The number of hotels—not just big-box national chains, but boutique brands—opening up below the Mason-Dixon is all the proof you need that Southern hospitality is alive and well. Find out for yourself this fall at these four new properties.
Hotel Covington
Covington, Kentucky
Housed in the state’s first “skyscraper,” built in 1910 with the winnings from a high-stakes horse race (naturally), Hotel Covington occupies choice real estate just blocks from the Ohio River. A $22 million renovation transformed the historic space into a luxurious 114-room boutique hotel, where you and your pup are welcome. The flagship restaurant, Coppin’s, named for the department store that first occupied the building, pays tribute to Covington’s North-South cuisine. But follow the hotel on social media to find out the daily selections at the Walk Up, a grab-and-go window offering everything from breakfast pastries to late-night ramen.
Montage Palmetto Bluff
Bluffton, South Carolina
Palmetto Bluff has plenty going for it: thirty-two pristine waterfront miles on the banks of the May River, huge swaths of undeveloped maritime forests that keep the real world out of sight (and mind). And now, there’s the Montage Palmetto Bluff (formerly the Inn at Palmetto Bluff), which opened this month after a considerable renovation. The upgraded digs encompass a brand new inn with 150 rooms, a 13,000-square-foot spa, and several restaurants, including the riverside Canoe Club, which highlights regional culinary standards. Plus, there’s a fresh collection of secluded cottages complete with screened porches and rocking chairs where you can enjoy your morning coffee before climbing on a paddleboard, jumping on a bike, or going a round on the property’s sporting clays course.
Thompson Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
The Thompson Nashville might be new construction—the gleaming twelve-story building sits on the same block as the Station Inn and is a just a short walk from the Ryman Auditorium—but the 224-room hotel, which opened this month, has plenty of Music City soul. The local vibe starts in the lobby, with an antique turntable and vinyl library stocked by Jack White’s Third Man Records. And if you want to take some tunes home with you, each room’s minibar is stocked with vintage LPs, along with a healthy supply of bourbon. And you can pick up craft-made mixers from the Nashville-based cocktail company WithCo. If you prefer a view with your nightcap, head up to L.A. Jackson, the rooftop bar, which—along with the hotel’s restaurant and coffee shop—is run by New Orleans culinary king John Besh.
Coming this December
86 Cannon
Charleston, South Carolina
“I didn’t want interiors to reflect what people expect from Charleston,” says Betsy Berry, the design mastermind behind the Holy City’s newest hotel, 86 Cannon, which begins accepting reservations at the end of November. “I wanted a younger, fresher take on Charleston—bolder colors, patterns, and scale, but still traditional.” The boutique property, a gorgeously restored circa-1860s single-house, has just five guest rooms, but isn’t short on amenities or charm. On the second floor, there’s a café, where breakfast is served daily and wine and cheese are laid out in the evening. Venture up to the third-level library to curl up with a book and pour yourself a nightcap at the honor bar. Easy on the cocktails, though. You’ll want a clear head if you decide to borrow one of the complimentary bikes for a little exploring the next morning.
