2/15/24 1st day- My wife and I enjoyed the brick roads and the impressive trees dripping with moss on our drive to Godley Manor. We took several minutes to take in the beauty of the manor. We stood on the sidewalk and viewed every angle before walking up the stairs to the welcoming door. As we entered, we were delighted with the charm of the decor and natural woodwork. We were greeted by Beth and she was filled with the Savannah charm. She made us feel at home and referred to us as “family.” Beth gave us a tour of the manor and we fell in love with every room. Our room, 301, was perfect. Each piece of furniture looked like it was built for the house, from the giant creaking wardrobe to the chandelier, our eyes enjoyed every timely, well-crafted piece. We walked toward Zunizibar for dinner constantly pointing and enjoying the architecture along the way. The service was comforting from the greeter to the manager and the food was amazing. The walk back in the evening was magical. It was like we took a step back in time as we walked the bricks lit by gas-lit lanterns. Our first night at Godley Manor did not disappoint. The bed was very comfortable. We both slept sound and woke up well-rested.
2/16/24 2nd day- After a wonderful night’s sleep, we went downstairs to the dining room. We were greeted by a few other guests and enjoyed some fresh fruit, muffins, and fresh coffee. We gathered a few things from the room and set out on a walking adventure. Our destination was the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. The visiting hours are about 9:00-11:00. It is the true meaning of “Awesome.” We continued to explore the city and discovered the welcome center building for SCAD, Savannah College of Art & Design. We toured the building and gift shop. Our next walk took us in the direction of the famous Mercer House which is known as the scene for the book/movie; “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” We ventured through as many of the historic “squares” as we could on our way to the fountain at Forsyth Park. Dinner reservations were at the northern location of Collin’s Quarters where we enjoyed a great meal. On our way back, we stopped at Jazz’d Tapas Bar for a cocktail and were treated to some live music to end our day.
2/17/24 3rd day- Another restful night’s sleep, we met up with our friends and walked toward our lunch reservations at Vic’s on the River. We split the stuffed flounder with crab meat and the spicy shrimp appetizer. Delicious. We then made our way to the Marriot by the river where we were amazed by the collections of geodes, fossils, and crystals. The place was like a museum. We decided to get a great view of the river so we went to the rooftop bar called, The Electric Moon Skytop Lounge. The drinks were very expensive, but the views were priceless. We found an area with lots of shops to purchase artwork by local artists and were impressed with the quality of work at every turn. We were drawn to the gallery of Stephen Kasun where we purchased a few pieces to remind us of this great city. Our friends and my wife were in the mood for coffee, so we walked back to Vic’s on the River to visit their coffee shop on the 1st floor below the restaurant. We enjoyed our walk back to Godley Manor through the squares to catch a nap before our late-night reservations at The Olde Pink House. This was definitely one of our most favorite places. The food was delicious and our server, Maddie, was lovely. She is a local and offered her knowledge and experiences. There is a lady that roams the restaurant in period attire talking to patrons while gracing them with her beautiful singing voice. We ended our evening with a crisp walk home enjoying Abercorn Street and the visual delights of the shadows formed by the street lights on the Savannah flora.
2/18/24 4th day- The plan for today included a morning trip to The Ordinary Pub for brunch. THis hidden gem is below ground level and is tastefully decorated like a wine cellar. With full bellies, we got in the car and ventured to Bonaventure Cemetery to walk around and we ended up at Conrad Aiken’s grave. We paid our respects to the famous author and drove over the bridge to Tybee Island. We paid to park and walked around enjoying the Light House, the remnants of the fort and cruised the boardwalk over the dunes to the beach. We ate lunch at the Narra Tree restaurant where we enjoyed traditional Filipino food. Back to Godley to prepare for more adventures. We went to the Paris Market to shop and then I found The Jewelry Consignment Network shop where we purchased a few pieces to bling-up our outfits. We had 8:15 reservations at the 17hundred90 restaurant where we enjoyed drinks and a delicious dinner. We also enjoyed the live music delivered by the talented pianist. On our way home, we visited the Bamboo Room Tiki Bar rooftop for some spectacular views and drinks.
2/19/24 5th day- We are sad that this is our last morning in Savannah and our stay at the Godley, but we are happy knowing that we will be back. Beth called us “family” at the beginning of our trip and we know that she meant it. We were treated well and understand that we are always welcome here.
Troy & Emily