The James Lee House

If I could give more than 5 stars, I would! My husband and I absolutely loved staying here 2 weeks ago, and will stay here again if we come back to Memphis. We've stayed in a few B&Bs around the US, and I think this one has won first place. Accommodations were very comfortable, beautiful, quite spacious, and C.C. is an excellent chef as well. The breakfast here was delicious every morning. It's a great location as well. No more than 10-15min drive in any direction to all the museums, activities, and restaurants we went to. 10/10 for comfort, price, location, and hospitality.

We celebrated our anniversary with the Crosley room. It was beautiful and spacious. On the bed was a nice hand written card and some chocolates. The bathroom was very large as well. The king size bed was a dual adjustable (especially appreciated after a long day of sightseeing). C.C. Is the best hostess we have ever had! Each morning a lovely dark roast was on the table. Every breakfast was perfect. She even asked how we like our eggs cooked. She just welcomed us to her home. C.C. gave us great suggestions for restaurants. The property was pristine. I even walked barefoot in the grass (I NEVER do that anywhere). It was so soft! We will visit Memphis again and won’t even consider staying anywhere else.

I am a local photographer and I have used The James Lee House quite a few times for my clients- it has seriously become one of my favorite venues. The house is absolutely gorgeous and my clients are always blown away by the aesthetics of this Victorian beauty! They also love how intimate the space feels. C.C. is an amazing House Manger and has always been super accommodating. This house can be utilized for more than a bed and breakfast, so I highly recommend that you check it out. The James Lee House is truly one of Memphis' hidden gems.

Memphis is our go-to for live theater and there are a lot of good hotels downtown. But the James Lee House is exceptional. It's lovely. The rooms are large with tall ceilings. You can control the firmness of the bed and the pillows are so fluffy! It's quiet (not the norm in Memphis), a few blocks from downtown and luxurious. Definitely our Go-To for a special weekend.

We had a great stay at The James Lee House with friends! The inn is just beautiful and CC was so hospitable. She prepared a delicious breakfast for us each morning and spent a lot of time sharing information about the house with us. The rooms are huge, beds are very comfortable, and the common areas and outdoor spaces are lovely! Highly recommend!

A Hidden Gem in Memphis Our stay at The James Lee House was nothing short of amazing. This beautifully restored bed and breakfast is an unexpected gem nestled in the heart of Memphis. Our host, J.J., was warm, welcoming, and professional—she truly made us feel at home. She even sent us off with a delicious breakfast that we’re still thinking about! If we find ourselves in Memphis again, we’ll definitely be returning. Highly recommend!

This is a beautiful bed & breakfast with great history. CC is so friendly and made sure we had everything we needed, including sharing her morning coffee creamer with us. Breakfast was beautifully presented and very tasty. The room was beautiful and the bed was extremely comfortable with great quality linens. Definitely would stay again if passing through Memphis.

My husband and I stayed at the James Lee House after our wedding!! We stayed in the Goyer room. It was so beautiful, clean, and luxurious! CC made our stay even more enjoyable, providing flexibility with the check-in time and making a phenomenal breakfast in the morning! She was so communicative, and able to answer all questions for me! I will recommend the James Lee House to both visitors and locals. It is a beautiful, historic home that everyone should visit!

We stayed at the James Lee House (JLH) in late November with a group of friends and our experience was fantastic! This is a beautiful house with a history that has been so well preserved. Our room was cozy and beautifully furnished. C.C. made sure everything was perfect and her creations in the kitchen were amazing! We cannot wait to return and stay here again!

This house is absolutely gorgeous! My husband and I stayed in The Lee Suite and it was such a special room!! So spacious with the most luxurious marbled bathroom with an amazing soaking tub! The bed was so comfortable and the neighborhood is lovely and quiet but close to so much! C.C. Is the innkeeper and she took such good care of care of us! Her breakfasts are to die for! A must stay if you come to Memphis!!

Pretty cool house. I'm not going to say it's haunted but my husband and I both had some crazy dreams the night we stayed here. Our room was the Harrson Suite. It was a very large room with all the modern amenities. Bathroom was large with a big shower and a soaking tub. Didn't try the tub but the shower was nice with good water pressure. Our host was knowledgeable about the house and answered all our questions. She offered up suggestions for dinner and the place she recommended was great. Breakfast the next morning was really good with plenty to eat. The off street gated parking was nice to have.

