DT last year, I didn't notice the wear and tear to the rooms but did think it was a standard DT.

Nevertheless, I still think that the DT is a huge improvement over the Hilton Charleston Harbour.

Charleston seems to lack decent options with the big chains altogether.

bou hunter - I have been staying at the DT for the past couple of weeks as a gold, and will be there for the next few months. it is a nice property with a great location for restaurants, bars, etc. And i have not really seen any wear/tear in the rooms.

d - they do have high speed, but it is wireless. Had some issues at first but has worked fine the last 2 weeks.

Overall, it is a good place with nice folks and a great location if you plan to stay downtown.

Thanks for the info http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I agree with the Doubletree being in a great location but found the courtyard-facing room to be dark and the furniture worn (the carpet & upholstery were very dirty). The breakfast buffet (as Gold) was decent and the staff helpful.

On our most recent stay in Charleston, all the Hiltons were full/rates too high so we tried the Holiday Inn-Historic District (Market & Calhoun, I think). It was about 4 blocks from the DT (almost across the street from the Hampton Inn) and very nice. We were upgraded, without asking, to the exec floor (PC Plat) w/room facing the Battery. Great views of all the church steeples and we could even see the Cooper River and cruise ships! Room was clean & bright w/sitting area and large bathroom. Breakfast buffet coupons, drink coupons and evening snacks in the bar were all good and there is an attractive outdoor pool and courtyard. As much as I search out HH points...this may be our regular choice in Charleston.

I stay at the Hampton Inn & Suites Charleston/West Ashley all the time.

This place if FABULOUS...!!!
Get room 200/202 300/302 or 400/402.
They are great suites with jacuzzi tubs.

They have excellent rates all the time. They usually post package rates with some historic trips or museum packages.

They will be having hi-speed internet very shortly which will make this - in my opinion - one of the best Hampton Inns in the chain.

PS: I have never booked anything but the lowest priced AAA rate room and have always been bumped to room 200.

They tell me they have the rooms tied to HH names and I should always get it when I book - if available. The one time it wasn't they put me in 400.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by avlff:
....... On our most recent stay in Charleston, all the Hiltons were full/rates too high so we tried the Holiday Inn-Historic District (Market & Calhoun, I think). It was about 4 blocks from the DT (almost across the street from the Hampton Inn) and very nice. We were upgraded, without asking, to the exec floor (PC Plat) w/room facing the Battery. Great views of all the church steeples and we could even see the Cooper River and cruise ships! Room was clean & bright w/sitting area and large bathroom. Breakfast buffet coupons, drink coupons and evening snacks in the bar were all good and there is an attractive outdoor pool and courtyard. As much as I search out HH points...this may be our regular choice in Charleston.</font>

I made reservations at this hotel and the Hampton Inn across the street for the Civil War Hunley submarine crew burial in April. Can I get some feedback on this Hampton (Meeting St.)? The review of the Holiday Inn sounds good, but I don't have any status with Priority Club. I'm a gold with Hilton. I need to decide which is the better choice and cancel the other reservation. Regards, Stan

I stayed at the Embassy Suites in the historic district just a couple weeks back. I was not too impressed with the hotel because it was kind of old. The windows are very small and the hotel is not too tall. Therefore, I was not able to get a good view of anything at all. The rate was reasonable considering the location. However, the $16 valet was a little steep. Breakfast was fine. Typical ES setup with make to order omelette.

Thinking of a weekend trip to Charleston in October. All the threads on hotels in the city are fairly old. Looked at the DT and it was very pricey [around $250/night] and the older reviews in this forum do not seem to jusify that price. I will probably use points to stay for free, but would still like to stay at a nice hotel. I would be greatful for any updated/recent info anyone can provide on quality of the Hilton properties in Charleston and any special perks still offered to Golds [in an older thread someone mentioned that one of the properties included free parking for VIPs] - would prefer to stay in historic area [I have never been to Charleston and am going strictly as a tourist].

I would prefer a Hilton property but if they are all basically dumps, would rather go to another chain than waste points or pay for a hilton property.

Thank you

There is a Hampton across the river from the city on the west side, just a Hampton, the Hilton is in the Patriots Point area. Great view but its a 10 minute drive to the area in town you're seeking, the rooms here are average. It has full svc. bar, restaurant, etc. but in Oct you're not spending much time at the pool area either.
Another Hampton, just blocks north of historic distric is a very good location if you're into using points. Can't remember "street name" the mapper on the web site will give it to you.

