Turn down in China Trade Suite

Picture yourself enjoying a romantic stay in Savannah, whether for a quick trip or long weekend. You’ve spent a fascinating day in the Historic District, maybe capping the evening off with a moonlit horse-drawn carriage ride. It’s been a great day, but it’s time to make your way back to your exclusive lodging at the Ballastone Inn mansion (circa 1838).

Earlier you would have enjoyed our historic bed-and-breakfast inn’s fresh scones with Devonshire cream at afternoon tea, sipped fine wine before dinner, and lingered in the charm of the drawing rooms and private garden. But at the close of day you find the bar has been raised again in your beautifully appointed room. The attentive staff has turned down your bed, dimmed the lighting and left a Trafalgar Square chocolate treat, handmade by C. Kay Cummings Candies, to complete the day’s experience.

When you climb into the cloud-comfort of the Ballastone’s bed, you’ll settle into triple-sheeted luxury, with pristine sheets encasing the down-filled comforter. And if you are lucky enough to have arrived on the rare winter evening when it feels actually wintry in Savannah, you’ll enjoy the ambiance and chill-chasing glow of the hand crafted, gas coal fireplace from Grate Fires. The 19th Century style fireplaces are now installed in most of our rooms.

You’ll leave Savannah with many wonderful memories, including the luxurious comfort of the “welcome home to Savannah” message conveyed by our nightly turndown service. It’s an extraordinary amenity at Ballastone Inn where nothing is ordinary.

4 O'Clock Victorian High Tea Daily at the Ballastone Inn

Strawberry school?

Innkeeper Jennifer Salandi insists everything be just so at the elegant Ballastone Inn in Savannah, Georgia. When guests take a break from Savannah’s charms to enjoy the complimentary high tea the Ballastone provides its guests, Jennifer demands their experience be perfect. A proper afternoon tea requires Devonshire cream and petite scones, she says. She wants chocolate-covered strawberries on the inn’s Savannah tea table often, and sometimes they’re a romantic little amenity in a guest’s room.

“The leaves have to be beautifully in place, but none of the chocolate can get on the leaves,” she insists. Even the perfectly dipped strawberry isn’t enough. A creative touch decorates the berries in white chocolate – a swirl pattern, perhaps. Ballastone’s lighthearted luxury is showcased when the strawberry “artist” outfits the berry with a deftly drawn “tuxedo,” as in the elopement weddings at Ballastone!

To get the perfect strawberries every time, Jennifer serves as chief school marm at her own “Strawberry School.” Every employee, not just the chef, knows how to make the confections to Jennifer’s exacting standards. That way, there’s no risk of the charming details being overlooked – whether for a last minute romantic getaway or a social tea party.

Luxury and elegance? Yes. Snootiness? No. Jennifer’s luxury-meets-practical approach buoys this coveted lodging in Savannah’s Landmark Historic District far beyond any stereotype. This means you’ll never miss out on the details – like beautifully crafted strawberries – that add up to Savannah’s finest bed-and-breakfast experience.

On Twitter @BallastoneInn and Facebook follow our AAA Four-Diamond mansion bed and breakfast inn in Savannah, Georgia’s historic district on National Register Historic Places.

Breakfast in the courtyard garden at Ballastone Inn

Divine beds, gourmet breakfasts, afternoon tea and lavish Savannah-themed interiors – at other Savannah bed-and-breakfasts and hotels, these might be goals. They’re givens, however, at the Ballastone Inn mansion. Confidently anticipate those, plus the less expected but equally welcome touches to elevate your Savannah experience.

Consider, for instance, the Ballastone’s private courtyard. Guests can enjoy Savannah’s lovely mornings (and our equally lovely breakfasts) in the peaceful courtyard that defines Savannah secret gardens. You don’t have to retreat to the far corners of the city to enjoy this privacy: the Ballastone offers seclusion in the midst of Savannah’s Historic District. A-list celebrity guests long ago discovered the inn was a private haven after a day on the film set.

We have permission to say that we’ll be welcoming historian and author Douglas Brinkley for the Savannah Book Festival, and playing host to German violin maestro Ulf Hoelscher, who will be in town to perform February 11, 2012, with the Savannah Philharmonic. Two of our lucky guests will take two prime seats at the Savannah Philharmonic performance featuring Hoelscher, courtesy of Ballastone Inn. We are so very proud to be a part of the cultural structure of Savannah.

Year around Ballastone Inn helps to live up to Savannah’s title as “the Hostess City” by treating all of our guests as celebrities. You can enjoy as much of our luxurious privacy as you’d like at Ballastone’ Inn’s historic mansion, distinguished with our AAA Four-Diamond hotel rating since 1997.

Speaking of privacy, our lips are sealed – but a film crew for a major network recently filmed inside Ballastone Inn’s AAA Four-Diamond mansion. Word is, it’s a romantic pilot, but more than that we cannot say.

Let us know when you’ll be arriving.

