Why you should experience Anchorage 1770 in South Carolina.
Anchorage 1770 is a distinguished waterfront boutique hotel where Historic Downtown Beaufort's colonial heritage, preserved antebellum architecture, refined Southern hospitality, and centuries of Lowcountry history create one of the South's most exceptional places to stay.
Set along Bay Street near Newcastle Street and just steps from Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, this meticulously restored boutique inn welcomes guests with elegantly appointed accommodations, expansive waterfront verandas, rooftop terraces, curated historical interiors, and personalized hospitality overlooking the Beaufort River within easy walking distance of the city's museums, restaurants, galleries, and historic homes. Historic character, intimate luxury, and an extraordinary sense of place distinguish the property from conventional accommodations. The result is a stay defined by architectural preservation, rich historical continuity, and one of Beaufort's most celebrated waterfront addresses.
What you should know about Anchorage 1770.
Anchorage 1770 is best known for occupying the William Elliott House, among Beaufort's oldest surviving residences, whose origins date to 1770, making it the largest and oldest continuously operating inn in South Carolina while preserving more than 250 years of Lowcountry history within a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1971. Constructed in tabby for the influential Elliott family, the residence welcomed Marquis de Lafayette during his 1825 tour of the United States, later served as the Ribaut Social Club, underwent an extraordinary $80,000 transformation by Rear Admiral Lester Beardslee beginning in 1902, functioned as a tourist home during the twentieth century, narrowly escaped demolition through the efforts of the Historic Beaufort Foundation in 1971, and ultimately reopened as Anchorage 1770 after an extensive restoration completed by owners Frank and Amy Lesesne, who acquired the property in 2014 following a year-long study of Beaufort's hospitality market. Today the boutique inn encompasses 15 individually appointed guestrooms, multiple waterfront piazzas, rooftop observation terraces, original tabby construction, centuries-old architectural details, and carefully restored interiors that have earned national recognition from Condé Nast Traveler, Coastal Living, and numerous travel publications celebrating its preservation and hospitality. More than a luxury hotel, Anchorage 1770 represents one of the Lowcountry's most significant surviving historic residences, where colonial architecture, Revolutionary-era craftsmanship, nineteenth-century civic history, and contemporary boutique hospitality continue to coexist within a single waterfront estate.
Original heart pine floors, centuries-old masonry, grand parlors, sweeping double piazzas, and rooftop terraces overlooking the Beaufort River immerse guests within a residence whose architectural evolution spans the colonial era through the early twentieth century. Gourmet breakfasts, intimate gathering spaces, thoughtfully restored guest rooms, and attentive personalized service complement panoramic waterfront views that change with the tides and evening light across the marina. Historic authenticity, architectural stewardship, and refined hospitality create an experience that feels inseparable from Beaufort's enduring coastal character.
How to fold Anchorage 1770 into your trip.
Anchorage 1770 works as the centerpiece of a leisurely exploration through Historic Downtown Beaufort's waterfront and architectural heritage.
Begin at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, where sunrise over the Beaufort River introduces the city's coastal setting before checking into Anchorage 1770. Continue to John Mark Verdier House Museum, whose preserved Federal-style architecture provides deeper insight into Beaufort's prosperous antebellum history. Conclude at Pat Conroy Literary Center, where exhibits celebrating one of the Lowcountry's most influential authors provide a fitting cultural finale. The progression moves naturally from the waterfront to one of Beaufort's oldest surviving residences before concluding with two institutions that illuminate the city's architectural and literary legacy.
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