Unlike other hotels in the area, the City Loft Hotel has a loft style that blends urban and rural design elements. The lobby is small and bright, with gray flooring, multicolored chairs, beach artwork, and an orange ceiling. Additional seating can be found in the open-air hallways, which have padded chairs and wood tables as well as potted plants with white umbrellas. City Java & News, the on-site restaurant/coffeeshop has frosted countertops, tall wooden chairs, and large windows that allow the space to be filled with natural light. There's also a flat-screen TV and several cozy seating areas set with gray chairs. Guests with mobility concerns should note that the hotel has no elevators, and the lobby is on the second floor.  

The City Loft Hotel is located in the historic area of Beaufort, within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and the downtown area. Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, the Beaufort Museum, the University of South Carolina-Beaufort, and the John Mark Verdier House are all within a short walk of the hotel. The Chapel of Ease is a 12-minute drive away, while Hunting Island State Park takes 20 minutes to reach by car. The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is a 50-minute drive away.

Rooms are comfortable and modern, and all come with air-conditioning. Decor varies from room to room but generally includes gray carpets, colorful accent walls, padded headboards, and small, vibrant seating areas with chairs and tables. Sealy Plush beds with memory-foam tops receive excellent reviews. Lamps have built-in iPod docks and all rooms have mini-fridges with free bottled water. Both bedrooms and bathrooms have wall-mounted flat-screen TVs. Bathrooms are beautiful and contemporary, with white and brown tile, artwork on the walls, and bright lighting. Frosted-glass sliding doors add to the trendy design as do the glassed-in tile rainfall showers with wood benches. Big white soaking tubs have chrome fixtures and there are makeup mirrors on the white countertops. BeeKind toiletries are provided. Most room complaints are related to noise from the hallways, and as the City Loft is a pet-friendly property, barking dogs can be an issue. 

The hotel's City Java & News serves American-style breakfasts along with sandwiches, beer, wine, smoothies, pastries, soups, and salads at lunch time; morning room service is available. The hotel has a small conference area with audiovisual equipment. Wi-Fi and parking are free. 

City FIT, the sunny on-site fitness center, has cardio machines with TVs, weight-training equipment, and medicine balls. Personal trainers are available for a fee. There are lovely steam showers. Guests at the hotel can also use the facilities at Sanctuary Golf Club at Cat Island, including the pool, the golf course, and tennis court, but each incurs a fee. Pets are allowed for a fee, but there's a maximum of two pets per room and each animal must weight less than 80 pounds.