Capital Square, a leading sponsor of tax-advantaged real estate investments and an active developer and manager of housing communities nationwide, announced today that The Nickel Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina, has been awarded a MICHELIN Key in the MICHELIN Guide’s 2026 hotel selection. The Guide announced its selections on September 18, including 65 Key additions and upgrades in the United States.

In its announcement, the Guide noted the contrast between the hotel’s Wes Anderson-style façade and its Victorian interiors, where each room features French doors or a wrought-iron balcony. The Guide also cited the rooftop lounge’s seasonal produce and seafood dishes and the hotel’s location in Cannonborough, a Charleston neighborhood known for its dining scene.

“Earning a MICHELIN Key little more than a year after opening is a tremendous honor for The Nickel Hotel and a testament to the vision we shared with our partners at Method Co. for thoughtful, design-driven development,” said Louis Rogers, founder and co-chief executive officer of Capital Square. “Thanks to opportunity zone legislation, originally co-sponsored by South Carolina Senator Tim Scott back in 2017, we were able to attract meaningful investment to transform an underutilized property on the historic corridor of Upper King Street into a thriving hospitality asset.”

Introduced in 2024 as the hotel counterpart to MICHELIN Stars for restaurants, MICHELIN Keys recognize hotels that MICHELIN Guide inspectors identify for the quality of the stay they offer. Keys are awarded following anonymous inspector visits.

Inspectors evaluate hotels on five criteria: architecture and interior design, service, personality and character, value for money, and contribution to the local experience. In its 2026 update, the Guide added 470 hotels across 79 destinations, including 10 countries recognized for the first time, bringing the global selection to 2,832 properties.

The hotel’s MICHELIN Key is its latest accolade after being named Charleston’s 2026 CoStar Impact Award winner for Commercial Development of the Year by an independent panel of industry professionals. The Nickel was also named one of Travel + Leisure magazine’s “100 Best New Hotels” of 2026.

Developed by Capital Square in partnership with Philadelphia-based hospitality company Method Co., which operates the hotel, and designed by Morris Adjmi Architects, The Nickel Hotel was completed in spring 2025 and takes design cues from the ornate ironwork that embellishes the gates, passageways, historic homes and churches found in Charleston, also known as “the Holy City.” The five-story project features 50 units, including two penthouse suites. Each unit features a full-size kitchen, custom wood vanities, marble countertops and a washer and dryer. Select rooms present arched, floor-to-ceiling windows, while many others include double French doors that open to private balconies. A lush interior courtyard; Bar Daniel, a private guest lounge; and Rosemary Rose, a rooftop bar and lounge, round out the guest experience. The street-level retail space on historic King Street is leased to Greyson Clothiers, a premier lifestyle apparel brand.

Development of The Nickel Hotel was funded by Capital Square’s fourth qualified opportunity zone fund, CSRA Opportunity Zone Fund IV, LLC, as well as proceeds from Method Co., the project’s co-developer and operator.

Since its founding in 2012, Capital Square has acquired more than 175 real estate assets on behalf of over 6,500 investors seeking quality replacement properties that qualify for tax deferral under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, along with others seeking stable cash flow and capital appreciation.

About Capital Square

Capital Square is a vertically integrated, national real estate firm specializing in tax-advantaged real estate investments, including Delaware statutory trusts for Section 1031 exchanges, qualified opportunity zone funds for tax deferral and exclusion, development funds and a real estate investment trust (REIT). The company is also an active developer and manager of multifamily communities. Since 2012, Capital Square has completed more than $9.1 billion in transaction volume. Its mixed-use development projects total over 2,700 housing units with an aggregate development value in excess of $1 billion, and Capital Square Living, the firm’s property management division, oversees nearly 14,000 apartments across eight states. Capital Square’s related entities provide a range of services – including due diligence, acquisition, loan sourcing, property/asset management and disposition – for a growing number of high-net-worth investors, private equity firms, family offices and institutional investors. The company has been recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation for nine consecutive years. Learn more at CapitalSq.com.

Disclosure

Securities offered through WealthForge Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Capital Square and WealthForge Securities, LLC are separate entities. There are material risks associated with investing in DST properties and real estate securities including illiquidity, tenant vacancies, general market conditions and competition, lack of operating history, interest rate risks, the risk of new supply coming to market and softening rental rates, general risks of owning/operating commercial and multifamily properties, short-term leases associated with multifamily properties, financing risks, potential adverse tax consequences, general economic risks, development risks, long hold periods, and potential loss of the entire investment principal. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Potential cash flow, returns and appreciation are not guaranteed. IRC Section 1031 is a complex tax concept; consult your legal or tax professional regarding the specifics of your particular situation. This is not a solicitation or an offer to sell any securities. Please read the Private Placement Memorandum (PPM) in its entirety, paying careful attention to the risk section prior to investing. Private placements are speculative and illiquid. Diversification does not guarantee profits or protect against losses. FINRA Broker Check link: https://brokercheck.finra.org/.

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