Hotel occupancy up 153% year-over-year, 2 more hotels open

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The tourism industry is looking up as hotel occupancy for the week of March 21-27 was up 153% from this week last year and down 12.5% compared to the same timeframe in 2019, according to a weekly report by the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

Along with this two more hotels are opening in the Lowcountry.

Lowe, formerly Lowe Enterprises, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of Sweetgrass Inn at Wild Dunes on March 26, the company said in a statement.

The 153-room hotel is located on four acres at 5757 Palm Blvd. on Isle of Palms. Amenities include 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, an 8,000 square foot grand ballroom and a 3,000 square-foot rooftop ballroom. There’s also a fitness center, spa, poolside restaurant and bar, retail space and more.  

“As we roll into the upcoming spring travel season, we are excited about the opening of the Sweetgrass Inn, Wild Dunes Resort’s newest hospitality offering,” said Dan Battista, Lowe’s senior vice president, in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful for the efforts of our partners at Dart Interests, Hyatt and Wild Dunes Resort as we celebrate this momentous milestone and welcome a wonderful new asset to the Lowcountry.” 

Lowe is a national real estate investment, development and management firm with headquarters throughout the U.S., including Charleston.

Earlier this month, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston Harbor Mt. Pleasant opened at 100 Ferry Wharf Road.

Rooms feature one- and two-room suites and the facilities include a fitness center, outdoor pool and a free cook-to-order breakfast each morning followed by complementary drinks and snacks each evening, a news release said.

The seven-story waterfront hotel offers 175 suites with views of the Lowcountry and harbor from its location at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge. The hotel is in walking distance to Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.

Embassy Suites offers over 6,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and more than 4,000 square feet of waterfront outdoor space. The Grand Harbor Ballroom with 24-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows can accommodate up to 300 guests.

Liberty Place Charleston by Hilton Club is scheduled to debut in June at 475 East Bay St. in downtown Charleston.

The luxury and upscale resort is Hilton Grand Vacations’ first property in Charleston, HGV said in a statement. Rooms include one- and two-bedroom suite,s as well as studios. A lobby bar, owners’ lounge and fitness center are located within the property.

Liberty Place’s name is derived from its location near the iconic Liberty Tree where the Declaration of Independence was first read to Charleston citizens.