Georgia Magazine - June 2019 - 34

Around GEORGIA

COURTESY THE GEORGIAN TERRACE

COURTESY BEST WESTERN PLUS WINDSOR HOTEL

COURTESY BEST WESTERN PLUS WINDSOR HOTEL

Far left: The Georgian Terrace in
Atlanta was placed on the National
Register of Historic Places in 1986. It
served as an apartment building for
a time before returning to its hotel
roots in 1996. Left: The Presidential
Suite atop the turret at the Best
Western Plus Windsor Hotel in
Americus is named for former
President Jimmy Carter, who grew
up in the area. Below: An early
postcard bears a photo of the
Windsor Hotel, the familiar shape of
which remains the same today.

When you go
* Best Western Plus Windsor Hotel,
125 W. Lamar St., Americus.
(229) 924-1555.
windsor-americus.com.
* Cotton Sail Hotel, 126 W. Bay St.,
Savannah. (912) 200-3700.
bit.ly/cottonsail.
* The Georgian Terrace, 659 Peachtree
St., Atlanta. (404) 897-1991.
thegeorgianterrace.com.
* Greyfield Inn, 4 N. Second St.,
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034 (location
of ferry that goes to the island).
(904) 261-6408. greyfieldinn.com.
* Jekyll Island Club Resort,
371 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island.
(912) 635-2600. jekyllclub.com.
* The Partridge Inn, 2110 Walton Way,
Augusta. (706) 737-8888.
partridgeinn.com.
* River Street Inn, 124 E. Bay St.,
Savannah. (912) 234-6400.
riverstreetinn.com.

34

Georgia Magazine

June 2019

Continued from page 32

added to the National Register of Historic Places. The property expanded
with a modern, 20-story addition of 214 units and became an apartment
building until it morphed back into a hotel in 1996.
The original structure kept the columned ballrooms and the two-story
dining room with its wraparound porch-perfect for people-watching
while sipping a cocktail before attending a show at the Fox. Perhaps the
hotel's biggest claim to fame was hosting the cast of "Gone With the Wind"
when the movie premiered in Atlanta in 1939 (at the Loew's Grand downtown).
In downtown Americus, the Victorian influences of the late 1880s are
reflected in the red-brick tower and turret of the Best Western Plus Windsor
Hotel that dominates the streetscape. Originally built as a getaway from
colder climates, the hotel still occupies most of a city block. It closed in
the 1970s, but a $5.8 million restoration reclaimed the soaring three-story
lobby, the detailed woodworkings, the public and private dining rooms,
and the 53 guestrooms, each of which has a somewhat different layout.
The most unusual space is the top of the turret, where the Presidential
Suite was named for former President Jimmy Carter, who grew up 10 miles
from Americus and has been a frequent guest. His presence in the area
often draws visitors who stay at the Windsor, says sales director Divya Patel.
"We also get people who come just for the hotel, who say it was on
their bucket list to see," she says. "It's become a bit of a destination because
there are so few historic places like this left."
H.M. Cauley is an Atlanta-based freelance writer.

http://www.windsor-americus.com http://www.bit.ly/cottonsail http://www.thegeorgianterrace.com http://www.greyfieldinn.com http://www.jekyllclub.com http://www.partridgeinn.com http://www.riverstreetinn.com

Georgia Magazine - June 2019

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