As one of America’s most historic cities, Charleston should be considered another port of call on your cruise — not just a place to hop on the cruise ship.
From history buffs who want to visit Fort Sumter where the Civil War began, or take a trip to see the floating museum of the USS Yorktown, to shopping on the trendy King Street, there is something for everyone. We’d highly recommend walking tours of the old city to get a firsthand look at the old Southern charm that seeps out of Charleston’s pores.
Of course, experiencing all the the city has to offer is just one reason that you’d want to stay overnight.
If you are flying into the area, we don’t need to remind you that delays in air traffic seemingly get worse by the day. From crowded planes to security lines to weather delays, the possibility of your flight being pushed back or cancelled is real — especially if you have to make a connecting flight.
That’s why we always recommend that passengers flying into the area setup their travel to arrive a day early. This way, no matter what happens you will still have plenty of time to get to the port.
Meanwhile, if you are driving, then you might like the extra time to decompress before heading on your cruise. We always like to have some time to relax before heading to the ship after a long drive.
To help you out, we’ve rounded up a listing of a number of hotels that are closest to the Charleston cruise port and that also have ratings of “Good” or higher from Kayak.com. This is by no means meant to be an exhaustive list of available hotels, but simply some of your best options if you want to stay near the port.
Prices are for a recent search on a Saturday night stay and will vary based on your specific dates. Click on the name of each hotel to read reviews and more on TripAdvisor.com.
With the cruise port located near Charleston’s city center, expect hotels to be on the higher end.
Note: This article contains affiliate links to TripAdvisor. We earn a commission for clicks made on their website, at no charge to you. Review ratings come from either Google or TripAdvisor and are rounded to the nearest half point.
| Hotel | Rating | Price | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barksdale House Inn | Excellent | $169 | 0.8 miles |
| Days Inn Charleston - Historic District | Good | $193 | 0.4 miles |
| Elliott House Inn | Good | $309 | 0.5 miles |
| Hampton Inn - Charleston Historic District | Excellent | $309 | 1.1 miles |
| Francis Marion Hotel | Excellent | $314 | 1.0 miles |
| DoubleTree by Hilton | Excellent | $329 | 0.4 miles |
| King Charles Inn | Excellent | $419 | 0.6 miles |
| Belmond Charleston Place | Excellent | $421 | 0.5 miles |
| HarbourView Inn | Excellent | $459 | 0.1 miles |
| French Quarter Inn | Excellent | $487 | 0.3 miles |
| Market Pavilion Hotel | Excellent | $593 | 0.2 miles |
| Zero George Street | Excellent | $639 | 0.6 miles |
| The Spectator Hotel | Excellent | $775 | 0.2 miles |
We don’t provide personal recommendations as we have yet to stay at any of these hotels. However, keep in mind that all of these are rated “Good” or better, based on dozens (if not hundreds) of reviews from travelers like yourself. Any of them within your price range will be good options and reasonably close to the port.
Plan on parking for your cruise? Check out our listing of hotels with cruise parking deals to help you save money.
More on Cruising From Charleston
Getting to the Port of Charleston — Transportation options from airports and the Charleston area to the cruise port. Everything you need to know to get to the port and start your vacation.
Charleston Cruise Parking — Parking at the port? We’ve got you covered with all your parking options, including costs and discounts.
Dropping Off at the Port — Dropping off passengers? Not sure where to go once you get to the port? We have turn-by-turn directions to find your cruise terminal.
