Savannah Hotels
1790 Inn
307 E. President St.
912-236-7122
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There are only 18 rooms here, spread between several historic row houses that date back to the 1800s. Some are quite small and only have windows into a hallway and all of them have fairly basic furnishings that will not leave you confused about whether you’re staying in the Ritz. There are no on site amenities other than a fine restaurant, so, why is this place so popular? They play up their haunted history, with their website claiming that there are no fewer than three ghosts in residence. Is it true? That’s up to you to decide.
Alida Savannah
412 Williamson St.
912-715-7000
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Although technically not part of the Plant Riverside District, this new-as-of-2018 hotel has the same kind industrial warehouse vibe as its neighbor with swank rooms, many with cushy window seats; a fine restaurant; a rooftop patio; a pool; and more. Located steps away from dozens of bars, restaurants, and riverwalk, this is a great, albeit expensive, option if you want to be in the thick of things. It’s worth noting that the Plant Riverside development blocks most river views and it can get noisy on weekends.
Andaz Savannah
14 Barnard St.
912-233-2116
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Located right on Ellis Square in the heart of the historic district you get modern elegance from the upscale Andaz brand at prices that won’t break the bank. Most rooms have small balconies and all include mini-fridges with gratis snacks (bonus!). If you pay a few bucks more you can get suite-style accommodations. Rooms facing Ellis Square have great views but it can get a little noisy, especially on late weekend nights when the party crowd is out on nearby Congress Street.
Best Western Savannah Historic District
412 W. Bay St.
912-233-1011
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There’s nothing wrong with this place, specifically. The rooms are clean and the furnishings are comfortable, if not terribly stylish, plus you get free breakfast. And the location, right on Bay Street just steps from Plant Riverside and the rest of River Walk, is hard to beat. But this is a fairly basic Best Western motor lodge and for the prices they charge for the room and parking, you can probably do better.
Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront
102 W. Bay St.
912-731-3800
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Luxury accommodations from the swanky Kessler brand will cost you a pretty penny but you wont find more plush digs anywhere in town. Although the building looks old, it was built this century on Factor’s Row with entrances on both Bay Street and River Street, giving it a convenience factor that is hard to beat. Noise can be a factor with rooms facing the river and the party crowds down below or with truck traffic on Bay Street, but you’ll be swaddled in such glamour that you’ll barely notice.
The Cotton Sail Hotel
126 E. Bay St.
912-200-3700
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Fashioned out of an 1800’s era cotton warehouse, this boutique hotel only has 56 rooms, many of which face the river with small balconies – a nice touch. Decor and furnishings are simple but stylish and come with all the necessary amenities for a comfortable stay. Don’t miss the Top Deck, the rooftop bar with pretty stunning views of Savannah. Prices here can be on the high side from a strictly comparative basis but you don’t get this kind of history with this kind of style in too many places in the city.
The DeSoto Savannah
15 E. Liberty St.
912-232-9000
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Although they bill themselves as a historic hotel around since 1890, the original structure was torn down and replaced by this more bland building in the 1960s. So while it may not be as interesting, it’s still a very nice hotel with comfortably stylish rooms – many with poolside patios or balconies with great views – a nice pool deck, an art gallery, and on-site restaurants and bars including the laudable Proof & Provision. Rates are often amongst the highest in the city and it may leave you wondering what exactly you are paying for other than the heritage.
The Drayton Hotel
7 Drayton St.
912-662-8900
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Dating back to the 1890s, this former bank building has been transformed into an upscale, chic hotel complete with lots of historic touches throughout the building that give it a personality often lacking in newer properties. There are only 50 rooms and while they are on the small side, with most coming in at around 300 square feet, they are comfortably and stylishly furnished. Check out the restaurant and lounge on the ground floor and the rooftop bar with stunning views.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Savannah Historic District
411 W. Bay St.
912-790-7000
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A reliable link in the DoubleTree hotel chain offers nice, but nothing to write home about, accommodations that have all the creature comforts you need. They have a pool but it’s tiny and doesn’t offer much room for lounging next to it. Good location for exploring the Historic District but note that rooms facing Bay Street will have deal with truck traffic noise.
