Ansonborough Inn

This place is great! Reasonable for Charelston this time of year. The room was spacious, clean and had a ton of charm. Free wine and cheese from 5 – 6, free breakfast and walking distance to everything you need and want to see! I will stay here again!

I began with reserving the East Bay Studio-​I do not recommend it. The room is small, the bathroom is tiny. Two people can not get ready at the same time. The door is situated on the Main Street and is not blacked out at all-​people can literally look in on your bed!
The «deluxe continental breakfast» was served cold, I had to reheat everything in the monster loud and outdated microwave. Then… there was water falling from the ceiling. They had a leak! For the price of the stay, it is unacceptable. To make up for it, they returned all the parking cost ($ 50 approx), and upgraded us to a much better room. The staff, especially Ben, were amazing and accommodating. However, I have stayed and was raised in various four diamond hotels and I truly don’t think this is a four diamond experience. It is wonderful though. The pub closes down early and not many guests take advantage of the wonderful rooftop terrance-​although I recommend try install some fire features to compete with other rooftops in the area.
Again, it is a wonderful Inn. But not truly four diamond in my experience.

This place looks fantastic but I would not recommend staying here. I could clearly hear the conversations of the room next to us, as well as their tv… and they weren’t yelling. Road noise was also a big problem. It has gorgeous rooms and a rustic feel, but the room noise is just too much

Agreed with other reviews that the Ansonborough is at a crossroads. The price point doesn’t fit the experience. It either needs to go whole hog, bump up the price and full realize the potential that it has. Or, it can lower the price and continue along as is. But it cannot maintain the status quo. If it does, it can expect a bunch of middling-​to-​bad reviews and that’s not entirely fair to what the hotel has going on. Like I said, there’s potential.
I arrived at the hotel ready to relax. My flight from Nashville was fine. My trip to the hotel was pleasant (thanks to Maurice from R&S Limo). And, when I showed up at the front door, I was happy with what I saw: lots of brick, lots of plants, sufficient Southern character. Sounds good. I arrived a little later than expected on a hot Friday in mid-​summer. I wanted a drink but was nearing the end of the cocktail. So, imagine my happiness when, after greeting me, the front desk offered me TWO glasses of wine so that I could get my check-​in on in style. Things are looking up. They got better when I received an upgrade. It seems a couple of their Friday reservations canceled, so I was bumped to room 210. I like. The room itself had a lot of charm: extremely high ceilings, exposed beams, exposed brick, a small living area, a proper wooden desk… all good things. But, the room was only halfway there. The bathroom was serviceable, if not comparable to the first impression of the room. The refrigerator was bare, there was a sink in the corner of the room that didn’t seem to go with the aesthetic and (most importantly), my sheets weren’t properly laundered. There are few things as first-​world-​problematic as mealy sheets in an expensive room when you want to lay your head. Even worse, when I called to get new sheets — that’s all I received. I made my own king bed. Now, I am not too good to make my own bed. But, barring being eight years old and having chores to do or needing to impress house guests that I am a fully functioning adult, making the bed isn’t something on my usual playlist and it, certainly, isn’t something I expect to do when staying at a hotel. So, that was a let down. And the sheets… well, Oprah would not be giving them away as her favorite things any time soon. The doors/​walls are fairly thin so if you’re a light sleeper or are traveling to be/​do the nasty, be warned.
That said, I appreciated the historic charm of the hotel and proximity to downtown happenings. Given the outward character, I was surprised (in a good way) with the modern touches of the lobby. The glass elevator is a nice accent. The hotel serves breakfast and has a nice dining area complete with coffee, tea, water, and lemonade. Oh, and cookies. Fresh cookies are always a plus. You see what I’m talking about? Potential. Personally, I think given the ridiculous real estate and price point in Charleston, the Ansonborough just needs to give in to the market, raise the price, fix all the problems, and offer guests the experience they expect to have once they look at the website and do the math. Being stuck in the middle is doing no one (hotel included) any favors.

