Where to stay · Charleston · United States
Where to stay in Charleston
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: MCG Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in French Quarter and Market area. Cobbled lanes, the City Market and harbour-front Waterfront Park. Best alternatives — budget: Harleston Village; nightlife: Upper King.
Key facts
- First visit
- French Quarter and Market area
- Families
- French Quarter and Market area
- Budget
- Harleston Village
- Nightlife
- Upper King
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | French Quarter and Market area | Cobbled lanes, the City Market and harbour-front Waterfront Park |
| Families | French Quarter and Market area | Cobbled lanes, the City Market and harbour-front Waterfront Park |
| Couples | South of Broad | Grand single houses, walled gardens and the Battery promenade at the tip of the peninsula |
| Budget | Harleston Village | College of Charleston campus, Colonial Lake and leafy side streets |
| Luxury | South of Broad | Grand single houses, walled gardens and the Battery promenade at the tip of the peninsula |
| Nightlife | Upper King | Restaurants, cocktail bars and design shops north of Calhoun Street |
| Food lovers | French Quarter and Market area | Cobbled lanes, the City Market and harbour-front Waterfront Park |
| Solo travellers | Upper King | Restaurants, cocktail bars and design shops north of Calhoun Street |
| Shopping | Upper King | Restaurants, cocktail bars and design shops north of Calhoun Street |
| Quiet stays | South of Broad | Grand single houses, walled gardens and the Battery promenade at the tip of the peninsula |
| Beach | Mount Pleasant | Suburb across the Ravenel Bridge with Shem Creek docks and Patriots Point |
Charleston neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays, luxury and culture
South of Broad
The residential streets below Broad Street — Meeting, Legare, Tradd and Church — hold Charleston's most photographed houses, cobbled Chalmers Street and alleys such as Stoll's Alley and Longitude Lane. There are few hotels and almost no shops, so accommodation is mostly inns and rentals in historic houses. It is quiet at night and a 10–15-minute walk from the Market area.
- Good
- The most beautiful streets in the city; Very quiet after dark; Waterfront walks along the Battery
- Watch out
- Few hotels and high prices; Little to eat within the area itself
- Nearby
- The Battery, Rainbow Row, Nathaniel Russell House, White Point Garden
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, couples and food lovers
French Quarter and Market area
The original walled city between East Bay and Meeting streets holds the French Huguenot Church, Dock Street Theatre, the Old Slave Mart and the four-block City Market. Many of the city's large hotels are here, along with carriage-tour stables and a dense spread of restaurants along East Bay Street. It is the most central base for first-time visitors without a car.
- Good
- Walking distance to nearly every downtown sight; Wide choice of hotels and restaurants; Fort Sumter ferry dock nearby
- Watch out
- Busy with tour groups and carriages; Hotel parking adds a nightly charge
- Nearby
- Charleston City Market, Waterfront Park, Old Exchange, Rainbow Row
$$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, solo travellers and shopping
Upper King
King Street north of Marion Square, and the side streets of Cannonborough-Elliotborough to the west, is where much of Charleston's restaurant and bar scene has grown since the 2010s. Hotels here are newer and slightly better value than the Market area, and the Charleston Museum, Aiken-Rhett House and visitor centre are a short walk away. Weekend nights are loud along the main strip.
- Good
- Best concentration of bars and new restaurants; Free DASH shuttle routes pass through; Walkable to the historic district
- Watch out
- Weekend noise and bachelorette crowds; A 20–25-minute walk to the Battery
- Nearby
- Marion Square, Charleston Museum, Aiken-Rhett House, King Street shops
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and culture
Ansonborough
Ansonborough, north of the Market between Meeting Street and the Cooper River, was rebuilt after the fire of 1838 and restored house by house from the 1950s. It is mainly residential, with a handful of inns and hotels, and sits between the South Carolina Aquarium, the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center and the International African American Museum.
