For the past five years, I’ve been sneaking away and stealing trips to Charleston, SC wherever I can fit them in. There is something about the colorful Southern city that does my soul good. My love affair with the Holy City started with a few work trips prepping and attending Charleston Fashion Week. When the work trips were over, I would find myself missing the energy and beauty of the city. There’s really no place like it and in my mind, it is my home away from home. After five years of combined work and recreational trips, I’ve made some real friends and established some great relationships with local businesses. I’ve also had the chance to stay at several of the amazing places available in Charleston (you really can’t have a bad experience). Last week I took a trip down for a quick baby moon and birthday celebration with some girlfriends. While the boutique hotels and Airbnb options are great, I can honestly say that, like the city of Charleston, there is no place like The Charleston Chestnut Mansion.

monogram tote (c/o) // hat – also love this color and this one

STAY

There are two suites available to chose from when booking your stay at The Charleston Chestnut. Suite 200, the one I stayed in, is the larger of the two and offers 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2 sitting areas, a full kitchen, washer & dryer and private elevator. This suite is perfect for so many trips with a larger group of people: a girls weekend, couples getaway, bachelorette party or baby moon. Each bedroom is incredibly spacious and flooded with natural light. My favorite thing to do each morning was to open all the plantation shutters and let in the beautiful sunlight. It instantly brightened up the already beautifully decorated rooms. Most of the suite is decorated in blue and white which totally got me from the beginning. I am blue and white obsessed and felt right at home. I’m used to spreading out, so I stayed in the master bedroom with the king size bed (the other two have queens). It was so comfy and aside from the growing bump, I slept like a baby in it. In addition to the two common sitting areas, each bedroom has its own sitting area complete with either a desk or table.

One thing that really stood out to me about The Charleston Chestnut vs other places I’ve stayed was the way they took care of the little things while you were there. When you check in, there are a variety of drinks (water, beer & juice) chilled in the fridge ready for you to cool off with. There is also a cabinet full of snacks and breakfast items that are all for your enjoyment. The bathrooms are equally stocked and I’m talking about more than the mini bottle of shampoo you get everywhere. There are make up removal wipes, shower items, a hair dryer and more. Normally I feel weird helping myself to things I didn’t pack, but the property manager was insistent that they were stocked up for guests and truly wanted guests to feel at home. I don’t travel with many snacks and since I got in relatively late, I loved having this available so I didn’t have to mess with a grocery store or restaurant while trying to get settled.

Suite 300 is equally beautiful and has a cool nautical motif. It is slightly smaller and perfect for accommodating fewer people. As it is on the top floor of the building, there are some great views to take in. You can read more about that suite here.

EAT & DRINK

As I mentioned earlier, The Charleston Chestnut has a full kitchen and comes stocked with a few options for food. While you may not want to cook while on vacay, you always have the option here. If you’re like me and want a 100% break from cooking and cleaning up, there are several options right off East Bay St. that are close and delicious and plenty more that are only a short ride away.

DO

The Charleston Chestnut is conveniently located on East Bay St. in the heart of downtown Charleston which makes the list of possibilities endless. While some stops may take 10 or so blocks to get to, I believe walking Charleston is the best way to see and experience it. There is so much beauty to take in and you simply miss it when you have to focus on driving. Parking downtown is a total pain and very limited. If you insist on taking a vehicle, I recommend taking a service (Lyft, Uber) vs driving yourself.

Waterfront: Take a walk 7 blocks down Bay St, take a left at the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon and you’ll find yourself at Waterfront Park. This park is great for exercise or just admiring the beautiful historic homes (the later is my favorite). You can also stop in front of the famous pineapple fountain for a photo op or a rest.

Rainbow Row: Cut back over to Bay St after the park or continue straight down from The Charleston Chestnut and you’ll be at the iconic Rainbow Row. All the homes are private residences so there’s not really much to do here but look or take pictures but it sure is fun. Where else do you have pink, purple, blue and yellow homes all in one place?!

Shopping:  There are two options here. Directly across the street from the Charleston Chestnut is the Charleston City Market. This is a great spot for admiring local artisans and goods specific to the low country. While most of it is catered to tourists, it’s a must see and great spot for seeing things you won’t find everywhere else. The second option is King St. King Street is lined with chain and local boutiques catering to a variety of interests. King St. is just a few blocks behind the Charleston Chestnut and very easy to get to if you opt for walking. It is the hotter option, but often much easier than trying to find parking anywhere close to where you want to shop.

Carriage Ride: The Old South Carriage Co. is just down the street from the Charleston Chestnut. It’s so close you can just stand in the driveway and watch the carriages come and go. It’s pretty cool to watch and a great way to see the historical parts of the city. I recommend doing it at least once.

If you are looking for entertainment in the form of a guided tour, spa experience, golf outing or boat charter, simply reach out to my friends at The Charleston Chestnut and they will set it all up for you. Read more about that here.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I honestly cannot recommend The Charleston Chestnut Mansion more. It is far and away the best place I have stayed to date for all the reasons listed above and so many more. You have to visit to truly understand how great it is and none of the pictures will do it justice. I’ve tried really hard to think of a downside, but honestly cannot. Whether you are heading down for a quick getaway or a longer vacation, a stay at The Charleston Chestnut is a must! This growing mama to be is done traveling for the year, but I’m so excited to start planning for 2019 and another year of Charleston Fashion Week in March.

*Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this post, however I did receive compensation in the form of room c/o The Charleston Chestnut. All opinions are my own.