Review: The Spectator Hotel

How did it strike you on arrival?
Immediately south of Charleston's historic market, this boutique hotel attracted instant raves when it opened in the summer of 2015. The lobby is a stunner, with a gently cascading waterfall wall, hand-painted bird mural, stuffed white peacock, and amethyst-colored drapes, elements all selected to channel 1920s glamour with a contemporary twist. I was greeted with the bartender's daily changing cocktail—in this case, a hibiscus-infused French 75 (pale pink, subtle, and refreshing).

What’s the crowd like?
Couples, business travelers, girls' getaways.

The good stuff: Tell us about your room.
I reserved a Grand Suite for its soaking tub separate. I loved the azure-blue tufted velvet headboard on my four-poster bed and slept very, very well despite the hotel's proximity to such a bustling tourist area. Deep Steep bath products are one of Charleston's best-kept local secrets, so I was pleased to see them in a hotel setting.

How about the little things, like the mini bar, or shower goodies? Anything that especially stood out to you?
Heated towel racks, sparkling white Carrara bathroom vanities. Espresso machines in every room. Contemporary artwork, including a photograph of an iconic Charleston movie theater, all sourced through a local artist collective. Soft jazz music (Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra) on arrival and at turndown. Complimentary boozy cordial at turndown. Free Wi-Fi. A good representation of local producers in the mini-bar, including key lime cookies, benne wafers, and South Carolina-grown peanuts, and all (gasp) complimentary and restocked daily. I did not want to part with my dreamily plush, thick velour bathrobe. And I wouldn't mind making off with the taxidermy white peacock in the library-bar.

Room service: Worth it?
The hotel does not have a restaurant, and that's a common complaint given the hype surrounding the hotel's launch. However, the cocktail lounge launched a tasty bar snack menu in February 2019 with inventive, seasonal, savory tarts and other salty bites available both as bar snacks and as room service delivery from 4-10pm. An ample continental breakfast is brought to the room on trays, and your room is restocked with free snacks daily. Multiple restaurants fall within a one- to two-block range¸, from which your assigned personal butler can pick up food and deliver to your room for a 20 percent surcharge.

Anything we missed?
Bartender Allen Lancaster bristles at the term 'mixologist,' but he is creative indeed, incorporating things like grapefruit bitters, chamomile-lemongrass honey, orange blossom and rosewater perfume into his daily concoctions. Bar chairs sport green leather and skinny brass legs, and the marble bar is smooth as suede. Low-slung seating configurations make this a very popular gathering spot for locals and guests.

I should also mention the complimentary hotel bikes come with maps, water bottles, and built-in wicker baskets. The bar is the hotel's greatest strength, both in design and service.

Bottom line: Why will we love it here?
The stylish bar, vintage elegance, central location, bright rooms, and admirable commitment to local products make The Spectator worth its price. Just don't expect onsite dining.