This Charleston, SC, Hotel Was Made for Adventurous, Oyster-Loving Foodies

What really piques our appetite, though, is the chance to diverge a bit from the standard Charleston visit and get out onto the intercoastal waterway. We’re lured by the promise of an immersive experience on the ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge and a view of the pristine ecosystem where meaty, sweet, and briny mollusks are sustainably raised from seed.

Lowcountry Oyster Company, one of the area’s premier sustainable oyster producers, awaits us. Founder Trey McMillan sold his first crop of oysters a year after setting up operations in 2017. Today, the company supplies Charleston restaurants and Southeast-based wholesalers with upwards of one million oysters per year.

The company added ecotours about a year ago to help share its story of sustainable aquafarming and gain greater exposure for the business. In store for my wife and me is a personalized tour, starting with an hour-long drive west of Charleston by private car to the unincorporated coastal town of Green Pond.

Offerings at The Palmetto: The Lowcountry Oyster Farm Package for Two

We’re collected at The Palmetto by a driver in a sporty Lexus sedan, and we head out for a scenic drive into the heart of the South Carolina’s Lowcountry, a region defined by salt marshes (a type of estuary) and coastal waterways that host a biodiversity of plant, animal, and aquamarine life.

Close in, we weave along towards Bennetts Point, the road mere feet above the vast marshlands. Shallow angled Lowcountry sun shimmers in sunflower gold hues off the native grasses and glassy salt water. Tall scrub and craggy oak trees draped in Spanish moss line the approach to Lowcountry Oyster Company’s operation. Shrimp boats, squawking gulls, and lithe silver-toned egrets navigate out on the water.

Upon arrival, we’re met by JB Borgstedt, the ecotour director at Lowcountry Oyster Company. He’s in a hurry to get us out onto the water.

If we hustle, he says, we can avoid a low tide that will prevent us from unfettered access through his preferred entry point to a shallow marsh area where rows of buoyed oyster cages bob rhythmically with the tide. He plops foldable beach chairs onto his flat-bottomed skiff where he takes the helm. We take our seats, and off we go.

Borgstedt whisks through the glades, regaling us with animated lessons on how to read the water’s surface tension. He notes that the best fishing and oyster growing is at the confluence of flowing waters (in our case the Ashepoo River and Mosquito Creek) where nutrients concentrate.

We get a primer on how oysters are initially raised from seed stock at Lowcountry’s shore-based nursery before being transferred into mesh bags, nestled into racks and cages, and placed out into the water at one of several “farm plots” that the company leases from the federal government. The oysters grow in the marsh where they’re carefully watched and periodically collected, then rinsed and cleaned of mud and parasites and returned to the open water for further growth prior to harvest.

We’re out on the water for a bit more than an hour and see Lowcountry harvesters at work, migratory birds, and a pod of dolphins that give chase to our boat. Back at the dock, Borgstedt rustles up a dozen just-harvested oysters, shucks them on the spot, and we enjoy a farmer’s snack along with cold beers I just happen to have on hand.

Oysters take on the flavor characteristics of where they’re raised. These are sweet and briny with a hint of clean, gin-like minerality, just like the waters where they grow. They’re small, shallow-cup, three-inch oysters, prized by chefs because a dozen is the perfect sized appetizer, leaving diners still hungry enough for a main course.

Our morning on the water leaves us sated, and we return to The Palmetto to rest up prior to snagging two bicycles on hand for guests for a quick spin around the district.

Back at The Palmetto: Casual-luxe design meets thoughtful comfort

With its prime location, The Palmetto offers easy access to many of the Holy City’s charms, including dozens of eateries (more on this later), Waterfront Park with the highly sought selfie spot that is the Pineapple Fountain, and the historic Rainbow Row where a baker’s dozen of pastel colored 18th- and 19th-century Georgian row houses stand collectively in silent sentry.

As one of Charleston’s newest hotels, The Palmetto rightfully earned top accolades in 2023, its first full year of operation. Props include AAA’s Four Diamond Designation, the number two ranking on Condé Nast Traveler’s 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards for Charleston, and a spot on Travel + Leisure’s 15 best hotels in Charleston list that same year.

