The Inn at Middleton Place in Charleston, South  Carolina is Acquired by Bennett Hospitality

Purchase of 55-room riverfront property part of collaboration with Middleton Place Foundation designed top reserve and elevate Middleton Place National Historic Landmark – America’s oldest landscaped gardens

(CHARLESTON, SC – June 28, 2025) – Bennett Hospitality, owned by renowned Charleston hotelier and businessman Michael Bennett, today acquired The Inn at Middleton Place from Middleton Place Foundation. Together, with his family, Bennett purchased the 55-room property, which is perched on a bluff overlooking the AshleyRiver neighboring Middleton Place National Historic Landmark – home to the oldest landscaped gardens in America and one of the Charleston area’s most visited historic sites.

One of the Lowcountry’s most treasured works of modern architecture, The Inn originally opened in 1987, won theAmerican Institute of Architecture’s highest awards and catapulted architect WG Clark to national prominence. Intentionally designed to blend seamlessly within its pristine natural environment, it offers spacious rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows. Guests receive complimentary access to Middleton Place and its stunning gardens, connected by a riverfront walkway, and which were envisioned by Henry Middleton in 1741 to reflect the grand classic style that remained in vogue in Europe and England into the early part of the 18th century.

“I am honored and humbled for the trust that the Middleton Place Foundation board has placed in me as we undertake this exciting endeavor,” said Michael Bennett, who was born and raised in Charleston. “Middleton Place isa national treasure, and my family and I take the stewardship of The Inn at Middleton Place very seriously,” “We areextremely proud that The Inn will remain locally owned and welcoming for the entire Charleston community and beyond.”

Historic sites across the country have faced unprecedented challenges in the wake of the pandemic. Over the past year, the Middleton Place Foundation Board of Trustees has carefully explored opportunities to secure the long-termsustainability of the historic site. This new partnership strengthens the Foundation’s ability to deliver on its coremission – education, preservation, and research – while entrusting hospitality operations to respected partners who share its values.

We were seeking a partnership that would both preserve Middleton Place and take it into the future,” said Mike Laughlin, Board of Trustees Chair, Middleton Place Foundation. “Middleton Place is not just a historic site; it is a national treasure. The Foundation remains deeply committed to its mission. With this partnership, we are ensuring that its powerful stories and its beauty endure – not just today, but for generations to come.”

Located a short drive from historic downtown Charleston, Middleton Place welcomes more than 100,000 visitors annually. Through authentic, immersive experiences led by interpretive guides, artisan craftspeople, and educators, itencourages all who visit to deepen their understanding of American history. The historic landmark has a history spanning three centuries of one family – with one member being a signer of the Declaration of Independence – and tells the essential stories and contributions of over 3,200 enslaved people who lived and labored on Middleton properties. Today Middleton Place encompasses 110 acres and, in addition to including America’s oldest landscaped gardens, also features a house museum, stable yards, and Eliza’s House – an African American freedman’s dwelling.

At The Inn at Middleton Place, Bennett Hospitality will again collaborate with Salamander Collection, which manages numerous acclaimed properties in the US and Caribbean, including the highly decorated Hotel Bennett on King Street in Charleston which is owned by the Bennett family. In addition to operating The Inn, Salamander will also assume management of the Restaurant at Middleton Place and The Pavilion meeting space.

“We are thrilled to work with the Bennett family again in such a culturally significant setting, while also engaging closely with the Middleton Place Foundation,” said Salamander Collection Founder and CEO Sheila Johnson. “We are excited to introduce our many Salamander loyalists to this unique Lowcountry setting and look forward to working with the Inn’s team to further elevate the guest experience.”

The collaboration between the three groups is grounded in a shared commitment to ensuring that MiddletonPlace continues to engage, educate, and inspire generations to come. The collective goals are to welcome a new generation of visitors, enhance the visitor experience, and advance the Foundation’s mission to preserve and interpret the rich and complex history of Middleton Place.

