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Isle of Palms · Hotel shortlist

Hotels with a pool near the airport in Isle of Palms

Britt Sorensen

Britt Sorensen India and the Himalaya

Updated 1 September 2026 · 67 Isle of Palms hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Isle of Palms, out of the 67 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.9 down to 4.6.

The Starlight Motor Inn is the one I would book myself.

The Starlight Motor Inn

Highest rated of the five

The Starlight Motor Inn

★★★★★4.9 from 1,439 reviews

The Starlight Motor Inn comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.9 from 1,439 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 2 star property, found under the airport and around $86 a night on the dates we checked.

67 hotels in Isle of Palms qualified for this list and five made it. Drury Plaza Hotel North Charleston is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Bara drink without going back out
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze
  • Parkinga real consideration if you are driving in

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All five, ranked

  1. The Starlight Motor Inn1

    The Starlight Motor Inn

    ★★★★★4.9 from 1,439 reviews

    • Pool
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

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  2. Drury Plaza Hotel North Charleston2

    Drury Plaza Hotel North Charleston

    ★★★★★4.8 from 401 reviews

    • Pool
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly
    • Accessible

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  3. Hampton Inn & Suites Charleston Airport3

    Hampton Inn & Suites Charleston Airport

    ★★★★★4.6 from 1,106 reviews

    • Pool
    • Gym
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning

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  4. Staybridge Suites Charleston-Ashley Phosphate by IHG4

    Staybridge Suites Charleston-Ashley Phosphate by IHG

    ★★★★★4.6 from 657 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Kitchen

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  5. Element by Marriott Charleston Airport5

    Element by Marriott Charleston Airport

    ★★★★★4.6 from 146 reviews

    • Pool
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly
    • Air conditioning

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How this list was put together

67 Isle of Palms hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and took the top five.

Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

Britt Sorensen

Britt Sorensen India and the Himalaya

Her work season is winter, leaving whole summers free for mountains in the other hemisphere or trekking at altitude in Nepal and Peru. Carries the lightest pack of anyone she travels with.

Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.