A once-forgotten 19th-century residence in Savannah’s historic district has been brought spectacularly back to life, reincarnated as The Douglas; a refined 16-room boutique hotel at 14 East Oglethorpe Avenue, where design meets old-world soul.
Built in 1853, the property has worn many hats — from banker’s home to gentlemen’s club, wartime apartments and even a Girl Scouts annex — before landing in the capable hands of Obstinate Hospitality, the team behind Charleston’s Wild Olive and The Obstinate Daughter. Together with a roster of Lowcountry architects and designers including Reggie Gibson and Glenn Keyes, the group has carefully recast the building’s illustrious past into a hotel of striking understatement.
Original heart pine floors and decorative plasterwork help to create a sense of place, while interiors fuse classical with clean-lined. Murano glass chandeliers and vintage Turkish rugs add a touch of opulence to each guest room with furniture sourced from Round Top, Texas, and colour schemes that diverge from sage to aubergine via dusty rose and rust. The aesthetic is unpolished with nods to French antiques and Southern gentility throughout.
Public spaces are welcoming. The Parlor, flooded with natural light, feels like the sitting room of a cultured friend. Located discreetly behind it, the Drawing Room serves as a guests-only cocktail bar, dimly lit and purposefully low-key. Mornings begin with an à la carte breakfast by chef Jacques Larson (the twice nominated James Beard Award chef at the helm of aforementioned The Obstinate Daughter), while the daily evening reception sees generous helpings of cheese, charcuterie and canapés served to guests.
On each floor, miniature larders offer complimentary snacks and drinks, and — slated for 2026 — an adjacent building will introduce six further guest rooms as well as Lester’s, a full-service restaurant from Larson, promising the laid-back dining experience the chef is renowned for.
A stylish place to lay one’s head in the heart of Savannah’s historic ‘hood, The Douglas brings an elegant, unfussy, and effortlessly local hospitality concept to this handsome corner of Georgia.
@thedouglas.savannah
@jacques_larson
The Douglas Savannah Photography, Matthew Williams.