Ansonborough Inn
21 Hassel St
Charleston SC
We recently spent four nights here and love the Charleston area. The Ansonborough inn is located within two blocks of market St and near the water. It is truly an architectural gem, decorated nicely and well maintained. The rooms were large and comfortable. It also has a rooftop terrace with a decent view of the river and bridge.
We found the folks at the front desk to be extra friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful.
The criticism I have is for the owners. If you’re going to offer a continental breakfast do it right. The fruit was ok but the pancakes and eggs were horrible microwave stuff. Do your guests a favor and get a waffle iron and let the guests fix their own waffles.
You might want to mention to the kitchen staff that they should be courteous to guests as well. I would have given Ansonborough 4 stars for the desk staff alone but the reason is a biggie and the single main reason people get a room. SLEEPING on fine linens! The sheets made the bed feel like a hospital bed. They were rough and worse yet, didn’t fit the mattress. You guys really need to spend a little more and get really good bedding.
Urban Cowgill
December 2015

In a city with very pricey accommodations, the Ansonborough Inn is a find. It’s not cheap, but for what you get, it’s wonderful. We stayed in a suite, which was huge and had a fireplace. The room décor does need to be updated, but the high ceilings, exposed brick walls and views to the Charleston streets more than makes up for it. There is a great rooftop deck and the staff was very friendly.
If you don’t want to drop $ 600 on a room in Charleston, but still be downtown in a historic inn, this is the place.

Quirky place in a decent location. About a 10 minute walk to the main tourist area of King St. Our room (palmetto suite) was huge and outdated. For the price is expect at least a nice sofa or mini bar, but the brown velvet sofa had white gunk on it and the small fridge was iced over and empty. The grossest part was the carpet. It had so many splatters, stains and black marks… it made me question the cleanliness of the entire place. Oh and the exposed brick wall behind our bed was crumbling and there was white dust behind the bed and night stands that was never cleaned up. The cover of one of the complimentary magazines in the room was covered in food splatters (not ours). This place is not cheap! In the end I left grossed out. Would not stay again.

As others have said, this hotel is in a good (not great) location, being right across from a 24 hour supermarket which is actually pretty handy, but about a 10 – 15 minute walk from the main tourist area. However, it is only 3 – 5 minutes away from the stop for the free trolley which takes one all over town.
The room we had, 337, was on the corner of the third floor and was basically a one bedroom apartment with a large bedroom with a comfortable kingsize bed and lots of closet and drawer space, a spacious living area with a bar sink, small fridge and microwave, a table for four and a reasonably-​new sofa and two old, dirty, wingback chairs with ottomans. The living room and bedroom each had a 32-​inch or so flat screen TV. We loved having the bathroom off the living area because one person could sleep and the other be in the living area and not disrupt the other. Breakfast was pretty good with hard-​boiled eggs being offered only on one of our five days and the only hot cereal being the instant oatmeal-​type. Pastries and breads were fine and the fruit was okay. Wine and cheese in the evening (and their pimento cheese dip) were much better; good crackers and cheeses, decent wine and that delicious dip with a bit of a kick.
However comfortable our room and however friendly the front desk staff, the HUGE drawback was the WORST shower we have ever experienced — and we have traveled all over the world. For $ 250 on the weeknight and $ 350 on Friday night, we should have a good shower! When we told the front desk, they sent a maintenance man who went to the hardware store and changed out the shower head. Now instead of a fine mist, we had a trickle of water — definitely not better. Finally on the last day Daniel said he had a room we could change to, but we weren’t going to do that since we were getting ready to leave. Graciously, he put that room out of order and allowed us to shower there, which was a big improvement over our shower. When the manager returned on Monday, I expected a call, apology and some reimbursement. Basically, she inferred that we were complainers, that the next guests had no problem with the shower, and that the maintenance men and her all determined that nothing is wrong with it. She gave us $ 170 compensation. We are actually people who don’t complain about things but having to use the barely-​better tub faucet made us definitely crabby, especially since we had to deal with this for five days. Even in October, Charleston is muggy and warm so we really wanted a decent shower!!! Bottom line, don’t stay in room 337 or check the shower first before you stay in the room. We believe customer service is a priority and for what they charge, should have done something better. We won’t be going back!
P. S. Free wi-​fi worked great in all areas of the hotel.

