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SOUTHERN SOJOURN FAR FROM CHARLESTON’S YOUNGER SISTER, SAVANNAH, GA., HAS A CHARM ALL ITS OWN. BY CAROLINE PORTILLO
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t’s normal for us North Carolinians to talk about Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C., in the same breath. Just two hours apart, both are visually stunning with stately architecture, wrought-iron handiwork, and Spanish moss dripping from live oaks and cypress trees. And while there’s certainly a subtle difference in accent, the signature Southern lilt is there — that penchant for drawing out words like “idea” and “particularly,” every word enunciated just so, every “r” as soft and sticky as a piece of molasses. So really, though, how’s the average tourist supposed to differentiate between the two, beyond the obvious “where Charleston has streets, Savannah has squares”? To settle the debate, I asked Savannah native and hospitality magnate Richard Kessler. I was in town to check out some of the city’s boutique properties owned by Kessler, including the Mansion on Forsyth Park and the Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront. Kessler is also the owner and operator of the Plant Riverside District, a $330-million-plus development transforming the decommissioned 104-year-old Georgia Power Plant into a 4.5-acre waterfront entertainment district. It’s the largest redevelopment in the history of Savannah’s National Historic Landmark District, and the first phase is set to open in 2020. Kessler, who has hotel properties in both cities, laughed at my Savannah-versus-Charleston quandary.
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“Charleston is like the lady going to the ball,” he said. “And Savannah is like the lady going down to the bar.” I held on to that comparison throughout the trip — it’s a fair one. It’s like Savannah took what Charleston (more than 60 years older) taught us about Southern hospitality and served it up, on the rocks, with a twist of sugar-encrusted lime. Speaking of drinks, in Savannah’s downtown historic district, you can consume up to 16 ounces of alcohol in an open plastic container. But before you start picking out craft cocktails, first you’ll need to book your accommodations.
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Savannah is no doubt full of bed-and-breakfasts and a growing number of hotels, but the Kessler Collection properties are city landmarks that offer truly distinctive experiences. One of the city’s most recognized, iconic hotels is the luxurious Mansion on Forsyth Park, overlooking Savannah’s largest historic square. (It’s also just down the street from Kessler’s own historic homestead, the famed Armstrong Kessler Mansion). The 125-room Victorian Romanesque mansion, built in 1888, has worn many hats over the decades, from terra-cotta brick family home to funeral parlor to synagogue. When Kessler renovated and reopened the hotel in 2005, he did so with a flair for captivation: Guests who enter are
