Orient-Express has a collection of luxury hotels worldwide, including Charleston Place Hotel. To celebrate the distinctive cities that surround each property, Orient-Express asked hotels to produce something that translates the spirit of the city into an authentic and meaningful experience. Charleston Place knew exactly how it would capture the essence of Charleston, through some of the city’s greatest and most influential people.

Charleston is one of the oldest cities in the South, filled with a rich and unique history dating back to the 1700’s. Since then, many great people have blessed Charleston with their presence and helped to shape it into the city we know and love today.

To spotlight just a few of the notable people who greatly enriched the Holy City, Charleston Place Hotel showcases the portraits of 22 legendary characters. While some of these well-known individuals are current Charlestonians, many lived long ago; but their mark on Charleston still remains.

The Hasel Street entranceway of Charleston Place is outlined with images of these historic figures. However, this “hall of fame” not only contains portraits, but also provides a way to experience that person’s history today. Booklets can be found alongside the display, which give detailed backgrounds on each individual and a way to celebrate that character in Charleston.

Just to name a few:

Thomas Pinckney (portrait right) was born in Charleston and fought in both the American Revolution and the War of 1812. An influential political figure, Pickney served as the 36th Governor of South Carolina. The statesman died in Charleston and is buried at St.Philip’s Episcopal Church.

Experience it today: You can visit Thomas Pinckey’s grave at St. Philips Episcopal Church. This historic church also houses the oldest congregation in South Carolina. And during the civil war, its bells were melted down into confederate cannons.

Pat Conroy is a New York Times best selling author and one of Charleston’s favorite sons. His best known novels include: The Great Santini, The Prince of Tides and most recently, South of Broad. Conroy is a South Carolina Hall of Fame inductee and has received the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor.

Experience it today: See historic Charleston through the eyes of Conroy and the characters of his latest novel with a South of Broad walking tour by Old Charleston Walking Tours.

Septima Poinsette Clark (portrait bottom right), a Charleston native, was an educator, civil rights activist and has been called the “Grandmother of the American Civil Rights Movement.” Dealing with inequalities in the school system led her to become active in the movement for civil rights.

Experience it today: You can learn more about Clark’s struggle by visiting the Avery Reasearch Center for African-American History and Culture at the College of Charleston.

See these three figures and more, in the Hasel Street entrance of Charleston Place and experience Charleston’s most legendary individuals for yourself.

Some of tennis’s brightest female stars will descend upon Charleston starting this weekend. The 41^st annual Family Circle Cup gets underway March 30^th and lasts through April 7^th at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island.  The nine-day event, which has become a Lowcountry favorite, welcomes defending champion Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Samantha Stosur and Caroline Wozniacki, among others.

Established in 1973, the Family Circle Cup was held on Sea Pines Plantation on Hilton Head Island until 2000 (with the exception of 1975 and 1976 when it was played on Amelia Island, Florida). The tournament moved to Charleston in 2001 and has grown every year since. It is now classified as a premier tournament on the Women’s Tennis Association Tour. Over the years, the Family Circle Cup has hosted some of the best and brightest in the sport, including Steffi Graff, Billie Jean King, Jennifer Capriati and Martina Navártilová.

Nestled along the banks of the Wando River, the Family Circle Magazine Stadium’s state-of the-art facilities highlight the natural beauty of the Lowcountry landscape. The Tennis Center combines 17 championship-level courts within the 32-acre park that surrounds the 10,200-seat Family Circle Magazine Stadium. See our concierge for directions.

If you are planning on attending some of this year’s matches, we’ve put together a list of our favorite events and some tips to make it through the week!

Concierge Tip: Be sure to wear sunscreen and a hat. The weather should warm up by next week.

Family Weekend kicks off tomorrow with two fun-filled days of balloon artists, craft stations, jump castles and ends with an Easter egg hunt on the Grand Lawn on Sunday afternoon.

Concierge Tip: Wear pink on April 4^th and $1 will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Lowcountry chapter.

Plan to make a day out of it. Food options are plentiful including a nightly happy hour with live music by local favorites, including our own Calvin Taylor, who regularly plays in the Thoroughbred Club. Local vendors will also be selling wares along with Family Circle Cup merchandise.

Concierge Tip: Saturday’s semifinal schedule has been altered due to the Bride Run. The first semifinal match will start later, at 1pm, and there will be no Saturday night exhibition games this year.

The street party is sure to be a blast! Join thousands of runners and fans for the official Bridge Run after party on Saturday, April 6^th from 10am to 1pm. Enjoy an afternoon of live music, food, drinks and fun.

Concierge Tip: Get your tickets early! The finals usually sell out.

Did you know? The United States Tennis Association (USTA) named Charleston “America’s Best Tennis Town.” See you on the courts!

Bordered by Bohicket Creek and just southwest of Charleston, the rural Wadmalaw Island has some of the best must-see locations that are perfect for a day trip. It’s climate and rich soil create ideal growing conditions, allowing the island to support family and commercial farms including a tea plantation, a vineyard and one of the nation’s oldest oak trees.

Charleston Tea Plantation
6617 Maybank Hwy
Trade in your morning coffee for a cup of tea. The Charleston Tea Plantation is the only working tea farm in America and is the home of American Classic Tea. Its grounds include 127 acres of Camellia Sinensis tea plants, a working Tea Factory and a charming Plantation Gift Shoppe. You can also learn about the production of the tea while exploring the scenic grounds by taking a Trolley Tour.

Irvin-House Vineyards
6775 Bears Bluff Road
Irvin-House Vineyards is the perfect place to unwind after a long day and take in the beauty of the Lowcountry while lounging under the oaks and sipping muscadine wine. Charleston’s only domestic vineyard and winery, also features walking trails, a petting zoo, a garden and a large pond. Firefly Distillery, whose products include Firefly Vodka, Sea Island Rum and Sweet Tea Bourbon, also calls the vineyards home. It is the largest micro-distillery in South Carolina and even has a tasting room where people may taste Firefly products and purchase bottles right on the property.

Angel Oak
3688 Angel Oak Road
On your way back to Charleston Place Hotel, be sure to stop and see the Angel Oak on Johns Island. With a height of 65 feet and an area of foliage that reaches 17,000 square feet, it is easy to believe that the Angel Oak Tree is known for being one of the oldest living oaks in the country. The tree itself is named after the property’s original owners Martha and Justis Angel. Thanks to the help of the local community, the Angel Oak has with stood Hurricane Hugo and many other natural disasters. In 1991, The City of Charleston acquired Angel Oak Park and now maintains these historic grounds for visitors to come and experience it free of charge.