It's Festival Time Again!

Take a walk around Market Street and then go to the Market Place. Enjoy an evening horse-drawn carriage ride, walk along the water and just sit and watch the children play in the fountain, and visit the many restaurants, each one better than the next. If you go during the Spoleto Festival, be sure to take advantage of the many plays, ballets and musical offerings.

Quick Tips:

Be sure to wear cool clothing. It's very humid. Comfortable shoes are a MUST, and carry a water bottle with you wherever you go.

If you are going to enjoy the many performances offered by the Festivals, purchase your tickets ahead of time. They sell out quickly, especially for this year's offerings such as the Moscow Ballet, The Doctor and the Patient, the Chinese Opera. The Finale is a must also. Held in Middleton, it is a sight to behold.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you stay at the Lodge Alley Inn, you can walk just about everywhere. It is very conveniently located right in the downtown area. We did have a rental car, but really didn't use it much around Charleston during the day...we used it mostly for a day trip to Hilton Head and Folley's Beach. Taxis are plentiful and so are the taxis driven by the boys on a bicycle.

Best Things Nearby:
Market Street, restaurants, horse-drawn carriage rides, East Bay Street, the Market Place, just about everything you can think of is within walking distance.

Best Things About the Resort:
All of the staff was just wonderful. The concierge was a great help. Not only did she sit down with us and tell us about some wonderful places to visit, but she gave us discount coupons to most of them. Another nice touch here was the 4 p.m. sherry and cookies. It gave you a chance to unwind and meet some of the other guests.

Resort Experience:
A beautiful courtyard with a fountain in the center. One evening they had a jazz musician there and several other artists. Unfortunately, the fountain was only working the day we got there. I do think this is the highlight of the courtyard. After the first day they shut it off, drained it, and began to paint it. We left before they ever put it on again.

Our room was supposed to be a one-bedroom unit. We were quite pleased when we opened the doors to find a nice size room with the bedroom area separated by a fireplace and then a living room area.

A few drawbacks with our stay, though - there is only one television which was on a cheap metal stand with wheels so you had to turn it to see it from the bedroom. Also, our bed squeaked so much that the maintenance people had to disconnect the headboard from the frame. Another thing is the mattresses are EXTREMELY uncomfortable. We were told that these were new and many people had been complaining about them. When we first arrived our room was not very clean and the quilt on the bed did not match the dust ruffle in any way. I must say, however, that the management and maintenance crew were all very helpful to get things in order within a day or so.

There are MANY Bluegreen salespeople around trying to get you to buy a timeshare, so on our first day there we took the tour just to get it over with since we already own a timeshare in Newport, RI. We did receive three $25 restaurant gift certificates for just taking the tour, though, and our salesman was not pushy at all.

The best thing about the Lodge Alley Inn is that it is conveniently located to everything and everyplace. It is very close to many wonderful restaurants and within walking distance to the Market Place.

• Unit Type: Studio
• Activities: Not Available
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Good
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Excellent

This place is fantastic! The waitresses are very attentive and it's just a fun place to eat. The food is excellent and the service is too. We asked our waitress to suggest a meal and she mentioned a few of her favorites. I had a meal which consisted of crab legs and various other seafood and veggies served in a basket which was tipped on its side. It was absolutely scrumptious. My husband opted for a fish dish which was just as attractively served and just as delicious. The drinks were very well made. Not too strong and not too weak. JUST RIGHT! As everywhere in South Carolina, the bottomless glass of ice tea is served here. Oh, one thing I did forget to mention, on each table is a sign which you flip over which says "Go Bubba" or "Stop." If you require the services of a waiter or waitress you just flip the sign and someone is there to take care of you within seconds. This adds to the uniqueness of this restaurant.

I would suggest this place to everyone! It's an experience in itself!!

If you want delicious, different Thai food, this is the place. The pad thai is wonderful, the nime chow, excellent, the steak salad which they have is to die for! The service is great, the drinks are great, the prices are great! Run, don't walk to this one!

Gets VERY crowded EVERY night so be ready for a wait, but it's worth it!!!

We tried this place on a whim, but after dining in so many other fantastic restaurants, we were disappointed. People had recommended this restaurant and how wonderful it was, but the only thing I can say is that they give you a lot of food, not very good, for a decent price. As far as we were concerned, quality, not quantity, is the way to go.

We ordered steaks here and they tasted as though they had been frozen. The service was just OK and the decor was nothing to write home about.

Out of a 10 I would probably rate T Bonz about a 3...it is a very busy place, mostly with the younger college aged, but I think it's because they do have a nice bar.

Each time we drove by Hyman's there were patrons waiting outside the restaurant, sitting on benches, just having a good time and waiting to go inside. Should we take the time to wait among the crowds to see what it so wonderful about this place?

Well, one night we decided to do just that, and what a well-worth-it wait it was!

As you walk into Hyman's there is a large bar where you can order a drink while waiting. Once escorted to your table you may find yourself sitting at a seat where a famous politician, actor, or musician had dined. The tables have small brass plaques on them with the name of the person that dined at that table and I believe they were also inscribed with the date. We sat at a table that the actor that plays the President on the West Wing had sat at.

Now for the great part! The service and the food!!! Our waiter was happy to help us with out choices of meals and was very attentive throughout the meal. My husband and I ordered calamari as an appetizer and then both of us enjoyed one of their seafood meals. The fish was cooked to perfection and one could tell that it was VERY fresh. The many choices on the menu can be overwhelming at first, but with the help of our waiter we were guided toward a meal that was just right for us.

If you go to Charleston, Hyman's is a must!

Oh, and by the way, the owner of the restaurant visits each table to speak to each diner. He said "if there is anything you don't like, or isn't what you thought it was going to be--send it back! We'll gladly give you another meal!"

Now THIS is service!!!

The play we went to see at the Dock Street Theater was The Doctor and the Patient. Mickael Barishnakov directed it and acted in it. This play was one of the many wonderful events of the Spoleto Festival.

It was excellent. There was very little talking in the play, however the comedy was conveyed through dance and motion. Barishnakov did an excellent job throughout.

He was graceful, hilarious, and one could tell by his face that he thoroughly enjoyed what he was doing.

Although the plays and dance companies change each year at the Festival, we have yet to be disappointed by anything we attended.