The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Charleston

Where to Stay on Your First Trip to Charleston

A Plantation Estate near Charleston, South Carolina A Plantation Estate near Charleston, South Carolina

If it's your first trip to Charleston, South Carolina for the activities and sightseeing, then you're in for a treat. But the biggest question is often where to stay for a first time visitor to Charleston. With so many amazing hotels to choose from, it can be tough to make a decision to make the most of your first trip here. That's where we come in! In this comprehensive guide, we'll help you find the best hotels for first-timers in Charleston. After analyzing all of the hotels based on price, location, amenities, ratings, and more, we have come up with our list of the best hotels in Charleston for first time visitors. We'll cover everything you need to know about these hotels, including the amenities, location, prices and ratings. So, whether you're traveling solo, with family, or as a couple on a romantic getaway, you'll find the perfect hotel if you've never visited Charleston beofre. So check out these terrific hotels, many of which have sparkling swimming pools, delicious restaurants, and top-notch amenities, along with the perfect balance of comfort, location, and affordability. So, let's get to it and discover the best hotels in Charleston for your first trip!

(Prices are listed in U.S. Dollars.)

Market Pavilion Hotel

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $348 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

Located at 225 East Bay Street, Market Pavilion Hotel has great rooms from $348 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center. It has a terrific 9.20 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 0.4 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love a bar, parking, breakfast, child care, and laundry services at this relaxing hotel. We love the convenience of room service, and it's really nice here.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental


Zero George Street

Inn with prices starting at $414 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

A great place to stay is Zero George Street which has nice rooms starting at $414. Offering room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking, it also has a great guest rating of 9.10 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 0 George Street. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers breakfast, child care, laundry services, a free breakfast, and city views which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 0.7 miles from the city center. The restaurant serves delicious food, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator
  • Luxury


The Restoration

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $401 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Charleston
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

We found The Restoration to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $401. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 9.00 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 75 Wentworth Street. You'll also find parking, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, and cooking classes which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 0.4 miles from the center of town. The heated pool is comfortable, relaxing, and fun for everyone.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Kitchen
  • Spa
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Infinity pool


Homewood Suites By Hilton Charleston Historic District

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $222 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Heated pool

With terrific rooms from $222, Homewood Suites By Hilton Charleston Historic District, at 415 Meeting Street provides an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a bar, parking, and breakfast. Its terrific guest rating is 8.70 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers rooms with kitchens, laundry services, a free breakfast, pet-friendly rooms, and city views. It's located just 1.2 miles from the city center, too. Make sure to set aside some time for swimming in the pool, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Parking
  • Breakfast included
  • Kitchen
  • Free breakfast
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Saltwater pool


Hilton Garden Inn Mount Pleasant SC

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $152 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Charleston
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.

Hilton Garden Inn Mount Pleasant SC has a great guest rating of 8.60 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. The great rooms here start at $152 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 300 Wingo Way. Furthermore, it also offers laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, free parking, laundry facilities, and family rooms, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 2.8 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. We found the price of this hotel to be a great value because the price is less than average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Charleston Marriott

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $194 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Heated pool

The great guest rating of Charleston Marriott is 8.50 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $194, and it's located at 170 Lockwood Boulevard. We also love the parking, a kid-friendly buffet, laundry services, golf, and a spa which are great for visitors. And since it's just 1.8 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Laundry service
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator
  • Saltwater pool


The Vendue

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $194 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Charleston
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly

A cool place is The Vendue because it has great rooms that start at $194. It has room service, a restaurant, a bar, parking, and laundry services, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.40 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 19 Vendue Range. Only 0.3 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love pet-friendly rooms, evening entertainment, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, and a tour desk at this convenient hotel.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Coffee shop
  • Breakfast in the room


Renaissance Charleston Historic District Hotel

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $307 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Heated pool

Renaissance Charleston Historic District Hotel offers an outdoor pool, skiing, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $307 (before taxes). It's located at 68 Wentworth Street and has earned a guest rating of 8.00/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers a bar, parking, child care, laundry services, and bowling which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 0.5 miles from the city center.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Skiing
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Horse riding
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Fishing
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Courtyard by Marriott Charleston Historic District

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $285 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Heated pool

Located at 125 Calhoun Street, Courtyard by Marriott Charleston Historic District has great rooms from $285 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. It has a terrific 8.00 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find parking, laundry services, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, and family rooms which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 0.7 miles from the center of town.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator


French Quarter Inn

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $336 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Charleston
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

A great place to stay is French Quarter Inn which has nice rooms starting at $336. Offering room service, breakfast, laundry services, a free breakfast, and city views, it also has a great guest rating of 9.60 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 166 Church Street. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers car rentals, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, family rooms, and air-conditioning. It's located just 0.3 miles from the city center, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Laundry service
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Also, take a look at the First Time Trip hotels in nearby destinations: Beaufort and Summerville.

For more terrific hotel ideas in Charleston, make sure you also see Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Charleston, Best Cheap Hotels in Charleston, Best Luxury Hotels in Charleston, Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in Charleston, Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in Charleston, Best Hotels for One Week in Charleston, Best Hotels for One Night in Charleston, Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in Charleston, or Best Business Hotels in Charleston.


How much do hotels for first-time visitors cost in Charleston?

Charleston Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$192

After analyzing 91 first time trip hotels in Charleston, South Carolina, we found the average first time trip hotel price to be a remarkably economical $192. Naturally, this destination has many fantastic first time trip accommodation options with a variety of prices. The price will vary by the hotel's amenities, available dates, and the general location. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Charleston.

The average prices of our suggested first time trip hotels by star rating:

  • 5-star hotels: $416
  • 4-star hotels: $295
  • 3-star hotels: $176
  • 2-star hotels: $129


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