Alumni Magazine - Fall 2008 - (Page 63) Savannah Sojourn Old meets new at Kessler’s Mansion on Forsyth Park By Leslie Overman Richard Kessler, pictured in the portrait above, has created a collection of boutique hotels. Among them is the Mansion on Forsyth Park, right, in Savannah. “I live for projects that I think truly make a difference,” he says. Step inside a guest room at the Mansion on Forsyth Park in historic Savannah, Ga., and you may be greeted by the strains of a Gershwin tune. “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy …” The mood music features modern send-ups and remixes of old standards — a perfect fit for a hotel that blends classic charm with modern elegance. Located at 700 Drayton St. and facing Forsyth Park, the beautifully restored and renovated 19th-century mansion features a restaurant and lounge, a wine cellar and a cooking school. The Mansion is part of the Kessler Collection of boutique hotels owned by Richard C. Kessler, IE 69, MS IE 70. The hotel has been named to the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List each year since its 2005 opening. Earlier this year, it was named to ForbesTraveler.com’s list of the “Sexiest Hotels in America.” The original 18,000-square-foot brick and terra cotta Victorian Georgian manor was purchased by Kessler in 2001. Built in 1888, the property was known as the KaytonGranger-Huger House and in 1953 became the Fox & Weeks Funeral Home. The renovated building now houses the 700 Drayton Restaurant, Carriage Wine Cellar and 700 Kitchen Cooking School. The hotel occupies the adjacent four-story building along with an art gallery, spa and meeting space. Kessler, who has spent more than 37 years in hotel development and operations, made his fortune at the helm of Days Inn, of which he became president and chairman in 1975 at the age of 29. In 1984, he formed Kessler Enterprise Inc. and began developing one-of-a-kind hotels. Kessler Collection hotels now are in Florida, Georgia, Colorado and New Mexico. Born in Savannah, Kessler spoke of his vision for the Mansion on Forsyth Park in a 2001 interview with the ALUMNI MAGAZINE: “I want to do a very high-end boutique hotel in the Southeast, a real community place, with a banquet facility, a fourand-a-half-star hotel with a large food operation in Savannah’s historic district.” The AAA four-diamond Mansion on Forsyth Park has 126 guest rooms, including 16 suites. In a thirdfloor room at the front of the building, sage-colored silk drapes cloak the windows much like the Spanish moss clings to the live oaks throughout Savannah, bringing a bit of Forsyth Park indoors. The bed has a pillow-top mattress and is dressed in crisp white linens and a down comforter. An armchair of mossy green velvet sits in the corner of the room and a chandelier hangs overhead. Each of the Mansion’s rooms features oversized soaking, vintage or whirlpool tubs, high-speed wireless Internet and flat-screen TVs. Though the Mansion is within walking distance of restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and many of the city’s public parks, the hotel is a destination itself. The 700 Kitchen Cooking School offers hands-on classes. There’s also the 700 Drayton Restaurant, which serves nouvelle American cuisine with a Savannah flair. After dinner, head upstairs to Casimir’s Lounge for cocktails and live jazz. On the way to your room, you can drop in the Bosendorfer Lounge, located in the lobby with a magnificent Bosendorfer concert grand piano. An avid art collector, Kessler distributes thousands of pieces throughout his hotels. More than 400 works of American and European art are housed in the Mansion. The Grand Bohemian Art Gallery, located in the first-floor lobby, specializes in original 20thand 21st-century American and European art, jewelry, art glass pieces and gift items. Lining the hallway outside the Viennese Ballroom are glass cases displaying more than 100 hats dating from 1860 to 1960. Paintings line the hallways to the guest rooms, and an original piece of artwork hangs in each room. Next spring, the Kessler Collection will open the Bohemian Hotel at Savannah Riverfront, which will have 75 guest rooms and a rooftop bar and terrace overlooking historic River Street. Kessler’s Grand Bohemian Hotel Atlanta is set to open in 2010. The 275-room property will feature two restaurants, a fullservice spa, two ballrooms, meeting rooms and an outdoor wedding pavilion. “I live for projects that I think truly make a difference,” Kessler says, “that still should have value 50 years from today, that hopefully won’t be torn down.” Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine • Fall 2008 63
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