Our daughter recently graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design, which meant four years of visits.
Over those four years, we ended up trying almost every hotel in the historic district.
If you’re headed to Savannah for a dorm move-in, a romantic getaway, or just because someone you love ended up there, here’s what four years of trial and error taught me about where to sleep.
Savannah isn’t one downtown. It’s four.
This is the part nobody tells you, and it changes everything about where you should stay.
River Street and Bay Street are the loud version of Savannah. Bars, souvenir shops, restaurants stacked on top of each other, a bachelorette party around every corner. Definitely worth a visit, even just to say you did it.
Walk one block up and you hit City Market, still touristy, but somebody turned the volume down. A slower, easier version of the same energy.
Another block up is Broughton Street, which is basically a shopping strip. Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Faherty, Vineyard Vines. If you like popping in and out of shops, this is where you’re going.
Keep going and you land in the Oglethorpe and Liberty area. Hands down my favorite. Slower still. Boutiques, cafes, small hotels nestled in between row houses. And past that, Forsyth Park, which is its own reward.
Where you stay basically decides which version of Savannah you wake up in. So here’s the rundown, hotel by hotel.
Hilton Garden Inn – Savannah Historic District (W. Bay Street)
Our first stop, back in the freshman drop-off days. Walking distance to the dorms, River Street, and Broughton, which made it the obvious pick for that time period.
The lobby is a solid spot to camp out with a laptop if you’re up early or squeezing in work before the day’s agenda kicks off.
One warning: hotel valet here is not cheap. Budget for it or find street parking and walk.
Aloft by Marriott Savannah Downtown Historic District
This is good for a quick in-and-out, especially if you need to be near The Hive.
It’s an easy walk to Broughton, City Market, and the Oglethorpe/Liberty area. Not a family hotel in the “we need two queens and a rollaway” sense, but great when it’s just one parent making a fast trip.
Hampton Inn and Suites Savannah Historic District
The one that saved us when we were traveling three kids deep and booked on short notice.
We landed a larger room with a sleeper sofa, which at that stage of parenting is basically the whole ballgame.
Roomy lobby for winding down before bed.
It’s probably due for a refresh at this point, but it did its job when we needed the space.
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Savannah Downtown/Historic District
Good access to Broughton and Oglethorpe/Liberty.
One quirk worth knowing before you book: barn doors on the bathroom. Charming in theory, less charming when you’re sharing a room with your family and everyone can hear everything.
Self-parking is in a nearby garage.
Homewood Suites by Hilton Savannah Historic District/Riverfront
Great option if you know you’ll be spending most of your time around River Street and Bay Street.
It’s a longer walk to Broughton from here, and honestly, think twice before attempting the walk to Forsyth Park. It’s farther than it looks on the map.
The Kimpton Brice Hotel
Loved our stay here. It has that tucked-into-a-neighborhood feel that makes it not feel like a hotel at all.
A quieter stretch of Bay Street, with easy garage parking right across the street.
Upscale, well done, and the pool courtyard is the real hidden gem here, easy to miss if you don’t go looking for it.
Walkable to Broughton, still a bit of a haul to Forsyth Park.
The DeSoto Hotel
The one we kept coming back to.
Once our daughter moved into an apartment nearby, this became our default.
The rooms could use a refresh, but the value for the price is hard to beat.
It sits steps from E. Shaver Booksellers and The Public Kitchen & Bar, and it’s an easy walk to both Broughton and Forsyth Park.
If I had to pick one hotel from this whole list, this is it.
Honorable mentions
We’ve also spent nights in short-term rentals out on Tybee Island, in the Victorian District, and on Wilmington Island.
Most recently, we rented a VRBO managed by Lucky Savannah and it went off without a hitch.
All good options if you want a break from downtown or you’re stretching a visit into a mini vacation.
Loafers & Legacy 