Opulent Luxury Awaits in Charleston

Here's where to go when in the mood for some lavish living

Hotel Bennett, where Old World Grandeur meets Southern Charm.

When in the mood for a weekend of lavish luxury, head to Charleston. It never disappoints.

Hotel Bennett

Once you have arrived, slow down and indulge. Jacketed doormen will usher you inside through a rotunda hand-painted with an artist’s rendering of colonial Charles Towne’s 18th-century harbor and skyline. Linger in front of the mural on the spotless white marble flooring. Notice the dazzling petal-like chandelier and the artful flower arrangements. You are in one of the prettiest spots in Charleston. It’s perfect for the bride to go with girlfriends for tea time with mimosas. Go all out with femme glam for this one!

Gabrielle, the hotel’s signature restaurant, is two stories high and has a private dining room and a wide al fresco patio. Its cuisine showcases the Lowcountry’s fresh bounty with bold yet refined flavors. An impressive outdoor dining terrace overlooks Marion Square, with a view of the farmers market just across the street.

Once in your room, relax in a fur-lined robe and enjoy the oval pedestal bathtub beneath a crystal teardrop chandelier. The silver bath tray has a satchel of verbena-scented sea salts. The spacious bedroom is decorated in hues of soft sage and burnished gold.

Afternoon Tea

Your server will pour flights of sparkling wine at the flower-studded bar, then walk to your table across the softly-hued marble to deliver towers of savory canapes. This will be followed by another tower of sweets prepared by their French pastry chef.  You will have a wide selection of leaf teas and herbal infusions.  Don’t forget to return after dinner for champagne, oysters and caviar.

Our next well-kept secret is the Caviar Bar at Chez George, guaranteed to take your breath away.

Entrance to Chez George - below

The Caviar Bar at Zero George, a boutique hotel known for the wizardry of its executive chef, Vinson Petrillo, should be on your list. The hotel’s ground-floor restaurant offers a delightful tasting menu, but the Caviar Bar is separate and exclusive. You must have a reservation and prepare to be dazzled. It’s cozy, posh, romantic, and refined. Walk through wrought iron gates into a fragrant garden courtyard, up the steps of this restored 1804 house, and onto an open piazza, where you will be seated at a marble-topped table.

The presentation will take your breath away. Delicate Regiis Ova caviar rests on crushed ice in an antique silver ice chest.  Each diner lifts a mother-of-pearl spoon to serve themselves.  Classic accompaniments include fingerlings of brioche, fresh chives, crispy kettle chips, lemon halves, and creme fraiche.  A  la carte menu items are available, including Chef  Petrillos’s wagyu katsu sandwich, which is flecked with edible gold. Come see, taste, and sip for yourself and see why the restaurant has ranked in the Top 5 Foodie Hotels in the World by Conde Nast.

But wait, that’s not all. Chef Petrillo has opened a new spot - Costa Charleston, a restaurant dedicated to coastal Italian fare, in the Jasper on Broad Street. Petrillo grew up in an Italian family with roots hailing back to Southern Italy.  Costa will feature a menu inspired by his upbringing but with a coastal focus. “We’re gonna do a chicken but in the style of a porchetta,” he said.  He added that this dish is prepared over a three-day process from brine to finish to get it crispy and awesome.” The ambiance, the music, and the vibe will take you immediately to the Amalfi coast for an authentic Italian evening.

The Citrus Club

Experience the gracious hospitality and effortless style offered at the Dewberry. The Citrus Club is the crown jewel in a city known for its steepled skyline and sea-skimming views. 

The Dewberry’s 8th-floor terrace features the highest rooftop in Charleston and is home to the whimsical rooftop cocktail bar.  Here, you will enjoy citrus-inspired cocktails and fresh lite bites on their outdoor terrace. You will be seated in a posh little nook separated by potted olive trees, lemons, limes, and a smattering of palms.  Salty breezes blow from the prevailing corners of a 360-degree view of the rivers below. Relax with a pina colada in hand and order a well-curated small plate of fanciful appetizers.

Charleston Place

Here in the heart of the city, Charleston Place has become an opulent living room for locals and guests.  For three decades of existence, people have loved to pass through its lobby to check out seasonally themed exhibits, have a drink at the Thoroughbred Lounge and celebrate special occasions, even if they are not staying there. It beautifully exudes stately European elegance with a heap of Southern charm. Two of Charleston’s best restaurants are located here, the Palmetto Cafe and live-jazz-playing Charleston Grill, with advanced sommeliers, smoothly choreographed French-style service, and absolutely no stuffiness.

On my most recent visit, I ordered Palmetto’s crab salad, a tower of jumbo lump crab meat, whipped avocado, and a golden tomato vinaigrette topped with thin shards of multigrain crackers.

These are just a few indulgences. In my next newsletter, I will share more Charleston fantasy. I’ll be heading over to The French Quarter Inn, The Spectator Hotel, the Beach Club at Charleson Harbor, and another fine addition to the city, The Pinch. There is so much more to discover. We have only just begun!

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