Reviews: Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina

Reviewed by: Troy Benton on Aug 13, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 42'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

Stopped in for a few nights on our ICW trip and enjoyed all of the amenities!! Such a great location and felt like a true vacation at the resort pools. Marina staff was incredibly helpful about navigating the current and assisting with docking. We hope to stop by again in the future!

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Reviewed by: Donald Gleason , Seas the Day, on Aug 2, 2024
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 45'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

One of our favorite stops on the entire east coast! The pools are refreshing, shuttle to downtown is easy, great live music and food. The current does run through the marina but the professional staff made it simple and easy. Highly recommended!

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Reviewed by: Gary Johnson on Jun 4, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 48'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 3

Dock hands are great, but they need to be. Strong currents can make backing into a slip challenging. Easy access to fuel dock and pumpout. Docks A and B are closest to facilities. Otherwise expect a long walk. Showers are small but clean. Laundry facilities are convenient. Heads on the pier are out of order a lot, so be prepared to walk down another long dock to the resort proper. 4 bars and eating options on site, but not much else within walking distance.

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Reviewed by: Jane Fidler on Mar 19, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 34'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Great Marina! You have the use of 2 pools and a hot tub! Showers, laundry, and bathrooms is good condition. The marina is huge! Be prepared to walk! There is a free shuttle that goes to downtown.

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Reviewed by: Franz Schneider , Rhino, on Jun 6, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 75'
Draft: 7.5'

Rating: 2

The dock master Rand was a 10 out of 10, truly superb, BUT the facilities are poorly maintained. The marina dock hands are very good. The staff that rent the boats are a disgrace- hoses left across the docks, garbage was strewn by their shed while three of them sat in chairs. The rental group is not part of the marina but they leave a terrible impression of the marina as a whole. Back to the premises themselves- water floods over the docks as boats pass by, the docks are covered with debris from the river, poor lighting and deck plates missing leaving holes two feet deep (a leg breaker for sure) - although the staff told us they are in the middle of upgrading the docks and facilities- be aware that at the moment the marina is very underwhelming.

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Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Dec 10, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 1

We arrived a bit past slack tide. Be advised the current runs very strong through the harbor. We were assigned a spot on "I dock" in front of and between several catamarans. Even the most experienced monohull captain would have struggled to accomplish 25' of sideways motion to the dock while the current swept under them. Our dockhand offered no meaningful advice other than pulling on lines. Fortunately, several other sailors nearby rendered assistance, advice, and even a couple of large fenders to help us.

We left early the next morning at exactly slack tide. That was easier, but still tricky.

Aside from this, the walk from the slips to the parking lot and facilities is L O N G, and charging us a "resort fee" seemed ludicrous on a blustery December day when everything outside was shut down for the season.

Finally, other than the captive restaurants and bars on the marina complex, there is little else around. We Ubered to Mt Pleasant and had a nice evening there. However to get over to Charleston would be a major undertaking. If that is your objective, pick something closer.

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Reviewed by: Scott Gledhill , Folly Sq’d , on Nov 26, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 44'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 2

I had been here before so my expectations were quite low. No other marina was available or we would have stayed elsewhere. The phone number is to the hotel and they have no clue about most things and even less about the marina. When transferred no one answered the first few times. Trying to raise them on VHF got the repeated response to call when closer (we were 4 minutes out). It was like pulling teeth to get our dock assignment. Upon arrival at our slip we found there was no water available on the dock for our 4 day stay. The attitude displayed indicated that was my problem not there's since the problem had existed for some period of time. That's an interesting and novel concept to me: "Once a problem has occurred, the problem devolves to the most recent person to encounter the problem."
The marina charges an amenities fee. We were unable to find out what was included in the amenities from the staff. On our last day others, not staff, informed us that some of the items we were paying for were included in the amenities package, When we asked staff at first the items were included in the fee, then they decided they were not included, and finally they admitted they had no clue. A suggestion tha a list would be helpful to all seemed to spark some recognition that a problem existed but the spark faded away quickly with a shrug of the shoulders.
At this point you are entitled to think I could have done more. In self defense, the marina office is locked and barricade. The dedicated phone line is never answered and the voice mail is full.

