A Charleston Luxury Boutique Hotel with a Ghost Adventure--20 South Battery

20 South Battery sits in one of the most visited areas of Charleston. Hundreds of picture-taking tourists stroll past its black wrought-iron fences and broad porches daily. Caravans of horse-drawn carriages filled with visitors pause in front of it every day, while animated guides mesmerize them with stories that explain the mystique and grandeur oozing from its windows and doors. Cataclysms of the destructive kind have befallen it. Owners have showered it with renovations. Its place of abidance is its name: 20 South Battery.

As you view the house today, standing on the fringes of White Point Gardens, it is difficult to imagine that when first built, it had a front-row view of Charleston Harbor. The year was 1843. The builder was broker Samuel N. Stevens. The main home and carriage house reflected the prosperity prevalent in South Carolina during that era.

During the Civil War, the house survived the longest bombardment of a civilian population in the history of warfare. Though severely battered, the structure remained intact. Colonel Lathers of the Union Army purchased the property in 1870. He hired John Henry Devereaux, a well-known Charleston architect, to renovate the house in the New York fashion of the time. A mansard roof was added, which housed a library. A new ballroom was also constructed. William Cohen Bryant, one of the most famous American poets ever, stayed there in 1872.

Then...

The Simonds family purchased and lived in the house until 1912. In the 1920s, the rear outbuilding was converted into a “motor court” by the Pringle family, and the once-private residence became a more recognizable place of hospitality. Its newly rentable rooms, for the most part, catered to a patronage of rowdy, carousing sailors of the United States Navy—and, during the 1960s, to college students.

Then...

Famous Charlestonian Drayton Hastie and his wife purchased 20 South Battery in the 1980s and restored it as a Charleston Historic District hotel. The main house became the Hasties’ private residence, and they opened the rooms in the carriage house to guests. The well-known Battery Carriage House Inn came to host a clientele of more than just paying guests. Over the ensuing years, the inn would become known as the most haunted hotel in downtown Charleston.

Reportedly, it’s home to several ghosts. While the owners have never seen the otherworldly inhabitants themselves, guests and employees have had some odd encounters. Curiosity seekers brought all kinds of equipment—light meters, heat sensors, and cameras—hoping to catch a glimpse of something out of the ordinary.

Room 3 is known for a couple’s cellphone waking them with a loud, inexplicable noise, despite being powered off. They also witnessed glowing shapes floating about the room during their stay. Room 8 is considered the most ominous. One visitor was awakened by a disturbance and confronted by a headless torso. He reached out to touch the lumbering spirit, only to recoil when it let out an animalistic growl—odd, considering it had no head, and thus no mouth.

Illustration

Room 10 is occupied by the Gentleman Ghost, known for graciously sharing his room with any and all comers. He is described as a grayish shadow, of average height and build, who glides about the room with a certain stylish flair. He’s even been known to recline in bed with patrons—minus any hanky-panky.

Hurricane Hugo struck on September 21, 1989, producing the highest storm tides ever recorded on the East Coast and causing catastrophic damage to homes along the water—20 South Battery included. Yet the house endured, continuing to be a favorite haunting stop for walking tours and horse-drawn carriages. The stories persisted, and its haunted reputation only grew.

Now...

Dr. Jack Schaeffer purchased the inn in 2018 with passion and a clear intent to restore and maintain its historical integrity. The property has undergone extensive preservation efforts—a labor of love that revitalized it to its former grandeur. On September 10, 2020, Dr. Schaeffer and his staff unveiled the 20 South Battery Hotel to their first guests.

The luxury boutique hotel houses unique and rare antiques from around the world and across various time periods, some dating back to the 1500s. The Grand Ballroom features gold leaf trim surrounding a metal-tile ceiling with a skylight and crystal chandeliers. The Grand Parlor showcases bright red antique furniture that contrasts strikingly with the white walls. A spiral staircase ascends all four stories of the home. One of the oldest pieces in the house is the decorative handrail. The original Italian mosaic tile flooring was restored piece by piece. Crown molding and marble fireplaces are unique to each space. Metal-tile ceilings, ornate chandeliers, and antique sconces are also common elements throughout the home.

The Concierge Level in the mansion features the Lathers, Pringles, and Simonds Suites. The Stevens Suite is located on the ground floor and faces White Point Gardens. The Devereux Suite occupies the former cistern and wine cellar. The Blacklock-Ravenel King Room is located on the first floor. The Battery Carriage House offers suites on the first floor and rooms on the second. Originally built as a private residence for $4,500, the property was listed by Handsome Properties in 2017 for $4,250,000. It is worth far more today.

Dr. Jack Schaeffer has clearly embraced the stories that have become part of his beautiful hotel. He seems to know them well, as seen in the following video by CountOn2.

Just how the apparitions feel about their upgraded surroundings, you will have to reserve one of the rooms and ask them. The headless torso may be speechless for obvious reasons.

Enjoy the Ghostbuster Package-Prepare for a Ghostly Adventure at 20 South Battery and Charleston! Built in 1843, 20 South Battery has seen its share of reported friendly ghost encounters. This experience is for you if "You ain't afraid of no ghost!"

PACKAGE INCLUDES: Ghosts of Charleston" Souvenir Book; written by Julian Buxton at Buxton Books. 20 South Battery's own Rooms 8 and 10 are spoken about in this book!

2 Tickets to a Walking Ghost Tour with their friends at Buxton Books.