Overall a very fun, nice little boutique hotel, and I would recommend it, but it does have a few caveats. First of all, its overall very nice, and a fun vibe. The staff at check-in was nice, the location was perfect, and overall the pool was nice. Now for the things that keep this from a 5 star, and I think would be good to know when considering it: - The pool deck is TINY, and the seating fills up fast. We got lucky being here during a weekday, and were able to get spots both times we lounged, but be warned that the pool deck seating is very limited. - The ambience at the pool is very noisy, as its on the 2nd floor next to a very busy street in the heart of Charleston. - The pool bar wait staff service was…lets be nice and say…subpar. Inattentive, disinterested, and doing the bare minimum. - The rooms themselves are quite small. They worked for us…but quite tight. Not necessarily an issue, but just a heads up. - I had one weird water pressure experience during a shower, where the water seemed to basically “run out” and lose pressure for 30 seconds, and it happened twice in one shower. No issues the other times, but still odd.’

Hotel was clean and the staff were decent. The lobby staff were good but everyone else lacked. Paid $58 daily for parking and they wouldn’t even help with our bags or do anything but park your car. Plus $38 daily for the resort fee which they gave you a sheet of paper to explain 4 or 5 things you get with high speed WiFi being one of them which it was not high speed. I’ve seen better amenities at Best Westerns. People working the paid coffee bar were in terrible moods and bartenders by the pool were hard to find. When you finally got up to get a drink yourself, you find them all huddled behind the bar inside. Room was tiny for the price and then you add $100 per day in fees and this place is a terrible value. I had a question about an upgrade that I was going to pay for and never received a response. Pool was tiny and not enough chairs for how many rooms they have. You have to get out there by 8am to have a chance. I will never stay here again. There are so many better options in this town.

Our stay fell short of the luxury experience the hotel advertises. While the property is visually appealing, the service, maintenance, and attention to detail did not align with the price of our stay, which exceeded $1,000. The issues began at check-in. We did not receive the advertised welcome cocktail, and the arrival lacked the level of hospitality expected from a luxury hotel. The pool area was disappointing. The hotel advertises Vacation sunscreen, but the only sunscreen available was an empty bottle of a generic brand. We also noticed loose pavers and broken lounge chairs on the pool deck. With only one server covering the area, service was consistently slow. Our room also lacked attention to detail. Although spacious, it felt underfurnished, with only one chair for two guests. The bedding appeared inconsistent, with three standard pillows and one king pillow. The robes were heavily pilled, visibly worn, and offered limited sizing, making them unlikely to fit many adult men comfortably. The shower also had noticeably poor water pressure. Several advertised amenities were unavailable. We submitted a request to borrow a camera through the Gear Garage but never received a response. When I followed up with the front desk, I was told they had run out of film. Room service was also underwhelming, with the chicken and waffles consisting of what appeared to be a frozen waffle served with chicken tenders. I also question the value of the $38 daily amenity fee. Several amenities associated with that fee, including the advertised welcome cocktail, Vacation sunscreen, and the Gear Garage camera, were unavailable or not provided during our stay. Service was inconsistent throughout the stay. On our first evening, we waited nearly 20 minutes for the bartender to take our order while other guests were already being served additional rounds. The following day, we waited more than 30 minutes for our check and ultimately left without signing it because no one returned. For a stay costing more than $1,000, I expected a higher level of service, maintenance, and execution. The property has potential, but our experience did not reflect the luxury standard it advertises.

We had such a great time at The Ryder. The property is just beautiful. You can tell the level of detail they put into everything. The location is great, within walking distance to so many restaurants in the heart of town, and close to famous landmarks. The free bikes were a game changer, and allowed us to see so much more. The rooms were spacious with lots of storage: a closet, nightstands, two dressers, and a large bathroom. The rooms also had water carafes, coffee maker, a mini fridge, and a full length mirror which were great touches that made things convenient. We especially enjoyed the pool. It’s very small which is my only complaint so we couldn’t get loungers any days. But it was still nice to relax in the water during the hot and humid days and have drink service.

