Charleston Place Hotel, South Carolina

Charleston Place is more than just a hotel, it is a destination in Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston Place has the perks of a centrally located luxury hotel. From table treats to tear-downs, customer service here is Southern hospitality all the way. Located in the historic district, this eight-story hotel has the feel of a modern-day French château with fountains and flowers to greet guests at either entrance. However, neither doors were automatic nor were their door attendants to assist. If entering on the side where cars drop people off then you may be able to catch a valet to help but otherwise, you are on your own. Additional non-accessible entrances due to stairs are through the ground-level mall known as the Shops at Charleston Place.

Lobby + 1st Floor

The lobby shines with marble floors, cascading staircases, and a chandelier as the centerpiece. The bell/valet desk as well as the main and the concierge desk which are all in the lobby did not have a lowered wheelchair section but each time the staff was extremely courteous and helpful to whatever my need was. Conveniently, the main desk provides printed-out “walking” maps to just about any restaurant or attraction in Charleston. Maps of Charleston and any tourist information are available at the concierge desk of course and if you need to use a computer or print something, a business office is available in the hotel.

Also located on the Charleston Place lobby floor are two restaurants and a bar where you can lavish in the fresh culinary cuisine of the Lowcountry. The Thoroughbred Club is the bar that opens either at 4 or 5pm depending on the day and has wheelchair access via a ramp on the right. Across the way is the Palamento Café which is open for breakfast and lunch and has an outdoor patio; brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday. Around the corner from the café is the fine dining restaurant called the Charleston Grill. Every evening both the restaurant and the bar provide live music for guests to enjoy. The rest of the ground floor is dedicated to the Shops at Charleston Place. No restroom is available at either of the two restaurants or bars. Instead, there is one for all of these places including touring guests in the lobby. In the woman’s bathroom, there were two stalls, one was slightly bigger with grab bars.

Pool + Spa

Together on the same floor is the Spa at Charleston Place as well as the pool and hot tub. The pool is a combination of salt and natural water and has a pool lift. The hot tub does not have a lift. The pool and hot tub are indoors though it’s hard to forget with all the windows and the retractable rooftop. An outdoor patio area with more lounge chairs is just through a set of doors. To get to the pool you enter through the spa via a couple of glass doors. The spa has many services and the staff helps to make you feel comfortable. The pedicure chairs are exceptionally high so let the staff know of your physical ability to see how they can accommodate. The massage tables can be automatically lowered for easier transfer.

The Rooms

Roll-In Shower Rooms

• 302 = Deluxe King
• 528 = Deluxe Double (2 Double Beds)
• 4B = Junior Suite with King Bed and a Pull-Out Sofa

Bathtub Rooms 

• Deluxe Double = 352, 452, 528
• Deluxe King = 302, 402, 502, 602, 628
• Junior Suite = 202, 228, 2A, 309, 333, 3B, 409, 433, 477, 4B
• Club King = 702, 726, 801, 825

One set of elevators is located across from the main desk. A bellman kindly assisted me with my bags up to my room #528, one of a few ADA rooms at Charleston Place. Only three of these rooms have a roll-in shower. This particular room has two double beds and is just around the corner from the elevator which could be heard. The hallway to the room is carpeted. The door opens with a card key. The hallway in the room has wood floors with a small end table and lamp but the main part of the room is carpeted. Across from the table is the door to the bathroom.

The bathroom’s roll-in shower has a permanent flip-down plastic shower bench. Two shelves are within reach for bathing supplies and so are the controls from the hand-held shower nozzle. There are grab-bars installed in the shower area but they are not within reach of the bench. Next to the shower was the roll-up sink. The magnifying mirror at the sink was not adjustable to be usable from a wheelchair. The toilet has one set of grab-bars adjacent to it and the other was along the opposite wall instead of behind the toilet. The bathroom door has a lowered hook for towels or hanging overnight bags as well. No full-length mirror is available.

One of the double beds can be accessed on both sides whereas the other has only one free side. Some may find the bed height to be challenging, so in this case, talk to them about options. The desk is next to the bed and is too low for the majority of wheelchairs to roll up under, including me in my 26” tall wheelchair. Although there is no lowered closet bar, a tie hanger is provided and could be used as an on-the-spot adaption, like a rack to hang clothes on or a grabber. The HVAC controls are within reach of a sitting position. The window to the room was also easily opened by pulling the lever upwards. A tall metal lamp rests in the corner next to the window with a table in front of it. When I arrived the lamp was on and later needed to move around furniture to turn it off. The curtain strings were also located in this corner and were a little inconvenient to access.