We had a wonderful stay at the Ansonborough for a long weekend in September. It is filled with charm and completely unique. Loved the rooftop patio and the wine and cheese hour every evening. Our room was very comfortable– the only complaint we had was the noise level. We tried to nap in the late afternoon and there seemed to be a lot going on throughout the hotel and on street outside. Otherwise, we had an AMAZING time and would definitely return!

Beautiful restored building… And then there’s the road noise.
Lovely post and been construction… And then there the traffic noise.
Kind, nice staff… And then there’s the noise outside that starts at 5:30am
Lots of reasons to stay here… If you don’t need your sleep. And the there’s the parking:(

This hotel is the best deal within charleston proper. I’ll give it that much. For the price, it is somewhat outdated. I understand the vibe they are going for and they’ve achieved it somewhat, it just needs a little rejuvenation. That being said, everyone within the hotel has been incredibly kind. They do their best to provide amenities (free breakfast, roof deck, cheese and wine hour). Everything has been incredibly clean and the neutrogena bath products are a nice touch. I don’t think I would pony up the hefty price to stay here again. You can stay elsewhere about ten minutes away for a third of the price.

At a lower price point, they’d get a 3.
The good:
–Comfy bed (not in the league of hotels at a similar price point, but comfortable. Crisp sheets with a moderate thread count)
–really nice housekeeping staff (I stayed two nights, left the «do not disturb» sign and they kindly left me a basket of towels and shampoo outside my door)///my room was clean (my coworker, OTOH, found long hairs on his sheets)
–gorgeous lobby with exposed beams and soaring atrium that makes you feel like you’re about to enter a rustic chic boutique hotel
…Only, you’re not. I’m afraid the bad outweighs the good. The main thing: it really could use one of those hotel makeover guys in here. It’s so incredibly outdated. For example, Andes mints left on the pillow and «do not disturb/​maid clean room» signs that remind me of being a kid at a Holiday Inn circa 1982. Neither are a really big deal, but it’s just to give potential guests an idea.
My room on the first floor was dreary. It led right to the street (there’s even a glass door to the street that you can’t open, but it’s still unsettling) and had no natural light, so the room was perpetually depressing. The ceilings have are wood-​paneled. The carpet seems old. Each room has what seems to be mismatched old furniture (my room had shabby overstuffed love seat and arm chair, while my coworker’s had a pleather couch and a table). The furniture is crammed in there and makes you feel claustrophobic. Don’t expect a bathrobe (at this price point, I would) and towels are rough and thin. No mini bar. Not even a bottle of water, which is especially unacceptable, as waking up to a glass of tepid tap water is really not a great way to start the day. You can attempt to get some water in the hospitality room… if anyone fills the water thermos.
Then there’s the «work out room.» Even a carefully placed mirror won’t give you the impression that this is anything but a single treadmill, a single elliptical and a small cable weight unit in a florescent– lit closet. There isn’t even a water cooler in there. Again, with the lack of accessible water.
And a final note: it’s family-​friendly. Which isn’t awesome when you’re here for work (picture 6 am screams and shouts echoing around that beautiful atrium lobby). If you can get a room at a good discount, sure, go for it as it’s not the worst place in the world. Do. Not. Pay. Their asking price. For that, you should be in a Westin or Omni, not a (barely) glorified La Quinta with a nicer lobby. Staying here should cost one half the price.

We loved loved loved this place! Its exactly what youd expect to find in Charleston. They even still do the mints on the pillows. The cheese and wine at 5pm is the cherry on top. The breakfast doesnt have much protein but the spread isnt bad. I got what I paid for and more. The location is great. Everything is 4 – 7 minutes away when walking.

Really loved this inn… built in 1901. Rooms are clean and comfortable with a lot of character, including antiques and paintings but with all the modern comforts.