East Bay Inn
225 E. Bay St.
912-238-1225
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Since being built in 1852, this building has housed everything from a bakery to a drug store, but since 1984 it has been the East Bay Inn, a boutique hotel (there are only 28 rooms) with lots of charm, and a ghost or two if you believe in that sort of thing. Many of the rooms are on the compact side of things but the furnishings are comfy and just modern enough that you don’t feel like you’re going to break something. There’s a small bar and a restaurant on the first floor but no pool, gym, or other amenities, which is okay since you’re right on Bay Street and don’t need to go far to find plenty to do.
Hampton Inn and Suites Savannah Historic District
603 W Oglethorpe Ave.
912-721-1600
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The second of two Hampton Inns in the Historic District should probably be your first choice if you want a slightly elevated level of comfort and amenities. Rooms here are a little nicer and they have more suite products if you’re looking for some extra square-footage. Their pool is a little bigger but doesn’t get as much sun.
Hilton Garden Inn Savannah Historic District
321 W. Bay St.
912-721-5000
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There are a bunch of different room layouts here from fairly standard king and queen layouts to two-room suites with a refrigerator, microwave, and more. Balconies on some rooms are a nice touch but those facing Bay Street will have to contend with loud traffic that makes it all but unbearable to use. The location is hard to beat and prices are often competitive but as with most chain hotels don’t expect anything truly special. Still, it’s a nice place to hunker down in a hurricane (as I did once).
Holiday Inn Savannah Historic District
520 W. Bryan St.
912-790-1000
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It’s a Holiday Inn so as long as you go into it with realistic expectations you’ll be fine. Clean, comfortable rooms are well-stocked but bland. The pool is pretty basic and the coffee shop is someplace you should probably pass on your way to a more interesting restaurant. Cheap rates and a great location are the primary reasons to stay here.
Holiday Inn Express Savannah Historic District
199 E. Bay St.
912-231-9000
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What’s the difference between the Holiday Inn and the Holiday Inn Express? Not much, to be honest. The decor is similar, the amenities are similar, the prices are usually similar… They’re not even that far apart from one another geographically. So which one should you choose? Check rates and whichever is less wins.
Homewood Suites Savannah Riverfront
611 E. River St.
912-355-0025
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The big benefit in staying at the Homewood Suites is that all of their rooms, which range from studios to one-bedroom suites, have kitchens, although in a town like Savannah if you aren’t out eating everything you can put your hands on you’re doing something wrong. Leftovers? Located right by the river, you can get some great views of the big ships coming into port but not you’re going to walk a few extra steps to the heart of the Historic District action.
Hotel Indigo
201 W. Bay St.
912-236-4440
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This place earns major points for taking an 1850s building and turning it into a nice hotel instead of tearing something down to put in a bland, modern thing like so many others in the historic district did. The rooms are charming, albiet a little on the cozy side of things, well-stocked and stylish. You are missing a few things like a pool, but most of the pools in the historic district hotels are boring anyway, so you really aren’t missing much after all.
Hyatt Regency
2 W. Bay St.
912-238-1234
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A lot of Savannah residents aren’t fans of this place because of where and how they built it – a modern edifice sticking out over River Street, blocking views and totally not fitting in with the charming surroundings. Having said that, the rooms are spacious, kinda stylish, and large with great views, and you absolutely can’t beat the location. Prices can be on the high side but you get a well-stocked fitness room, an indoor pool, and other niceties to make up for it.
JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District
400 W. River St.
912-373-9100
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A masterful reinvention is at the heart of this sprawling hotel directly on the riverfront. They took the old Savannah Power Plant and turned it into a gorgeous, eye-popping hotel, restaurant, nightlife, shopping, and entertainment district that has to be seen to be believed. Rooms are spread across multiple buildings, with the most interesting being in the old power plant structures but all very, very nice. They are beyond plush, have every amenity you could think of, and are stylish to boot, plus the location is perfect. It’s going to cost you a pretty penny to stay here, but if you want a uniquely luxurious stay, you can’t do any better.
