The Vendue, Downtown Art Hotel

This hotel is not what it used to be. If looking for a historic establishment with a nod to Charleston’s history, this is not your place. The rooms have been renovated with some of the gaudiest fixtures they could find. The artwork is nice, but not really something that adds value when staying here. The service is great, as it should be when paying downtown prices. The location of this hotel is its best asset. With the opening of newer and nicer establishments nearby, this one will need to keep up if they expect to stay open. I’m a local who rarely goes downtown to avoid the crowds and fight for a parking spot. Next time I’ll probably pick a different hotel nearby.

The hotel is a beautiful, interesting work of art with lots of neat artworks in it. A very friendly, accommodating staff. Fantastic location, near great restaurants, historic locations, and a cool park along the water. The hotel provided free bicycles for use, and I loved the opportunity to ride along the water and around downtown Charleston by bicycle in the morning. (I do suggest that the hotel not allow people to take bicycles out all day. 2-3 hours is sufficient and fair. I didn't have a problem, but I can imagine shortages in the availability of bikes because people just hold on to them.)

+ The room was alot nicer than expected and it is located in the heart of everything. The bed was very comfortable and we had our privacy which was perfect for a romantic getaway.
- There is no service. You're on your own in terms of checking in or needing anything for the room. We called for over an hour to get the code and room number assigned to us. I ended up receiving a $45 parking ticket trying to figure out this chaos. Not sure why no one was available to pick up the reservation phone number. Very disappointing. We also had to buy our own cream and sugar. The air conditioner was super loud everytime it kicked on which wakes you up throughout the night. Lastly, the walls are thin so you can hear everything from the drunks outside to people in the room next door. Bring some ear plugs.