Hotel Bennett, Charleston: Unparalleled Luxury?
January 14, 2024
Hotel Bennett, Charleston: Unparalleled Luxury?
By Mrs. SSO
I have always wanted to go to Charleston; the advertisements in travel magazines painted it’s charm and romance so beautifully. Earlier this year, my brother-in-law was part of a group invited to Boeing Headquarters where they were given a tour of the Factory and were wined and dined; they were escorted on private tours of the City, they had early access to the new African American Museum and were lodged at the Hotel Bennett. He raved about the trip so we all decided we would take a 4 day trip to Charleston together.
We had basically decided to stay at the Hotel Bennett, but as usual, I needed to do a little research of my own. According to their website, Hotel Bennett is the south’s grandest luxury hotel … which perfectly blends unparalleled luxury with an unmatched setting in the country’s most beloved city. Forbes described “the hotel’s design and interior finishes to evoke European grandeur with extravagant use of marble, limestone, copper and tile but it’s the local touches that impart a unique dose of Carolina Lowcountry soul.” Travel + Leisure labelled “The lounges are some of the most beautiful in the city” and pronounced the room as “genteel and bright yet serene with its palate of dove gray and pale blue”. So far, so good. The deciding point was that the Hotel Bennett was part of the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts Program.
The Hotel’s descriptions, video’s and photo’s depict the Bennett well. The Press Coverage in broad terms is accurate. So why am I not wowed? I think it is a few things:
- Price – Wow Equation
- At nearly $800/night, I expected something more. I have stayed at many hotels in the US which were equally as nice but at half this price or less. There was just nothing really special to justify the price. I heard the King’s Club was a private oasis that elevates your Hotel Bennett experience. But that was another $225/night. Perhaps that should just be included in the rate. But $800 is nearly the price of a room at one of the AMAN Resorts which has a huge WOW factor.
- It’s All Relative
- In re-visiting my research. The reference is The South / The City. And it is true…….to an extent. Relative to other Hotels in Charleston, the Hotel Bennett is the ‘grandest’, the ‘most luxurious’ … as for the full “South” hard to say.
- Hotel Bennett’s prices are on par with those of the great hotels in London, Paris, & Rome. On a $ for $ basis, $800 buys an unbelievable experience in Asia or in Europe. In fact, we normally paid less than $500/night and we were wowed. In my opinion, a great Hotel is not only defined by the room and the restaurants; those are a given, an expectation. It is rather the experience there: maybe it’s a spectacular pool, the culture, the historic background, the little extras, special details of the breakfast or dinner, the attentive staff and the people that make the memory, create the value and make it inspiring to write about.
- In My Opinion, Just Uninspiring
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- Breakfast sounded better on the menu than it looked on the plate and it tasted mediocre.
- The Rooftop Pool was super small with a very limited number of lounges (unless you wanted to pay $200 – $300 to rent a cabana)
- The Entrance and Lobby did not leave a great first impression of the Hotel. They were large and felt empty and cold, not inviting.
The Hotel Bennett with its central location off of Marion Square is a good base for exploring. It was nice just expensive for what it is. If you are planning a visit to Charleston, and money is no object, then the Bennett is worth considering.
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January 2024
The only luxury hotels I’ve experienced in the USA are the Algonquin and Iroquois in New York, practically next to each other. Prices when I went were £400-£450, but it was a few years back and also at Christmas too. I’d expect high prices given they’re close to Times Square on Manhattan.
For me, a hotel is a base to explore from and those two were excellent. I didn’t use many of the facilities of the hotel, but I so enjoyed the beds in both. Maybe the Algonquin’s more after a week skiing and my body needs good rest!
Past that, my experience is more Radisson, Hyatt, and Holiday Inn. Hyatt in Austin Tx was definitely one I liked, superb steaks, close to Congress Av. bridge where you can go to see the bats, and Aussie’s Bar & Grill which did what I can only describe as the best burger I’ve ever had before or since.
The only other chain hotels was the Hilton in London, which was good. And various seemingly independent ones in Italy, which always serve the best coffees you could ask for.
But this one? Does it look special? Not massively so. It looks good, really good, but not something that’s making me go wow. Not somewhere that makes me wish I could go and try it. But I’ll return to the Algonquin or Iroquois anytime.