My husband and I were very disappointed with the overall quality of this misrepresented B & B. Mrs. Stan Redkey

This B&B looks great from the photos but it is run down, and in a very inconvenient and iffy neighborhood with apartments. The stairs are treacherous for anyone with a disability. We were very disappointed and could not stay there due to the number and steepness of the stairs and no one to help with luggage. We were unable to get the amount of our stay refunded as their refund policy is inflexible. Watch out.

Despite being a hotel type of guy, I decided to take my friend's advice and stay in the Lee Suite of The James Lee House. Let me tell you - I am so glad I listened to my friend! Everything about my experience was extraordinary. The home itself is historically rich and tucked away from the hustle and bustle of downtown. Inside made you forget about city life by magically transporting you to an elegant experience. I enjoyed waiting for my Ubers in the grand living room that opens to inviting formal dining room, walking up and down the staircase as if I was billionaire businessman, and being treated like a king at a luxury breakfast served by the absolutely brilliant, generous, kind, and hospitable innkeeper/chef, Stacee. The Lee Suite, with plenty of room to host a party for 20 people, offered tremendous light through the huge windows, deep slumber with the stately bed with adjustable settings, and shower/soaking options galore in the huge bathroom! I can keep going on and on, but when you have the beautiful soul of Stacee tending to you and the house, you will leave a better human being. When you come to Memphis, stay at The James Lee House and tell Stacee that Tomlee sent you!

Had to cancel a two-room, two-night stay. Was told I'd be charged $50 per night, per room. This was for a trip I was rescheduling. They didn't offer to apply it to a future trip. Pretty terrible policy for cancelling a full month in advance, but fair enough. When I explained that I would never consider staying there again and they were trading a lifetime of future stays for four guests for $200, they were fine with that. HOWEVER, they FULLY CHARGED us the $2,000. I had to call and complain and they explained it was policy to do so - to fully charge a guest for a cancellation, make them notice the credit card statement, then call and complain in order to reverse the charges afterward. All this instead of just cancelling the stay a month in advance, and charging us the penalty. This is borderline fraud. Terrible business.

I should have posted this review closer to our actual stay (it's been almost 2 mos. since our visit) Nevertheless I can't forget how WONDERFUL our stay was!!!! The food served to us for breakfast were TOP NOTCH!!!! The location of the James Lee House was very good but nothing super close to walk to (at least I wouldn't in the evening). But everywhere you want to be is a short drive from this house. I hope I get to go back in the future for another trip!

While the neighborhood is a mixed bag of old historic mansions and low income housing, our experience was exceptional. The house, staterooms and breakfasts were first class. It's a quick Uber to Beale street. Highly recommend.

Another great Victorian located in Memphis down near the Sun Studio. It is free to walk around and take photos but cost about $10 each to tour the inside. Great home !!!! History of the home: Set in Victorian Village, this elegant B&B housed in a grand mid-1800s Victorian Italianate mansion was once an arts college. It's next door to the Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum and 0.4 miles from Sun Studio. The 5 stylish suites feature soaring ceilings, fireplaces and sitting areas, plus flat-screen TVs and free WiFi. The updated bathrooms include refined touches like marble tilework, oversized tubs and walk-in showers.

We stayed for a couples getaway and Stacee was our hostess. Stacee made us feel so welcome and gave us excellent dinner recommendations. The breakfast is gourmet ! Each room is unique, expertly designed with top notch materials. Our room was the Harrison suite which had views on either side and a very comfy bathtub! It was so impressive to be met by our host upon our arrival at the property! Hands down, one for the books.

