Wentworth Mansion

Top choice in Charleston


Routinely named a top stay in the country, this Gilded Age mansion would be the ideal setting for an elaborate Clue dinner party – and who wouldn't die for a glimpse of these Tiffany stained-glass windows, Italian crystal chandeliers and hand-carved mahogany moldings? An enclosed cupola on the roof offers breathtaking cityscapes, and the service here redefines Southern hospitality.

The 21 distinct rooms are adorned in fine antiques and elegant period furnishings, and there's complimentary sherry, brandy, wine and snacks (read: feast) in the evening. The hotel's romantic restaurant, Circa 1886, features expertly prepared Lowcountry cuisine and a vast wine list, and the intimate spa Urban Nirvana is set in gorgeously converted stables defined by elegant brick and exposed wood beams. Treatments are nothing short of transportive.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Charleston attractions

1. College of Charleston

0.28 MILES

Spread over a few city blocks at the center of Charleston's downtown, this university was founded in 1770 and is the oldest in the state. The campus is…

2. Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim

0.43 MILES

The oldest continuously used synagogue in the country, complete with a museum and gift shop. A tour costs $10 for adults and is free for children; check…

3. Gibbes Museum of Art

0.48 MILES

Houses a decent collection of American and Southern works. The contemporary collection includes works by local artists, with Lowcountry life as a…

4. Marion Square

0.55 MILES

Charleston's most frequented park is 10 acres of green space in the middle of downtown, bordering on King, Calhoun, Meeting and Tobacco Sts. It's the home…

5. St Michael's Church

0.58 MILES

St Michael's is the oldest church in town, dating back to 1752, and its beloved bells have been announcing the time and various events, including…

6. St Philip's Church

0.62 MILES

An Episcopal church erected in 1835, considered all-important by the first city residents. Lots of famous people were buried in the church cemetery and…

7. Nathaniel Russell House

0.66 MILES

A spectacular, self-supporting spiral staircase is the highlight at this 1808 Federal-style house, built by a Rhode Islander, known in Charleston as 'King…

8. Joggling Board

0.66 MILES

In the yard of the Nathaniel Russell House sits a fine specimen of a super-Charlestonian porch furnishing – the joggling board. It consists of a 16ft…