Elliott House Inn, Charleston

I had been a customer of the Elliott House Inn previously (x2) and made reservations to stay there months in advance for a vacation in May 2009. I received an email 2-3 days before the stay saying that my reservations had been canceled. When I called them in a panic, the representative said they were closing down due to damage they received during a storm. The representative said they were trying to place people in random inns and would get to me when they could. (I heard later that people were actually showing up at the Inn and were being redirected to stay elsewhere that very day - Charleston is extremely busy at this time of year). I'm sure he was stressed out, but when I continued to ask questions regarding when they would get to me and what the potential options might be (we had tickets to spoleto and plane reservations and I was worried we would have nowhere to stay), he accused me of being insensitive and said people were losing their jobs here and he would get to me when he could! Regardless of his level of stress, folks in the B & B business should put customer service first and at least be patient and nice in their interactions. His attitude was unacceptable, especially since they sent an e-mail of cancellation rather than calling and explaining in the first place. The whole thing really should have been handled differently. As such, I will never stay at the Elliott House Inn again, nor will I ever send business their way. There are so many lovely Inns in Charleston to choose from (we ended up staying at the Governor's House Inn, which was lovely), there is no reason to support this one given the poor customer service.

Great staff and a wonderful location! I came for a business trip and the free Internet access was a big plus. Small quaint rooms with the best beds of any hotel I've ever stayed at. Breakfast is enough to get you up and out exploring all the attractions of Charleston (all within walking distance). Front desk staff was very helpful, especially Andrew and Neal. Very friendly! Will stay here when I bring my wife for vacation next year.

Will stay here again! Prior to booking a room at the Elliott House Inn, I reviewed all the reviews on this site. I almost didn’t book with this Inn because of some of the reviews. I decided to take a chance because of price and location (center of historic district). I am glad I booked. My wife and I spent 4 nights (11/25-11/28) in Room #20 (King). Our room was clean and comfortable. The room was smaller than most but it is an older Inn. The breakfast was sufficient – coffee or tea, Danish, fruit, and yogurt. If you want more Poogans is next door. The evening wine and cheese was pleasant and a nice touch. After each long day of site seeing, my bad back was soothed by the hot courtyard Jacuzzi and the soft bed. The staff, especially, Matthew and Neil, were most helpful and very knowledgeable of Charleston. Tour pick-up at the Inn was convienent. Taxi service from the Inn to Liberty Square (Fort Sumter tour) was $7. Generally you can walk everywhere in the Historic area. Parking across the street is $20 but I understand $16 is available nearby. The Elliott House is not a 5 star but then it doesn't claim to be either. It is a great value in a great location. We will stay there on our next visit.

The hotel is nice enough and convenient to the downtown historic district, but be ready to pay $20.00 a night for parking in a public lot across the street. I experienced a fall on the stairs (within twenty minutes of our arrival) because of an unattached rubber tread, and though reported immediately, no one from the staff ever bothered to inquire as to whether I was injured. (They did quickly secure the loose treads I might add). A dead cockroach adorned our floor by a trash can for three days! There are plenty of similar establishments in the area. Look around.

We stayed one night and that is perhaps why we got the loudest room. We were woken up at dawn with the noise of idoling trucks loading and unloading just outside our window. I have had better continental breakfasts at Holiday Inn Express'. We received a pastry and a very small cup of fruit.

The Elliott House Inn was a very comfortable and conveniently located place to stay. Many attractions are very walkable from there but bring comfortable shoes. The rooms are very nice, have a historic feel to them, but are pretty basic. That's not a bad thing, but I think some people check in expecting five-star everything. Parking was $20 per day if you chose to drive and the garage is directly across from the inn. The continental breakfast in bed or in the courtyard was good. We would seriously consider returning if we came to Charleston again. The restaurants on both sides of the inn are excellent. Look out for the time share folks on Meeting Street and on various street corners. Many of them say "visitor information", which they have and it is helpful, but then dive into their sales pitch.

The room was big, comfortable and clean. The staff was very attentive to our needs and very knowledgeable about the city and what it had to offer. The Inn's accomodations meet or exceed the competition's in every aspect, except the price. You won't find a better value in Historic Downtown Charleston (especially during the peak season).

The location was central, the unfortunate thing is there is no parking available. You have to use the city garage across the street for a fee. Regarding our room, our wallpaper was peeling off, not all the lamps were working and it seemed they had removed the glass shower door and replaced it with a shower curtain but never removed the door frame. It behooves you to read all the reviews and check around before committing.

My wife & I were looking for something affordable in Charleston, since we wanted to stay at least 4 days to see all of the historic sites. The Elliott House Inn was easily the most affordable hotel we could find. Overall, we enjoyed our stay, but want to warn of some of the drawbacks as well. PROS: The Inn is centrally located in lower Charleston, south of the Market district/restaurants/shopping and north of the Battery district & many of the oldest historic houses. The Inn has a charming courtyard, with lots of foliage, tables to relax, & 2 resident cats and lots of birds adding to the ambiance. Breakfast is delivered each morning. A public parking garage is located literally across the street, at $13 per day. Two restaurants flank the Inn (though we did not eat at either). A/C in our room helped keep things comfortable when temperatures were unseasonably warm (near 80* in December!). CONS: The rooms are pretty small (we had a Queen room). Our room (#25) had some moisture issues on a couple of spots on the walls, where paint was beginning to bubble & peel (and mildew or mold was starting to grow). Our room also seemed pretty noisy -- with noise from the restaurant echoing in the courtyard into the evening & lots of loud bumps through the ceiling from the people above us (woke us up at 7am one morning when we wanted to sleep in). Overall, despite the "Cons" listed above, we were satisfied with our stay because of the Inn's convenient location, GREAT price, and other charms. Just know that if you are picky about amenities, room size, or room condition, this historic building may not be the place for you!

The Elliott House was a very special place that allowed my wife and I to slow down the pace. The room was charming, and large enough to be comfortable, but not huge. Everything was within walking distance and the staff was wonderful. We will will return.