Nov. 17, 2012--A 100-room boutique hotel is scheduled to open by early 2014 in the Freshfields Village retail hub near Kiawah and Seabrook islands.

The three-story, U-shaped property, named The Andell Inn, marks the inaugural development for Local Hotel Adventures, a Washington, D.C.-based franchisee of international hotelier Marriott.

Don Semmler, CEO of Local Hotel Adventures, said he was drawn to the area by its history and the need for an alternative lodging option.

"Kiawah, Seabrook, and Johns islands are extraordinary destinations with world-class amenities, award-winning architectural design and a rich history," Semmler said. "Our goal is to create a place that complements the existing hospitality landscape."

Semmler, a former executive vice president for Marriott International Inc., said Friday he plans to open similar hotels throughout the Southeast.

His local project takes its name from the Andell family, who have a long-standing history in the area and once owned all of Seabrook Island, including the site of the future hotel.

Andell Inn will include three room concepts and have the ability for rooms to be joined together for suites. Rates will start at $250 per night, and amenities will include a pool and fitness center, Semmler said.

"It will be like a resort, serene and natural," he added.

The development adds more brick and mortar to Freshfields Village, an upscale retail and office complex at the end of Betsy Kerrison Parkway, where Johns, Kiawah and Seabrook islands converge. The anchor tenant is the Newton Farms grocery store.

"The Andell Inn represents a considerable step in creating additional value for these sea island communities and the future development of Freshfields Village," said Elisa Cooper, Freshfields Village property manager.

The inn is latest among several new lodgings being developed in and around Charleston, which recently was named the world's No. 1 tourist destination by readers of Conde Nast travel magazine. Hospitality experts have said the local hotel market is healthier than the national as a whole.

Reach Tyrone Richardson at 843-937-5550 and follow him on Twitter @tyrichardsonPC.

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