Simply put, the Grand Three-Bedroom Residence at Charleston’s The Restoration is an apartment — 2,300 square feet of sleeping quarters, a full kitchen with stainless-steel appliances and a gorgeous rooftop terrace. Okay, so it’s more like your dream apartment, but the fact remains that the place feels like a home.
That’s all by design. A one-time condominium project that fell through because of the late 2000s’ economic collapse, The Restoration became a reality once its owners declared that the historic town could use a fun, funky space to counter the antebellum charm elsewhere in the city. And once wood beams and metal joists connected a neighboring building to the original structures in a 2016 expansion, the boutique hotel’s industrial-chic allure grew from 16 to 54 rooms.
New general manager Chelsea Nightengale, who previously served as the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended hotel’s food and beverage director, has been tasked with keeping service standards high for returning guests while enticing new ones with unique amenities and modern conveniences. Forbes Travel Guide recently visited the restored South Carolina gem and can report that, even with its bigger floor plan and newer restaurant concepts, the hotel hasn’t lost its warmth.
The Rooms
The aforementioned Grand Three-Bedroom Residence is the ideal layout for a small family reunion or a bachelorette party. If your party doesn’t need four flat-screen TVs and a washer/dryer, you can still find plenty to love about The Restoration. Studio Suites, for instance, are 500 square feet of lofty luxuriousness. Living spaces have a kitchenette and Gately Williams’ striking pieces on the wall. The bath offers Beekman 1802 toiletries.
Sure, as you go up in room category — from the 750-square-foot Signature Suite to the 1,300-square-foot, apartment-style Two-Bedroom Residence — the likelihood of needing a map to navigate in your own private space increase, but the hotel’s usage of exposed bricks, hardwood flooring and elevated design touches never wavers.
The Amenities
We wouldn’t blame you for holing up in your room the whole trip. But should the urge to explore beyond the accommodations come over you, there is plenty to keep you busy around The Restoration.
The full-service Amethyst Spa offers everything you’d expect from a forward-thinking address — neutral tones, a nail bar and a treatment menu filled with essential oils, CBD and salt scrubs.
There’s a shop, The Port Mercantile, selling some of the items just used during your massage. Additionally, you’ll find locally crafted jewelry, candles, handbags and other knickknacks worth bringing back.
Just a few steps from that shop is The Library, a cozy corner featuring a fireplace and shelves of quirky books. Stop by any time to peruse the collection. Peek in every day between 5 and 6 p.m. for a wine and cheese selection. Oh, and be sure to poke your head around the hall to see an extended gallery of Williams’ photography.
Ironically, though, the best picture here may come from your own camera. Go up to the rooftop pool for remarkable views of Wentworth and King streets. Pose for some shots, take a quick dip or merely kick back with your favorite podcast.
The Activities
For The Restoration to be such an intimate property, it keeps a busy calendar. Almost every week you’ll find an alfresco movie screening or a pop-up gallery of some sort on the agenda. Holiday happenings can range from a Father’s Day brunch (did someone say praline French toast?) to a lavish New Year’s Eve bash.
And then there’s the off-site fun. Through the hotel, FTG editors were able to experience Casual Crabbing with Tia, a hands-on introduction into the world of crabbing with the affable Tia Clark. A 20-year smoker, Clark took to the calming waters a few years ago at the behest of doctors and friends wanting to help her improve her health. She’s been hooked ever since. Clark’s newfound love of the sea is so infectious that, before you know it, you too have a vested interest in how your nets are tossed and lures are positioned.
With a little pre-planning, the crabs you catch can be taken back to your suite at The Restoration (in a Clark-supplied crate, of course), where chef Daniel Nightengale (or someone else from the in-house culinary team) will prepare the fresh crustaceans alongside a pot of potatoes and corn, a delicious Caesar salad and a multi-layer chocolate cake your grandma would want the recipe for.
The Cuisine
Even if you don’t have an in-room meal prepared, chef Nightengale (who’s also the general manager’s husband) would still love to cook for you. As the food and beverage director for the hotel’s signature restaurant, The Watch Rooftop Kitchen and Spirits, Nightengale ensures that his inventive roster of small plates and daily catches is delicious every day.
Overnight guests and locals love the Brussels sprouts and spicy fried chicken sandwiches, but they may enjoy bar manager Darren Fallon’s inventive cocktails even more. The noted mixologist’s specialty are these fun, Capri Sun-like drinks — the Starburst Pouch is a mix of vodka, pomegranate, vanilla, lime and blueberry awesomeness — that can keep a party of one going all night.
Another unique touch here is the complimentary daily breakfast. Instead of a buffet you walk down to every morning, cute baskets of fruit, pastries and morning sandwiches are delivered to your door. The spread isn’t a massive one. And that’s exactly the point; you’re fueled just enough to energize your morning of sightseeing. But if you did need an extra jolt of something, you can find it at the ground-floor Rise Coffee Bar.
The Location
You don’t want to be weighed down when you have so much around the city to see. Situated right off of King Street (the city’s shopping hub), The Restoration allows you a wealth of options. A five-minute walk in one direction is Marion Square. The Historic Charleston City Market is even closer going the other way. And if that isn’t good enough, you can call an Uber for the one-mile drive to the famed Rainbow Row.
Of course, if you wanted to bike to any of these attractions, the hotel also offers complimentary loaners. Didn’t we tell you it was just like home?