A charming hotel with a wonderful ambiance. The lobby is breathtaking as you enter, with a beautfiul fireplace and high ceilings with exposed beams. The Front Desk and Housekeeing staff were friendly with the perfect amount of Southern Charm. They were always accomodating and had wonderful suggestions regarding the area.
The rooms were very comfortable. Breakfast is served every morning in the common area and a complimentary wine and cheese hour was an added bonus. I wish we could have enoyed the lovely roof deck, alas it was rainy the weekend we were there.
The hotel is a quick walk to Historic Charleston’s main attractions, such as the City Market and Rainbow Row. For late night snacks there is a 24 hour Harris Teeter directly next door.
A beautiful hotel in one of the most beautiful cities.

Great experience! My husband and I stayed on Christmas Day and there was a stocking on the bed filled with yummy snacks and candy. There was hot apple cider and cookies downstairs as well. Complimentary breakfast which is always a plus. Our room was awesome. We stayed in the Palmetto Suite which was HUGE! Larger than most studios I’ve seen in NYC. Good location not a bad walk to the restaurants, bars and shopping. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Charleston.

My wife and I visited Charleston this past Labor day weekend. We stayed at Ansonborough for 2 nights, and it was great. The décor is fantastic, the room we got was very nice and comfortable, the art in the building is great, and the fact that they have an included continental breakfast just tops it off.
It’s a bit out of the way from all of the main restaurants, but not more than a 15 minute walk from wherever you’d like to go. There’s a nice 24 hour grocery store right next to the hotel as well.
Rooms were about half the price of comparable hotels closer to the main attractions, but walking an extra 10 or 15 minutes was worth saving the money. It’s a beautiful hotel, and the only negatives I can say about it is that the walls are VERY thin, we could hear and understand conversations in the rooms next to and above us.
Overall, very nice, one of the best hotels I’ve stayed at, would return.
Stayed August 2014

In need of a last minute hotel room after a bad experience our first night at Embassy Suites up the road, we stumbled upon Ansonborough Inn and I’m so glad we did! Nearly every hotel was booked for the weekend, but we were able to get the last vacant room here. I was a little uncertain of what to expect, as hotels like this can really be hit or miss.
The atmosphere of the hotel was unique, warm, and inviting. Our suite was huge, well laid out, and clean with a comfy leather couch and flat screen TV that truly made you feel as though you were in your own little one bedroom condo in downtown Charleston. Not to mention the fact that their room rates were significantly lower than just about every other hotel in downtown Charleston, including the Days Inn.
The staff was great and they had a complimentary wine and cheese hour in the social room that was a really nice touch.
Definitely recommend staying here!

Lovely hotel with very nice staff. Our 3^rd floor room was very quiet, clean & elegant. The rooftop gathering space was a big plus. We also enjoyed the wine & cheese available in the evening.
This hotel is walking distance to anywhere downtown. We were able to head S on a run through parks and historic districts and head N to run the Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge.
If we visit Charleston again we will definitely choose Ansonborough Inn.
restaurants within walking distance
We recommend eating at 82 Queen for a nice couples lunch, Bay Street Biergarten for a nice brew pub, the Gin Joint for drinks, Fleet Landing for outdoor dining.

What a perfect place for our girlfriend get-​away! There were 6 of us in 2 rooms, plenty of space in one of the «Premium Loft» and a «Double Luxury». The wine and cheese was wonderful, tasty and they didn’t mind a bit when we took ours up to the roof terrace. One morning we did yoga on the roof too, a great spot. The décor is beautiful, an old-​world feel with plenty of wood beams and paneling. But it’s a renovated warehouse so no «old-​world» plumbing or electric… Breakfast was more than we expected and the cinnamon buns! We all went off our diets for those. Friendly and helpful staff too. (Thank you Daniel and Carrie.)
Tips: Prices are high in Charleston, this Inn was pricey for anywhere else but midrange for Charleston. There is a handy 24 hour big grocery store across the street, we didn’t find any other quick place downtown to buy necessities. We didn’t hear any noise from it except a trash truck one morning, no biggie considering the convenience. If you can, get a Premium loft! Well worth the minor up-​charge. Earthling day spa was great and about a block down the street. Palmetto Carriage with the «Big Red Barn» for the horse carriage tours also is very convenient, just a block away. Liberty square and the aquarium where you catch the boat to tour Fort Sumter is also in easy walking distance, to the north.