I'd go for the Mar. Renaissance, downtown in the historic area to meet your criteria. Park your car and go on foot.

Parking in Charleston is not good, touristy, lots of traffic.

Try SNOB Restaurant (Slightly North Of Broad) one of our fav's. :)

There is a Hampton across the river from the city on the west side, just a Hampton, the Hilton is in the Patriots Point area. Great view but its a 10 minute drive to the area in town you're seeking, the rooms here are average. It has full svc. bar, restaurant, etc. but in Oct you're not spending much time at the pool area either.
Another Hampton, just blocks north of historic distric is a very good location if you're into using points. Can't remember "street name" the mapper on the web site will give it to you.

I'd go for the Mar. Renaissance, downtown in the historic area to meet your criteria. Park your car and go on foot.

Parking in Charleston is not good, touristy, lots of traffic.

Try SNOB Restaurant (Slightly North Of Broad) one of our fav's. :)

If you are determined to stay at a Hilton, go for the Patriots Point (and eat at the Old Village Post House in old town Mt. Pleasant). I have approx. 60 nights there this year. True, the rooms are only average, but the view makes up for some of it. And it's a quick trip to downtown.
I would recommend you skip the Doubletree, it is kind of a dump and not worth the cash, other than its location.
the Renaissance is your best bet all things considered though. Or try the Planters Inn, or the French Quarter Inn, both nice independant places.

Do not stay at the Embassy Suites. Yes, it is centrally located downtown. It is the old Citadel, emphasis on the old part.
Nice quad next door, but the hotel itself is not very nice. Needs desparately to be rennovated.
2nd the Patriot's Point Suggestion.

Since the search function isn't working I'll have to ask :)

We'll be in Charleston this summer, any comments on the DoubleTree in the Historic District, or other HHonors properties? Thanks!

Also any comments on restaurants, things to see and do are appreciated, it will be our first trip to Charleston.

The historic district is certainly the right place to stay, but (and I know this isn't what you were asking) I had a much better stay at the Renaissance Historic District, and it was similar price. It may not be an HHonors prop, but you will be much happier with it. Otherwise I recommend the Embassy Suites Hotel Charleston - Historic Charleston.

Since the search function isn't working I'll have to ask :)

We'll be in Charleston this summer, any comments on the DoubleTree in the Historic District, or other HHonors properties? Thanks!

Also any comments on restaurants, things to see and do are appreciated, it will be our first trip to Charleston.

Arctic,
Enjoy Charleston, one of my favorite US cities.
DT: great location just at the corner of Market and Church, walking distance to so may things downtow, including the outdoor Market (just out the front door and a block to the right, it's a semi-enclosed market with everything from grass baskets to local artists watercolors and crafts), King Street (great shopping and galleries, food and people watching. . if you are looking for things in particular please let me know, it's like my second home)

The DT hotel itself has a nice pleasant lobby
-relatively soft colors
-offers valet parking that is a good idea in my opinion
-the rooms are mostly suite-like with a separate bedroom, a mini fridge. However there are 2 other options: bi-level suites that line the courtyard, as well as the building at the far end of the courtyard called the Hayne Street building(requires keycard for entry and elevator use). I really like these rooms, and the corner ones have balconies.
-Breakfast is decent and plentiful, though be prepared to be assaulted (in a nice way) by the wait staff immediately asking for your room number and what you want to drink. I'd recommend eating out at least one morning at Poogan's Porch.

Other Hiltons:
There's a Hampton Inn close by on Meeting Street, but I have never stayed there

Hilton Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina:
I am a fan of this place for different reasons
-many of the rooms have balconies that face either downtown across the water, or directly out to the water (avoid the rooms that overlook the parking lot)
-there is the Patriots Point golf course very close by
-there is also a collection of older ships nearby: an aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, a submarine, etc.
-the beds are mediocre, but a few cocktails at the Reel Bar downstairs may remedy that (food ain't all thet great, though. Try Zinc restaurant that's part of the condo complex you'll pass about 3/4mile before the entrance to the Hilton on the right)

Are you going for Spoleto?

Food:
Lunch-I like Sermet's on King Street (lobster ravioli, good bread, a personal favorite)
Dinner:
Sette (across the bridge from downtown, past the turnoff to Patriot's Point and the Hilton) huge portions of tasty stuff, kind of Italiany seafood
Hank's-right by the Doubletree
Basically there are a million good eateries, and I am sure other FT'ers have many favorites.

