The Inn At Middleton Place

Description:

• It's a long way from Tara and Rhett Butler, but if your lodging preferences south of the Mason-Dixon line run toward strikingly modern luxury hotels, this is the place for you. The inn is a direct counterpoint to the adjoining Middleton Place, an 18th-century plantation that's a sightseeing attraction. Charles Duell, a descendant of Middleton's original owners, wanted a departure from ersatz colonial and deliberately commissioned architects to create an inn devoid of "Scarlett and her antebellum charm." That said, the inn, with its live oaks and setting on the bluffs of the Ashley River, still has Southern grace and a warm and inviting interior. The guest rooms are filled with handcrafted furniture, wood-burning fireplaces, and cypress paneling; bathrooms have oversize tubs and private showers. You can patronize the inn's restaurant if you're not a guest, enjoying classic plantation fare ranging from pan-fried quail to crawfish cakes.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010