12 million stars for this @JamesLeeHouse Bed & Breakfast! Easily one of the nicest (if not THE nicest) hotel in Memphis by far...and they definitely have everyone beat in the bed and breakfast game! I literally thought I was stepping into a magazine. Like that YouTube kid said, "Is this real life?" (See here if you have no idea what I'm talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs ) Nestled in the heart of Victorian Village at 690 Adams Avenue, this place is a game changer for Memphis - unique, beautiful, special. Stunning, really. I've always wanted a Gilded Age themed party...and I'm totally doing one here for my 30th birthday party because not only can you stay here...you can rent out the entire house for parties and then spend the night! Woohoo! Suites: Crosley (1st Floor): $275/night Harsson (2nd Floor): $320/night Goyer (2nd Floor): $295/night Lee (2nd Floor): $450/night Isabel (2nd Floor): $245/night Counting down the days until I can come back here again! Oh, and this place would be a totally mind blowing space for a rehearsal dinner...or proposal...

Wonderfully comfortable bead and breakfast, the James Lee house has a select number of beautiful rooms and a very cordial and accommodating staff. High points, the rooms are beautiful and the breakfast is tasty. Jose, the owner is a wonderful host. Complimentary wifi and a beautiful service kitchen Notes: A very desirable place to relax and stay a few days, be aware of the check in and out times. Often times private B&B's as personal as this one have limited staff for such a well done turnaround. The Lee house also has a fine lower bedroom for those who find stairs troubling. A must stay in Memphis

This was the nicest bed and breakfast we have stayed at out of 10 other stays. This place was a mansion back in the 1800s and Jose and his wife have done an excellent job of modernizing and yet keeping a lot of the Heritage. The rooms are big and filled with modern amenities from the bathroom to the adjustable Tempur-pedic bed. Breakfast was great and we felt at home. We also got to tour the entire house and there are other rooms that are luxurious and huge. There are also two other historic mansions to explore next door. Close to everything downtown, it was a treat to stay there!

If you think about booking here and would like to see a room first, be prepared to be rudely dismissed by the staff. Located only a few feet from a Confederate park and handsomely appointed by homeless vagrants, the nearly dilapidated exterior immediately turns your attention away from the surrounding blight. Hoping that an impressive display of the interior would justify a $500 a night stay in an area where you may wake to find your car missing, we weren't allowed to tour the house with no explanation as to why. Must be hiding an underwhelming presentation. I will say in their defense, I would be fearful to open my door to anyone in that neighborhood, too.

We came here for my 30th Birthday and spent the night James Lee Room! It was grand and majestic! Not only did we fall in love the the B&B, the historic charm, the breakfast and the Owners! Our Staycation was fabulous! We also returned back for High Tea time around Valentines day, which was also magnificant! They have a FB page that they post their most recent events in case you just wanted to visit and not stay!

We were planning our babymoon, and I came across the place in a Business Insider or HuffPo article and as someone who has a keen interest in historic rehabs, this place was right up my alley (and the luxurious nature right up my wife's). So we ended up in Memphis because of the James Lee house. And what a great choice it was. The B&B is very centrally located to everything. It is about a 7 minute drive from everything Beale Street, 5 minutes (if that) to Sun Studio, 5 minutes to Rhodes College and the Zoo and about 15 minutes to Graceland and the airport. We stayed in the Harrson suite, which is located on the mezzanine level in the addition portion of the farm house. The room was immaculately decorated. There were two fireplaces, a sitting room and an ornate bathroom. They put luxurious chocolates and sparkling apple juice in our suite as they knew it was our babymoon. This is epitomizes the thought and detail they put into everything. Jose and Jennifer were ever so warm and welcoming into their home. The Friday we arrived was in between their birthdays, so we were lucky enough to have the chance to have a slice of Jennifer's triple layer chocolate cake. It was delicious. The kitchen is absolutely to die for. It is literally the type of kitchen that everyone dreams of having. The breakfasts were delicious. The first morning we started off with strawberry buckle with lemon pistachio streusel followed by yoghurt and granola with some strawberries and blueberries along with orange marmalade. Pancakes and sausage topped it off. Jose paid close attention as he asked what I drank in the morning the night before, and I was greeted with a french press at the table. I appreciated that the food was filling but not obesely so. The pancakes were out of this world and unlike something I had ever tasted. The second breakfast started off with some croissants and pain au chocolate from a local bakery. This was followed by the same yoghurt and granola concoction. To top it off was gouda grits along with scrambled eggs and apple-smoked bacon. Sure, it is not cheap, but one has to also consider a few things. It is by far the nicest place to stay in town, it is an establishment in itself, it includes breakfast and wifi, and the parking is free (a rental car is a must in Memphis). I cannot tell you how enjoyable the James Lee House was. My wife and I are actually talking about driving down between Xmas and NYE if only for a night so that we can stay in the Lee Suite. Jennifer and Jose, you have created a wonderful establishment that really should be right at the top of all B&B lists nationally. Just by talking to them briefly, one can tell how much love they have for what they do. It truly is inspiring.

