The Vendue, Charleston's Art Hotel — Restaurant in Charleston

So much to say about what you can expect to experience during your stay at The Vendue! First, it’s a major art hotel. This part is very cool. There’s even a resident artist across the street at the other building (26 Vendue) who was painting during the day. We started our stay being assigned a king room and were escorted across the street. We had read other reviews so we had low expectations for the secondary building. Our room was okay. We killed a few bugs, but I’ve also had that in my own home so not trying to be super picky. The water in the shower took 10+ minutes to get warm enough to stand in. Water pressure was rough, too. The bathroom area was tiny and hard to navigate with two people. If you really look at the room, it’s pretty beat up. The ceiling tiles above the sink were confusingly dirty - who is touching those? The woodwork and walls, closet door - it all started becoming more obviously neglected the more time you spent there. We were there during hurricane Ian and they asked if they could move us to the main building. So we ended up spending most of our stay over there. Our new king room was far more spacious - including the bathroom. The water got hotter faster, but the pressure was still lacking. Our room in the main building was far less beat up. It’s a strange experience though. Maybe this is just charming Charleston hotel vibes, but hallways were tiny, walls and floor uneven and imbalanced - kind of like walking through a funhouse in certain areas. There were back stairwells we used regularly that looked like they should’ve been marked for staff only because it was a strange experience to be walking through raw areas as a hotel guest. There were also weird smells in the main building on the second floor. I’m not even sure how to describe it - but just unpleasant as you’re walking to your room. We were hotel-bound for most of Thursday and Friday due to hurricane Ian. Staff was limited and understandable. They did keep the hotel restaurant Revival running for hotel guests which was much appreciated. Menus were limited but both our lunch and dinner servers were helpful and accommodating. The food was excellent. In addition, all staff was very helpful and kind. They hotel provides a morning breakfast in a bag on your door handle daily. It includes two pieces of fruit, two small croissants with jam and butter, and two small muffins. This was a welcomed treat! They also have a cookies and milk reception every evening from 9-10 pm which is a lovely touch. The staff is easy to reach via text which was helpful in arranging our valeted car to be pulled around, getting more towels, etc. Before the hurricane came in, I was delighted that housekeeping came in after our first night. I know many places have not restored daily housekeeping. The location of the hotel is very convenient - walking distance to the battery or the city market and Kings Street as well as Pineapple Fountain. I will say that neither of our rooms came with an iron (although they brought us one when we asked!) or a mini fridge. It was disappointing that we couldn’t bring back restaurant leftovers, have dessert or cold drinks in a mini fridge. I say all of that with the price of the hotel in mind. We paid over $300/night in Sept. 2022 - and an additional $36/night for valet. For the price, I expected a little more refinement on some of the details. My husband and I belabored over a 3 or 4 star review - because it wasn’t awful by any means. But ultimately the price for what we got was the tipping point. Hopefully this helps you know...

TL;DR: The Vendue is far more than just a hotel—it’s an experience that made my first trip to Charleston unforgettable. Between the exceptional staff, incredible art program, perfect location, and thoughtful extras, staying here truly elevated my entire trip. Despite slightly dated rooms, I wouldn’t stay anywhere else in Charleston.

This was my first trip to Charleston, South Carolina, and I never imagined that where I stayed would matter so much. Quite the contrary—choosing The Vendue turned out to be one of the best decisions of my trip. In fact, I would go as far as to say that my experience in Charleston would have been far less enjoyable without it.

What makes The Vendue so special comes down to four key things:

The Staff: The team at The Vendue transforms your stay into a true experience. They are warm, attentive, and impressively knowledgeable. A special shoutout goes to Sarah, Nicholas, and Frank, who made a huge impact on my trip with their advice, recommendations, and insight.

The Art: Known as Charleston’s Art Hotel, The Vendue more than deserves the title. The collection is stunning and thoughtfully curated. Alison, the art director, offers insightful tours of the exhibits, which rotate regularly—meaning each visit could feel entirely new.

The Location: The hotel sits in the heart of the French Quarter, surrounded by great food, art, and convenient transportation. Many attractions are walkable, and for those farther out, the water taxi is practically at the hotel’s doorstep—making a car unnecessary.

The Experience: Beyond being a hotel, The Vendue is an attraction in itself. Evenings feature wine receptions, art tours, and nightly cookies and milk.

As for the rooms, they are a bit on the dated side (even the TVs are not smart TVs), but realistically, you won’t spend much time inside. What stands out instead are the thoughtful touches: attentive housekeeping, turndown service, nightly treats, and even postcards showcasing the current artwork on display.

All in all, if I return to Charleston, The Vendue will be my first...

THESE ROOMS ARE DIRTY! Do not waste your money and stay here! I was so excited to visit this hotel it looked amazing but was so disappointed. For a 2 night stay it was almost $1000 which I had no issue in paying until I saw how dirty the room was. Dust all over the mantle the bathroom floor was disgusting when I walked around the room in my white sock in a matter of minutes they became black on the bottom. I had to request housekeeping to come in the afternoon as they showed up at 9am if not earlier to clean the room we were still in. After they cleaned I went into the bathroom and saw muddy foot prints all over the tile which they just left like that was okay? I truly never complain but the entire stay felt off, the free wine in the evenings with the art tour was served in smelly glasses so they obviously are not cleaned well. The carpet in the room felt almost sticky and moist. The rooms are nice that have a fireplace and we had a very big window but for the money I expected the room to be clean at least. There was also an issue with the water the first night. The water in the sink and bathtub would not get hot so after we were told to run the water for “a while” (I understand it’s an old building but having to run the water for 30 minutes for it just to be lukewarm isn’t okay) maintenance was called and he was very polite until he realized the water was truly not getting hot and that he didn’t actually know where the heater was to adjust the temp. He went to call someone else came back and informed us it was his first day and he did his best. The water issue was resolved and the rest of the staff was nice enough. It is a shame because I LOVED the location of the hotel but I will NEVER pay this much for a disgustingly dirty room ever again. The kicker to this is we actually left a hair dryer in the bathroom drawer when I called they told me the room was rented and they would get in as soon as they could to look. Obviously they don’t clean/ sanitize anything very well as hair dryer was found after I assume the...