Cozy, eclectic, charming, romantic ... just a few adjectives used to describe bed-and-breakfasts.
Each has its own personality and set of amenities and is the perfect accommodation for travelers seeking localized and distinctive experiences.
Consider checking in one of these nine bed-and-breakfasts throughout the South the next time you're planning a trip.
Loyd Hall Plantation, in Cheneyville, minutes away from Alexandria, Louisiana, is on a 640-acre working farm, stationed along the banks of Bayou Boeuf.
The property (ca. 1820) is listed on the National Historic Register, and like many old homes, it has its share of stories, including ones of ghosts.
As for the accommodations, Loyd Hall Plantation offers two suites in the main house and five cottages. Tastefully decorated, they come in varying sizes and amenities. For instance, the Jenkins Suite has a Parlor room and a claw-foot tub, while The McCullough House, the largest of the cottages, provides two bedrooms and a kitchen. Two of the cottages offer fireplaces. Breakfast is served in the main house.
Located in Mid-City New Orleans is the Degas House. In the Esplanade Ridge neighborhood, the home was where French Impressionist Master Edgar Degas lived for five months in 1872-73.
Today, the two-story mansion serves as a house museum, courtyard and historic bed-and-breakfast. It is the only known home and workspace of Degas opened to the public.
The nine guest rooms and suites, each named for a Musson-Degas family member, effortlessly blend antique furnishings with contemporary conveniences. All include refrigerators, luxury robes, large screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, iPod docking station and more. The three suites feature private balconies and other upscale touches. Breakfast is served daily.
Overnight at the Clark House Inn (ca. 1859), the first home built in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Tucked away in the Historic District where Tennessee Williams spent his childhood and blocks away from downtown, the property provides a relaxing experience for a weekend or an extended stay.
Some named after Williams' works, the eight rooms feature a flat-screen television, a desk, seating and more, like porches or non-operating fireplaces. Wi-Fi is also available. The four rooms upstairs in the main house have a shared lounge area. All guests can enjoy the parlor, library and dining room. Wake up to a Continental breakfast each morning.
Regarded as the "bed-and-breakfast capital of the South," there's something special about each bed and breakfasts in Natchez, Mississippi, like at Linden Antebellum Bed and Breakfast. It is said that its front doorway was the inspiration for Tara's front door in "Gone With the Wind."
From its expansive columned porch to the breezeway with rocking chairs and ceiling fans, the antebellum home (ca. 1785), sitting on seven acres, exudes southern hospitality.
The property's six rooms are spread throughout the three wings. Among the amenities in each room include a private bathroom, flat-screen television and an iPhone clock radio. Some rooms feature locally made furniture, while others have family heirlooms. The property also has a cottage with a full kitchen and two dining areas.
There's even meeting space at Linden, and it's only five minutes from downtown.
After a full Southern breakfast, complete with biscuits, a Natchez staple, guided tours of the residence are offered.
Hassinger Daniels Mansion Bed and Breakfast in Birmingham, Alabama, couldn't be in a better location than Five Points. The historic neighborhood happens to the city's premier culinary destination, offering a range of fine-dining, farm-to-table and barbecue restaurants.
As for the property itself, the Victorian mansion, listed on the National Historic Registry, served as a private residence to two families before being converted into accommodations. Today, you can rest in themed rooms or suites. Amenities at Hassinger Daniels Mansion Bed and Breakfast include free parking and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Enjoy a full southern breakfast served daily, or if you have to get and go, you can arrange for a grab and go-style meal; conversely, if you can take your time in the morning and request breakfast in bed.
Experience a slice of old Florida when you stay at Turtle Beach Inn in Indian Pass.
Located in Panhandle, the property exudes laid-back charm with its porches and sundecks beckoning you to exhale and relax as you take in the sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico.
And the views don't end there.
Each of the four rooms offers views of the Gulf, too. Additional touches include private entrances, ceiling fans and more.
Begin your day with breakfast on the screened porch, followed by a leisurely afternoon on the beach. Guests have access to lounge chairs and umbrellas.
For families, Turtle Beach Inn offers cottages, complete with screened porches and fully equipped kitchens.
Overlooking downtown Augusta, Georgia, the Savannah River and town center of North Augusta, South Carolina, is Rosemary Inn. One of two mansions completed in 1902 for the town's founding father, James U. Jackson, its sister property, Lookaway Inn, served as his brother, Walter's residence.
Rosemary Inn's exterior is reminiscent of the Old South with its stately white columns and expansive porch; however, its interior reflects the Gilded Age with its pine paneling and grand staircase.
The property offers six gracefully styled rooms that accentuate comfort with feather top mattresses while providing much-needed necessities like an iPod docking station and, of course, complimentary Wi-Fi. Each room comes with its own bath and other specialized amenities. There's even a turndown service.
A gourmet breakfast is served daily, and Rosemary Inn provides a complimentary snack area and refreshments for refueling. Explore the surrounding area with bike rentals available from the property.
Morgan and Wells Bed and Breakfast in Shelby, North Carolina, has quite the backstory. Wanting to preserve both the interior and exterior of the 1901 Craftsman Bungalow, the entire structure was moved from its former location to the corner of Morgan and Wells Streets, thus giving the bed-and-breakfast its name.
The cozy property, complete with heart pine floors and 12-foot-high ceilings, features five stylish guest rooms that combine old with new. For instance, the James Edward Room retains its original masonry fireplace and offers a private wraparound veranda. Each room includes private bathrooms, flat-screen televisions, Wi-Fi and more.
Indulge during the stay with a spa treatment.
Breakfast is served each morning, and snacks and beverages are available in the afternoon.
There isn't a better place for the first Bourbon-themed bed-and-breakfast than in the "bourbon capital of the world" Bardstown, Kentucky.
Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast consists of a Federal Home (circa 1810), Greek Revival Antebellum Mansion (circa 1820), and original Smokehouse, all listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as a Kentucky Landmark because of the Manor's storied history.
Ten elegant yet comfortable rooms, adorned with antiques and art, are found within the two homes. The mansion, complete with an eye-drawing cantilevered spiral staircase, has six rooms on its first and second floors, while the federal home has three. The Smokehouse features a one-bedroom loft. All rooms include free high-speed Wi-Fi, private bathrooms, gas-log fireplaces and other specialized touches that ensure a relaxing stay after a packed day of exploring the Bourbon Trail.
Enjoy a stroll in the gardens or unwind in the Grand Parlor or sitting halls, or indulge in a treatment at the day spa.
Mornings at Bourbon Manor Bed and Breakfast begins with a full country gourmet breakfast, and for a quick pick-me-up, a beverage and snack station is accessible throughout the day.
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