Business card rack with directions to frequently requested destinations.

At the reception desk at the Inn at Middleton Place, I spotted a clever way to share directions to frequently requested places.  It’s a plexiglass business card rack filled with written directions to the airport, downtown, and other historic sites on slips of paper.  Guests just pick up the directions they need and they don’t need to worry about remembering them or jotting them down correctly.

Here’s an example of the written directions:

Downtown Charleston/Meeting Street

Turn left out of the Inn onto 61.  Follow road approximately 13 miles until the road splits.  Veer right onto bridge.  Travel through 1st light and get in left lane.  Follow signs to Calhoun St.  Once on Calhoun, travel 9 lights up to Meeting St.  Take right on Meeting St. to go to Battery.  Turn left on Meeting St. to go to tourist visitor center.  Times to avoid: 7 am-9 am and 5 pm-7 pm.

Now you know why they wrote down those instructions!

By the way, if you like contemporary architecture and historic gardens, the Inn at Middleton Place in Charleston is a perfect place to stay.  The Inn has received an AIA Honor Award for its contemporary design and fits in peacefully with the surrounding landscape on the banks of the Ashley River.  Your stay includes admission for two to the adjacent Middleton Place, where you can enjoy the gardens, even after it has closed to the public.