Kimpton Brice Hotel
601 E. Bay St.
912-238-1200
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Built in a former Coca Cola bottling plant, the Brice is a typically Kimpton hotel, meaning that its hip, artsy, a bit offbeat, and just fancy enough to keep you comfy without being intimidating. Italian linens, soaking tubs, private balconies, and other goodies are available in some rooms and the upscale Italian restaurant/bar is often a scene on weekend nights. Rooms facing Bay Street have to contend with noisy truck traffic so consider one facing the much quieter square in the back.
Marshall House
123 E. Broughton Ave.
912-644-7896
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Talk about history. Built in 1851 by one of the few female entrepreneurs of the era, the hotel has has a storied history as both accommodations and as a hospital during the Civil War and yellow fever outbreaks (hence its very haunted reputation). Everything has been lovingly restored with original floors, fireplaces, doors, and more giving it an authentic feeling. If you can swing the cost, get a Broughton Balcony room giving you access to the lovely veranda with rocking chairs overlooking the main street.
Olde Harbour Inn
508 E. Factors Walk
912-234-4100
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The history of this building dates back to the 1890s when it was an oil depot, later becoming a factory that manufactured blue jeans and overalls. It has been an inn since the 1980s and all of the rooms are suites with rustic touches. Niceties include a nightly wine reception and ice cream treats with your turn down service – sweet! It’s worth noting that there is no elevator in the building so if you have mobility issues you might want to consider an alternative. They will lug your bags up (or down) the stairs!
Perry Lane Hotel
256 E. Perry St.
912-415-9000
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The nicer hotels in town tend to fall into one of two categories: the classic Savannah experience with lots of history and antique furnishings or the newer, more hip experience with things like scene-worthy rooftop bars and modern design. Perry Lane definitely falls into the latter bucket with swanky, contemporary rooms, lots of art, a wine market, a library, and yes, a rooftop bar popular with the after-work crowd (although there is no pool). It’s a luxe place to stay and you’re going to feel it from start to finish, especially when you get the sky-high bill.
Planter’s Inn
29 Abercorn St.
800-554-1187
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One of the few hotels directly on one of the historic Savannah squares, this charming property offers lovely rooms, many with four-poster beds and some with fireplaces and balconies. They offer free breakfast and nightly wine socials to show off their southern hospitality and there’s nothing like being able to walk out the front door directly into a park filled with moss-draped oaks. A winner.
Savannah Marriott Riverfront
100 General McIntosh Boulevard
912-233-7722
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Located right along the river, rooms facing the water offer some pretty cool views (that you’ll have to pay a premium for). The decor is a bit minimalist but things are very comfortable and stylish and there’s also a full-service spa, a fitness center, a restaurant, and more on site. Prices can be high and it’s at the far eastern edge of the historic district so you have to walk a bit further to get to the most popular parts of town, but for the best of the Marriott brand in Savannah it just may be worth it.
Springhill Suites Savannah Historic District
150 Montgomery St.
912-629-5300
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While the rooms are kind of bland, they are large suite-style accommodations with a seating area so that’s a bonus. Everything else about this place, from the small pool to the basic continental breakfast spread, is designed for convenience rather than actual enjoyment, but that just means you’ll spend more time out exploring the city like you should.
Staybridge Suites Savannah Historic District
301 E. Bay St.
912-721-9000
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To be perfectly frank, this is the place you stay if you want a reliable chain experience that isn’t going to break the bank. Rooms are basic although many have kitchenettes so that can be handy, as are the do-it-yourself laundry facilities. There is no pool but most of the hotel pools in this area are pretty useless anyway so you aren’t missing much. Proof that there is something to be said for reliable.
Thunderbird Inn
611 W. Oglethorpe Ave.
912-233-5551
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Located a few blocks west of the historic district, this formerly basic motor lodge was remodeled in 2016 to be a retro charmer with kitschy but comfortable furnishings and a commitment to eco-friendly business practices. Special touches abound like hot popcorn and lemonade at check-in and a Moon Pie on your pillow when you arrive in your room. Cute!