Shopping:
Men's: AJ Davis (PM me and I'll give you the scoop)
Women: Christian Michi
both are high-end but with great service

Entertainment:
Even after all these years, i still like the occasional carriage rides (use the ones that wear the red sashes), and a boat trip to the fort. Charter fishing is readily available. Ghost tours get mixed reviews, though some folks love them

Hope this helps get you started!
Don't hesitate to shoot me a note for any specifics.

Wow! Great information Liveon77. It is so nice on FT to be able to find an expert on most locations around the world.

Anyway, my little tidbit is just to mention that we've stayed at the Doubletree and loved it. It was particularly empty when we went but everyone was very friendly. As Gold at the time we were upgraded to the lounge floor. The evening drinks and snacks were very nice and the attendant was helpful about sightseeing and friendly. Same for the breakfast. The lounge has a nice view of the river.

We enjoyed the walk through the squares to the downtown area. Not too far at all in the nice weather we had. You might find it a bit hot and humid during the summer.

Enjoy your trip!

The Hampton Inn in Historic Downtown is very nice and offers a standard HI breakfast in the morning. The rooms are standard HI size and the hotel is within walkin distance to all of downtown (and across the street from the bus station). The Embassy Suites is the old converted Citadel and in my opinion is one of the worst ES I have ever stayed at. The nostalgia is nice, but the rooms are too small and not functional.

You can't go wrong with any restaurant you choose in downtown Charleston. It is an amazing city.

Enjoy!

I'm scheduled to be in Charleston next week & booked a room at ES before looking on FT. Is this a good hotel or should I stay somewhere else. It'll be my first time in Charleston.


The Embassy Suites is the old converted Citadel and in my opinion is one of the worst ES I have ever stayed at. The nostalgia is nice, but the rooms are too small and not functional.


Enjoy![/QUOTE]

I'm scheduled to be in Charleston next week & booked a room at ES before looking on FT. Is this a good hotel or should I stay somewhere else. It'll be my first time in Charleston.


The Embassy Suites is the old converted Citadel and in my opinion is one of the worst ES I have ever stayed at. The nostalgia is nice, but the rooms are too small and not functional.


Enjoy![/QUOTE]


Suggest you stay somewhere else.

Used to live in Charleston and now live in Charlotte, NC and still go there frequently. Doubletree downtown is great and central to everything. It is not near or on the water. Make sure when you stay there to ask for one of the Garden rooms. They are much, much bigger and some are two floors. Hilton Charleston Point Marina is pretty nice also. They do concerts on Friday nights during the summer right on the water. Great view from the room. Dinner recommendations in Charleston: Cypress (my favorite), SNOB- stands for Slightly North of Broad (street), Peninsula Grill. Don't know if you have kids or not, but go to the Market Pavilion Hotel (corner of East Bay and Market Street) about two blocks from the Doubletree. Go to the elevators and go to their rooftop Bar. It is absolutely awesome. You can look out over the harbor and watch the sunset over the city. Meritage is also a another great place to get some drinks, as well as, Rue de Jean and Coast which are a about a 5 min cab ride away. Try Melvin's and Sitcky Fingers BBQ while there also. Let me know if you need anything else.

Since the search function isn't working I'll have to ask :)

We'll be in Charleston this summer, any comments on the DoubleTree in the Historic District, or other HHonors properties? Thanks!

Also any comments on restaurants, things to see and do are appreciated, it will be our first trip to Charleston.

Hello, going to Charleston late September, and am trying to decide which HH property to stay at.
From searching, it seems that DT Historic District gets generally good comments. OTOH, the ES Historic District seems much less positive. Based on that, I'd be inclined to go with the DT. BUT, for the period in question, I can get the ES at about 60-70 less per day. Also, the ES seems to be closer to where I need to go (near the Francis Marion hotel).
So my question really comes down to this: is the ES really that bad? Or should I just go with the DT and be done with it?
Your help is appreciated.
:)

Sorry, I haven't stayed in either one...stayed once at the Hilton at Patriot's Point instead. I just find the Mills House (Holiday Inn) property on Meeting Street too good to pass up. One of the best breakfasts I've ever had in a Holiday Inn which is a historic building and rooms with antique furniture. For the Hilton properties, I don't think you can go wrong with either property...Historic Charleston is to be enjoyed by walking around with others or maybe even a horse & buggy ride. Are the rest of your group staying at the Francis Marion, or will you just need to go there during the day? If you are planning on walking to restaurants, the DT would be a little closer to the old market area.