“Michael Bennett and Sheila Johnson bring stellar reputations in the hospitality industry – and just as importantly,they bring values that align deeply with our own,” said Dana Hand Evans, President and CEO of Middleton Place Foundation. “Sheila Johnson’s lifelong commitment to inclusion across business, sports, hospitality and culture resonates strongly with our mission. With Bennett Hospitality and Salamander Collection, we are ensuring thatMiddleton Place remains a place of learning, reflection, and stewardship for generations to come.”

For more information about The Inn at Middleton Place, visit www.TheInnAtMiddletonPlace.com. To learn more about Middleton Place National Historic Landmark, visit www.MiddletonPlace.org.

About Bennett Hospitality

Bennett Hospitality, founded by Charleston native Michael R. Bennett, is the largest locally owned real estate and hospitality company in Charleston, South Carolina. Michael’s entrepreneurial roots trace back to 1977 when he launched Free Wheelin’, a bicycle and moped rental business, while still in college. This early venture sparked a lifelong passion for business and development, leading him to purchase and renovate his first building in 1980. His love for revitalizing historic structures and developing new properties culminated in the formation of Bennett Hospitality,a full-service company with holdings that span hotels, restaurants, and commercial buildings across Charleston, Savannah, Florida, and Montana. Among his most notable accomplishments is the creation of Hotel Bennett, a luxury hotel on Marion Square in Charleston that opened in 2019 after more than two decades of planning. Built on the former site of the Charleston County Library, the hotel exemplifies Michael’s commitment to architectural elegance,historic preservation, and Lowcountry charm. Guided by strong family values, Michael names several of his establishments—including Hotel Bennett and Virginia’s on King—in honor of his parents, promoting a culture ofgenuine hospitality where every guest is treated like family. Through his work, Michael Bennett has played a vital rolein Charleston’s economic growth and cultural preservation, establishing himself as a visionary leader in the industry. For additional information, visit www.BennettHospitality.com.

About Middleton Place Foundation

In 1974, Charles H. P. Duell founded Middleton Place Foundation to safeguard the legacy of the Middleton Place National Historic Landmark. The Foundation, a public 501(c)3 non-profit educational trust, seeks to connect peoplewith the past to inspire a better future through a deeper understanding of American history. In fulfillment of this mission,the Foundation preserves and operates Middleton National Historic Landmark and the historic Edmondston-AlstonHouse, located on the harbor in Charleston’s historic High Battery. The Foundation also sponsors the Middleton Scholars Education Assistance Fund, which awards higher education scholarships to benefit the Middleton PlaceAfrican American descendant community. In 2022, Middleton Place Foundation staff and Board of Trustees engaged landscape architect Thomas Woltz and his team at Nelson Byrd Woltz to begin working on a Comprehensive Landscape Plan for Middleton Place Foundation. The plan, funded by Orville Gordon Browne Foundation Inc., in honor of Christopher H. Browne, and the Bessent-Freeman Family Foundation, provides a roadmap for MiddletonPlace for the next 50 years.

About Salamander Collection

Salamander Collection is privately owned and operated, and based in Middleburg, VA, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded by entrepreneur Sheila Johnson, it has a luxury portfolio featuring the triple Forbes Five-Star Salamander Middleburg, an equestrian-inspired property in the Virginia countryside; Salamander Washington DC, an elegant and recently enhanced hotel located along the capital’s vibrant Southwest waterfront; Half Moon, the storied resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, featuring three distinct experiences including the acclaimed Eclipse; Aspen Meadows Resort, which features sweeping views in Aspen, CO’s west end and newly renovated Herbert Bayer-inspired accommodations; Hotel Bennett, a spectacular grand hotel in Charleston, SC, overlooking the city’s historic Marion Square; The Inn at Middleton Place in Charleston, SC, overlooking the Ashley River and adjacent to the famedMiddleton Place gardens; Innisbrook Resort in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area, which hosts the PGA TOUR’s Valspar Championship each year on its famed Copperhead Course; and PGA National, the iconic golf destination in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, which recently underwent a $100 million enhancement and hosts the PGA TOUR’s Cognizant Classic each year on its renowned Champion Course. www.SalamanderHotels.com.

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