Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District With Kids: Honest Review
My almost 5-year-old son and I stayed at the Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District during a mother-son birthday trip through South Carolina and North Carolina.
This was the second stop on our 3-city trip, after spending 1 night in Columbia. My son’s only real request for the whole trip was that we spend some time at a beach, and after a lot of back and forth about what made the most sense, we decided to go to Charleston.
Since we were visiting in early May and it was still a little off-season for the beach areas, I decided to stay in Charleston’s Historic District instead of booking a beach hotel. I wanted us to be able to explore the city, eat nearby, use the free bus system, and still drive out to the beach when the weather made sense.
That is how we ended up at the Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District.
There were parts of this hotel I really liked. The location was helpful, the staff were incredibly kind, the historic building had a lot of charm, and the free breakfast was convenient with a child.
But this was also the hotel we ended up leaving early.
We originally planned to stay for 2 nights, but between severe rain in the area and a strong cigarette smell in our room that seemed to be covered by an overpowering hotel fragrance, we decided to leave after the first night.
So this is a mixed review. I can see why this hotel works for a lot of families, especially if you want a reasonably simple stay in Charleston’s Historic District. But for us, the room itself made it hard to fully enjoy the stay.
Is Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District a Good Fit With Kids?
Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District can definitely be a good fit with kids if you want a centrally located hotel with free breakfast, a historic feel, and easy access to King Street, restaurants, the Charleston Visitor Center, and Charleston’s free downtown bus system.
It’s a great fit if:
- You want to stay in Charleston’s Historic District
- You want free breakfast included
- You like being near King Street restaurants and shopping
- You want easy access to the Charleston Visitor Center
- You plan to use Charleston’s free downtown bus system
- You are okay with a standard Hampton Inn-style stay in a historic building
- You want a room with a bathtub, which can be harder to find in updated hotel rooms
It might not be the best fit if:
- You are sensitive to smells or older hotel rooms
- You want a freshly renovated, modern room
- You want to be right near Waterfront Park, the Battery, or the aquarium
- Long walks are hard for your family
- You want a hotel with multiple on-site dining options
- You are looking for a hotel that feels especially designed for families
- You would be disappointed by an outdoor pool if the weather is not warm enough to swim
For us, the location and staff were the strongest parts of the stay. But the room condition and smell were enough of a problem that we did not end up staying for the full visit.
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Location: Historic District, Near King Street and the Visitor Center
The Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District is located in Charleston’s Historic District, near the Charleston Visitor Center and about a block from King Street.
For us, that location worked well in some ways. It was easy to walk out of the hotel and immediately have restaurants, shops, and useful stops nearby. The hotel was also close to the free downtown bus system, which ended up being very helpful because this was my son’s first major trip without a stroller.
He loves to walk, but Charleston is still a lot of walking with a 5-year-old.
What surprised me a little was that the hotel felt farther from some of the more classic Charleston tourist stops than I originally pictured. Places like Waterfront Park, Pineapple Fountain, the Battery, White Point Garden, Rainbow Row, Charleston City Market, and the South Carolina Aquarium are all reachable, but not necessarily quick with a young child on foot.
If your family likes walking, or if you have a stroller, the location may feel easier. For us, it worked best when we used a mix of walking, the free bus, and our rental car.
I was glad we had options. If your child is in that in-between stage where they are too big for a travel stroller but not quite ready for miles of city walking, I would plan your days carefully.
The Room: Spacious and Charming in Some Ways, But Too Outdated for Us
We stayed in a room with 2 queen beds.
We ended up in a corner room, and based on the photos I saw online, I think it may have been larger than a standard 2 queen room. I believe that happened by chance, though. I do not think there is a specific way to request that exact room type.
The room had a gorgeous view of the courtyard outside, and the deep-set windows were one of my son’s favorite parts of the hotel. He loved sitting in the window area and looking out, which made the room feel more interesting than a standard hotel room.
The room also had a full bathtub, which is a real advantage for families with younger kids. A lot of updated hotel rooms now only have showers, and while that works fine for us at this stage, I know a bathtub can make a huge difference with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.
