Anna Marie

Charleston’s John Rutledge House Inn; An elegant B&B, so why did I bring a kid?

, Historical Travel

The John Rutledge House Inn, 116 Broad Street Charleston, South Carolina

The John Rutledge House Inn is located in the heart of the historic district of Charleston, South Carolina. The inn offers visitors to the Palmetto City elegant, upscale lodging, hospitality, and amenities in a historic setting.Which begs the question, Why on earth did I bring my 10-year old son?

Historic Charleston

Charleston is a beautiful city with a rich heritage and significance in our nation’s story. In addition to its history, there’s an exciting culinary scene as well as a wealth of entertainment, shopping, museums and recreational opportunities.

With all Charleston has to offer, I wanted to add one more special treat to a ‘Mommy and Me’ trip – an extraordinary stay in a historic bed and breakfast.

The John Rutledge House Inn on Broad Street is one of those exceptional places that not only cater to the finer tastes in life, it also welcomes guests with children.

The John Rutledge House Inn is located in the historic district of Charleston next to the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist.

Upon arrival at this fabulous home, it’s evident this isn’t just a simple B&B. The JRH is an esteemed member of the Select Registry of Historic Inns of North America. It’s also one of Charleston’s oldest homes. Constructed over 250-years ago, the inn was the home of John Rutledge, a former governor and signer of the United States Constitution. Today, not only is it a thriving bed and breakfast, it’s a historic landmark.

Style and Elegance

Room number 2, one of the many beautifully decorated rooms at the JRH.

The moment we entered our room, I insisted my son not touch anything. I needed to take it all in before our luggage cluttered the pristine elegance. Decorated in keeping with the time period of the home’s construction, the rooms are spacious, luxurious, yet functional and welcoming. Making our stay even more comfortable, were the Tempurpedic beds – perfect after a long day of sight-seeing.

One of the personal touches making us feel welcomed.

Breakfast of Champions

Breakfast at the John Rutledge House Inn is much more than a bowl of cereal or fruit and yogurt – it’s a dining event.

First of all, guests are given a choice of where they’d like to dine; in their room, in the ballroom, or weather permitting, in the courtyard. Naturally, we had to dine in different locations each morning of our stay.

My son got a kick out of completing our breakfast request card each evening and placing it on the doorknob to let the staff know what and where we’d be eating in the morning. The choices offered were delicious, and I have to say, the stuffed French toast was out-of-this-world.

Guests can choose to enjoy breakfast in their room, the ballroom or in the courtyard.

Tea Time

Tea Time is from 4:30 to 6:00 each evening in the ballroom. Okay, this time of year the tea is iced tea, but the refinement and elegance remain the same. My son surprised me with his ability to converse with the other guests and his interest in hearing their stories. What a wonderful opportunity to practice our best manners too!

Port and Brandy

Each evening, adult guests are welcome to enjoy a tipple. Brandy and port are available in the ballroom. The ballroom is filled with historic memorabilia, scrapbooks detailing the story of the inn, and good conversation.

Friendly and helpful staff

Speaking of conversations, the staff at the JRH are phenomenal. Everyone is friendly and helpful. CeCe, who works at the front desk, proved to be a great person to converse with and my son loved sitting and talking with her. The simple act of a staff member spending time chatting with him, made his time at the JRH even more special and memorable.

In addition to superior service, the staff assists with a lot of little touches. Items such as securing reservations, giving directions, chocolates at the turn-down time, and a small but helpful detail, directing us to their cooler full of water bottles. Charleston’s hot and humid this time of year, and when they remind you to stay hydrated, they aren’t kidding. The water bottle we picked up stayed with us the entire day.

Yes, I left the John Rutledge House Inn vowing to return, sans-kid, sometime in the future. But the uniqueness of staying at an exceptional bed and breakfast and the experience our time at the JRH provided my son, was priceless. As a mom, I also like to think the memories we created are special and will last a lifetime.

When I asked my son how he liked his stay at the JRH he replied, “Even though there wasn’t a pool, it was the best!”

Ah, a supreme compliment from a 10-year old, indeed.