By Few American cities wear their history as gracefully as Savannah and Charleston, and nowhere is that more tangible than inside their historic inns and hotels. Sleeping behind a cast-iron veranda from 1851 or waking in the only surviving home of a signer of the U.S. Constitution turns a Southern getaway into something closer to time travel. Here is a traveler’s guide to the most storied places to stay (and the landmark dining rooms attached to a few of them) across these two coastal beauties.
Why Stay in a Historic Inn?
Modern chain hotels are plentiful in both cities, but the historic inn is the local specialty, and for good reason. These properties cluster inside walkable historic districts, putting you steps from squares, cobblestone lanes, churches, and waterfront markets. Many were built as private mansions or commercial emporiums in the 1700s and 1800s, then carefully restored with period furnishings, original heart-pine floors, and hand-carved mantels intact. Expect smaller room counts, personal service, and Southern touches like afternoon tea, evening wine, and a glass of port before bed. The trade-off: these inns book out early during spring (when gardens bloom) and fall, so reserve well ahead.
Historic Inns and Hotels in Savannah
Savannah’s Historic District is among the largest in the country, laid out around 22 leafy squares. Staying within its bounds means you can leave the car parked and walk almost everywhere.
The Marshall House
Opened in 1851, The Marshall House is Savannah’s oldest operating hotel and a true Broughton Street landmark. Its signature cast-iron verandas, original floors and doors, and tall antebellum ceilings have survived three centuries of use, including stints as a Civil War and yellow-fever hospital. Today the hotel offers 65 guest rooms and 3 suites, with a full breakfast each morning and evening wine and hors d’oeuvres, plus the on-site Bistro 45 for dining. The location, right on the main shopping spine and within an easy stroll of City Market and the riverfront, is hard to beat.
- Address: 123 E. Broughton Street, Savannah, GA 31401
- Phone: (912) 644-7896
- Website: marshallhouse.com
The Gastonian
For a more intimate bed-and-breakfast experience, The Gastonian occupies two beautifully restored 1868 Italianate homes near Forsyth Park, at the quieter southern edge of the Historic District. A four-diamond inn that Condé Nast Traveler has named among the top inns in the world, it leans into romance with antique furnishings, a hidden garden courtyard, and a cooked-to-order breakfast. It is a favorite for honeymoons and anniversary trips.
- Address: 220 East Gaston Street, Savannah, GA 31401
- Phone: (912) 232-2869
- Website: gastonian.com
A Landmark Worth a Reservation: The Olde Pink House
Even if you stay elsewhere, dinner at The Olde Pink House belongs on any Savannah itinerary. Built in 1771 as a private mansion and now one of the South’s most celebrated restaurants, the rosy-stucco Georgian sits on Reynolds Square serving refined low-country cuisine in candlelit, antique-filled rooms. Tables fill quickly, so book ahead.
- Address: 23 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31401
- Phone: (912) 232-4286
- Website: theoldepinkhouserestaurant.com
Historic Inns and Hotels in Charleston
Roughly two hours up the coast, Charleston counters with its own peninsula of pastel single houses, palmetto-lined streets, and antebellum mansions. The Historic District here is compact and famously photogenic, and its inns are some of the most decorated in the country.
Wentworth Mansion
Built in the 1880s as the private home of a wealthy cotton merchant, Wentworth Mansion is the grandest of Charleston’s historic inns. Its 21 individually designed rooms and suites are dressed with Italian crystal chandeliers, hand-carved marble fireplaces, and Tiffany-style stained glass, and a rooftop cupola delivers sweeping views over the steeples and rooftops of the peninsula. Guests enjoy a full breakfast, afternoon wine and hors d’oeuvres, an evening pour of port or brandy, complimentary valet parking, and an on-site Woodhouse Spa. The fine-dining restaurant, Circa 1886, occupies the mansion’s former carriage house.
- Address: 149 Wentworth Street, Charleston, SC 29401
- Phone: (843) 853-1886
- Website: wentworthmansion.com
John Rutledge House Inn
Constructed in 1763 for John Rutledge, a signer of the U.S. Constitution, the John Rutledge House Inn is a living National Historic Landmark and reportedly the only such signer’s home that operates as an inn. The 19 rooms and suites pair original ironwork, plasterwork, and parquet floors with modern comforts, and the experience comes wrapped in genteel hospitality: complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea with light hors d’oeuvres, evening port or sherry, and round-the-clock concierge service. Its Broad Street address sits squarely in the heart of the historic peninsula.
- Address: 116 Broad Street, Charleston, SC 29401
- Phone: (843) 723-7999
- Website: johnrutledgehouseinn.com
Planters Inn
At the corner of Market and Meeting Streets, beside the famous Charleston City Market, Planters Inn traces its name to an 1844 building and has become one of the most acclaimed boutique hotels in America. Rooms are furnished with four-poster beds and refined antebellum-inspired décor, and the inn is home to the celebrated Peninsula Grill, long a destination for low-country fine dining and its towering coconut cake. The location places you within a short walk of nearly every downtown attraction.
- Address: 112 N. Market Street, Charleston, SC 29401
- Phone: (843) 722-2345
- Website: plantersinn.com
Planning a Two-City Trip
Savannah and Charleston pair naturally into a single Southern road trip, separated by roughly a two-hour drive along I-95 and US-17. A common rhythm is two nights in each city, with the historic inn doing double duty as both lodging and attraction. A few practical notes:
- Book early. Spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) bring the best weather and the heaviest demand. Small inns sell out months ahead for festival weekends.
- Confirm parking. Both historic districts have tight, metered streets. Ask your inn about valet or partner-garage parking, and consider leaving the car parked once you arrive since both districts are highly walkable.
- Mind the heat. Summers are hot and humid; verandas, courtyards, and afternoon tea make the most of the cooler ends of the day.
- Verify rates and amenities. Inn offerings (breakfast, spa, dining hours) can change seasonally, so call or check the official website before you book.
Helpful Official Resources
For more on visiting these two cities, including events, neighborhoods, and a fuller list of accommodations, lean on the official tourism boards:
- Visit Savannah, the official destination marketing organization for Savannah, GA
- Explore Georgia, the official state tourism site
- Explore Charleston, the official Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Discover South Carolina, the official South Carolina state tourism site
A final planning tip: if you can be flexible, aim for a midweek arrival in shoulder season. Rates at these historic inns soften noticeably Sunday through Thursday outside peak festival dates, and the squares and cobblestone streets are far quieter, which is exactly when these centuries-old properties feel most like your own private piece of the Old South.