On Twitter @BallastoneInn and Facebook follow our AAA Four-Diamond mansion bed and breakfast inn in Savannah, Georgia’s historic district on National Register Historic Places.

Breakfast in the Front Parlor at Historic Ballastone Inn

Savannah brings people back for another visit. Business or maybe a destination wedding could be what brings you to The Hostess City of the South for the first time, but you’ll be back, probably more than once – back for the romance, back for the elegance, back for the chance to step back through centuries.

What do Ballastone Inn’s repeat visitors do, after they’ve done all the “obvious” things? House museums that capture the way people lived in bygone centuries? Check. Art galleries showcasing period treasures and today’s rising stars? Check. Fine dining? Check. Shopping for everything from hand-forged iron oyster knives to antique furnishings to pralines to high fashion? Check. Romantic horse-drawn carriage ride, soaking up jazz in an intimate nightspot, beach-bumming it on Tybee Island? Check, check, check.

Don’t worry! While Savannah is historic and seems timeless, it is also constantly evolving. Ballastone Inn’s concierges know there’s always something new embedded in the old – a rooftop bar at a trendy hotel, a chef showcasing a new international cuisine, new treasures to add to Savannah’s existing stock, like the SCAD Museum of Art that opened in the fall of 2011. Ballastone manager Melissa Williams and the thoughtful concierge staff at our romantic bed-and-breakfast inn can steer you to in-depth experiences or whatever you are looking for, whether it is the latest addition to Savannah’s charms or a deeper look at the imagery of Victorian cemetery statuary.

Of Savannah attractions, Melissa recommends, “See downtown Savannah through the eyes of a true historian, Earl Moore. He is also called ‘Earl of Chatham’. We also recommend touring our Low Country area, which offers a different flavor of Savannah. From Ballastone Inn, the personal driving tour is hosted by Kathy Moore.”

But top-of-class concierges at the AAA 4-Diamond Ballastone Inn in Savannah also teach the inn’s returning visitors, and even the first-time bed and breakfast guests, a valuable lesson about leisure in America’s most beautiful city. While there is plenty to do, you can also just be. Linger over your gourmet breakfast in our private courtyard. Lean on a lamppost on River Street and watch world commerce churn up and down the Savannah River. Hold down a park bench and watch the Spanish moss sway in the live oaks. Stroll on the beach as the moon rises out of the Atlantic Ocean. Those exquisite moments of peace are among Savannah’s greatest attractions.

Aren’t you ready now for more first-class visits in Savannah, Georgia?

Romantic Valentine's in Historic Savannah GA

Valentine’s Day 2012 is fast approaching.  If a holiday and an exquisite setting ever had the perfect intersection, it is Valentine’s Day and the Ballastone Inn.

By February 14th, most of what passes for winter in Savannah is behind us (although Mother Nature can still surprise us!)  The historic district will be poised for spring and showing a few hints of the seasonal glory to come.

Boasting luxurious rooms and elegant furnishings, our beautiful mansion revels in its history but still offers such essential modern conveniences as an elevator, and a table-for-two gourmet breakfast in our secluded courtyard.  You’ll fall in love with the Ballastone while rekindling your own relationship.

More exquisite service for each Valentine’s Day couple at Ballastone Inn!  Each will receive our special gifts — a split of Champagne and, of course, a long stem red rose in every room. 

But the romantic ambiance does not stop at the Ballastone Inn’s beautiful curving staircase. Savannah itself is a remarkably romantic city. You’ll find it reflected in our spacious green squares, the massive live oaks draped with Spanish moss, the cobblestones approaching River Street. Hop in a horse-drawn carriage to take in the sights, by day or moonlight.

Let our concierge help you with fresh flowers, special chocolates, Champagne. Select from our wide array of fine restaurants. Cruise on the river.  Take in live music at a downtown nightspot or historic theatre. And, enjoy it all the more because you know your luxurious sanctuary is waiting for you at the end of the evening at Ballastone Inn.

Aren’t you ready now to book your Valentine’s Day getaway in Savannah, GA?

Ballastone Inn
 14 East Oglethorpe Avenue, Savannah, GA USA 31401
(912) 236-1484 | (800) 822-4553 | Fax (912) 236-4626
inn@ballastone.com | www.ballastone.com
Follow our AAA Four-Diamond, romantic bed and breakfast on Twitter @BallastoneInn and Facebook

Editorial excellence and championing living with style, savvy and a zest for adventure

Savannah’s neighbors to the north (well, not very far north) have saluted the Ballastone Inn as “the perfect place for a social event celebrating romance – or for an intimate weekend getaway.” That’s from Charleston Style and Design’s current edition (February 2012), and you can read the full story here.

We especially loved that a couple wrote the piece.  Who better to know romance?

“The Ballastone Inn offers history, romance and top-drawer Southern hospitality.” – Romantic Savannah, Charleston Style and Design, by Charles and Mary Love

Ballastone Inn will assist in every way to make your romantic getaway in Savannah, GA a top-of-class experience any season!  Simply let us know when your plans bring you to Savannah’s beautiful, coastal corner of the American South.

Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra

Selectively, Ballastone Inn supports the rich cultural scene in historic Savannah, Georgia – a city with a treasure trove of entertainment and the arts to delight and accommodate cultured travel and every taste.

Whether escaping to Savannah’s historic district for music, theatre, art galleries, film or museums, all downtown cultural venues are within a short stroll from the historic Ballastone mansion inn.  Even bistros, fashion boutiques, restaurants and pubs out-perform to engage and entertain with original art and musical performances.

The first rate Savannah Philharmonic is a standout, and among our favorite cultural happenings. Next month the newest Philharmonic event will showcase a series of intimate concerts to include a unique afternoon tea party in the legendary Olde Pink House ballroom. Expected to be an early sellout, the Afternoon Adagio (Saturday, February 4, 2012 from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m.) is the perfect occasion to gather with dear friends and to enjoy an afternoon of chamber music, amazing food, and southern society. Sip champagne and exotic teas.  Nibble on Pink House delectables. All the while, the music will flow from Savannah Philharmonic musician, Robbi Kenney and friends.

Proceeds from the silent auction at the musical social will directly benefit our friends at the Savannah Philharmonic. Ballastone has donated an accommodation package, and more high performing businesses are chipping in with gift certificates, a fragrance package, and spa packages.  A high-fashion hat competition will give attendees a chance to win a select prize, donated by 37th@Abercorn Antiques. The world famous, historical architecture gives yet another reason to make reservations early for this unique Philharmonic event.

The city’s beauty is always a top performer. Take a private carriage ride laced with a spooky or romantic tale.  A don’t miss is the cathedral tour.  Meander through the beautiful squares. Savannah richly delivers with over 200 events held throughout the year, extending the unforgettable opportunities for culture throughout the seasons.

We believe there is no better historic lodging than Ballastone Inn’s mansion, epitomizing Savannah’s first-rate southern culture through our own art, elegant details, and genteel manners.  Located in the center of Savannah’s historic district, our premier inn delivers with lavishly appointed guest rooms.  Our top-of-class concierges are simply the best in Savannah!

We will assist in every way to make your longed for vacation relaxing and a pleasurable stay, just as it should be!  Aren’t you ready for pampering and culture from the top performers in Savannah, GA?

Beautiful blooms at Ballastone Inn

Innkeeper Jennifer Salandi knows just what it takes to complete the alluring picture created at the Ballastone Inn, the AAA 4-Diamond, luxury bed and breakfast mansion that rivals four-star hotels in Savannah.  The imposing circa-1838 mansion is furnished with antiques and Jennifer’s own lovingly assembled silver collection, plus flowers!  Custom arrangements by Debbie Hall Designs give the perfect final touch to this luxurious bed-and-breakfast inn in Savannah’s historic district.

The appreciation for the floral touch doesn’t stop at the mansion inn’s threshold, either.  The picturesque flower boxes that grace the Ballastone Inn are always in bloom, updated throughout the seasons. They not only beautify the premier inn, but they do their part to add to the gracious appeal of Savannah, one of the most romantic cities in America.

Many of the lavishly appointed rooms at the Ballastone treat their guests to views of the inn’s private courtyard, and patrons can even arrange to enjoy their gourmet breakfast outdoors there.  The mansion’s garden courtyard is a quiet spot for discerning travelers and celebrities who visit Savannah.

The inn’s secluded courtyard in the heart of the historic district brings to mind Savannah’s legacy of secret gardens.  As you walk through the living museum of Savannah, you’ll glimpse these cherished treasures through gates of sculpted wrought iron, where the sound of a trickling fountain or the scent of a tea olive hints at the tantalizing garden gems just out of sight.

Of course, Savannah boasts many beautiful public gardens as well, starting with the squares encountered on your historic district stroll. The Savannah Botanical Garden offers, among others, a superb rose garden. The Georgia coast’s mild winter climate is ideal for camellias, which bloom throughout the winter months. Ask your concierge at the Ballastone Inn for directions to the Judge Arthur Solomon Camellia Trail, home of more than 1,000 species of camellia on the grounds of the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm.

Savannah is a blooming, beautiful city and the Ballastone Inn reflects it to perfection!   Come visit year ‘round.

Ballastone Inn
 14 East Oglethorpe Avenue, Savannah, GA USA 31401
(912) 236-1484 | (800) 822-4553 | Fax (912) 236-4626
inn@ballastone.com | www.ballastone.com

Follow our AAA Four-Diamond, luxury bed and breakfast on Twitter @BallastoneInn and Facebook

Ballastone Inn on beautiful Oglethorpe Avenue

You have to get the big things right before it matters that you get the small things right.

At the Ballastone Inn, the big things are all in place: a convenient central location in the heart of Savannah’s historic district, luxurious rooms in an historically significant mansion, an experienced innkeeper and staff dedicated to ensuring guests enjoy their sojourn in elegance.

Poised for a delightful 2012!