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Reviewed by: Dave Braden , SV Next Chapter, on Oct 26, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 32'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Read a lot of reviews about the current running through here. I got stuck at the Isle of Palms bridge for almost two hours and missed the slack tide. By the time we arrived, the sun had set, we had 25 knot winds and the tide had turned. I was pretty nervous, but I got a hold of Rand on the radio and he easily walked me through the best procedure to enter and dock and made it very simple. Woke up in the morning to leave and my cable had gotten stuck for my steering and I could not move my boat. Justin, the morning dock manager tied his boat to mine and moved me to a location where my boat wouldn't get rocked so hard so I could do the repairs. Directly after that, a random boat came into the marina and hit another boat. They ran off with out addressing it and headed back to sea. Justin was made aware of this and attempted to call the boat via vhf to no avail, he literally started up the pump out boat and chased down the boat and got their insurance information for repairs to the boat that got damaged.

Sorry for the long review, just very impressed with both dock managers at this marina. I have never seen anything like this anywhere else I've stayed. Justin and Rand are definitely top notch!

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Reviewed by: Susan Bamonto , Tranquility, on Apr 19, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 1

We were very disappointed with the Charleston Harbor and Marina. The marina advertises security. The gates to the docks are all tied open. We had no water at our slip. The boat to the left of us was using our water. We had no 30 amp power available to us. The boat to our right was using both 30 amp plugs.
If it weren't for the outstanding service provided by the dock hand - Lulu. We wouldn't have had any service at all.
Because of the swift moving water, at anytime other than slack tide, we had to tie up at the outer dock. No biggie. We were advised at slack tide dock hands would come and help us move. No one came. There we several boats waiting for assistance. Apparently it was shift change and the crew leaving didn't update the next shift. We had to call 3 times. They don't answer the radio. Masks are required in the office, but apparently only for the guests. The staff did not wear masks.
Clean bathrooms and showers..the only positives. I would not recommend this marina.

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Reviewed by: Bruce Stewart , Escape, on Apr 2, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 42'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

Nice Marina, just a few items to watch out for:
Marina subject to high current flow (add a cross wind and it can be difficult to get tied up. The marina charges $18/day resort fee on top of other costs. The "free trolly to town" is not running at this time due to covid (the water taxi is great but costs $12 round trip. and the laundry is $7.00/load

Staff was great and facilities nice,

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Reviewed by: David Keller on Jul 26, 2020
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 63'
Draft: 4.6'

Rating: 5

We love this marina. Staff is always professional, friendly and quick to help. Great amenities and if you want to to go into town a water taxi is very available. The internet can get flakey from time to time but that's a marina given. Restaurants are top notch as most are in Charleston. Great place to watch the sunset!

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Reviewed by: Bob on Mar 9, 2020
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 44'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Very top notch marina with resort style amenities. There's a major hotel and development attached that has pretty much everything. The staff is exceptional with the boaters that come in. It may not be right downtown Charleston but it's very nice and quiet compared to busy downtown on the other side of the harbor.

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Reviewed by: Richard Feffer on Dec 14, 2018
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 34'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

This place has it all. Great staff. Great amenities. 2 hotels, 2 restaurants, 3 pools, hot tub, tiki bar, fitness center and laundry. Nice floating docks. Free shuttle to downtown and to grocery.

I came in with strong wind and currents. They advised me to tie up at their end t-dock and wait a bit for current to settle down. A wise move...

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Reviewed by: Elena&Meg on Jun 18, 2018
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 46'
Draft: 6.0'

Rating: 3

Marina: 4 stars.
Maritime location: 2 stars.
Waterside utilities: 2 stars.
Shore amenities: 1 star.
Shopping: 2 stars.
Marina staff: 5 stars.
Ambiance: 4 stars.
WiFi: 4 stars.
Price competitiveness: 1 star.

MARINA: Boardwalks are showing their age in some sections. Some places are so splintered that closed shoes are a must. The gangways to the floating docks are exquisitely slippery when wet, or in the evening dew. Someone stuck a few strips of yellow non-skid on them a couple of years ago, suggest you aim for them, especially when the tide is out. I have the scars to prove why this is necessary. When the current rips through the marina, standing and rogue waves break over the leading floating docks, affording patrons a fun game of dodge-wave when going out for dinner, the losers get to spend the evening with their shoes full of seawater.

