Photos: The Dewberry in Charleston

On our tour, we learned John Dewberry had the red brick facade of this 1960s building limewashed to add sophistication.

We visited The Living Room, which serves as the hotel’s hub and offers guests breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails throughout the day. The furniture is an assorted collection of pieces referencing the building’s 1960s mid-century modern heritage.

The historic lobby recreates the experience of entering the building back when it was used for federal office space. Several pieces of art, an original pair of Danish sofas and a cylindrical art deco desk complete the mood.

This unlacquered brass bar, evocative of a classic train car bar, darkens and develops a patina as it ages. It’s the showstopping focal point of The Living Room.

Guests are offered a welcome drink when they check in at The Dewberry. Alcohol- and caffeine-free, it’s a fruity blend of berries, including dewberry.

Located on the hotel’s eighth floor and spanning the highest rooftop terrace in Charleston, Citrus Club serves cocktails, wine, beer and casual bites.

Sweeping views of the city, Marion Park and Charleston’s famous church steeples greeted us when we stepped onto the terrace of Citrus Club. Guests are encouraged to make reservations and require a special key card to access the elevator leading to the eighth floor.

Wooden bowls found around The Living Room and common areas were crafted by a local woodworker from the knots of a 150-year-old white oak tree. Though Charleston fiercely protects its oak trees, unhealthy specimens are allowed to be removed for safety reasons.

During high season, The Dewberry hosts weddings almost every weekend. A typical celebration will feature the ceremony in a walled garden off of the ballroom, then drinks on the roof, and a reception and dancing back in the ballroom. Large white oak plank floors, brass mirrors, local art and a chandelier by Woka from Vienna, Austria, complete the look.

Meant to evoke a pied-à-terre in the city, the Charleston flat features a four-poster bed, a seating area, a small dining table and floor-to-ceiling windows with church and city views.

The Charleston flat is the only room category that features a cast-iron soaking tub. Set inside a glass-enclosed walk-in shower, the tub lets travelers soak tired muscles while soaking up the views.

Standard rooms don’t feature desks, as most of the hotel’s clientele stay to enjoy the city rather than work. However, business travelers and those who need a desk can book the one-bedroom suite, which is the only room category with a writing desk.

Grand king rooms feature 350 square feet of space, glass-enclosed walk-in showers, Danby marble vanities, brass fixtures and oversized mirrors.

Signature queen rooms are slightly larger than signature king rooms to accommodate two beds, but they have a closet instead of the custom-designed Stickley armoires found in other rooms due to space constraints.