Steeped in history and a haunting mystique, Savannah, Georgia, with its mammoth oak trees cloaked in Spanish moss, cobblestone streets, and 22 picturesque squares, is somewhere to be savored like a fine mint julep. Whether you choose to simply wander, slip into ancient chapels, or get swept up in the romance of antebellum mansions, at the end of the day, you will want to lay your head at the luxury Perry Lane Hotel. And you’ll understand just why Savannah is known as the Hostess City.
By Colleen Thompson
The Style Sensibility
Set in the historic downtown Savannah district, Perry Lane Hotel forms part of the Marriott’s Luxury Collection. Perfectly positioned and within a short stroll to Forsyth Park, Oglethorpe Square, Chippewa Square (Forest Gump) and the Mercer Williams House (that John Berendt’s 1994 thriller "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" made famous.) Attention to detail begins the moment you check-into The Perry Lane, and a glass of bubbly is handed to you. And the complimentary bubbly keeps flowing from 10 am to 10 pm. Like the city itself, Perry Lane has a lush, opulent, and slightly edgy feel. The hotel of 167 rooms is designed in two buildings facing one another across Perry Lane. Although the building is a 2018 construction, you would never know it. The architecture is designed in a way that makes it feel like it’s always been part of the Savannah landscape. Step inside, and you’ll feel like you’ve just entered your very cool Aunt's posh-contemporary-art-centric-Southern home. And I’m not wrong. I discovered later that the entire design of the hotel was framed around a muse, grand dame Adelaid Harcourt. Everywhere, the walls are a deep teal, that I’ve now claimed as, Savannah Blue. An expansive art collection, of over 8,000 pieces, adorn the walls, and every corner of the hotel, and it’s a testament and nod to Savannah’s connection to art, culture, and impeccable aesthetic. No surprise that one of the top art & design schools in the land, SCAD, calls Savannah home.
Why You’ll Love It Here
Off the main lobby of the hotel, the lounge, and the library, get to show off their Southern opulent charm. A marble fireplace, grand piano in the corner, velvet upholstered seating, leather couches, walnut inlays, nickel light fixtures and plantation shutters. Take the time to soak up the savoir-faire in each of the spaces because the attention to detail is quite beautitful. There’s a lending library that the hotel has partnered with E Shavers Bookseller and The Book Lady, so grab a glass of bubbly, sink into a comfy chair, and flip through “The History of Savannah.”
Where You Lay Your Head
Two white statues of miniture bare-skinned men with oversized heads, disproportionate bodies, and exaggerated expressions by Slovakian artist Viktor Frešo, greet me at the elevator. When the elevator doors open, the small vestibule is enveloped in tropical wallpaper, and the jewel box transports me to my room. The double Queen room on the 4th floor is slick and polished with an unmistakably modern vernacular but with lashings of character and whimsy. There is a collection of pastel-colored macrons on the marble-topped table, with a handwritten welcome note and I am swooning. The all-white Italian Frette linen on the beds is luxurious but unfussy. There's an eclectic collection of artworks, a vintage framed letter addressed to “Sweet Pea,” from Adelaid Harcourt, and a copy of the Merchant of Venice at my bedside table. The bathroom is all glam, with a black marble vanity and double sinks. There’s an enormous rain shower and proprietary scented Byredo bath products, complete with white linen bathrobes.
Where to Sip Libations
Take the elevator to the top floor, and be sure to pay attention to local artist Kipper Millsap’s colorfully striking parrot mural as you exit the elevator. Watch the sundown go down over Savannah from the rooftop bar of the hotel, Peregrin. where you’ll be hard-pressed to find a prettier view of the city. On one side the Talmadge Bridge, and the the other, the spires of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Choose a cozy spot around one of the tabletop fireplaces, and order the Leafer’s Paradise cocktail with Rittenhouse Rye, pecan liqueur, Borghetti espresso liqueur, and bitters. And if the sun is still shining, the hotel has one of the very few heated rooftop pools in the city. Looking for some fun after dinner, walk across the street to The Wayward Bar in the North side of the hotel. As a nod to the motoring history of the city, there's suspended motorcycle that hangs over the bar, settting the tone for a lively evening. Grab a packet of freshly popped popcorn from the machine in the corner, order a Basil Hayden Old Fashioned with a hand-cut ice block, and settle in to chat with locals and visitors alike. And any bar that's playing, "When You're Strange," always has my vote.
Where to Dine
The Emporium Kitchen & Wine Market is the hotel's charming Southern brasserie. And like everything at the Perry Lane, it's highbrow, without feeling pretentious. The menu is local and seasonal and each dish by Executive Chef, Daniel Herget, is beautifully crafted. Start with homemade bread with whipped butter, sea salt, and garlic confit. Finally, a chef who serves head-on, char-grilled shrimp, in lemon butter. Sublime. As a main, try the trout with almonds and brown butter, it does not disappoint. Do not leave without ordering the Caramel Corn Torte, a white chocolate cremeaux, black currants, elderflower genoise, and caramelized sorghum. I still dream about it.
Tips & Bits
Valet Park your car – you will not need it, the hotel is walkable to everywhere.
Bringing your Pooch? No problem, the hotel will provide a dog bed and snacks from the Dog Bakery.
There are courtesy bicycles.
The famous Leopold’s Ice Cream is served right in the lobby.
Luxury courtesy transport within 2 miles of the hotel.
Complimentary Champagne all day.
Coffee is available from Bowerbird is in the Emporium Market.
The Wayward Bar serves a daily complimentary cocktail.