-outoftown

Thanks so much. Yes, the rest of the group is mostly at Francis Marion. But I was hoping to earn some HH points for the trip, so... Thanks again!

Embassy Suites Historic District Charleston
We had originally booked 2 nights here at around $350 per night but after some lengthy discussions with the Diamond desk we got this changed to use two free night certs. Boy am I glad I did cos there is no way this property is worth that kind of money.

First the good stuff. The hotel is in a great location to explore Charleston and really looks quite impressive. Also great Farmers Market just next door on a Saturday morning. The staff here are wonderful. Every single peron that we met went out of their way to make our stay more enjoyable. The breakfast is very good and we never had to wait more than a couple of minutes for an omlette and the hotel was completely full. The managers party in the evening was OK and again the bar service was very prompt and a good range of drinks. Likewise the valet parking, free to Diamonds, was never more than 2 minutes even though they were very busy.

But the rooms are drab, way overdue to be decorated and so very dark. I know this is an historic building so there are things that need to be preserved but how about a few lamps with 100 watt bulbs. I dropped something in the bedroom and had to find a torch to see where it had landed - it's ridiculous.

We had suite 100 on the ground floor - don't go there! It has the elevator lobby on one side, corridors on both sides and the swimming pool on the fourth side. We spend hardly any time in the room becuse there was constant noise. On our first night it was quite noisy but we decided we could put up with it for one more night. On the second night there was a very loud crowd of drunks standing in the corridor outside our room at 2AM. At 2:30 my wife lost her patience and told them to f*ck off somewhere else but all through the night (friday) there were a steady stream of revellers walking past our room and then the people checking out early and dragging their bags over the tiled floors.

This could be a great place to stay. They already have a great location and the best staff but the place is noisy, dark and dingy.

I've stayed at the Doubletree and was pleased with my stay. The room was on the small size, but the hotel is in the Historic District and there are lots of places nearby you can walk to. Parking was sort of an issue. The hotel uses a city lot across the street and I noticed several times (after I had parked my car) that it was closed because it was full. I wondered where hotel guests would park. I haven't stayed at the ES in Charleston so I can't help you with a comparison.

Thank you both. Sounds like DT would be a much better choice, even at a $70 a night premium.

We recently stayed at the DT Charleston over 4th of July. As gold members they upgraded our room and gave us free breakfast coupons for 3, they included my 7 year old son as well. The breakfast buffet was really good with lots of choices. The parlor suite was a very nice 2 room suite and the hotel is very well located for walking around the historic parts of Charleston. I would definitely recommend it. I've never stayed at the ES in Charleston but the location didn't look quite as good.

BF

Thank you both. Sounds like DT would be a much better choice, even at a $70 a night premium.
Let us know how you like it. I'll be there in mid-October, and can't wait to go.

I have stayed in the Hilton Charleston--nice. I prefer the Embassy Suites as it's right in the city. There's a Guest Suites too, which I haven't visited but hear is very nice.

Thank you to all! I'll post after my stay, whether it's the DT or the ES. Thanks again.

The DT is mush more accessibale to downtown Charleston, and the restaurants. The ES is quite the hotel, the Original Citadel (The Military College of SC) and as such is a historical treasure. A short trip to downtown, balanced in my mind by the free breakfast & evening reception. As my son was a 2005 grad of The Citadel we had to stay there at least once.

Both are good properties, it just depends on your needs

We've stayed at the ES the past couple years over Memorial Day weekend for the beginning of the Spoleto Festival - primarily because it's right next door to the Art in the Park stuff at Francis Marion park. It's a bit of a hike in the typically humid Charleston weather to get down to the Southend Brewery and other points of interest downtown, but we've enjoyed it. I understand and somewhat agree with the complaints that the rooms are dark, but weighing that against the history of the place and the amount of time I really want to spend in the room while so much else is going on, it certainly meets our expectations.

Thanks again. Now I'm really torn between the two.... :)

Thanks again. Now I'm really torn between the two.... :)

You shouldn't be. Don't fall for the lies posted above which suggest that the ES Historic District is an acceptable place to stay. Do yourself a favor and stay at the DT.

You shouldn't be. Don't fall for the lies posted above which suggest that the ES Historic District is an acceptable place to stay. Do yourself a favor and stay at the DT.


If you are any way a History buff then the Embassy Suites is a must stay. Did you know that the Citadel cadets fired the first shots of the Civil War? From a battery at Battery Park at the Star of the West. If you are in Charleston for the Slave Market and shopping then it is the DT.

