Mills House, a Curio Collection by Hilton
22 American Cities Named “Charleston”
When my friend, Diane, asked me if I wanted to tag along with her to Charleston, I thought she meant we would be traveling to Charleston, the capitol of West Virginia. To be truthful, I had recently travelled to West Virginia, so I did not say yes right away.
When she sent me a link to the hotel, the fact that it was located in the popular city of Charleston in South Carolina, piqued my interest. Another friend recently traveled to Charleston, South Carolina for a wedding and loved it.
For this trip, I’d be accompanying Diane to her daughter’s bachelorette weekend, but she assured me that we’d only meet with the energetic young women in the bridal party for a special dinner, a boat tour, and a carriage ride. Aside from that, we’d have free time to stroll around Charleston, also known as the “Holy City,” at our own pace.
The fact that Charleston features elegant French Quarter and Battery districts with cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, and houses and buildings with fancy facades, sounded wonderful – like places I read about in romance novels. Count me in.
Mills House Charleston: Charming Historic Setting in the Heart of the “Holy City”
The Mills House hotel, established in 1853, is conveniently located in Charleston’s vibrant historic downtown. This iconic pink hotel features 218 rooms on seven floors and offers three restaurants onsite. The best way to describe Mills House is that it’s designed with traditional Southern charm but offers sophisticated modern décor and amenities.
The elegant look of the lobby décor matched with impressive cleanlinessmade a strong impression on us. The service was equally as impressive, as the staff was genuinely warm, welcoming, and attentive.
We were lucky to be staying just a stroll away from the best parts of Charleston’s vibrant downtown around Meeting, Queen, and King Streets. There are so many historic landmarks and Charleston highlights that we wanted to visit.
Mills House Accommodations: Luxurious Soft Beds
My bed provided the plushiest, softest, most comfortable experience that I could have hoped for! It’s no exaggeration that once my head hit the soft pillow, I had the best night’s sleep. Despite the hotel’s city location in the heart of downtown Charleston, the room was quiet at night. It was not a huge hotel room, but it worked for the two of us, meticulously clean, and it had a nice city view. The housekeeping staff was excellent, as you would expect, since Mills house is part of Hilton’s Curio Collection of hotels.
There are a variety of room types:
:: City view
:: Landmark view
:: Pool view
:: Bridal suite
:: Non-smoking rooms
:: Suites
:: Family rooms
:: Pet-friendly rooms
:: Allergy-free rooms
:: Connecting rooms
Room amenities:
:: Free WIFI
:: Digital key
:: Cable/satellite TV
:: Streaming entertainment
:: Blackout curtains
:: Desk
:: Coffee/tea maker
Mills House Amenities
Inside the Mills House, you’ll find a fitness center, restaurant, lounge area, café for coffee and treats, and a pool deck and bar. You can grab a coffee, take a yoga class, and swim before you even step one foot outside to explore downtown Charleston.
Hotel Amenities:
:: Free high-speed Internet/WIFI
:: Fitness center with gym/Workout room
:: Pool with cabanas you can rent
:: Bar/lounge
:: Patio
:: Self-parking
:: Valet parking (fee)
If you drove to Charleston and need to park, there is convenient parking in the municipal lot next door. Simply park and find the ramp on the 4th-floor that leads you directly into the hotel’s terrace near the pool area.
One important note: You will incur a daily fee added to your reservation costs that Mills House describes as follows: “Daily mandatory destination charge with premium internet access; daily $10 food and beverage credit for use in hotel restaurant & bar; sundeck yoga classes; water bottle refillable at hydration stations. It also includes a $2 destination marketing fee.”
Dining and Drinks at Mills House
There are three dining areas onsite at Mills House.
The Black Door Café is open all day and offers a casual coffee bar atmosphere. Take note of the entryway that is said to have been the original cafe entry when Mills House was called the St. John Hotel. The coffee aroma was heavenly. Be sure to pick up a few pastries for breakfast. There lots of grab-and-go items you can pick up for a treat throughout your busy sightseeing days in Charleston.
The Terrace Bar provides an interesting view down onto the street. It’s a more relaxed atmosphere. You can pick up a drink and appetizers at the poolside bar and lounge area while you enjoy the pool.
The Iron Rose restaurant is located inside the Mills House’ courtyard area. It features a Southern Coastal menu and you can choose indoor and outdoor courtyard dining. There is a bar for cocktails as well. This is where Diane and I met with her daughter and bridesmaids to celebrate the upcoming wedding. The food was phenomenal! My Pimento Cheese with Applewood Bacon Jam and Bread appetizer followed by a Grilled Cheshire Pork with Broccolini and Fingerling Potatoes entrée were absolutely perfect.
A Weekend of Charleston Attractions
Charleston, South Carolina is historical, cultural, architectural, and depicts Southern charm from days gone by. In addition to the city scape, Charleston also offers spectacular ocean views from both harbor and beach.
Mills House is centrally located so we were able to walk the city on cobblestone streets and view iconic attractions around the “gas-lit” neighborhoods featuring the most charming pastel-colored antebellum houses. We thoroughly enjoyed the historic King Street shopping district filled with designer boutiques and art galleries.
There was no shortage of southern cuisine restaurants! There are dozens of places to eat.
Special attractions we visited:
:: Charleston City Market
:: Rainbow Row
:: Charleston City Hall
:: Joe Riley Waterfront Park
:: Battery & White Point Gardens
:: Charleston Museum
:: Gibbes Museum of Art
:: College of Charleston
:: Old Slave Mart Museum
:: Old Exchange
The horse-drawn carriage ride with Diane’s daughter’s bubbly bridesmaids was a highlight. The Historic Charleston Carriage Tour felt like a one-hour magical ride on the cobblestone streets, strolling past dozens of blocks in Charleston’s historic downtown area. It was surprisingly comfortable, and the carriage easily fit all twelve women in our wedding group. I thought $50 per person was reasonable for the unique experience.
Diane and I also joined the bridal party on the 90-minute Charleston Harbor History Sunset Boat Cruise aboard the Carolina Belle. I enjoyed the guide’s history lesson and the beautiful sunset but the occasional dolphins leaping out of the water were the highlight for me and helped make the $48 fee a bit justified. While I am an avid cruiser, I tend to feel motion sickness on smaller vessels but guessing the intense breeze helped me feel fine from start to finish.
On a return trip to Charleston, I look forward to booking a few of these tours:
:: Fort Sumter Admission and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry
:: Charleston City Sightseeing Bus Tour
:: Charleston Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours
:: Charleston Eco Boat Cruise with stop at Morris Island Lighthouse
:: 2-Hour Guided Kayak Eco Tour in Charleston
Excellent Bachelorette Moms’ Trip to Charleston, South Carolina
While we may have played a small part in Diane’s daughter’s bachelorette weekend in Charleston, South Carolina, this getaway was the perfect mix of celebrating the bride and memorable sightseeing. I must point out my highest recommendation for the Mills House. The hotel’s blend of historical charm, modern comfort, beautiful decor, cleanliness, and comfort made it a wonderful stay. Other guests complain about the “mandatory additional fees” but if that’s what it takes to staff such a powerful hotel team, then the fees are justified. This is not just an “okay” hotel, it’s an excellent hotel.
You may have heard Charleston referred to as “The Holy City” and after researching and listening to the explanations from tour guides’ throughout the weekend, the answer is not very dramatic. The best description is that the name stems from Charleston’s skyline full of church steeples. It also pays homage to Charleston’s history of religious tolerance and the numerous places of worship for varying religious denominations. Either way, it’s cool to say that I finally visited the “Holy City.”