South Carolina Hotel Named Best In The Country

Author Maney

April 29th 3:37 PM

Just in time to help plan your summer getaway, Tripadvisor has just come out with their 22nd annual Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards for Hotels. A South Carolina Hotel was named one of the best in the country. The travel site analyzes millions of reviews on their site from 2023 for quality and quantity to come up with their list.

The Loutrel is a luxury hotel just minutes from super busy Charleston’s King Street. The hotel boosts it’s Art Deco architecture with added Southern charm. In addition, guests can enjoy a state-of-the-art fitness studio and a private dining room that can be reserved for special occasions and events.

For 2024, the top hotel in the U.S. is the Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, California. The eco-friendly boutique hotel offers ocean views and travelers love the hotel’s modern feel, premium amenities and personal attention from staff.

The number one hotel in the world is Hotel Colline de France in Gramado, Brazil. The 34-suite boutique hotel is known for its personalized service and has been in the top five on the Best of the Best Hotels list for the last three years.

This year, they added three new categories – Pet-Friendly, Sustainable and Wellness hotels.
The best pet-friendly hotel in the U.S. is the Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale.
Buahan a Banyan Tree Escape in Bali wins for best sustainable hotel in the world.
Topping the list as the best wellness hotel in the world is The Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa.

So Where Did The South Carolina Hotel Land on Tripadvisor’s Top 10 Hotels in the U.S.

(Check out the top 25 Best of the Best Hotels in the U.S. here)

Shore Hotel – Santa Monica, California
Luma Hotel Times Square – New York City, New York
FivePine Lodge & Spa – Sisters, Oregon
The Bryant Park Hotel – New York City, New York
Hotel Emma (also No. 1 Luxury hotel in the US) – San Antonio, Texas
The Loutrel – Charleston, South Carolina
Lotte Hotel Seattle – Seattle, Washington
Four Seasons Hotel Chicago – Chicago, Illinois
Ironworks Hotel Indy – Indianapolis, Indiana
San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter on the Riverwalk – San Antonio, Texas

Tripadvisor’s Top 5 Hotels in the World

Hotel Colline de France – Gramado, Brazil
OBLU SELECT Lobigili – Malé, Maldives
La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa – Hoi An, Vietnam
Adiwana Suweta – Bali, Indonesia
Iberostar Grand Packard – La Habana, Cuba

Steve Maney’s radio career has taken him all over the US, from interning with Howard Stern to working with Elvis Duran, this radio veteran now calls Charlotte and Kiss 95.1 home. He is Kiss’ staple entertainment guy writing about his thoughts on local news and funny topics like the name of the male Karen. It’s so much to know, but Maney will deep dive into any topic to get you a great piece to read.

Tips to Maximize Your Vacation

It’s always a good time to go on vacation, but summer, of course, is the official travel season. If you’re planning a big trip, you’re going to want to make sure to maximize your vacation. After all, traveling is supposed to be fun. That means not stressing out while planning or being on your trip. Let’s get into some great tips to maximize your vacation.

Vacation Trends

Before we get to tips to maximize your vacation, let’s look at vacation trends. A new AAA travel survey states that 84% of U.S. residents will travel in 2024. Also, 43% will take more vacations than last year. So traveling is a hot thing in 2024. “The travel season is already off to a hot start in 2024,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA, The Auto Club Group. “Americans continue to make travel a top priority, and AAA travel agents have been busy planning a wide range of vacations from weekend getaways to world cruises.”

If you’re planning to take a cruise, note that according to AAA, more travelers are booking cruises farther in advance. Many spring break cruises sold out months before they were to set sail. “Last-minute bookings are possible, but prices may be higher and cabin choices limited,” AAA notes.

What’s more, a new study from AAA and Bread Financial has discovered that younger generations are into live event travel. Is that really new? I’ve been traveling for concerts for years, but it’s apparently a new trend among Gen Z. They state that “three in five Gen Z (65%) and Millennial (58%) respondents confirmed they have traveled in the past 12 months and/or plan to travel in the next 12 months for in-person events like concerts, sporting events, comedy shows, and book readings that are more than 50 miles from home.”

That’s much more than with older generations, with is 43% for Gen X and 27% for Baby Boomers. Then again, older generations are more likely to want to be at home, because, well, they’re older. They’ve been there and done that.

That same study found that Gen Z loves traveling for sports and music. They state that more than half (52%) of Gen Z travelers are gearing up to attend a music event in the next 12 months. In fact, one in five Gen Z travelers (20%) have traveled or plan to travel to see Taylor Swift live in concert.

As for sports, 38% of Gen Z travelers have traveled or plan to travel for the 2025 Super Bowl. Also, 32% have traveled or plan to travel to the 2024 NBA finals, and 19% have traveled or plan to travel to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.  Now, let’s get into some great tips to maximize your vacation.

Tips to Maximize Your Vacation

1. Save Money
One great way to maximize your vacation is simply to save money. You’ll feel so much better on vacation knowing that you’re saving cash by doing things the right way. One major way to save money is to travel during an off season. Every vacation destination has its own peak time. So, look at the cheapest time to visit your destination, and go then. Find more tips on saving money on vacation, too.

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2. Don't Plan Every Minute of Your Vacation
Sure, you want to do some planning so that you don’t miss the big tourist stops in your destination. But, don’t book every blasted minute. Maximize your vacay by saving some time to be spontaneous. Take a day to just figure out what to do when you’re there. Maybe some locals will recommend a secret spot for you to visit during your “day off.”

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3. Do Plan Ahead, Though
While you don’t want to overbook your trip so that you’re always running from spot to spot, you do want to plan a bit. It’s not a good idea to do zero planning and just feel things out when you get there. Plan some big activities ahead of time so that you aren’t scrambling last-minute.

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4. Plan Regular Mini-Vacations
If you only have one big vacation every year, you might feel under a lot of pressure to make it the most amazing experience ever. So, take away that stress. Plan mini-vacations throughout the year, so you aren’t under as much pressure to make your big trip the best thing that’s ever happened to you and your family. For example, in the fall, if you live in an area with beautiful colors, make an annual fall color tour trip and just drive around the state.

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5. Stay an Extra Day
If time and money allows, adding just one day to your vacation can open up a world of possibilities. Many people plan too short a trip, not realizing just how much they’ll want to do in their destination. So, add an extra day. You’ll be glad you did at the end of your stay.

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6. Take Time to Sleep
Sure, you’re on vacation. You want to soak up every minute of your trip. But, if you’re up late every night partying in the clubs and then up early to enjoy the sunrise, pretty soon, you’ll be too tired to enjoy your vacation. So, take time to get some sleep and feel rested.

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7. Let the Small Stuff Go
They say, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” That’s certainly true on vacation. Nothing is going to go totally as planned. So, expect the unexpected, and roll with it.

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8. Plan Some Recoup Time
When you get back from your vacation, don’t plan to start work the very next day. Take an extra day or two off after your vacation to recuperate, so that you hit the ground running when you’re back at work. The extra time at home will also give you a chance to savor your vacation.

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9. Pick an Experience
People often find experiencing more rewarding that physical things. So, make sure to plan an experience with your trip. Maybe there’s a huge concert you want to see on vacation. Perhaps it’s a sporting event. Whatever it is, plan an awesome experience.

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10. Learn for Next Time
Finally, when you’re home from your trip, decompress and look back on your vacation. What went wrong? What went right? Take notes and learn from your vacation, so you’ll know what to do better next time.

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