By Tom Crosby

(April 2008) In the heart of Charleston, one of the most popular Southern cities for tourists, the Charleston Place hotel conveys its own sense of Southern charm and urban luxury.

Built in 1986, the 442-room AAA rated Four Diamond hotel is now one of the best urban hotels in the Carolinas since becoming in 1995 one of 31 Worldwide, upscale Orient-Express owned hotels. The hotels fine dining restaurant, the Charleston Grill, is also AAA rated Four Diamond and celebrated for Chef Bob Waggoner's low country cuisine.
And the hotel’s Palmetto Café, which is open for breakfast and lunch and includes an outside garden dining area, is also AAA rated Four Diamond.

Other awards for Charleston Place include annually ranking as one of the best hotels in North America by Conde Nast Traveler magazine and periodic awards from Meetings Magazine and Travel & Leisure Magazine.

Most visitors arrive via Hassel Street with a brick wall dripping ivy on one side and the hotel's three-story brick parking garage on the other. They immediately view a huge stone fountain of four wild, prancing horses outside the curved, stone covered entrance, which is actually one of four ways to enter the hotel.

Two others are store-like street entrances to the hotel’s fabled marbled shopping lanes lined by 26 exclusive world-class retail stores like Gucci and Mont blanc - one entrance is off Meeting Street, the other off King Street.

A story lies in the fourth entrance off Market Street, which once was the original entrance until the street was made one-way in 1987, creating traffic jams and chaos for check-in guests. The Hassel Street entrance is the current main entrance.

However, the Market Street entrance is still used for elaborate and ceremonial events, guests entering on foot or approaching by horse carriage through a pair of brick columns attached to a black wrought iron fence. The eight-story brick building towers above a circular, brick roadway that has a tri-level saucer fountain rimmed at the base by flourishing plants. The view from the sidewalk shows three flag poles towering above the entrance's double doors, red canopies over the first floor windows and a massive chandelier hanging between the 7th and 8th floors where 79 rooms comprise the hotel's renowned and exclusive "club service."

Entering through the former main entrance, a sweeping view of the massive 9,000 square foot grand lobby includes a pair of majestic, plantation-style, spiral staircases that rise from the Italian white marble floor to the second floor mezzanine. The 28 steps are just enough for debutante balls or majestic entrances. Hanging above the signature double staircase is a 12-foot imported Venetian glass chandelier weighing approximately 1 1/2 tons. Four white columns and huge potted plants add an elegant Southern touch.

Overhead, recessed first floor ceiling areas have cream white crown molding and recessed lighting. Other sections of the lobby look up to the second floor mezzanine, site of many of the hotel's meeting rooms and business center.

The state-of-the-art Business Center rents Pentium computers with software packages and T-1 line access, color laser printers and video/audio conferencing equipment. The center also rents cellular phones and provides high-resolution scanning, custom printing and high-speed copying. It is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, with extended hours on request.

Because the lobby serves as a central crossroads for the two shopping galleries, it bustles with a culture all its own as shoppers, newly arriving and just departing guests, sightseers and hotel scurry about.  Lobby amenities include a shoeshine stand, a coffee bar and a hallway meat carving station outside the Palmetto Café for buffet breakfasts.

The elegant Thoroughbred Lounge, with dark mahogany walls and red leather chairs and couches, overlooks the lobby opposite the check-in desk and is where afternoon tea (ranked as the best in the south by several magazines) is served from 1 to 4 p.m and appetizers and deserts from 5 to 11 p.m. everyday except Sunday and Monday. Cocktails are served until 1 p.m. on weekends, midnight the rest of the time.

The slightly elevated lounge attracts a late night crowd that listens to a pianist at a ebony grand piano, smokes cigars, sips wine sold by the glass or order hors d'oeuvres - all while relaxing in the plush stuffed chairs sitting under a huge lighted chandelier with a sweet-smelling rose at each table. The lounge appeals to adults while other aspects of Charleston Place focuses on children.

In fact, attention to kids makes Charleston Place especially attractive to families. If a crib is ordered for a room, it automatically comes with Johnson & Johnson baby shampoos, oil, lotion, powder, bath oil and diaper rash crème. Other touches include animal decorated washcloths, coloring books and crayons, a rubber ducky, a nighttime storybook and a teddy bear turn down service.

For families on a budget, consider that the popular Palmetto Cafe allows kids under 12 to eat free and if room service is ordered, a complimentary treat of milk and cookies is provided.

Children and adults are enticed to Charleston Place by its magnificent 50 feet by 25 feet 40,000 gallon heated indoor/outdoor pool with a retractable roof, a nearby Jacuzzi, and spa area.

