Story by Stephanie Hunt
Photographs by Katie Charlotte

With the addition of Two Meeting Street Inn, Club Members enjoy Kiawah style and comfort in downtown Charleston.

For more than a century, the Queen Ann-style abode at the foot of Meeting Street has caught the eye of passersby. Its gently curved piazza and parade of arches and columns command a double take. The property’s wedding-cake appeal, all white icing and layers of architectural delight, is fitting, as Two Meeting Street Inn was originally built in 1892 as a gift from George Williams, a wealthy banker who lived in what is now the Calhoun Mansion (just a few houses away on Meeting Street), to his daughter, Martha, upon her marriage to Waring P. Carrington, a jeweler. The tale goes that Mr. Williams pinned a check for $75,000, funds to build the house, on a rose-colored pillow and left it for his daughter on her wedding night. The Carringtons, in turn, gifted each other the home’s two Tiffany glass windows for their fifth wedding anniversary. In 1907, the couple erected the bandstand in White Point Garden in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Williams. The house, with its infinite porch appeal, is quintessentially Southern but also fresh and distinctive. Witness her rounded edges while neighboring Charleston manses are boxy and tall, her unabashed preference for romance and charm over stately ostentation, her Victorian flair and Tiffany touches that are simultaneously sophisticated and lighthearted. 

All this and more is why South Street Partners snapped up the iconic former bed-and-breakfast overlooking White Point Garden when Two Meeting Street Inn went on the market in 2022. For seventy-six years it had been operated as an inn by the Spell family, who bought it from the Carrington family in 1946. Now South Street Partners, only its third owner, honors the abode’s long-standing legacy of hospitality. “We had always looked for a downtown amenity as there are so many Kiawah Island Club Members who have limited or no direct access to Charleston,” says Jordan Phillips of South Street Partners. With plentiful, award-winning restaurants and world-renowned arts and cultural events, Charleston has ample allure, but the drive back to Kiawah after enjoying a night out can be a disincentive. “We thought a quality, Club-owned facility would be well received and help provide that access,” Phillips adds. Judging by the steady demand since the Club opened Two Meeting Street Inn in May 2024, he and his partners were correct. 

With eight spacious suites sumptuously decorated by Tammy Connor of Tammy Connor Interior Design, the private pied-à-terre exclusively for Club Members extends Kiawah-style hospitality inland. “Chris Randolph and I both own historic homes downtown, and having recently completed renovations ourselves, we understood how much care is required when restoring these types of properties, and knew the right team to do it extremely well,” Phillips says. In addition to Connor, that team included Eddie Fava of e.e. fava architects, Tupper Builders, and landscape architect Elizabeth Pope. 

Over the course of a two-year renovation, Fava and the Tupper team meticulously retained the property’s historical integrity while incorporating completely new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. On the main floor, the restored main dining room features one of the Tiffany windows, while adjacent is a fully renovated kitchen with custom millwork and professional grade appliances. A Kiawah Island Club chef creates a lavish breakfast buffet daily as well as other delicious refreshments and treats exclusively for guests staying at the Inn. In the main hall, where original carved English oak panels and a grand staircase were refurbished, the stairwell huddles over a quaint bricked reading nook behind the reception. Upstairs, a gracious second-floor sitting room, complete with a fully stocked, complimentary “comfort station” featuring wines and spirits, such as a curated Madeira program authentic to the Inn’s 1890s era, opens onto a breezy piazza with expansive views over White Point Garden and Charleston Harbor. Guests can relax with a beverage, or enjoy tea or coffee and conversation on the Inn’s original vintage wicker. 

All the guest rooms, many featuring original fireplaces, were renovated to enhance spaciousness and include thoughtfully appointed en suite bathrooms. On the third floor, Fava revealed formerly covered vaulted ceilings, and with Connor, augmented the cozy character of dormers. Throughout the Inn, doors, moldings, trims, and historic details were reproduced to match the existing features. 

“A building’s architecture and setting are always our starting place,” says Tammy Connor, who happily honored the distinctive Queen Anne architecture. “And this setting just couldn’t be more quintessentially Charleston—we hit the jackpot.” Her design goal, then, was to create a space that evokes that elemental sense of Charleston hospitality, a feeling of “being welcomed in a home, not a hotel,” she says. In general, she and her project lead, Sara McKinnon, updated interiors that felt a bit dated, “giving it some airiness and new life,” she says. 

Connor’s signature subdued palettes and tasteful mixing of antiques with comfortable upholstered pieces does just that. Each of the eight suites has individual character, with one-of-a-kind pieces and a layering of classic textures, fabrics, art, and lighting. “Our relaxed approach to formal spaces creates rooms that are refined yet inviting,” adds Connor, who’s not afraid of mixing in some whimsy, as in the ground floor’s “bird bath” powder room, aflutter with carvings of birds flocked around a wooden mirror. In the dining room, a cobalt Murano chandelier amplifies the Tiffany window’s jewel tones, “but we kept everything else in the dining room quiet to let the windows do their thing,” Connor says. In the entryway and stair hall, a monotone blue-gray floral wallpaper adds an understated punch that feels both retro and contemporary. Art throughout the Inn is original, by predominantly local artists.

Much of Two Meeting Street Inn’s timeless curb appeal stems (literally) from the property’s connection to the outdoors. “That veranda might just be my favorite ‘room’ of all,” adds Connor, who refurbished existing wicker and added new pieces. “It’s like being in a treehouse out there, with that gorgeous oak covered in resurrection ferns.” The breezy perch fronts the South Battery and overlooks a classic Charleston garden, which Elizabeth Pope reinvigorated with a blend of traditional plantings and vibrant pops of color and texture. Climbing roses delicately creep through the historic wrought iron fence as historic boxwoods line brick walkways, summoning “the charm of streets South of Broad,” Pope says. The round arches of the porte cochère inspired her choice of an arched garden gate. While she kept mature plantings that guard privacy along the Battery, Pope added a fountain—ubiquitous in Charleston gardens—to the rear garden, creating a soothing soundscape buffering guests from busy streets. “Keeping the property’s authenticity guided the design,” she says, “so the essence of Charleston’s past is palpable at every turn.”

Thanks to the attention to detail that Pope, Connor, Fava, and team brought to this project, that essence and unique historic flavor is newly alive in this storied property. In February of 2025, the Preservation Society of Charleston awarded South Street Partners the Carolopolis Award in the Pro Merito Category for the exceptional restoration and stewardship of the historic building. “Two Meeting Street Inn’s location and history are irreplaceable,” says Phillips, “and, just like Kiawah, that only adds to the charm of the offering.” Whether Club Members seek a comfortable landing spot after a Spoleto concert, or want to relax after a downtown meeting, or simply wish to share Charleston’s magic with family and friends, the Inn offers convenience, luxurious hominess, and an extension of exclusive Kiawah hospitality in an unparalleled Holy City setting.