The DT is the nicer hotel. Better location too. I also like the non-HH Mills House for location and restaurant. Many local pols frequent the lovely bar. One can overhear some interesting conversations.

MisterNice

The Doubletree definitely has a better location for downtown Charleston restaurants and shopping, etc. It is right across from the old slave market. However, the last time I stayed there (about a year ago) it could have used a little updating, but still the service was good and I got four coupons for their full hot breakfast buffet. I have never stayed at the Embassy Suites in question although I have passed by it many times. I understand it's layout is unique in that they tried to work around the existing, historic Citadel floor plan. Maybe that is why some people consider it dark and dingy? I imagine it would be very interesting if you are a history (or possibly architecture?) buff.

If you are any way a History buff then the Embassy Suites is a must stay. Did you know that the Citadel cadets fired the first shots of the Civil War? From a battery at Battery Park at the Star of the West. If you are in Charleston for the Slave Market and shopping then it is the DT.

I wouldn't care if the South won the War and the peace treaty was signed there, the Embassy Suites is a dark, dreary place which could be infinitely depressing no matter how little time you spent there. Go with the advice NOT to stay there. The Doubletree has a great location next to the Market and wonderful restaurants in walking distance....BUT some of the rooms are a little past their prime. So request their new courtyard building, constructed about 2002-3. They have quite lovely rooms there.

I wouldn't care if the South won the War and the peace treaty was signed there, the Embassy Suites is a dark, dreary place which could be infinitely depressing no matter how little time you spent there. Go with the advice NOT to stay there. The Doubletree has a great location next to the Market and wonderful restaurants in walking distance....BUT some of the rooms are a little past their prime. So request their new courtyard building, constructed about 2002-3. They have quite lovely rooms there.

Let's not get personal here - I am a Yankee born and raised so don't start that nonsense about the south winning yada, yada, yada. Just because you hold a grudge against the confederacy is no reason not to stay at the ES. All I am saying is that both hotels have their appeal and it is up to the traveler to decide which to stay at. If shopping is what you are after then go downtown to the DT, history buff (maybe a Civil War reinactor) then stay at the ES

I spend a lot of time in Chalreston for business and have stayed at all the hilton hotels in the central district and the Hilton just outside of downtown.
I go back to the DT for several reason
Much closer to my office :)
Most of the action is near this hotel.
Parking is an issue in the whole downtown. Valet and self parking are available.
The Embassy puts you closer to the schools and is about 5 block from the DT, which can brutal in the summer in the heat.

Issue I have with the DT is the resturant is borning for breakfest, same old every day! Go somewhere else--Charleston Place, Planters Inn.

No Bar or dinner.

The hotel is being remodeling and there are many version of there rooms.
Some are older and some are brand new.
Some are double room (Living and Bed)
Some are one large room
Some are one small one!
Same are two floors?!?

Hotel is quiet in all the rooms I have had. But I like the rooms in the rear as they are the newest but they above the baquet hall and may have noise at times.

Bonus--The COOKIES are always awesome at check in

Let me know if you any more questions about the city

Thanks to all who replied to my original request for insights.
Finishing up a stay at the ES. Picked the ES over the DT for budgetary and location (proximity to my conference) reasons.
The room I have is brightly lit enough. Lighting is more than sufficient, and I seldom need to turn on all the lights. Room is spacious, and clean. Free wireless internet in room. Pool is small, and exercise room has a total of 2 treadmill and yucky looking weight station. But it's functional.
Free b-fast is decent.
Service personnel is friendly and courteous.
Location is actually not too bad. A couple blocks from the visitor center. And I can walk to most things in the Historic District.
Overall, a good stay.
If you're going, make sure you don't get a room on the 1st floor. Too much noise, and too close to the park thing -- it's like you're on display. I'm on the 3rd floor, and it's quite pleasant.
Thanks again to everyone.

Has anyone stayed at the Hampton Inn near Patriot's Point? My wife's family lives up that way and we used to stay at the Hilton before it closed down. Is it one of the frightening HIs or a basic one?

^ Had a stay there just over a month ago when visiting Patriots Point area. You have nothing to worry about with this HI, it was well maintained and staff was very helpful. In comparison to other HI's I would rate this in the upper 10%. It is kind of hidden from the freeway so make sure you keep your eyes open as soon as you cross the new suspension bridge.

