The Zero George, Charleston
This is a handsome hotel. Probably one of Charleston's most. And in a city filled with good-looking places, that's saying a lot.
Made up of five restored historic buildings and just 18 guest rooms, the Zero George is the kind of quaint and charming hotel that immediately makes you feel at home. It's fancy-ish but not stuffy, with lots of dark and cozy spaces to relax in: wide verandas filled with classic wicker furniture, a hidden courtyard paved with oyster shells, a fireside wooden bar where the bartender serves one of the most fantastic rum Old Fashioneds we've ever tasted. We spent hours sitting on the wooden porch just outside our room, watching the gaslights flicker in the brick piazza below as the palmetto fronds swayed in the Lowland breeze. It was hard to leave.
Don't miss breakfast, which is served until 10am daily and includes pastries from Callie's Hot Little Biscuit, a local institution. At the hotel's restaurant, Zero Cafe, executive Chef Vinson Petrillo and Sous Chef Amanda Black offer a super intimate cooking class in their tiny kitchen; it takes two hours, includes wine pairings, and looks super fun. The wifi throughout the hotel is fast and strong — if you need to get work done, there are tons of comfy places to do it. Be sure to take a spin around town on one of the hotel's Pure City bicycles.
