Hotel Bennett Charleston

We had very high expectations for our stay at the Hotel Bennett, and they were all met! The room, staff, and food were all excellent. The one area which far exceeded expectations was the service from Kevin the Lead Concierge. We thought we had a good plan for our visit to Charleston for our anniversary, but Kevin had many suggestions to improve our agenda. Kevin's knowledge of Charleston and deep network of contacts allowed him to quickly rework our plan with excellent results! We ran across Kevin numerous times during our visit, and he was genuinely interested in all our experiences. Kevin would be the number reason we will return to the Hotel Bennett.

Hotel Bennett has an excellent location in Charleston. Unfortunately, based on our experience, that is about the only genuinely positive thing I can say about the hotel. Hotel Bennett participates in the I Prefer Hotel Rewards programme, yet the hotel appears neither to recognise members’ status properly nor to provide the benefits associated with that status. I am an I Prefer Titanium member and booked my stay through the I Prefer system. Despite this, none of the benefits I would normally associate with my Titanium status were provided or even properly acknowledged. There was no food and beverage benefit, no welcome gift, and no late check out. What was even more surprising was the response from the Front Desk. When I raised the issue and explained my Titanium status, I was essentially told to contact I Prefer myself. I did so, only to be advised by I Prefer to submit a complaint so that they could contact the hotel on my behalf. A guest staying at a luxury hotel should not have to act as an intermediary between the hotel and its own loyalty programme. Hotel Bennett is part of Salamander Collection, and unfortunately this experience has left me seriously questioning the group’s ability to deliver the level of service and attention to detail expected from a genuine luxury hotel. It is also difficult not to note that Salamander no longer manages the former Salamander Washington DC hotel, only a few years after acquiring and rebranding it. A beautiful location and an impressive building are not enough to create a luxury hotel. Recognition, consistency, staff training and service are what make the difference. Based on our experience, Hotel Bennett fell well short of that standard. For an I Prefer Titanium member in particular, this was an extremely disappointing stay. Try to avoid it.

Hotel Bennett is the BEST place to stay when visiting Charleston! Not only is it a beautiful hotel, it is centrally located in the heart of the city, allowing guests to walk just about anywhere downtown. But the absolute reason Hotel Bennett should be your top choice is the concierge service. Kevin Wade is the hidden gem of the hotel and knows EVERY hidden gem in the city! We came in late Thursday night and talked with him for an hour and had our whole weekend planned out! Everything he recommended was top tier—-from a historical walking tour, a boat tour to Morris Island, a culinary tour and every restaurant in between. Kevin loves Charleston and Charleston loves Kevin. He WILL give you the dream vacation you hoped for in this beautiful city known for its rich culture and fine cuisine.

We stayed at the Bennett with our 3 children, for 4 nights as part of a larger trip. Without question Charleston was one of our main highlights, the hotel was beautiful to look at, the food was amazing, and the rooms were fabulously comfortable. However the icing on the cake was down to Kevin McQuade the outstanding concierge who spent ages with us, discovering what the childrens likes and dislikes were, and put together an exciting and very memorable itinerary which despite all the hours of research I had put in, Kevin came up with numerous activities and secluded restaurants that we would never have found. It has made me realise that I should rely more on the wealth of knowledge of the hotel concierge.

This is a beautiful hotel that is perfectly located. At every turn, you feel like you are in the lap of luxury, and the staff truly know how to treat you with hospitality. They were always attentive, without making you feel stifled. We went to every restaurant and bar they had, and the experience was top notch at every one. The pool staff and their manager were exceptional. A real oasis that made us forget the noise for a few days.