It's been said before by the previous reviewers, but this place is a serious gem. We stopped here a few weeks ago while on our road trip through the south. Of all the B&Bs we've stayed in, this one definitely wins in terms of luxuriousness. Jose and his wife are wonderful and kind hosts, that provide a exceptional on-the-minute cooked breakfast. Also, they go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome. In the evening, take a glass of wine and sit in the hall. It's amazing. And if you have a chance, chat with Jose and his wife about the building and the location. It's a truly remarkable and fascinating story.

We had a fantastic visit to the James Lee House. The accommodations are beautiful, and the place is kept very clean. We felt very safe during the current pandemic. Jose was very helpful in getting us situated, and he also helped us find local restaurants and antique shops. Great breakfast also! Highly recommend

I stayed here October 24 & 25, 2014. I found this bed & breakfast through their website, as I was planning a weekend get away to Memphis, TN. I had never been to Memphis and was very excited about experiencing the sights and sounds of the infamous city. I decided upon this bed & breakfast based upon the description of the facilities and the service being FIVE STAR, and the chance to experience a stay in a historical home and neighborhood of Memphis. I understood it had recently opened, and also from reading knew that the owners Jose and Jennifer were new as host and owners. With taxes and fees, the two night stay was over $700.00, but I assure that the facilities nor the service are FIVE STAR. I contacted Jose upon after my return trip, and simply desired to inform him to help them in the future....HOWEVER, he had no appreciation for the the comments, and this was evident by his lack of addressing ALL the issues, or even extending return call or a return email. I will NOT mention everything about the space, that I shared with Jose, however, I will share what is important to those considering a stay.... The bed is average, however the pillow was from WALMART! We experienced a gentlemen guest at the breakfast table, with BARE FEET, so therefore my Sunday AM breakfast I spent staring at his yellow, thick, toe nails, as he sat and chatted with Jose at breakfast....needless to say, the appearance of his feet affected my appetite. I believe even Dennys requires shoes and shirt to have service....but NOT SO, at this FIVE STAR bed & breakfast. Saturday evening there was a wedding & reception held out doors, this is adjacent to the court yard of The James House, the reception went until well after 1 AM....dancing, music, drinking, all are fine with me, but not outside my window on a weekend stay at a bed and breakfast....I assumed at this FIVE STAR bed and breakfast that the host and owner JOSE would acknowledge this upon our arrival at breakfast Sunday morning....instead he chose to behave as if NOTHING had taken place, and then when mentioned in my email, it also was NOT addressed, no reply, but he did have the chance to visit with the thick, yellow, crusted toe nails! The breakfast is about a $20.00 breakfast, and I am pretty certain the croissants are from Starbucks. This could have been, and should have been an AMAZING weekend.

This was a fantastic inn, worth every penny we spent. The property itself is gorgeous and comfortable, with large, well appointed rooms. The breakfasts were excellent - fresh, yummy, made on the spot to our specifications. The owners, Jose and Jennifer, felt like family, especially in how they supported my husband and me when my husband suffered a medical incident while we were there. They went above and beyond the call of duty in attending to our needs. I recommend The James Lee House without reservation.

My girlfriend and I were already going to visit the Hermitage Hotel while visiting Nashville so I wanted to go with something different. I am glad I remembered to click on the bed and breakfast link. As soon as I saw the pictures, I knew this was the place for us to stay in Memphis. You never know how legit the pictures are, but as soon as I stepped in the James Lee House i was awe struck and couldn't stop smiling. It is a beautiful and amazing house. As our attentive host Jose said it is a wonderful blend of the historic and modern. My girlfriend also couldn't stop raving about the house once she stepped inside and couldn't stop telling all her friends about it. I have been to a couple previous bed and breakfast places, but this is what I always imagined a real bed and breakfast to be like. Our Bavarian chocolate croissant was baked fresh in the morning and the grit cake Jose made was unforgettable. My girlfriend was craving it after we left. The house is near the Civil Rights Museum and plenty of places for food lovers to try. When it comes to the bedroom all I can think of is the word luxury. The pictures on the website does not truly reveal how gorgeous all of the rooms are. We drove by the Fedex forum and I am thinking about planning a trip back to catch a basketball game. I am glad we do not live in Memphis or I would be visiting the James Lee House every weekend.

