Charleston, South Carolina
Though it’s far better known as one of the country’s top food destinations than a college town, Charleston is home to more than a dozen universities, from military college The Citadel to specialist institutions like the Art Institute of Charleston, and Johnson and Wales University, that feed new rising stars into the local arts and culture scene each year.
The combination of Charleston’s envelope-pushing cultural climate and its historic setting — the city is the oldest in South Carolina — means that many of Charleston’s main full-service hotels are boutique locations that capitalize on the city’s characteristic high-end but offbeat charm.
In the heart of the historic district, the Belmond Charleston Place includes 440 rooms and suites and more than 40,000 square feet of meeting space. The 1920s Francis Marion Hotel, a member of the Historic Inns of America, has 19,000 square feet of meeting space, including two grand ballrooms, and 235 guest rooms. The Mill House, an 1850s hotel that is now part of the Wyndham family, offers 216 guest rooms, 5,000 square feet of meeting space and an adjacent 6,000-square-foot ballroom at historic Hibernian Hall that dates back to the 1840s.
Though Charleston is an easy destination for drive-in meetings, a recent increase in air service by JetBlue and Southwest has made it increasingly attractive for national associations, said Suzanne Wallace, director of sales for the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