The tradeoff was that the room itself felt older.
It clearly had not been renovated in a while, and the furniture, finishes, and overall feel of the room seemed pretty dated to me. It wasn’t unusable by any means, but it did not have the fresh, updated feeling I usually hope for in a hotel room.
There was also a noticeable smell in the room. When we first walked in, there was a strong hotel fragrance, and after being in the room for a while, it seemed like there may have been an older smoke smell underneath it.
I don’t want to overstate that because this was just our room and our experience. But for me, it did make the room harder to relax in, especially once the weather turned and we were looking at spending more time inside than I had planned.
Between the rain and the room not feeling like a place I wanted to settle into for another full day, it became part of the reason we decided to leave Charleston early.
If you want to get a better feel for the size of the room, the deep window seat, and the overall layout, here’s a quick room tour from our stay:
What It Actually Feels Like to Stay at Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District
From the outside, this hotel is beautiful.
It has a historic Charleston feel that makes it much more interesting than a typical Hampton Inn, and you can tell right away that the building has a different story than a standard hotel.
The hotel is inside a restored historic building that was once used as a burlap bag factory and railroad warehouse, which explains why it has that older Charleston character when you first walk in.
That part of the hotel really is lovely. The exterior, the courtyard, and some of the shared spaces have a lot more charm than I expected from a Hampton Inn.
The staff at check-in were also wonderful.
When I booked through the Hilton app, I was able to choose a specific room as part of the process. I picked one mostly because I thought it might have a nice view, but the room was not ready when we arrived.
When I told the front desk that I did not really care about that exact room and was mostly hoping for a good view, they took the time to find a room that was both ready and had a great view. That is how we ended up in the corner room overlooking the courtyard.
They also gave my son a Charleston-themed coloring book and crayons at check-in, which I thought was a really nice touch. He was excited about it, and those little kid-friendly moments always stand out when you are traveling with a young child.
Outside of the historic charm and kind staff, though, this still felt like a pretty standard Hampton Inn.
There is an outdoor pool, but the weather was not good for swimming during our stay, so we did not use it. I would think of the pool as a nice extra if you are visiting in warm weather, not a reason to choose the hotel on its own.
As is standard for Hampton Inn, breakfast is included for all guests. The breakfast was what I expect from a Hampton Inn: eggs, fruit, cereal, oatmeal, and the fresh waffle maker.
With kids, included breakfast is always helpful. It means you can get everyone fed before the day starts without finding a restaurant first thing in the morning.
For us, the hotel had several things that made sense on paper: historic charm, free breakfast, kind staff, a convenient location, and a bathtub.
But the room itself didn’t feel quite as comfortable as I had hoped. The dated feel and noticeable smell made it harder for me to fully settle in, especially once the weather changed and we realized we would be spending more time inside than planned.
Transportation: Parking, Walking, and Charleston’s Free Bus
We arrived by car, so we used the parking garage connected with the hotel.
The hotel charged a nightly parking fee, and we were given a card to get in and out of the garage during our stay.
The garage itself felt like a pretty standard parking garage. It was located just across the parking lot from the main entrance to the hotel, and every time we went in and out, it felt safe enough to me.
That part was easy.
Getting around Charleston from the hotel was a little more mixed.
The hotel is walkable to a lot of restaurants and parts of King Street, but it is not right next to every major tourist spot. For example, it is close to a 2-mile walk from the hotel to the Battery at White Point Garden. That may be completely fine for adults or older kids, but it was a lot for my son without a stroller.
We could do the walk one way, but doing it both ways was too much.
Charleston’s free downtown bus system helped a lot. The city has a free DASH shuttle, and because the hotel is near the Charleston Visitor Center, it was easy to use from this location.
That made the hotel location feel much more manageable. We could walk when it made sense, use the bus when my son was tired, and drive when weather or distance made that easier.
If I stayed here again with a young child, I would either bring a stroller or plan heavily around the bus.
Dining: Free Breakfast, Then Plenty Nearby
The main food option at the hotel is the included Hampton Inn breakfast.
