Vibrantly colorful, hauntingly mysterious, and full of luxury – Charleston is the perfect mix of old and new. Millennials in Travel was graciously hosted by the iconic Charleston Place, a Belmond Hotel in the heart of historic Charleston.
Charleston has been named the #1 City in America by Conde Nast Traveler and also the Friendliest city by Fodor. I don’t know if it’s the colorful homes, walkability, southern hospitality, or amazing food that makes this a must-see destination, but all of that made it a memorable trip!
We checked in VIP style with a luxury transfer from the Charleston Airport to the Charleston Place, a Belmond Hotel. The hotel has done a great job with Covid-19 protocol from a waiver signed upon arrival, social distancing signs in the public areas, masks required throughout (except for when eating/drinking) and enhanced cleaning measures.
Five agents joined on the FAM trip from California, New York, North Carolina and Michigan. We were all eager to settle into our Club Level Premier Rooms at the Charleston Place, a Belmond Hotel. The rooms were nicely appointed and spacious with views over the historic district. The Club Level really is the highlight, with access to breakfast and three other epicurean changes daily and premium wine, beer or alcohol definitely this an ideal option for business travelers, families or a girl’s getaways!
Charleston Place has an anchored history in the city of Charleston. Initially in a sketchy part of town, the then Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. had a vision for what could be and that they needed to build a luxury hotel. So came the Charleston Place and was built in 1986 but made to match the surrounding historic architecture. Now the city has several luxury hotels in the historic downtown area, however the Charleston Place paved the way and still remains a staple in the city.
Gin + Tonic Frozé = Yes please! Our first night we were generously hosted by Explore Charleston at Leon’s Poultry and Oyster Shop. The casual ambiance, great drinks, oyster and fried chicken make this a must see while in town. Did I mention the froze?! They were awesome and had a refreshing G+T frozé as well as a frozen rose.
Photo courtesy of The Graft
After dinner, we had to check out Graft Wine Shop around the corner. The Co-Founder, Femi Oyediran was a former Sommelier at the Charleston Place. Now he owns his own wine shop that is so special. The vibe was cool, great music and the wine… ya’ll the wine he chose for us was awesome.
The next day, we woke up and enjoyed a delicious breakfast spread at the Club before we joined Brenna our host from the Charleston Place for a site tour. We saw one of the Presidential Suites which is ideal for large families, girls getaway or entertaining while on business. It connects to another room with two beds which really makes it perfect for lots of space to enjoy.
After our tour, we headed to the water to get on the Schooner Pride tall ship to scout out some dolphins in the Charleston harbor. It was a peaceful sail, as there wasn’t much wind or waves, but it was so relaxing with our mimosas in hand. We passed Fort Sumpter, several mansions on the harbor and lots of dolphins.
Lunch was hosted at The Palmetto Café where we all indulged in the tastiest crab salad ever. If in Charleston you have stop by just for this salad, it was divine! Following lunch, we were each treated to either a 50-minute massage at the Spa or a blowout at the Salon.
After a relaxing afternoon, we all met up at the Thoroughbred Club for happy hour and then proceeded to the legendary Charleston Grill. With live music playing in the background, the wood clad walls make for an intimate backdrop for our dinner. The Executive Chef, Michelle Weaver brings a southern menu with innovative twists. The Charleston crab cakes were delicious and the rack of lambs was so flavorful, but to be honest everything looked mouth-watering. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, this is the place to go!
The next morning, we went on a horse-drawn carriage tour of downtown with Palmetto Carriage tours. It’s a unique process as the horse-drawn carriage tours business is the booming in Charleston. Guests can’t simply request where they want to go due to congestion issues, the carriages first stop by an office that runs a bingo-likes lottery system that designates where each carriage tour will go. I had my heart on going to Rainbow Row and Battery Park…. And that’s the lottery we got! Talk about fate. Our driver was knowledgeable and shared lots about the history of the area. Many of the mansion owners he knew first hand and it was a great tour overall. Just comes down to the luck of the draw, but the other areas would also offer robust history of Charleston.
We finished out of trip with a final lunch together at the casual restaurant called Meeting at Market. Great for sports lovers, beer drinkers and people watching. It’s right on the corner overlooking the main street where the carriages pass by. Just a fun way to end our time with the Millennials in Travel group hosted by Charleston Place, a Belmond Hotel with Natalie Aldridge and Brenna Emerson with Belmond and Ike High with Explore Charleston.
Thank you again MIT, Charleston Place, a Belmond Hotel and Explore Charleston for the hospitality!
For more information about Charleston Place, a Belmond Hotel and to book your Charleston trip for you or your clients, please reach out to Brenna Emerson, Director of Travel Industry Sales: brenna.emerson@belmond.com.
MIT Host & Author: Janelle Ruhumuliza, Lilacs & Chai