Katya I.
Yelp
The picturesque, stately Eliza Thompson House, sits along the storied Jones St. This street has been called The Most Beautiful Street in America for good reason. Lined by majestic oaks draped with Spanish Moss, it is simply impossible to take a bad picture (unless its a selfie --- ooops sorry). After you have climbed your chosen set of stairs on one side of the double staircase, and opened the door of the Inn, you are greeted by an elegant vestibule. The Common Room to the right of the vestibule features a historic vibe and well-appointed decor. The adults-only environment was perfect for us, two vacationing teachers. Add to the mix the Eliza Thompson's reputation as a Haunted Hotel. To all this, I must add that it is quite expensive. I am aware that it may lie beyond the means of many, and grateful for the privilege of my 5-night stay.
So, aside from picturesque, elegant, historic, well appointed, child-free, possibly haunted and expensive, what else is there to say about the Eliza Thompson House to justify the 5 stars? If you aren't in the mood for a lengthy descriptive review, then TLDR. Just skip to the last paragraph.
Let's start with the location. Located in the North District, this Inn combines the charm of an actual residential neighborhood with the convenience of a ten minute walk to downtown, Southern District and River District. To add to the pluses of the location, count the close proximity to Forsythe Park. A beautiful 15 minute walk through the park will bring you to the Victorian district, which has a strikingly different architectural style. It is so central that my husband and I, who almost always choose to rent a car, chose to have a week of walking trips. In all these respects, the Eliza Thompson was ideally poised for a proper Savannah visit!
As to the quality of the rooms, they are the height of urban historical luxury, with 4 poster beds and high ceilings. This is particularly evident in the main house. We stayed in rooms in both the main house and the courtyard wing. We had been aware of this, the staff did the move for us, and we got to see a different side of the Eliza Thompson House. The rooms were so individualized and charming, and it turned out to be a pleasure to stay in both of the rooms. The only thing that I would wish for is a desk and chair suitable for writing. However, I am not going to take off a star for that.
be possible for someone with a light appetite to do all of one's eating here.
A friendly, courteous and helpful staff energetically offered to help us at every turn. The Inn happily booked trolley tour tickets and taxis for us! They even let us use their computer to pre-book our flights. However, if you are already daunted by the expense at Eliza Thompson, be sure to ask in advance whether there is a charge for these service (more about this later). Actually, I recall seeing a list of charges somewhere in our room, but stupidly ignored this. The staff is so incredibly gracious that it feels that it is all being done from the goodness of their hearts. Certainly, that holds true for many of the kind gestures, but not all. Best to ask.
The special little touches certainly help to justify the price tag: wine and cheese in the late afternoon, and sherry and dessert at 9:00, offered very elegant opportunities to meet other guests and compare notes about Savannah. With delicious and ample house prepared breakfasts, the Eliza Thompson House offered so many opportunities for food and refreshment that it would be possible to do all one's eating here.
After we arrived home, we discovered $300 in charges that we could not account for. My husband phoned, and they courteously went through it all with him. Remember some of those services, like booking trolley tickets? Not only do you pay for your ticket, but also a gratuity to the hotel for the booking service. Fair enough: we should have asked or read the info. in the hotel room.
To sum all this up, if you are looking for a conveniently located, adult-only environment in a historic Inn, in a gorgeous and very historic setting on The Most Beautiful Street in America, and you are able to manage the rates and charges, the Eliza Thompson House may be for you. The Haunted Hotel stories add a certain intrigue, and the full report of paranormal investigations is available for you to read in the common room. However, although we stayed both in the courtyard rooms and the Inn proper, we never had the slightest sense of any paranormal presence. There are so many lovely, elegant things about the Eliza Thompson house that I can't begin to list them all. We usually drive around and camp, and this was a novel experience for me. It all comes with a high price tag which, for us, was worth it.
Finally, a shout out to the staff, especially Tess and the chef, for a wonderful stay. I wish that I remember the names of the staff who helped us with our airline reservations, but thank you.