Coastal Savannah Guide

Local Update
The 75-room Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront earned the American Automobile Association's four-diamond rating for 2011. The property features approximately 750 square feet of meeting space.

Following more than four years of construction, Ellis Square, originally created in the 1700s but later paved over for parking and other utilitarian purposes, reopened to the public in March in the heart of Savannah's Historic District. Here, visitors will find interactive fountains, a life-size chessboard, a visitor's center and more.

Visit Savannah, the city's destination marketing organization, launched Savannah­meetings.com, a comprehensive online information and booking tool for meeting planners.  

Forsyth Fort, an outdoor park complex and visitor's center, reopened last spring, following a $4.7 million renovation. The site now offers 7,500 square feet of event space, a gourmet café, a fountain and a performing arts band shell with a retractable canopy.

Meeting Hotels
Major properties with meeting space in downtown Savannah include the 403-room Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, 387-room Savannah Marriott Riverfront, 350-room Hyatt Regency Savannah, 253-room Inn at Ellis square, 246-room Hilton Savannah DeSoto, 240-room Ocean Plaza Beach Resort, 174-room Quality Inn Midtown Savannah, 170-room Quail Run Lodge, 154-room Hampton Inn & Suites Savannah Downtown, 150-room Doubletree Hotel Historic Savannah and 145-room Mulberry Inn.

Among meeting properties in Savannah's Historic District are the 160-room SpringHill Suites Savannah Downtown/Historic District, 156-room Courtyard by Marriott Savannah Historic District, 151-room Avia Savannah, 144-room Hampton Inn & Suites Savannah Historic District, 127-room Four Points by Sheraton Historic Savannah and 126-room Mansion on Forsyth Park.

Hotels near Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport include the 162-room Embassy Suites Savannah-Airport, 155-room Savannah Conference Hotel and 105-room Hilton Gardens Inn Savannah Airport.

For a more detailed listing of area meeting properties and venues, visit mcvenues.com.

Convention Center
 Savannah International Trade & Convention Center; exhibit space, 100,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 13; (912) 447-4000

Airport Transit 
Savannah/Hilton Head International Air­port, 10 miles from the Historic District. Transfer cost by taxi to the Historic District, $28; many downtown hotels offer complimentary shuttle service

Taxes
Room tax, 6%; sales tax, 6%; total tax on hotel rooms, 12%

Group Venue
Housed in the former Central of Georgia Railways passenger shed, the Savannah History Museum lets groups explore more than 10,000 artifacts while they mingle during a private reception. Exhibit highlights include an automobile that pre-dates the Ford Model A, built by the Crest Manufacturing Co. in 1902 and known as the Crestmobile, as well as historical items from the Revolutionary War. The venue has been certified a National Historic Landmark and offers several meeting spaces, including the Exhibit Hall, which can seat up to 80 people for dinner; the Museum Lobby, which can accommodate 40; the Boiler Room, which offers more intimate seating for 25; the outdoor Patio, with seating for up to 50; and the Whistlestop Dining Car, which seats up to 42 people for dinner. (912) 651-6823; chsgeorgia.org

Dining Out
Owned by Food Network star Paula Deen, The Lady & Sons restaurant serves Southern-style cooking, with dishes such as pan-roasted, honey-barbecued quail and fried okra served with Paula's creamy chili sauce. In the heart of the Historic District, this 200-year-old building features 15,000 square feet of dining and a full-service bar. The Banquet Room seats up to 100 for dinner. (912) 233-2600

Contact
Visit Savannah, (912) 944-0455