Getaway: The Pinch Hotel

By: Erin Byers Murray

harleston is an easy place to visit and a hard place to leave. At the recently opened Pinch Hotel, you don’t necessarily have to. Built for extended stays, the 25 rooms inside the Pinch Hotel in Charleston, are designed for pied-à-terre living, complete with fully outfitted kitchens, washer/dryer units, and a clutch of plants and succulents.

The Pinch The Quinte Caviar Champagne by Matthew Williams

What were originally two Victorian-style structures built in 1843 and 1869 at the corner of George and King streets have been transformed by Philadelphia-based developer Method Co., which infuses a timeless, laid-back appeal that pays respect to the historic space. The entrance is set on a cobblestoned alley lit by gas lamps, and just beyond that, there’s an outdoor firepit and patio. Two complimentary bikes await out front, inviting visitors to explore the city by pedal power. Add to it a newly opened oyster bar off the lobby, the Quinte, known for its showstopping seafood towers, not to mention the hotel’s unbeatable location, and you might find yourself pushing back that flight by a few days.

The Neighborhood Around the Pinch Hotel

From the Pinch’s perch on King Street, there’s shopping in the form of local boutiques and nationally known clothing stores, as well as art galleries and antique shops. You’re within walking distance of restaurants like 167 Raw, FIG, and Delaney Oyster House, while the College of Charleston campus sits within a few blocks.

The Digs

The lobby of the Pinch Hotel in Charleston

Rooms at the Pinch Hotel, Charleston, ranging from lofts to suites are kitted out with a nearly full bar of amenities, including a pile of local snacks and drinks, an Italian marble farmhouse sink, and even a complete set of bar tools. In the modernist bathrooms, you’ll find Aesop products and tiled showers. To thoroughly enjoy the space, lay out the earthenware dishes and elegant stemware, displayed from custom open shelving, and link up to the room’s Sonos speaker for a casual night in on the rust-colored velvet couch, then retreat to the soothing bedroom, wrapped in herbal printed wallpaper, and let the sound machine lull you over to dreamland.

The Food Scene

A stay at the Pinch Hotel in Charleston starts with check-in at a freestanding reclaimed oxblood desk and a handmade cocktail, poured while you wait. And while there is any number of restaurants nearby (not to mention each room’s modern kitchen), the next stop should be the first-floor oyster bar. Opened recently, the Quinte leans into the city’s naval history with a turn-of-the-century feel—belly up at the 18-seat marble bar for a taste of locally grown oysters on one of their massive seafood towers and a classic libation. Across the alley from the hotel’s lobby, a carriage house is being reimagined into Lowland, a soulful, French-focused restaurant complete with fireplaces in the dining rooms, pine floors original to the 1840s-era building, and an intimate six-seat bar on the second floor. It’s set to open in spring 2023.

For reservations and more information, visit thepinch.com.