Charlie

Lobby Love

Ah, the hotel lobby. Some of the stereotypes are just so unfair. Bad art, sterile hallways, uncomfortable seating.

Those are all in the past. Hotel lobbies have been making a comeback, with a local renaissance of revamped interior designs and hip watering holes worthy of a Friday night.

Which is why we’ve decided to give the lobby a little love. Here, a few of our favorites for relaxing, people watching and late-night cocktailing:

If modern’s your thing, check out…
Aloft in North Charleston
The real time to go is after 4 p.m., when the bar lights up and the outdoor fireplace starts roaring in the winter. You’ll find seriously modern décor and lots of free stuff: Wi-Fi, a pool table and even a chess game made of Martian men. True, it’s not in an ideal location (airport hotels never are), but it is the hotel of choice for Ben Folds and other visiting coliseum performers.

If you love the shore, visit…
The Holiday Inn at Folly Beach
If you haven’t already, that is. Most locals know that since last year’s $5.5 million renovation, this hotel lobby – which is definitely not your typical Holiday Inn – has the best beachfront experience in town. This fall, in fact, it’ll break away to become The Tides, an independent hotel. The lobby is all about chairs you can sink into, walls of glass and an overall breezy, beachy feel. Wednesdays feature weekly Locals Socials with $5 tapas and drink specials. Feel free to bring Fido, too: the outdoor deck is pet friendly.

If you don’t like crowds, stop at….
Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina
Technically, it’s not the lobby you want to hang out in, but the outdoor area it leads to. Now that Rockin’ on the Point is over and kids are back in school, the harbor-front bar tends to be fairly quiet. Grab a cocktail and watch the sunset from the pier or a swinging chair on the sandy, man-made beach. It’s the kind of first-floor hotel experience that would be swamped in a large urban area. But in off-season Charleston, you could almost call it a place to practice zen.

If you love the action, don’t miss…
Market Pavilion Hotel
It doesn’t get much better—or more quintessentially Charleston—than the Market Pavilion. Most folks (yes, this includes us) head straight to the elevator for one of the best views in town at the Pavilion Bar. But today we’re reminding you of the mystique that is the hotel’s lobby. Where else will you be greeted by white-gloved valets before walking straight into a prime beef steakhouse and a bar where creative mixology means martinis chilled with liquid nitrogen?

If it’s December and you find yourself missing snow, pop in…
Charleston Place Hotel
Nobody does the holidays like this lobby. Fresh greens with giant bows and twinkling lights, an immaculate train set winding through a miniature snow-covered town and dozens of locally-designed wreaths in each store window will have you feeling like a kid again. The best part? That kid can sit in the Thoroughbred Club and sip a hot toddy while watching the other awe-stricken faces of lobby-goers.

We could go on and on, but it’s Friday, after all. Time to go give one of these hotel lobbies a little love…

Story by: Heather Mueller