MARITIME LOCATION: It is "sort of" near the Intra Coastal Waterway, or really far, if you get the currents wrong. It juts into a major seaway, like a sore thumb, and doesn't have breakwaters. The parade of freighters, at least, try to slow down, ("well, most of em, anyway," Elena just reminded me, as she sweeps up the remains of her laptop), but the water-warriors on humongous sports-fishers and muscle-trawlers, have no qualms about getting the boats in the marina rocking and a rolling. I've been thinking of putting a saddle over the helm station, getting a stetson and some spurs, and practicing up for the Calgary Stampede bronc busting competition.

WATERSIDE UTILITIES: Good thing there's water from a hose by the slip, cuz you need to drench yourself down with it when there's no electricity, thus, no air-con. It was our good luck to show up during a heatwave and electrical upgrades. Marina office said power would be on later the first day they killed it. Guess the electrical contractor didn't get that memo because they just packed up early -- probably too hot for them to work -- and left the premises. Night without electricity, only two 15 min slacks a day to move a boat: we spent the night feeding the mosquitoes with everything wide open just to survive. Next day, electrical contractor shows up, complains about the wakes. Office promises power restored. Then, contractors are nowhere to be seen. Finally we tracked down the contractors (hanging out in the shade, catching a breeze), and they told us they had no idea when power would be back on. They complained about the heat, and the wakes, and the saltiness of the water, and how hard it makes their job, and then, figured it might be a few more days, give or take! Continuing to act as a go-between for the marina and its contractors, we managed to get intermittent power for another few days (On at night, at least). But nothing keeps you on your toes, and mighty glad there's a hose out the back of the boat for when the electricity you're paying for is willy nilly, yanked out from under you. Just thinking here, the marina is at the bottom of the priority list for Charleston Harbor RESORT and Marina, and the choice of contractors and scheduling would reflect that.

SHORE AMENITIES: Marina clients are charged an obligatory RESORT FEE surcharge: $18 a night, or $300 a month, over and above all other charges. You wanna park your boat, then you're gonna pay for access to a tiny, un-maintained fitness center with a few machines and free weights. A couple of pools, and a mini-van-shuttle that goes every couple of hours to historic downtown.

SHOPPING: There is none. But I gave it 2 stars because there is a Trader Joe's, a Whole Foods, a Harris Teeter, a couple of liquor stores, and a cinema, a brisk 50 minute walk from the "resort." If you aren't into the serious sweat, outdoor activity, adventure thing, you're going to need to Uber your way there. It runs about $10 one way. And NO, the resort shuttle doesn't go there. Downtown Charleston, however, is accessible via "resort" shuttle service, as part of your executive-class resort fees. It runs back and forth every couple of hours during the day. Every hour, occasionally. Be prepared to make your own way back to the so-called "resort": the van has a tendency to have more riders than seats available, and you'll be left standing in the oppressive heat. Drivers encourage tipping heartily, on top of your resort fee, just so you know.

MARINA STAFF: 5 stars, they are doing the best they can, just not enough of them, and it appears they are starved of the necessary resources to keep the marina afloat. I don't envy them the position they are in with this facility. It was a much better place back in the days when the marina was a marina, and the hotel was just that. It would appear that the motel in resort-drag is a colossal drain on the marina, which is being bled, to cover some really misguided property development.

AMBIANCE: The grounds are beautiful. The Maritime Museum is fascinating. There are trails in the woods. The grounds are well maintained. Signage near the ponds prohibits feeding the gators, so keep your kids out of the water.

WiFi: Usual marina WiFi... better than most communal wireless LANs, but slows to a crawl under a heavy load.

PRICE COMPETITIVENESS: It's the most expensive place around -- once you add that "resort" fee.

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Reviewed by: Engineer , Sea Duck Too, on Nov 10, 2017
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 50'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

One of the best marinas around. Super professional staff, outstanding amenities. A must do stopover. Ain't cheap but well worth every penny.

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Reviewed by: Mary and on Nov 1, 2016
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 44'
Draft: 0.0'

Rating: 5

This is a first class operation. The dock staff are friendly, efficient and knowledgable. The facilities are excellent, There is a free shuttle to the grocery store and another into Charleston.

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