Planters Inn

We’ve always associated Relais & Châteaux properties with exceptional quality and attention to detail, and have loved our stays at their hotels around the world. Unfortunately, our experience at Planters Inn in Charleston fell short of those expectations. While the location is excellent and the coffee and tea station was a lovely touch, the overall style of the property feels tired and dated. We booked a room advertised as having a balcony, only to find that it was actually a shared, communal space located down the hallway—not quite the private experience we had in mind. The staff was consistently friendly and helpful, which we truly appreciated. That said, we were surprised there was no small acknowledgment of our anniversary—something we’ve always enjoyed at other Relais & Châteaux properties. It’s certainly not required, but those thoughtful gestures have always made our stays feel more special. There were also a few maintenance issues in the room that detracted from the experience. The shower drain didn’t function properly, which I only realized once I was already in the shower—a rather inconvenient surprise. Additionally, one of the pillows had a visible stain beneath the case, which, regardless of the cover, should not have been in the room. Ultimately, while there were some nice aspects to our stay, Planters Inn did not reflect the elevated standard we’ve come to expect from the Relais & Châteaux brand. On our next visit to Charleston, we’ll likely explore other options.

The hotel is beautiful, overflowing with southern charm and elegance. The staff is knowledgeable, professional and friendly. The location is central to the historic district and quiet at night. The rooms are spacious and beautifully appointed. The “welcome” touches are very thoughtful.

Perfectly situated on a lovely square, the Inn is homey and nicely old- fashioned. One of Savannah's ( allegedly) fine restaurants is next door and a lively shopping street a few steps away. Our room overlooked the square and got lovely light.

We stayed at The Planters Inn with long-time friends with whom we travel every year. Having stayed in many Relais properties (Auberge du Soliel and Twin Farms most recently), we were attracted to Planters due to its Relais & Chateau standing coupled with what appeared to be its historic elegance. Well, were duped. While certainly a historic part of Charleston's past having been built in 1844, the property was a huge disappointment. Tattered and tired at best, with what appeared to be indifferent staff and a terrible and overpriced restaurant - Peninsula Grille. Specifics: Upon arriving at our floor, there was a very strong Clorox odor which we thought may have been a spill somewhere. The smell permeated our room to the extent that it gave my wife and I a headache. The odor was present on the floor the entire 4 day stay, however did dissipate in ensuing days. We made a reservation with our friends for the first night (Sunday) at Peninsula Grill. The place appeared lovely. We had a cocktail ad were seated promptly. Our servers and the sommelier were very friendly and attentive. The food however was almost inedible. My wife's trout in papillote came out and the paper was charred. When the server was finally able to pierce it, the trout looked like it had been freeze dried - tough and dry. Two others had ordered the Mahi-mahi which was equally overcooked and tough. My sole was tough and dry (unusual). The total bill was over $850 for the 4 of us (two bottles of wine) and definitely a travesty. We decided to try again for breakfast (fools that we were) with equal poor results. We waited 45 minutes for our order - Poached eggs hard and overcooked, bacon underdone (go figure) and pretty bland overall. I had ordered the shrimp and avocado benedict. My plate arrived with two English muffins with two slices of avocado and 6 shrimp and one poached egg scattered on the plate. I was informed by our server that the kitchen had "run out of eggs and hollandaise, sorry". Had I known, I would have ordered something else. Bell and desk staff - Both seemed to be non-existent when you needed them and appeared to spend copious amounts of time "back of house". Bell staff was very inconsistent and never friendly when they were there. Housekeeping - Our room was provided with two small pints of water, which we used the first day - NEVER TO BE REPLENISHED AGAIN! Overall - A very disappointing experience and a disgrace to the Relais & Chateau brand. Every restaurant we ate in (avoiding Peninsula like the plague) the rest of our trip was phenomenal. Highly recommend Fig, Marbled and Fin, SNOB and Hyman's.

How it holds the Relais & Chateaux designation is a mystery - this place is a disgrace to the brand. From the Peninsula Grill to the dirty furniture and bedding this hotel does not represent the designation of Relais & Chateaux. Having stayed in several hotels with the same designation it falls way short - it needs a complete remake. The Peninsula Grill was by far the worst food we had in our four day stay.