Over the long weekend, we traveled down to Charleston, SC to check out The Spectator Hotel, a boutique hotel we have had on our radar. We love the historic French Quarter area of downtown Charleston and we’ve stayed at other boutique hotels of the same company, so we were excited to give it a whirl and The Spectator certainly delivered — we feel it is certainly in the top 10 within the city.
Although the exterior is slightly nondescript, we entered a welcoming lobby with a lovely display of flowers, luxurious seating, and tasteful decor. We were greeted immediately upon entering and check-in was a breeze. We were provided a welcome cocktail and then escorted to our room by our butler.
The room was well designed and the butler showed us where all the amenities were. There was a large soaking tub in the bathroom as well as a separate shower. There were the normal items of luxury spa products, robes, as well as complimentary snacks as well as a stocked minibar full of soda and water. There was a white noise maker to aid with sleeping and a UV phone cleaning box to sanitize your phones. As well as butler service, The Spectator has included complimentary breakfast in the room for the next morning. We just need to complete the card before turning in for the evening.
The Spectator’s list of all inclusive luxury amenities includes:
- Butler Service
- Prohibition-style Bar
- In-Room Gourmet Continental Breakfast
- 24 Hour Valet Parking (Additional Fee)
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Access to Private Fitness Studio
- Complimentary Bicycles to Borrow
- Welcome Cocktail
Once we were all settled in, we headed downstairs to discover The Bar. The Bar is a 1920’s inspired speakeasy style bar with custom craft cocktails constructed by master mixologists.
We tried their Spottieottiedopaliscious (say that three times fast), named after an Outkast song and The Dude Imbibes, a nod to The Big Lebowski and the iconic line “The Dude Abides.” Spottieottiedopaliscious was created using an ingredient referenced in the song (yams with extra syrup) and included Elijah Craig Rye, Ancho Reyes, Yams, Maple, Winter Spices, Egg White, and Fresh Lemon Juice. The Dude Imbibes, their riff on a White Russian styled cocktail was created from Chai-Vanilla Cathead Vodka, Carolina Cream Liqueur, Almond Milk, King Bean Cold Brew with a St George Coffee Liqueur Ice Cube.
Turn down service included a nightcap in a hand-poured chocolate cup, a perfect way to end our night.
The following morning, we enjoyed coffee and pastries (our selection from the menu) delivered by our butler while relaxing in our room as well as a few of the provided snacks. As this was a little one-night jaunt to Charlestown, we didn’t explore their gym or partake in the bikes.
The Spectator has received multiple awards (in fact, they have a whole page dedicated to them https://www.thespectatorhotel.com/awards). A few recent ones include:
- U.S News & World Report (2024) #6 Best Hotel in Charleston and #10 Best Hotel in South Carolina
- Food & Wine (2023) #7 Best Bar in the U.S.
- Travel + Leisure (2023) Top 500 Hotels in the World
The awards are correct. The Spectator provides a luxury experience in the heart of Charleston that is a “must stay” when visiting The Holy City. Luxury Nomad Club is supported by our audience. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you. All products and services featured are from those we recommend. Review our About Us page to see why you can trust us.
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