India, May 10 -- In a city as famous for its culinary scene as Charleston, a hotel without a full-service restaurant might sound like a gamble. At The Nickel Hotel, it's a statement. Opened in May 2025, this boutique stay doesn't try to keep guests in-it nudges them out the door into one of the city's most exciting dining corridors.

As my cab rolled along buzzy upper King Street in the Cannonborough neighborhood, I scanned the sidewalk, wondering if we had passed the hotel already. The building doesn't announce itself loudly. It wasn't until I spotted the pale gold signage on a window that I realized I was standing in front of it. One step inside, the hum of traffic and nightlife faded.

That sense of discovery is intentional. "The hotel...