With only 45 rooms and suites, the hotel and its amenities punch above their compact size’s weight class. Upon check-in, my wife and I are offered a special welcome cocktail. The Mind-the-Gap — a refreshing blended greeting with cucumber vodka, Pimm’s, strawberry, lime, mint, and ginger — starts our holiday on the right note.

Stylish design elements sing at the hotel, especially in the lobby where guests are greeted by palmetto-themed (nodding to the official South Carolina state tree) upholstery on chic lobby wing chairs and loveseats, an inverted palmetto frond crystal chandelier shimmering in gold, and several verdant green pastel shades of wall covering and accent pieces that wrap the bright and airy multi-story space.

A true diamond is found in the handsome lobby bar where the mirrored and backlit shelving hosts premium brand Clase Azul tequila, Irish gin, and Japanese whiskey alongside all the standards. This is a property that gives great attention to its cocktail program. House-made mixers, syrups, and bitters make the bar popular with guests and locals alike.

Our third-floor room is down the hall where sweetgrass handwoven baskets serve as light sconces, and hand-drawn framed botanical flora and fauna sketches inform us that we are in the South. Room design elements echo the palmetto theme, with more shades of green palmetto leaf wall coverings in the expansive bath, logoed robes, and bath slippers.

Small touches add to our comfort with treats like Bamford soaps and bath products, a triple-faucet rain shower, a vintage rotary telephone, oversized pillows, and a plush duvet. There’s even a pocket Charleston guidebook listing local sites and attractions for us to peruse.

In the neighborhood: Where to dine near The Palmetto

82 Queen

Going hungry in Charleston is simply not an option with the culinary scene earning international recognition. Though our visit is short, we plan to pair traditional and new-guard dining for the full Charleston experience.

Our first evening out is old-school Charleston with al fresco dining in the courtyard at 82 Queen. For more than 40 years, “the Queen” has delighted all comers with traditional Charleston fare, such as shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, and Carolina crab cakes.

We enjoy a cup of the rich and luscious she-crab soup with a splash of sherry; Southern tomato pie with fresh tomatoes slathered in pimento cheese and baked in a buttery crust; and jambalaya with shrimp, crawfish, Tasso ham, peppers, onions, and Charleston red rice. We manage to save room for the Queen’s legendary pecan pie with praline ice cream – it’s plenty to share, and we’re not disappointed.

82 Queen: 82 Queen St, Charleston, SC 29401

Ma’am Saab

Ma’am Saab, a new Pakistani restaurant that was born from a pop-up, is our venue for evening two in Charleston. Chef Maryam Ghaznavi is a growing culinary celeb who guides diners through one flavor bomb after another.

Spice and technique star here, and diners are well served to order a multi-course tasting dinner. We fall in love with Ghaznavi’s deft hand from her first dish, a Masala salad of mixed cabbage, peanuts, coconut, and carrot. The dressing with curry, lime juice, and pungent chilis opens our palates for the gems that follow.

Samosa chat, a stuffed fried triangle, is served over warm curried chickpeas (cholay) and had a hint of fire. Dishes keep coming, with standouts being the butter chicken (served with basmati rice and a lush pillowy naan bread), mixed tikka grill stars (with Kashmiri chili marinated grilled chicken thighs), and freshly ground lamb grilled (with garlic, tomatoes, and cumin).

Ma’am Saab: 251 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401

Bumpa’s

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We make a midday stop before heading home on day three to take in a local pub and fun hangout: Bumpa’s, located just around the corner from The Palmetto. There’s an all-day party energy here to be enjoyed alongside some of Charleston’s best regional beers from brewers like New Realm, Holy City, Indigo Reef, and Frothy Beard.

I pair my midday brew with Bumpa’s famed scotch egg and its southpaw burger, a smashburger with crusty edges that hits the spot. After three days of adventure, a taste of Charleston indulgence wins out, and we’re alright with that.

Bumpa’s: 5 Cumberland St, Charleston, SC 29401