We live in Memphis and were looking for a night away from home without leaving the city. We had heard about the restoration of the James Lee house so we decided to buy local rather than big commercial, and I'm so glad we did! This house is beautiful and everything was perfect! The rooms are spacious, the bed was large and and comfortable- the soaking tub and shower were perfect as was the hot water and water pressure! The owners are so accommodating and will get you anything you need. They are readily available. The greeting, hospitality and gourmet breakfast was all superb. If you are coming from out of town or live in town, I highly recommend a stay at The James Lee House!!

This very special Bed and Breakfast was amazing. Jose and Jennifer were so very accommodating from the moment we arrived. If you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of downtown Memphis, then I would highly recommend the James Lee House, and it's only five minutes from downtown Memphis. I would not stay anywhere else. Stay at this historically fully restored home, and enjoy a wonderful time.

From what I'm reading, I just caught Jose on a bad day. First things first, the place is stunning. I wasn't expecting anything less. I guess what I WAS expecting more of, was customer service. I initially booked a single night, then we decided to stay longer, so I booked another night 2 days before we drove up from New Orleans. We arrive around 8 on a Friday night and I'm told "you canceled your reservation yesterday evening." I never called to cancel; in fact, the first time I called Jose was to ask where to go to park my car. Long story short, Jose said basically everything besides "you're a liar", convincing me that I somehow (while working all the night before), had called and canceled this reservation. As if I'm stupid enough to do so, then drive 6 hours from New Orleans... Anyway, after basically being called a liar, he says "well, no worries, we have a room for you, so let's start over." Sorry, Jose, kind of impossible to start over at this point, but thanks for the room. If we could have just started with "wow, what a huge miscommunication, but we have another room available...", this would be a totally different review. I was completely turned off by his attitude, and it definitely soured our first night there. We got back to the room later that night and had a bottle of wine on the mantel with a note saying "our deepest apologies." An apology for what? Mixing up a reservation cancelation? Calling me anything but a "liar"? Anyway, the place is beautiful and I guess if you're looking for a b&b in Memphis, this would be the spot...just don't get on Jose's bad side. Hindsight being 20/20, I wish I had spent my nearly $500 elsewhere, but c'est la vie.

