Georgia Magazine - June 2019 - 30

Around GEORGIA

By H.M. Cauley

A step back in time
Historic hotels offer a taste of old-time luxury

eorgia has been serving up
Southern hospitality since
the first settlers set foot on the
colony's red clay. While many of the early
inns have disappeared, travelers who
relish retreating to a historic property
for a weekend or vacation still can find
places with roots that date back more
than 100 years.
Today, these hotels combine the
best of contemporary amenities (such as
oversized showers, in-room coffee service and free Wi-Fi) with classic architecture and a grandeur that reminds us that
they just don't build 'em like they used

COURTESY JEKYLL ISLAND CLUB RESORT

COURTESY JEKYLL ISLAND MUSEUM

COURTESY RIVER STREET INN

to. Many weren't originally
hotels. In Savannah, the
state's oldest city, several
historic buildings with
commercial or residential
roots have morphed into
hotels and bed-and-breakfast inns.
One of the oldest, the
River Street Inn, opened
in 1817 as a shipping
warehouse and was refurThe River Street Inn in Savannah is noted for its
five-story atrium. The building was a shipping
bished in 1987 and again
in 1998. The 86-room hotel warehouse when it was built in 1817.
boasts period furnishings,
exposed brick walls and a dramatic five-story atrium. Nearby, the Cotton
Sail Hotel also has roots as a cotton warehouse, but today it affords guests
sweeping views of the river from its many balconies and one of the few
rooftop bars in town.
In the 1880s, the Georgia coast was also a destination for a few of the
country's wealthiest families, who built luxurious mansions, several of
which still stand on Jekyll Island. In 1886, the Vanderbilts, Pulitzers, Rockefellers and their well-heeled friends also built a clubhouse
that became the island's social center. A 1901 addition featured
suites for residents' guests, and since opening as a hotel called
the Jekyll Island Club Resort in 1986, the structure has beckoned the public to enjoy a stay in the signature turret, to dine in
the columned dining room or to take a seat in a rocking chair
on the wide, airy porches.
Concierge Sherri Zacher, a 20-year employee, was barely
a teenager when she visited her grandfather in the area. Those
trips always included a picnic on the grounds.
"It was always referred to as Georgia's jewel because it
looked like an American castle," she recalls. "We get a lot of
repeat guests who love the beaches, the history, the breathable
green space, gorgeous sunsets right in front. I give a hotel tour,
and people do it time and time again but say they always learn
new stuff."
About 15 miles south of Jekyll, Cumberland Island traces
Inset: A photo from 1896 depicts the construction of the six-unit
Sans Souci building at the Jekyll Island Club Resort. The building's
its roots as a getaway destination back to the early 1880s, when
original floors, art glass, stairway and skylight remain today.
the wealthy Carnegie clan took up residence and turned the
Above: In addition to the historical aspect, the Jekyll Island Club
property into a private playground. Three of the original homes
Resort is a popular vacation destination because of amenities such as
from that era survive, including the 1900 Greyfield Inn, where
The Wharf, an open-air restaurant and bar with optimal sunset views.

Georgia Magazine

June 2019

Continued on page 32

Georgia Magazine - June 2019

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