Back in March, I was supposed to head to Charleston with a girlfriend for Charleston Wine And Food Festival. An epic weekend of drinking, eating and oh so much fun. When this is all over, I highly recommend heading to Charleston for it. It’s such a great weekend. But, I got super sick a few days before, plus COVID had just arrived in the US, that I decided to sit it out. Just seemed like not a great idea to head to a big crowded event with a terrible cough when a pandemic was hitting our shores. And for the record, I did not have COVID, but it was just very poor timing.
I’ve been hesitant to travel with everything going on. I did finally decided to give Charleston a try. A short weekend in my favorite southern city was exactly what I needed. I packed all my Defined Designs face masks, lots of hand sanitizer and made reservations for outdoor seating at all my favorite spots in the city.
My Weekend At The New Hotel, Emeline In Charleston, SC
I’ve stayed at my fair share of Charleston hotels. With multiple trips to the city for work and for fun, it’s hard not to. Plus, anytime I visit, I do try to stay somewhere new. It’s one of my tricks to making an old favorite destination feel new again. So for this trip, I called Emeline home. It’s brand new, just opened and dare I say, might be my favorite Charleston hotel.
The Hotel
I’ve never had a BAD stay in Charleston. Every hotel I’ve been to has been incredible. You can check out some of the ones I stayed at in this Charleston guide here. But Emeline definitely matched my personal style more so than any other in the city. Charleston is obviously a southern, traditional town and the hotels definitely reflect that in their decor. I’d say Spectator Hotel (a personal favorite) was more modern, cool and less traditional. But now that Emeline is on the market, it just may be the clear winner of the cool kids club.
The hotel also offers complimentary bikes to use throughout your stay. Just reserve your 4 hour time-slot with the concierge and explore the city. I think it’s the only way to get around town! We were able to bike to The Battery and Rainbow Row in just a few minutes.
The Rooms At Emeline
Just like the lobby, the rooms at Emeline are absolutely stunning. The caning furniture, velvet headboards and beautiful detail made for a luxurious stay. The beds were insanely comfortable too which is always a plus. We stayed in the exclusive two-bedroom suite which was a great way to travel with a friend! We had separate rooms and an open living space which was nice. I definitely took several mental snapshots of the decor as I was in love with every little detail.
Each floor also had a water station with still or sparkling water. And in every room were a handful of refillable glass tumblers so you can have water in your room or on the go while running around town. This was such a nice amenity versus just a small plastic bottle in the room that always feels like a waste of plastic!
Where To Eat At Emeline
Clerk’s Coffee Company
For breakfast, or an afternoon pick me up, head to Clerk’s Coffee Company off the lobby. We had their avocado toast and farro salad that was divine. They also had a stack of pancakes that looked heavenly. It’s great for a quick coffee, chai latte or espresso when you’re heading out the door to explore the city.
Frannie & The Fox
But my favorite meal of the trip may have actually been from Frannie & The Fox. This Italian restaurant was packed with locals which is always a good sign of a great restaurant. Enjoy a cocktail at the bar or lounge for happy hour too if you like. But I highly recommend dining here as I am still thinking about this meal.
Sitting outside under the string lights, we ordered several delicious things to share. The corn salad as an appetizer which was hands down one of the best dishes I’ve ever had. There are few dishes that stick in my mind for years to come and this is definitely going to be one of them. We then did pepperoni pizza which was made in their big wood-fired oven. And for a homemade pasta dish, we did the lamb ragu rigatoni that may actually rival my mom’s! It was one of my favorite meals and honestly, a nice change of pace of ALL the seafood I typically eat when I head to Charleston.
