Austin, Texas; Charleston, South Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Savannah, Georgia; and New Orleans, Louisiana — while all bear their own personalities, each has mastered the allure, magnetism and enchantment associated with the American South. Whether you visit one or them all, you won’t leave unrested, hungry, parched or without a great story to tell.
AUSTIN
Where to Stay
Built in 1928, Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection feels cinematic in its grandeur. You can sense the 95 years of history that took place within the 10-acre property, the culmination of the love story between “Commodore” E.H. Perry and his wife, Lutie Pryor. The couple built the Italianate mansion along Waller Creek behind a stone wall right in the middle of what would become the hub of Austin.
In recent years, designer Ken Fulk preserved the resort’s charm by restoring several structures and keeping original details, such as the stone lions and fountains, intact. At the newly built three-story inn, 42 rooms and seven suites line a courtyard shaded by palm trees. Each accommodation has a craft cocktail cart, heirloom vintage pieces sourced from Round Top Antiques Fair, vintage rugs and Juliette balconies. Over in the original 10,800-square-foot Renaissance Revival mansion, five suites offer pure indulgence and pay homage to past residents.
Where to Eat
Sushi by Scratch Restaurants from Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee showcases what we love about omakase: creativity, personalization, intimacy and unmatched quality. Tucked away in Cedar Creek at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa about 30 minutes from Austin, the experience only accommodates 10 guests with three nightly seatings. Throughout this journey, develop a one-on-one relationship with the highly skilled chefs behind the counter, each of whom comes from varying backgrounds and is trained in different techniques from around the world. A dab of this, a coat of that, seared here and there, each delicate and pristine slice of fish gets patted and plated as the chefs work their way through dozens of dishes on the menu-of-the-day board.
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
Where to Stay
Hotel Bennett feels like the ultimate love letter to the South. Built by native Charlestonians, the historic site formerly housed the original west wing of The Citadel, South Carolina’s Military Academy and, more recently, the Charleston Library. It resembles an Italian palazzo-style tripartite building from the 18th and 19th centuries. Custom furnishings that reflect Charleston’s elegance and grace — with a modern slant — punctuate the 179 stylish rooms and suites — think pedestal tubs and luxurious linens. Request the St. Matthew Suite, beneath the steeple of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, which is visible from every angle in the bedroom and living area windows. The church’s rosy hue casts a glow throughout the room from the early morning to golden hour. Add on access to King’s Club — the hotel’s hospitality lounge — to enjoy extra amenities from the moment you arrive. Your King’s Club concierge makes arrangements for you to see the city and throughout the day enjoy food and drinks at the club.
Where to Eat
Tempest, the South Atlantic seafood restaurant housed in the former historic Harriott Pinckney Home for Sailors, carries a noteworthy raw and roast menu with chilled and charcoal options, along with impressive single-, double- and three-tier seafood towers. At the end of the meal, every guest gets a rose and the check is presented in a copy of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
NEW ORLEANS
Where to Stay
Debuting in 2021, Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans occupies a remarkable structure designed by legendary modernist architect Edward Durell Stone, famed for Radio City Music Hall, Museum of Modern Art and Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Adjacent to the French Quarter, this building — known as The World Trade Center when first built in 1967 — folds the iconic quirks of the Big Easy into its footprint. The 34-story hotel features 341 guest rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling views of the river or city. The design draws heavily on New Orleans’ famous gardens, like the large plaster relief depicting magnolia flowers above the bed. Carrara marble wraps the bathroom’s oval soaking tubs. The extensive art collection displayed throughout the building includes local artist Dawn Dedeaux’s “Water Levels” — acrylic sculptures representing the flood water level declared by New Orleans homeowners in 2005, post-Katrina.
Where to Eat
Alon Shaya’s Miss River, occupying the first level of Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans, provides a theatrical culinary experience. Watch chefs extravagantly plate dishes, like the whole carved buttermilk fried chicken with dipping sauces, with ingredients sourced from local fishermen, farmers and other purveyors.
Raised in Southwest Louisiana, chef Donald Link understands the bounty of the region like only a native can. His restaurant Chemin à la Mer is a must-visit on the Four Seasons’s fifth floor for its oyster bar, steaks and Gulf seafood. Go there for indoor and outdoor seating and a panoramic vista of the Mississippi.
NASHVILLE
Where to Stay
Conrad Nashville shares with its guests the touches that make the city a favorite, from its musical-note-inspired design palette to a rich program of regional artists displayed throughout. The rooms offer a relaxing and luxurious respite with Frette linens, Byredo bathroom amenities and an integrated single-touch room technology that allows you to customize your experience. Though, you may find more of a respite in the 13-story hotel’s recreation deck, where an outdoor pool lets you cool off from Nashville’s steamy weather while seeing the city skyline.
Where To Eat
Inspired by chef Sean Brock’s grandmother, Audrey provides multiple experiences under one roof. The Bar at Audrey’s daily-changing menu features five tipples made of only three ingredients from the Appalachian region. The ice is hand-cut, and the juice is freshly pressed. Since opening, the team has created roughly 1,200 cocktails. Behind The Bar, you will find YAMA, where a temaki (hand roll) menu uses only products from Toyosu Market in Tokyo. The 37-seat June hews fine dining with a Southern avant-garde tasting menu. Meanwhile, Audrey’s primary dining room captivates your palate with its open kitchen and comforting dishes such as Jimmy Red cornbread, Bob Woods country ham and lion’s mane mushroom.
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
Where to Stay
Although it blends in seamlessly with its surroundings, the 167-room Perry Lane Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel in the Historic District opened in 2018. The art draws you in upon arrival. Curators NINE dot ARTS feature some of Savannah’s best young artists on the walls of Perry Lane. Imagined as the hotel’s fictional muse Adelaide Harcourt’s personal art collection, the objects and canvases throughout intrigue the eye yet never stray from sophistication. Black-and-white photos of dancers, wallpaper of colorful exotic birds and flowers, playbills and civil war bullets and even a classic typewriter in the lobby complete with a note from Harcourt assert her curatorial presence. In total, the collection features 3,600 objects and antiques with more than 175 original artworks, including one by Paul Gauguin and another by Viktor Frešo, whose angry little men sculptures by the elevator move throughout the day.
While Perry Lane embraces classic Southern hospitality, Thompson Savannah, which opened in 2021 along the Savannah River’s edge, caters to modern travelers. Designed by Studio 11, mid-century modern nuances complement city-inspired botanical patterns, herringbone wood floors and polished industrial finishes.
Where to Eat
Thompson Savannah offers several tempting options, including Stevedore Bakery, which serves PERC coffee and pastries made of grains from local farmers, and Fleeting, named for the ephemeral nature of earth’s bounty. Bar Julian capitalizes on its 13th-floor location in Savannah’s tallest building, making it an ideal spot for sunset Georgia juleps and artisanal pizzas with a panoramic view.
