Oh Savannah, Georgia, where do I even begin? My mind immediately jumps to the old saying “Southern Hospitality”. And it couldn’t be more true. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such committed and kind service in all my travels. Everyone’s willingness to help and assist, and to just have a good old chat, was inspiring. Striking up lovely conversations with total strangers felt like the norm here (no awkward looks on the street if you smile and say hi to somebody!). And to my complete surprise, even the bell-hop at the hotel absolutely refused to accept any kind of tip for his service stating that it’s just part of good ol’ southern hospitality. I immediately fell in love with the place!
When I travel I consider myself financially savvy. Tending not to overspend or splurge on fancy hotels because truth be told I never think they are worth it. I travel in order to explore the location I’m in and emerge myself in the culture, not to sit in my hotel room! Having said that, Savannah was a bit of an exception to my own “rule”. The hotel stay was as much part of the Savannah experience as the city was. I wanted to spend the night (and boy do I wish I booked more then one) in a traditional historic Inn complete with four poster bed, fireplace, antique furniture and a ghost… or two. 17Hundred90 Inn & Restaurant did not disappoint. Perfectly located in the old historic district of Savannah, it is the oldest inn, named for the year it was built. A short walk from the Savannah River with its famous Factors Walk and River Street. And a slightly longer walk from the City Market. And yes, it’s haunted, with “ghosts waiting to tuck you in at night” as the Inn website states.
Did I necessarily want to encounter a ghost? NO. Or did I even believe one, or more, call the 17Hundred90 Inn home? Not likely. But I won’t denny that something strange did happen in our room during our one night stay. Though we did not stay in room 204, which is the room where ghost encounters are most often reported, it is said that ghosts roam this inn and can be experienced anywhere on the property. The most famous is the ghost Anna, who is rumoured to have fallen from a window to her death. Possibly a servant girl who was impregnated by a sailor and abandoned after he promised marriage. There are a few versions of the story, and though non historically proven, the Inns guests and staff have reported many unmistakable hauntings.
I, on the other hand, thought I’d be safe from ghosts since I stayed at the Inn’s three story guest house located across the street. Beautifully furnished with antiques, we had a whole floor to ourselves. Including a large bedroom with fireplace, bathroom complete with jacuzzi and steam shower, a walk out to a balcony with an iron spiral staircase leading to a private courtyard below. Plus our very own parlour (I’ve never had a parlour before) with hand painted ceilings by a Norwegian shipbuilder who lived there in the 1890’s. The Inn is stunning and really makes you feel like you’ve been transported back in time. Though we spend most of our time in Savannah out and about seeing as much as we could in our two short days, I made sure to take full advantage of the luxuries the Inn and our room offered. After a full day of sightseeing I enjoyed a long bath in the jacuzzi with did wonders for my sore legs and back. Then relaxed for a bit in our parlour before heading out to Factors Walk for a delicious meal. On the way back we popped into the Inn’s bar for our complimentary drink. Then turned in for the night in the very comfortable bed. I slept like a baby! In the morning we headed over to the Inn’s restaurant for breakfast, which had plenty of freshly baked treats, yum. Everyone of the staff at the Inn is beyond friendly and genuinely helpful. They strike up conversations with guest and make sure everyone is taken care of. After breakfast we enjoyed one more coffee on our balcony overlooking the little oasis of a courtyard, planning out our day and deciding what we still wanted to see.
Then it happened! My stay at the Inn couldn’t be compete without my very own ghost story. Once our day was mapped out it was time to pack up and hit the road sort of speak. While I was packing up the toiletries in the bathroom, my travel partner in crime (aka mom) was packing in the bedroom (we did a fair share of shopping the day before, what can I say!). All of a sudden I get asked “Why did you take the water bottles out of the bag that I just packed into the bag?” I did no such thing, I wasn’t even in the room! So we look into the bag and all the bottles are still in the bag. Huh? But now two more bottles of water are on the mantle (strange place for them, don’t you think?), half hidden behind a large coffee table style book about Savannah. So let me add here, if I may, that I had taken that book from the mantle the night before to look it over in bed. I had then returned the book to the exact same spot. (You can see it in the photo before the appearance of the water bottles.) And I assure you that there were no water bottles there. So apparently we had a friendly ghost come visit us who wanted to make sure we didn’t get dehydrated in the extreme August heat that we were having.
Now do I believe in ghosts? The verdict is still out on that one. Could there be a perfectly reasonable explanation for how the bottles got there? I’m sure there can, and maybe even is. But we were staying at the most haunted Inn in Savannah so who knows? All I can say is that I now have a cool ghost story to tell.
Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever experienced a ghost encounter? Would you dare stay at a haunted Inn? Would love to hear your stories. Let me know in the comments below.
Stay tuned for next week as I continue my Savannah travel story and tell you all about the historic city. Till than,
Safe Travels!
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