2 nights at the Indigo Inn - comments?

I have booked 2 nights at the Indigo Inn for 3/10-12 and was wondering if anyone has comments about it, or recommendations about what to do in that weekend. This is our first trip to Charleston - 40th b-day gift for my wife.

Also, I saw in a review that someone paid $75 a night (mid-November?), but the rate I got was $175. Are there any insider ways to get discounts on the historic inns in this area? (PHEW! Couldn%26#39;t believe some of the prices - $400 and up?!)

As far as activities, I was wondering about the horse drawn carriage rides. Are they group or couples? Prices? From the reviews of the Indigo, it appears that the hotel staff will be helpful in determining out itinerary, but I%26#39;m sure my wife would love to tour some historic homes, walk around the district and shop for antiques, and maybe visit Fort Sumpter. Any other recommendations or ideas?

Thanks for your help!

2 nights at the Indigo Inn - comments?

Charleston is beauiful and busy in March. The Festival of Houses and Gardens starts shortly after you will be there. Thus, rates are high.

A carriage tour is a must for first time visitors, and I am sure you can arrange a couples tour. Visit the Edmonston-Alston House, which is open as a museum. Also, try to take a trip out to Middleton Place or one of the other historic plantations nearby.

2 nights at the Indigo Inn - comments?

Joe: Hotel prices do go up starting March as that%26#39;s really when things get back into the swing here...so you%26#39;ll probably be hard pressed to find a rate lower than your $175...Charleston hotel rates can be rather high in season (YIKES!).

Here%26#39;s a link to a trip report I posted after some friends came to visit this summer...we hit on many of the typical tourist spots. The Edmondston-Alston House and Aiken-Rhett Houses are two of my favorites. tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g54171-i105-k34364…

As for carriage rides, they are a great way to get an overview and I definitely recommend them esp. to first time visitors. You can take the group carriage ride (usually up to 16 people) or you can do private carriage rides for couples. If you go the group route, my favorite company is Old South Carriage Company (www.oldsouthcarriagetours.com). But if you%26#39;d like to take the couples carriages, check with Palmetto Carriage Co (www.carriagetour.com) and Polo and Carriage Tours (www.cpcc.com) as they offer the traditional horse drawn carriages.

If ya%26#39;ll like doing walking tours, Charleston Walks (www.charlestonwalks.com) has some great walking tours.

Enjoy your visit!

Sometimes if it not too busy of a weekend and there is no special events going on you can usually get a good deal coming through the Visitors Center. We offer same day reservations at discount prices. The Indigo Inn is a neat place to stay, so with that you made the right choice.

For the carriage ridea the Visitors Center also sells discount tickets from anywhere from $13.50-$16.50 depending on the company. Now these are for the group carriage rides. If you want a private carriage with just the 2 of you, you have to go through the carriage tour company directly. Those usually run about $100 or more. All tours last around an hour.

As far as the historic homes you are within walking distance to all of them. And Fort Sumter Tour docks are within a mile of the Indigo. Let me know if I can be of more help.

Thank you, everyone, for your responses. It looks like I made a good lodging choice, and that we%26#39;ll have a great time in Charleston.

We will definitely have to go by the Visitor%26#39;s Center, and I think I like the carriage ride company provided through the link. I hadn%26#39;t realized it would be a guided tour, in which case, a group would be just fine.

Thanks again for your help. :)