Indigo Inn

Popular with vacationers on a budget, Indigo Inn is a lovely inn with an old-fashioned and homey look and feel. The exteriors are painted an eggshell blue, with iron-and-glass gas lamps adding an old-school touch. The lobby features a mix of oak siding and a matching reception desk, with mirrored ceilings and columns that create an illusion of space and black floors topped with heavy Persian-style rugs. Lobby decor includes big tan-leather reading chairs with red throw pillows and a few blue-and-white plates hanging on the walls. There's additional seating in a big, semi-open courtyard at the center of the property, with lots of padded patio furniture, potted plants, and bushes, plus a couple of fountains and trees. 

Indigo Inn is located on the corner of tiny Maiden Lane and Pinckney Street, in an area with lots of shops, cobblestoned streets, gardens, and historic, colorful houses, many of which date back to the early 19th century. The six-acre Marion Square is a five-minute walk away. So is King Street, a busy strip lined with high-end restaurants, art galleries, and shops. Also within a five-minute walk is the Gibbes Museum of Art and the Charleston City Market, while the Charleston Museum (the oldest museum in the US) takes 15 minutes to reach on foot. Other attractions within a 15-minute walk include Aiken-Rhett House, the former governor's home (built in 1818) and Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. It's a 15-minute drive to Charles Towne Landing. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and Drayton Hall take around 25 minutes to reach. It's a 30-minute drive to Middleton Place, the oldest landscaped gardens in the United States. The Charleston International Airport is a 20-minute drive away. 

Rooms are similarly furnished, and differentiated only by their bed configurations and views. Rooms with one or two queen-size beds or one king-size bed are available, though not all have views and some of the one-bed units feel small and cramped. Decor is feminine and old-fashioned, with two- or four-poster beds topped with floral printed duvets. Typical decor features include heavy dark-wood furniture, ceramic lamps, and simple framed prints of flowers on beige-hued walls. Bathrooms feature vanity areas with cream tiling paired with gray granite countertops and huge mirrors, plus mini-fridges and closets with irons and ironing boards. Small separate rooms house toilets and shower/tub combos. Hairdryers and toiletries are provided. Other standard amenities include individually controlled air-conditioners, flat-screen TVs, and safes. Wi-Fi is free in rooms and throughout the hotel. However, rooms lack coffee- and tea-making facilities. 

The Indigo Inn doesn't have a ton of amenities -- there's no fitness center, pool, hot tub, or room service. Dining options are limited to a hot breakfast buffet and afternoon cheese and wine, all free for guests. There are vending machines for basic snacks. There's also a station in the lobby with tea, coffee, and hot cocoa that guests can access around the clock and free newspapers are provided. Additional features include free Wi-Fi, on-site parking (for a fee), and baggage storage. Guests traveling with pets can request a pet-friendly room with advance notice, for a fee.