It was a pretty standard Hampton Inn breakfast, with things like eggs, fruit, cereal, oatmeal, and waffles from the waffle maker.
Nothing about it felt fancy or especially memorable, but it was easy, and that still counts for a lot when you’re traveling with kids.
We could eat before leaving the hotel, avoid making one more decision first thing in the morning, and start the day without needing to immediately find a restaurant.
For other meals, you will want to eat outside the hotel. There are no major on-site dining options beyond breakfast, so this is not a hotel where you are going to come back for room service or a full restaurant dinner.
When we first arrived, we ate at The Brick, a sports bar about a block away. It was close, easy, and worked well after getting into town.
For dinner, we ended up ordering Uber Eats because the weather was bad and we did not feel like going back out.
The hotel is also right near King Street, so there are plenty of restaurants nearby if you want to go out. That is one of the biggest advantages of the location. You may not have a full-service restaurant in the hotel, but you are not at all without food options.
🌴 If included breakfast would make your Charleston stay easier, you can check availability for your dates here. 🌴
Why We Left After 1 Night
I want to give this its own section because it shaped my overall opinion of the hotel.
We originally planned to stay at Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District for 2 nights. That was the plan when we arrived.
But after the first night, we decided to leave.
Part of that was the weather. There was severe rain in the area, which changed what we could comfortably do in Charleston. Since my son’s main hope for this stop was beach time, the rain made the whole plan feel less worth pushing through.
The other issue was the room itself.
It just wasn’t a room I wanted to spend a lot of extra time in. The fragrance was strong, and after a while, it seemed like there may have been an older smoke smell underneath it. If the weather had been beautiful and we were only using the room to sleep, I might have felt differently. But with the rain, we were looking at spending much more time inside than I had planned.
At that point, leaving early felt like the better choice.
Since our flight home was already leaving from Charlotte the next evening, we decided to drive back early and spend our last 24 hours there instead. That ended up being exactly the right call for us, and Charlotte turned into one of the best surprises of the whole trip.
That does not mean every room at this hotel has that issue. I can only speak to the room we were given and how it affected our stay.
But for me, between the weather and the room not feeling as comfortable as I hoped, I would be hesitant to book again.
Staying at Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District With Kids: Pros and Cons
What I Loved
- Beautiful historic building
- More character than a typical Hampton Inn
- Warm, charming lobby
- Very kind and helpful front desk staff
- My son received a Charleston-themed coloring book and crayons at check-in
- Free breakfast included
- Located near King Street restaurants and shopping
- Close to the Charleston Visitor Center
- Easy access to Charleston’s free DASH bus
- Parking garage felt safe and easy to use
- Our corner room was spacious
- Courtyard view was beautiful
- Deep-set windows gave my son a fun place to sit
- Full bathtub in the bathroom
What I Didn’t Love
- Room felt very outdated
- Strong room fragrance with what seemed like an older smoke smell underneath
- Not as close to some major tourist spots as I expected
- Outdoor pool was not useful during our cool, rainy stay
- No real on-site dining beyond free breakfast
- Not especially kid-focused beyond a few nice touches
Is Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District Worth It With Kids?
I think Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District could be worth it with kids for the right family, but it was not the right fit for us on this particular trip.
There were things I genuinely liked. The location near King Street and the Visitor Center was helpful. The free breakfast made mornings easier. The building had far more charm than a typical Hampton Inn. The staff were kind, and the coloring book at check-in was a thoughtful touch for my son.
I also liked that our room had a bathtub and a beautiful courtyard view.
But the room itself felt too outdated for me, and the smell became a real issue for me. Since we were also dealing with severe rain, we decided not to stay for the second night.
If you are looking for a more affordable Historic District hotel with free breakfast, easy bus access, and a historic building feel, I can see this hotel making sense. I would just read recent reviews carefully, pay attention to room condition comments, and know that the location is better for King Street and the Visitor Center than it is for being right next to the waterfront or the Battery.
For me, I would probably choose a different Charleston hotel next time.
Not because the hotel had no positives. It definitely did.
But when I’m traveling alone with my child, the room needs to feel like a place I can comfortably reset. This one did not give us that feeling.
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