Readers accustomed to thinking of Holiday Inn hotels as soulless boxes in a chain will be very pleasantly surpirsed at this hotel, which has a distinct personality and offers great value.

The hotel is located at the intersection of Calhoun and Meeting streets, and is therefore nicely located for visits to the beautiful historic district of Charleston-- a ten or fifteen minute stroll down Meeting puts you right there. There is also a visitor's center, located two or three blocks along Meeting in the other direction. Rooms are comfortable and clean, and the people at the desk are friendly and efficient. They will provide you with complimentary cold bottles of water on request, and there are two computers in the lobby offering complimentary internet. Those with laptops can take advantage of the free wireless in each room. There is also a nice outdoor pool. I cannot comment on the on-site restaurant, since I never ate there.

The most striking thing about this hotel, however, is the concierge, Kevin, about whom much has been written in previous rooms. I have to admit, I initially wondered whether these glowing reviews were a lot of hype. As it turned out, they were not. I nearly didn't bother taking advantage of his services, figuring that I was perfectly capable of figuring out for myself what I wanted to do, but once I was there
my curiosity got the better of me and I met with him. This took some doing, because even though he was there all the time (even Sunday) he is frequently talking with people (a visit with him will take about half an hour because he really tries to individually tailor his advice to the people he talks to). I waited for about half an hour in the lobby looking at a book he provided of photos contrasting old and present-day Charleston, and then got my turn to talk to him. His recommendations, both as to restaurants and sightseeing activities, were uniformly excellent. He genuinely loves Charleston and wants people to know why; on Saturday night he came in at 9pm to personally walk around town with my daugher and I, showing us little nooks and crannies of the city that we would otherwise have missed, and, most astonishingly of all, refused any compensation or tip for doing so. His presence at this hotel raises this Holiday Inn out of the category of "typical chain hotel" and makes it a very special place. I would unhesitangly recommend this hotel for anybody visiting Charleston; it is, if anything, less expensive than most or all of the other hotels in this neighborhood, and offers exceptional value.

Have stayed at this Holiday Inn twice and planning another stay this November. Was recommended by my sister who stays here for College of Charleston visits. In 2006 had my first aquaintance with Kevin the concierge. I had never utilized a concierge before. What a pleasure! Such enthusiasm for the city. Great recommendations for tours and dining-adapted to our individual tastes. Experienced the magical night tour with my niece who lives on James Island. The city at night is glorious-the gardens, fountains, lighting. The quiet-and I always felt safe. In 2006 I did see the rumpled carpet in the hallways but that was redone by 2007, at least on the floor we stayed on. The location is at the farthest northern tip of "downtown" but the walking did not bother us but might be a consideration for others not as able. Never used a car so can't comment about parking. When I was there April 08 for "the race" the hotel tolerated the runners all over their property after the race. Love the temperpedic beds-one might not-personal choice. Nice hotel-I am not looking for luxury,(can't afford it!) but comfort and safety and graciousness-especially in Charleston! Everyone we met was welcoming, even when we went to see Kevin after the race and we had not stayed there.(stayed with my niece-not another hotel!) Make sure you do the tour with Jane Thornhill-she is GREAT! ( another Kevin recommendation.)

We enjoyed 3 nights at the Holiday Inn in Charleston. The entire staff is friendly and welcoming and all seem to take pride in giving extra special service. The hotel itself is well maintained and centrally located. We could walk to most places.This was our first trip to Charleston and Kevin McQuade, the concierge, made our experience memorable. He personalized our experience and suggested authentic restaurants and places to see along with a magical tour of Charleston at night. He mapped out a 3 day, non-stop adventure for our visit. We especially enjoyed a walking tour with Ed Grimball and dinner at Middleton Place, a plantation near Charleston. Kevin even suggested sights to see once we left Charleston. Thanks again for a great stay in Charleston.

The best part of our visit to this hotel was check-in. The agent could not have been more perfect and made it exceptional. We were told tha the concierge could help us plan anything in Charleston, it all went downhill from there.

The room was certainly adequate and it was maintained fine. However, for the city that is supposedly the most polite in the nation, those voting must have grown up in a subway station because I would not say any other aspect of service was polite or helpful.

The hotel was overbooked with bachelorette parties and the entire parking garage was filled. We were told we could park in the church lot across the street but that cars must be moved by 8:30 the next morning...TO WHERE? My car received two ugly scrapes. I was shown an illegal spot in the parking garage to park since I found that alternative a poor one.

The magical concierge never appeared for the entire weekend. Do people not take weekend tours? We arrived for breakfast about 15 minutes before it was over and were told it was really too late to come because they were getting ready to close it down.

The shining star was the gentleman who took our bags down to the car. He was friendly, helpful, and went out of his way to help my daughter and I load our car.

So, the best parts of this hotel are arriving and leaving.