Thanks much, Maestro-Miler! And let me be the first to welcome you to Flyer Talk!

the new suspension bridge.

:eek: :eek: It's a cable-stay bridge, not a suspension bridge (e.g. Golden Gate).

Sorry, but I was part of the main Contractor's senior management team for the bridge. :)

I stayed here for the past three nights, so here's a review.

The room: Standard HS variety with mini-kitchen, living area, two TVs, and King bedroom. Vanity area and sink was located in the bedroom with a separate room for toilet and shower. Each room had a decent cable selection, though no in-room movies. There was a VCR, though, and you could rent tapes near the front desk for $3.50/night.

The grounds: Had a small outdoor pool with whirlpool (didn't use it because it was too cold, though it was open) with a nice park-like area around the pool. Our room was located on the far side of the hotel, so we were able to drive around to another entrance to better get in and out of the room. The lobby was nice with free internet terminals there (and a printer in the business office).

Food: We stayed over the weekend (Fri-Mon), so there was no dinner. However, the breakfast was very good: waffles you could make, eggs, ham, biscuits, gravy, donuts (which they sometimes had available throughout the day), yogurt, cereal, grits, oatmeal, breads (with toaster), etc. There was no restaurant in the hotel, of course, but there were plenty nearby (see below).

Location: The hotel is located in Mt. Pleasant, about a 10 minute drive over the new bridge into downtown Charleston. What surprised us the most was how great the area around our hotel was! Within walking distance, you could get to a Target, a Piggly Wiggly (supermarket), and other assorted stores. There were also about 4 or 5 decent looking restaurants, including a coffeehouse/bakery, Japanese sushi/steakhouse, Italian restaurant, Seafood restaurant (Gilligans), Irish pub, and more. My wife's family is from the area and she said that it was all swampland about 5 years ago!

HHonors Amenities: I get the 250 bonus points, so I can't attest for much (though I wasn't sure if I had asked for points or not and the front desk let me talk two bottles of water anyway. I did ask for an upgrade, but was told the rooms were all the same. This probably wasn't entirely true (in fact, I know they had two-bedroom suites available), but I let it go.

The Terrible Front-Desk Staff: So the property was fine, except for the staff. On the first night, someone from the front desk came into our room unannouced. "Sorry," she said, leaving, "I show this room as being vacant." She then called us to ask our name. The next morning, I complained and asked to see the manager. She apologized, but didn't offer me anything (aside from a promise to yell at the person who did it). On the third night, our key didn't work and I had to get it recoded at the front desk - which they did without asking me for ID or anything!

Overall, the staff wouldn't be enough to keep me away from this place. It was a good location and a good room for a decent price (about $130 a night for the weekend, $100 for the weeknight).

Preface: Flew into IAD for dinner then down to CHS for first time trip. Really had a difficult time choosing a spot to stay being mindful of the rates.

Status: Diamond.

Rate: I got a AAA rate for a little less than $130 plus plus.

Transportation: You can get a shared shuttle from CHS for $15 each way. I elected a cab since my time was very limited. $25 all in going to Hotel and $35 for a scheduled taxi return. I think the later was a rip. He did not get a tip.

Parking: There is parking on the back side of the Hotel which I would think is charged.

Check-in: The staff was very pleasant. I had an early check-in and they accomodated me.

Perks: None.

Lounge: n/a

Room: My first room was on 1 by that parking lot. Got moved to floor 4 and the room smelled like musty/mold. Moved to another room on 4 overlooking the parking lot.

Upon entry you have a frig and coffee maker set up to the right. Followed by a connector door. TV, chair windows, bed then bathroom. Standard but dated.

Bathroom: Nice and clean.

Internet: Wifi with a signal good then weak. Back and forth. Free of course. No wired connection.

Gym: Located on one.

Spa: n/a

Eating venues: A few things by the Hotel to the left on exiting. The real stuff is in the heart of the historic area. This Hotel is located in the historic area but not in its heart. It is more than a fair walk to the area you want to be. Not a walk I would make late at night.

Local markets: Probably something around.

Nagatives: Near tourist information center and where buses go out. Close to museum and some famous house. As noted not in the heart. Try the Doubletree for that.

Closing: I was able to do everything I wanted. Took the bus then Ft. Sumter tour. Had a good meal at Sticky Fingers. Would not stay at this Hotel again. The musty thing was disgusting and tour papers I left out were damp feeling when I returned. I heard other people talking about their hotels and longed for something nicer. CHS was nice and I would recommend it to everyone.