I stayed in 2 different rooms while at the Ryder and had an interesting experience with each. The first room was the “budget” room and I don’t think I could have expected the level of budget this room really was. There was such little room that I could barely walk around the room without running into the furniture. There is not one drawer or closet in the room and has a desk an essentially a stool so if you are trying to work, this is less than ideal. The walls are so thin I could hear conversations from all directions. The room was clean and modern, but that is all the good I could say. The second queen suite room was much better but quite a trek to get to, needing to take 2 elevators to the room. Now let’s talk amenities, the fact they call this a resort is comical. If you are coming for the pool, think again. They rent this area out via resort pass and is quite literally always crowded so good luck getting a seat. We had a situation where we booked a cabana through the hotel and then they gave it away to someone via resort pass with no real resolution. This was my bachelorette trip and the entire day became a disaster because of this experience. The look of this hotel is super cute, but service and “amentites” are quite ridiculous. Be prepared to pay an astronomical retainer on top of the loaded nightly fee and resort fee when checking in. They try to get you to fully spend this retainer via the $60 per day parking garage, room service and restaurant. Bottom line is if you don’t care about crowds and randos all around the hotel and overpaying essentially for an updated holiday inn, book this

Guests are charged a $38-per-day amenities fee at the end of their stay, regardless of whether they use the amenities. My husband and I stayed for five nights and only used the amenities on two days. We used the pool twice, but both times there were no lounge chairs or places to sit because the hotel sells day passes to the public. Day-pass guests arrive early and often occupy the pool area for the entire day. If The Ryder needs to increase revenue, we believe it would be more transparent to either charge more for day passes or incorporate those costs into the room rate rather than adding a mandatory $38 daily fee at checkout. The front desk staff was friendly and helpful, and the hotel itself is cute, stylish, aesthetically pleasing, and very Instagram-worthy. However, the walls are extremely thin, and we were frequently awakened by noise from both the hallway and outside. Early each morning, delivery trucks arrived to unload products, and we could clearly hear workers talking and dollies rolling over the cobblestone streets. Drivers also left their trucks in reverse for extended periods, creating a constant beeping noise as early as 5:00 a.m. The sound was incredibly loud and felt as though it was right outside our window. Overall, while the hotel has a great aesthetic and excellent staff, the mandatory amenities fee, lack of pool access for hotel guests, and significant noise issues made the stay feel less relaxing and private than we had hoped.

After reading some negative reviews, I was a little nervous about staying here, but I ended up having a really good time! My room was cute and comfortable. I did hear some noise from the Little Palm, but it quieted down at around 11:00 PM. I go to bed late, so I didn't mind it. Having the Little Palm in the hotel was very convenient because I could easily go there if I wanted to have a quick bite or cocktail. The Matador restaurant next door was also convenient because they served food late at night. The location is amazing! I could easily walk to all the tourist spots and museums I was interested in. It was also near a great shopping area. The staff was very kind and helpful whenever I had questions. It was nice having a welcome cocktail as soon as I arrived, but the drink was very simple. Overall, I would stay there again.

We had a really great experience at the Ryder Hotel. The valet service was really great upon arrival. We did pay for am early check-in but unfortunately our rooms were not available until later. So we left our bags, and enjoyed brunch at the little palm. The space is very beautiful! If you want a spot by the pool, you will need to get there early. I wish the rooms were a bit more spacious, but still comfortable and beds were nice! The matcha was amazing and the front coffee are and the vibes were always fun! Great central location and walking distance to most things!

The hotel is in a great location. Rooms were clean. However, we could never use the pool as it was always packed. We went to the bar for a drink, but after getting ignored for over 30 minutes, we left. Lots of 20-somethings, bride tribes, and definitely not a place to go for a nice romantic weekend getaway if you want peace and relaxation by a pool.

DO NOT STAY! Got to the room on 1/16 and there was a bug in the shower, used utensils in the drawer, a BROKEN toilet, and a dirty fridge (have picture proof). Had to get the front desk to deal with the issues and they were not helpful. Only offer expensive valet parking, so be prepared to pay an extra $60 per day. Once i checked out of the hotel, they tried to charge a $250 smoking fee that took place on 1/17 at 8pm. I tried to present picture and video evidence that we weren’t in the hotel room at 8pm on 1/17 and they won’t budge. They have sensors in the rooms that they claim are “100%” accurate. I don’t understand how it can be accurate if I wasn’t even present in the room at that time. In addition to that, my friend and I don’t smoke. This hotel is disgusting, unfriendly, outdated, and full of rude employees. Do yourself a favor and STAY AWAY!