Charleston, South Carolina Lodging: The Francis Marion Hotel

A couple of weeks ago I was in Charleston, South Carolina for business.  While I was in Charleston I stayed at The Francis Marion Hotel.  I booked this particular hotel through Hotels.com and wound up paying roughly $150 for a one night stay.   The Francis Marion Hotel has a Colonial South feeling to it, much like the rest of Charleston and is ideally located right on King Street.  Within walking distance of the hotel are over 50 stores, some boutique style and other more trendy ones such as Louis Vuitton  (that's right a Louis Vuitton store in South Carolina!) in case you get the urge to purchase an $1800 handbag. 

Front of Francis Marion Hotel

Front of Hotel

The hotel itself felt a bit overpriced based on what you get, but in reality you are probably paying more for the historicity and location rather than the amenities.

The fitness center at The Francis Marion Hotel is adequate for a one night stay, but not for much longer than that, as there is really not very much equipment at all.

The staff  is just okay and not super accommodating. Upon checking in the front desk clerk seemed very disinterested in making sure that I felt welcome, but was very focused on simply checking off the task of distributing the room keys.
The rooms are tastefully decorated with a very southern flavor from the 1940's, but feel a bit in need of updating (see pictures below):

Welcoming & Comfortable Bed

The Francis Marion Shower

The most impressive aspect of the facility from an aesthetic standpoint is the lobby which is decorated with multiple chandeliers and has a nice mezzanine, which gives it a "Gone with the Wind" feel.

Picture from the Mezzanine above the Lobby

Ratings:
The Francis Marion Hotel 3.5* out of 7
Staff: 2.5* our of 7 (Not welcoming & not rude, but definitely not what comes to mind when you think of Southern Hospitality)
Cleanliness: Average
Fitness Center: Well Below Average. Very small. Only adequate for one night stays. 
Additional Comment: The hotel rooms themselves are dated. I think they are about the quality you would expect at a 2.75 star Hotel on a traditional scale.  The best part of the hotel by far was the feeling that you had gone back in time and the location to "downtown" Charleston.