The Cottages on Charleston Harbor: A Great Place for Families

If you are looking for a charming and private Charleston getaway, The Cottages on Charleston Harbor are a perfect place to stay.

We were given the opportunity to stay there complimentary for two nights in exchange for an honest review, and it was truthfully, the highlight of our Charleston vacation in July.

The Cottages on Charleston Harbor features 10 harbor front cottages with designer appointments and a full kitchen, all surrounded by beautiful landscaping and shaded by Palmettos.

The first half of our vacation, we stayed at a VRBO downtown that was less than awesome, so arriving to The Cottages felt like such a gift. From the moment we checked in at the clubhouse, grabbed some free lemonade and snacks, we felt relaxed and taken care of.

Our two bedroom, three bath, 1,400 square-foot cottage felt like one of Charleston’s best kept secrets, with its secluded location, gorgeous decor and spacious floor plan. Everything was beautiful, including the pine floors, gas fireplaces, leather club chairs, cathedral ceilings and walls of windows.

One of the big benefits of staying in a place like the cottages is that you have your own full-kitchen. This is a huge cost savings when you can prepare and eat your meals at home. It also is sometimes a lot easier with three young children like we have.

The bedrooms were lovely and included pillow top mattresses, flat screen HDTVs and a Bose stereos. The master bedroom had a king bed in it, while the other bedroom was equipped with two full beds. We found the space perfect for our family of five, though you could easily sleep six in the beds, making the cottages perfect for a couples getaway or girls trip. Of course, the cottages offer wireless internet as well.

In addition to the two bedrooms, the cottages had three full baths (two adjoined the bedrooms + a third off the kitchen), giving everyone plenty of space. The master bathroom offered both a gigantic shower and jacuzzi bathtub that left everyone wanting to soak in it.

We also loved the screened porch equipped with rocking chairs, a Pawley’s Island hammock, table and chairs.

Just beyond our porch was access to a small private beach on the harbor. Our kids made sandcastles, collected shells and enjoyed the water. We also saw dozens of teeny tiny crabs, which was fun.

In addition to the private beach, we enjoyed hours at the lovely pool onsite. It is accessible through The Cottages Clubhouse and, though not big, offered much enjoyment for our kids. The pool is lined with palm trees and offers plenty of seating. They also had a variety of floats, which the kids loved.

It wasn’t crowded and was a relaxing environment for us to enjoy. We got pizza from a nearby pizza joint, allowing us to eat lunch on the covered patio and then get right back in the pool.

The Cottages on Charleston Harbor are more expensive that some other options for families to stay in Charleston (around $700 a night), but the amenities, exclusivity and location they offer make it an appropriate rate. The Cottages would make a great place to stay for a couples or girls weekend getaway, which would also be helpful for splitting the rate.

When we were there, the property had guests at all 10 cottages. We met families from the midwest and east coast.

The Cottages are located in Mount Pleasant, which was super convenient to lots of restaurants and the beaches, with Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms being closest.