The fabled Hamilton-Turner Inn evokes the lore and romance of swashbuckling Savannah, offering guests comfortable pampering in the heart of one of Georgia’s most picturesque downtowns.
Poised on mossy oak-canopied Lafayette Square, the Hamilton-Turner Inn brings gracious Southern hospitality to life. From its construction in 1873 for naval officer and prominent local figure Samuel Pugh Hamilton to the tales of the town’s eccentric high society spawned by John Berendt’s novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, the property exemplifies Savannah’s entertaining culture. “The house is very welcoming,” says innkeeper Susie Ridder, who shares ownership of the Second Empire-style edifice with two business partners. “I feel like it’s a home and it’s alive, and that makes a big difference.”
The four-level boutique hotel with its distinctive mansard roof, iron balconies, and stucco exterior keeps company on the Historic District plaza with such storied sites as the massive Cathedral of St. John the Baptist; the Andrew Low House Museum where Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts of America; and renowned author Flannery O’Connor’s birthplace and childhood abode.
The staff’s attention to detail and discreet service help nurture the feeling of a private home rather than a hotel. Complimentary breakfast is served in the sunny blue-and-white dining room. In the evening, visitors mingle while enjoying wine, hors d’oeuvres, and fresh-baked cookies in the parlor, which features a hand-painted wall mural, original heart pine flooring, and a marble mantel believed to have been an antique when selected by Samuel during construction.
The inn’s 17 rooms and suites are each named for a prominent person who spent time in Savannah, including the General Nathanael Greene suite (below) for the Revolutionary War general. After purchasing the Hamilton-Turner in 2013, the current owners revamped every bathroom, installing luxe fixtures, large showers, and a handful of clawfoot tubs.
From the start, the grand Victorian dwelling was known for gala celebrations, as Samuel and his wife, Sarah, frequently hosted events. The Hamilton family sold the home in 1915 to Dr. Francis Turner, who later turned it into a boarding house. The Turner family eventually sold it, and it had many incarnations over the next three decades, including the one made famous by the raucous parties of resident Joe Odom as described in Berendt’s 1994 book.
In addition to the sites on Lafayette Square, the Downtown Design District is a five-minute stroll from the inn, as are museums and historic manors. The walkable Historic District bustles with restaurants, boutiques, and carriage rides, and the Savannah College of Art and Design pervades the area with outlets featuring student and alumni works. “People can get whatever they want out of Savannah,” says Susie. “If you want to just see Southern charm, you’ve got that; if you want to talk about architecture, we can talk about it; if you want to talk about the war, we’ve got that. It’s a little bit of everything—and great food. It’s a beautiful city.”
Read the full Grand Getaways feature in our May/June 2020 issue.
For information, visit hamilton-turnerinn.com.
Photography by Stephanie Welbourne Steele
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