- Good
- Quieter than the Market but just as central; Close to the aquarium and Fort Sumter ferry; Pretty, shaded residential streets
- Watch out
- Limited restaurants within the area; Hotel choice is small
- Nearby
- South Carolina Aquarium, International African American Museum, Charleston City Market
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and couples
Harleston Village
West of King Street, Harleston Village wraps around the College of Charleston's live-oak-shaded Cistern Yard and the walking loop of Colonial Lake. It has guest houses, some rental apartments and a student edge along Calhoun Street, with good-value cafés. Lower King's shops and the theatre district are a few blocks east.
- Good
- More affordable rentals near the centre; Pleasant evening walks around Colonial Lake; Local cafés and lunch spots
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Student noise in term time
- Nearby
- College of Charleston, Colonial Lake, Gibbes Museum of Art, King Street
$$ · Best for families, budget and beach
Mount Pleasant
Across the Cooper River, Mount Pleasant offers chain and mid-range hotels with free parking, Shem Creek's boardwalk of seafood restaurants and the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point. Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms beaches are about 15 minutes' drive, downtown Charleston about 15–20 minutes over the bridge, so a car is needed.
- Good
- Better-value hotels with parking; Close to both downtown and the beaches; Waterfront dining at Shem Creek
- Watch out
- Car-dependent; Bridge traffic at rush hour
- Nearby
- Shem Creek, Patriots Point, Sullivan's Island, Ravenel Bridge
$$$ · Best for beach, budget, families and solo travellers
Folly Beach
Folly Beach, about 20 km south of downtown, is a casual island town of beach houses, surf shops and bars along Center Street, with the Folly Beach Pier stretching into the Atlantic and the Morris Island Lighthouse visible from the island's northern end. Most stays are holiday rentals plus a few hotels near the pier.
- Good
- Beach on the doorstep; Relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere; Good surf for beginners on calm days
- Watch out
- About 25 minutes from downtown by car; Crowded on summer weekends
- Nearby
- Folly Beach Pier, Morris Island Lighthouse, Folly River Park
$$$$ · Best for beach, families, quiet stays and luxury
Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island
Sullivan's Island is almost entirely residential, with Fort Moultrie and a short strip of restaurants on Middle Street; next door, Isle of Palms has beach rentals and the Wild Dunes resort with golf and tennis. Both suit a beach-first trip with occasional drives into town about 25–30 minutes away.
- Good
- Wide, uncrowded beaches; Calm, family-oriented feel; Resort amenities on Isle of Palms
- Watch out
- Mostly rentals with minimum stays in summer; Need a car for everything
- Nearby
- Fort Moultrie, Wild Dunes, Shem Creek
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| South of Broad | $$$$ | The Battery, Rainbow Row, Nathaniel Russell House, White Point Garden |
| French Quarter and Market area | $$$$ | Charleston City Market, Waterfront Park, Old Exchange, Rainbow Row |
| Upper King | $$$ | Marion Square, Charleston Museum, Aiken-Rhett House, King Street shops |
| Ansonborough | $$$ | South Carolina Aquarium, International African American Museum, Charleston City Market |
| Harleston Village | $$ | College of Charleston, Colonial Lake, Gibbes Museum of Art, King Street |
| Mount Pleasant | $$ | Shem Creek, Patriots Point, Sullivan's Island, Ravenel Bridge |
| Folly Beach | $$$ | Folly Beach Pier, Morris Island Lighthouse, Folly River Park |
| Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island | $$$$ | Fort Moultrie, Wild Dunes, Shem Creek |
Getting to your hotel
Charleston International Airport (CHS) is in North Charleston, about 20 km from downtown — roughly 20–30 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing depending on traffic on I-26. CARTA buses also link the airport with downtown more slowly and cheaply.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Charleston for first-time visitors?
French Quarter and Market area. The original walled city between East Bay and Meeting streets holds the French Huguenot Church, Dock Street Theatre, the Old Slave Mart and the four-block City Market.
+Where should families stay in Charleston?
French Quarter and Market area: Walking distance to nearly every downtown sight.
+Which area of Charleston is best for a budget stay?
Harleston Village ($$): College of Charleston campus, Colonial Lake and leafy side streets.