Vacation ideas full of Southern charm
Keswick Hall in Virginia is near Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Credit: Keswick Hall
“Virginia is for lovers” is that state’s tourism slogan, but it’s not the only place in the South for romance. If you’re looking for love Southern-style, consider these spots.
1. KESWICK HALL, Charlottesville, Virginia This romantic hideaway was once the home of Sir Bernard Ashley, whose wife was design doyenne Laura Ashley. Keswick Hall’s 600 acres, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, look like a landscape painting sprung to life. Visit nearby landmarks such as Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and James Monroe’s Ashlawn/Highland plantations, or more than 25 wineries and breweries. Then make time for relaxing in front of the fire, sipping afternoon tea in the drawing room, lazing by the infinity pool or teeing off on the Pete Dye-designed championship golf course.
INFO keswick.com
2. BELMOND CHARLESTON PLACE, Charleston, South Carolina It will be love at first sight when you arrive at Belmond’s Italian marble lobby with its 12-foot crystal chandelier and sweeping staircase that Scarlett O’Hara would be proud to sashay down. Amenities include a saltwater pool with a retractable glass roof, full-service spa and upscale shopping arcade. The “Spring Selections” package from March 18 to May 31 includes a 10 percent discount on accommodations, sparkling wine upon arrival and an afternoon sail for two aboard the Schooner Pride.
INFO belmond.com/charlestonplace
3. THE WATERCOLOR INN, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida The serene setting for this 60-room boutique hotel is 500 acres of sugar-white Gulf Coast beach, with each room boasting a private balcony for watching sunsets or stealing a moonlight kiss. The hotel’s Signature Romance Experience offers the requisite Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries, a 50-minute Swedish massage at the InnSpa and dinner in the award-winning Fish Out of Water Restaurant (order the famed Apalachicola oysters — you know what they say about oysters).
INFO watercolorresort.com
4. THE GASTONIAN INN, Savannah, Georgia Just a few blocks from Forsythe Park, the 17-room B&B comprised of two 1868 Italianate mansions epitomizes the ambience and charm of Savannah. Rooms are painted in subtle shades of blue and light gold, made even more ethereal by the Savannah sun pouring in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Every room has a working fireplace and some have four-poster beds, while bathroom decor ranges from antique claw-foot tubs to two-person Jacuzzis.
INFO gastonian.com