What can I say that hasn't already been said? My wife & I stayed here last Saturday (12/12/15) to celebrate our anniversary, and this place definitely did not disappoint. Prior to arriving, Jose texted me asking what time he could expect me, as he wanted to welcome me into his home. Never having stayed at a B&B before, I thought I'd quickly check-in, get my key, and be on my way to my room; however, I was quite wrong. Jose gave me a warm welcome, introduced me to his wife, Jennifer, proceeded on a quick tour of his home, and showed me our room. He wanted to make sure we had everything we needed. He also gave me an envelope with my name on it, which included some details/reminders about their home. I could already tell our experience here was going to be different (in a good way) than staying at any other hotel. As with some hotels we've stayed at in the past, I thought the James Lee House might look a little different than the photos I saw online, but that wasn't the case at all. The house was restored perfectly with some modern updates, while keeping its original, historic charm. Even though I had seen pictures online, walking inside the home and seeing it in person was just breathtaking. When my wife & I arrived, Jose & Jennifer were preparing an afternoon tea for other guests. When my wife heard this, she desperately wanted to partake. Not knowing anything about it, I assumed it was just tea, so I didn't think much of it to ask Joe & Jennifer if it would be too much trouble for us to have tea as well. They were both very accommodating and prepared everything for us within 30 minutes. After seeing the presentation, I felt guilty for asking at the last minute, but Jose & Jennifer were more than accommodating. Every item on the afternoon tea menu was amazing! It was such a nice treat! Everything that we couldn't eat was packed up for us to take home, too. We stayed in the Harsson suite, and it was everything I saw in the photos. The room was gorgeous & spacious, and the bathroom was immaculate. The chair & couch in the room were also surprisingly comfortable. I think the one thing we enjoyed most about our room was the king size tempurpedic bed with softness & firmness controls. We didn't want to leave the bed! When my wife & I left for dinner Saturday evening, Jose was kind enough to take some photos of us inside the home & outside on the Cinderella carriage. When we returned from dinner, we entered through the rear gated parking lot, and through the locked back door - such nice, secure features that we loved. We were able to have a late breakfast (9am) the next morning, where we enjoyed a three-course meal! I was expecting only some eggs & bacon. There were homemade croissants on our table when we came down for breakfast. Next, we enjoyed Greek yogurt with a homemade orange marmalade, local honey, cranberries, pecans, and a blackberry. Finally, we had pancakes (blueberries in mine) made by Jose along with bacon. Of course, we also enjoyed fine tea and coffee, too. Again, Jose packed up the leftover croissants for us to take home. We were able to relax in our room until check-out time at 11am. Jose bid us farewell and walked us out. It was definitely a wonderful treat to stay at the James Lee House. At previous hotels, we've always heard other people banging doors, running up and down halls, etc. At the James Lee House, we thoroughly enjoyed peace and quiet in our room. During our stay, there was only one other couple staying at the house. Our stay was so relaxing. Additional nice, little touches included: - Updated, secure door handles & locks on all of the doors - Our own personal door key and gate key - Thick, soundproofing door sweeps on the doors - Free Wi-Fi - Sleeping masks & earplugs - Bottled water in the room - Lush, cozy towels, sheets, and blankets Jose & Jennifer definitely thought of everything & didn't miss any details when they did the restoration. Their professional care and attention to our every need made our stay so personal. We highly recommended staying here!

From being greeted at the door of this amazing house by Jose and Jeniffer to the amazing restored beautiful home, to our impeccable room to a gourmet breakfast, this was a Great experience and perfect getaway. Ditch the hotel and stay here...you Will not regret it!. This truly is a five star experience.

My husband and I went for a weekend getaway. The accommodations were outstanding. The room, bath, and bed were the perfect examples of pampering. Breakfast was wonderful as well as the company of the owners. We hope to return soon.

We had a long weekend in Memphis to see the Garth Brooks concert and explore the city. We were so comfortable staying at this lovely B&B - all the comforts of home. Jennifer and Jose welcomed us and provided wonderful food and interesting conversation. The house was renovated in beautiful decor and offered any amenity you could want. It was a wonderful convenience to have the off-street parking. We highly recommend the James Lee House.

My wife and I stayed at The James Lee House in late August 2016. The owners, Jose and Jennifer have done a first class job restoring this historic home, inside and out. We have stayed at many first class hotels throughout the world and many B&B's in the United States. The James Lee House is easily placed with the best. Jose and Jennifer were excellent hosts. They were accommodating, interesting to talk with and provided a well presented and delicious breakfast. From the gated parking, to the beautiful entry way and parlor rooms, to the beautifully restored guest room with its five start appointments, this B&B provided class and elegance from end-to-end. We look forward to returning to this superb Bed and Breakfast. Thanks to the owners Jose and Jennifer for their countless months and years of careful planning and restoration.

The historic James Lee House in Victorian Village is newly restored and renovated to make the perfect mix of charming character with the finest of amenities. We had the pleasure of spending last night in the Crosley Suite. It is a tribute to the family history of Jennifer's great grandfather who was the inventor of Crosley Radio. From the king sized Tempur Choice bed with luxurious linens to the immaculate decor, and the spacious bathroom nothing was left to be desired. Breakfast was an absolute treat of freshly baked croissants with butter and homemade preserves, homemade granola atop fruit and yogurt, and mimosas. Owners Jose and Jennifer left no stone unturned in taking an abandoned piece of history and making it into a must for your bucket list. Whether it is a visit to Memphis for several days or a one night getaway we highly recommend this experience!!!! You will not be sorry and will leave looking forward to your next return,