Within sight of the pool there are a pair of rooftop tennis courts and a fitness room overlooks the pool and contains televisions, Cybex weight machines, Power block weights, free weights, tread mills, biking and stair step machines.

The spa area includes steam and sauna rooms and weight scales to note how much of the fun you will be taking home with you. The staff will design a fitness program for your stay, including daily aerobic classes including step, aquacise, abdominals and yoga.

A blonde wood kiosk offers herbs, logo clothing (including Orient Express Boutique items) for sale in a bright and light setting. It is here that you can also sign up (or phone) for exquisite Spa services.

There are massages with warm botanical oils, manicures, stimulating pedicures, body wraps (choose between energy balancing, detoxifying or stimulating circulating) and various facials (hydrating, purifying, age-defying peels, etc.)

The spa brochure talks about "rubbed in sea salt" and "bathed in the essence of roses" - the language used when catering to celebrities.

In fact, hundreds of musicians, politicians, actors, actresses and other celebrities have stayed at the Charleston Place from Michael Bolten to Kevin Costner to Norman Schwarzkopf to Oprah Winfrey - even the Emperor of Japan.

Room prices range, depending on season and room choice, from $399 to $2,500. There are 169 deluxe guest rooms, 150 executive level rooms and 80 rooms on the club level (additional luxury can be found there). Among the rooms are 22 junior executive suites, 7 senior executive suites, 5 senior executive, 2 GM suites and one Orient-Express suites.

Most popular is the club level with distinctive, upscale guest attention that includes offering a private, personal concierge and room attendants. The 7th floor club lobby provides a small sitting area with two couches and chairs and a spiral staircase leading to the 8th floor. A two-story high window looks out over Market Street and the skyline of historic Charleston.

On the 8th floor, a wet bar services an area with 27 chairs, half-a dozen tables and two sofas in front of coffee tables. Culinary and libation offerings include continental breakfast with cereals, pastries, etc.; afternoon tea; evening cocktails; hors d'oeuvres; after dinner cordials, and desserts - all complimentary.

Elevators contain dark mahogany wood, mirrors, brass railings and oriental rugs.

A typical room at Charleston Place boasts bathroom amenities by Gilbert and Soames - moisturizing skin bar, dental rinse, mineral bath gel, hydrating body lotion, shampoo and conditioner. There is also a shoe polish cloth, shower cap, tissues, water glasses and sewing kit.

Floors and shower/bath stalls are made of matching Botticino marble squares and sinks and showers sport brass fixtures. Sink walls hold make-up mirrors and hair dryers. A phone hangs beside the commode.

A massive renovation upgraded most of the hotel's rooms so that foyers have inlaid wood floors, often with a hallway table, containing an ice bucket, glasses, a tray, two hotel guides and a basket laden with candy, cookies, peanuts, chips and bottled waters.

Muted yellow rugs with a blue criss-cross design, purposely muted yellow wallpaper match the rooms flowered bed covers, stuffed yellow chairs and window treatments. Two poster rice beds are topped with decorative pillows.

Turndown service includes a breakfast menu to hand on the door at night for morning room service and Charleston Place wrapped chocolate from Le Belge Chocolatier.

The wooden armoire made from solid mahogany provides the room’s only closet space, full-length mirrors on the three doors (two for the closet area, one for the 50-channel television with clothes drawers and safe underneath.)

Most rooms have a cushioned luggage bench, sofas and coffee tables, in addition to writing tables and desks. On the desk you will find brochures for the business center, the Spa, a map of the city, a historic list of places and events, a guest room dining menu (20% gratuity, $2 service charge and 8% sales tax), jogger's map (1.3 and 4.6 mile loops), directory of guest services and a list of the shops in the hotel.

Hotels windows open up for fresh air and many rooms have a very small walkout balcony.

There is a bricked square patio on the 4th floor with waist high flowers and plants along two walls. Several huge planters' pots scattered about add additional color.

Carpeted hotel hallways with striped wallpaper contain paintings, mirrors, and in some sections, marble wall shelves.

The hotel's casual restaurant is the AAA Four Diamond rated Palmetto Cafe, which seats 145 inside. Wood rims the carpeted restaurant floor and wicker chairs and tables create a summer atmosphere. Tables have a silver-capped colorful blue bottle of Charleston Place’s own water and breakfast coffee comes with a French press coffee pot that remains on the table. Guests can request a complimentary copy of the local Post-Courier or USA Today newspaper.

Enshrouded by lush greenery, the outside Palmetto garden provides ten tete a'tete tables for two and six tables for four and is available anytime during the day, weather permitting. A bubbling fountain in the center of the bricked garden adds serenity.

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