Charmingly decorated, providing comfort, delicious southern cooking and in a spectacularly privileged location in the beautiful Savannah, Georgia is a Bed & Breakfast straight out of a movie… and since it features even with a skeleton in its walls and haunted stories, we’re all hoping it’s not a horror movie!
Foley House Inn was first established in late 1896 by local widow Honoria Foley. Built from the Foley Estate, on the rubble of a house that perished in the Great Savannah Fire of 1889. It was the first B&B in town and impressively has remained in activity till this day.
In its over one hundred years of history, this eccentric, beautiful B&B has seen and lived through many things. A place that has seen so much history like this, it seems logical that it would attract a few ghosts! It is part of the Haunted Savannah tours, and the perfect place for the most courageous of travelers to spend a weekend. The management of the B&B certainly doesn’t seem to mind, as prospective visitors will be able to tell due to the section in their official website that says “We Are Haunted (boo!)”
Foley house inn: The Perfect savannah location
Foley House Inn is located in the historic district of Savannah, on Chippewa Square, within walking distance of some of Savannah’s main attractions, like the “Forrest Gump bench”, River Street, Forsyth Park, Mercer House, the Savannah Theater, and more, and that’s not even counting the various cafés, restaurants, bars, and stores to explore in the most historical and charming part of Savannah.
The Foley House Inn is also a part of many ghost tours or Haunted Savannah itineraries, one ghostly, haunted stop among the district, in what is considered one the most haunted destinations in all of the United States.
The accommodations
Southern hospitality is certainly incarnated in Foley House Inn’s design. Each of the 19 rooms available at Foley House Inn is meticulous and uniquely decorated in elegant, classical styles that don’t sacrifice even an inch of comfort. Gas fireplaces offer warmth in the colder months, and a few rooms have private balconies. The rooms’ categories are Luxury, Premium, Deluxe, Garden, and Carriage House.
The communal spaces include a foyer with comfortable sofas, the perfect place to mingle and meet other guests, a dining area to enjoy the authentic Southern cuisine offered by the best in Savannah, or stroll around the outside patio and enjoy the secluded peace of the garden.
- Pet friendly: For travelers looking for a place to house their pets, Foley House Inn offers pet-friendly accommodations.
- Over 19 different rooms are available
- If booked directly on the site, breakfast and wine receptions are included in the stay fare
The best of southern cuisine
Foley House truly does justice to the term Bed & Breakfast. Offering full and delicious Southern cuisine classics in breakfast is one of the main attractions of a stay at Foley House, a gastronomical Savannah experience to start every day in the best way. Waffles, pancakes, grits, eggs in any way you can imagine feature the rotating menu, with fresh coffee, hot tea, fruit juice, and muffins available each morning. This colossal breakfast can be served in the parlor, in the scenic courtyard, or directly in guests’ rooms if they so wish. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are widely available.
In the afternoon, Foley House Inn’s house chefs prepare delicate sweets, pastries, and confections for an afternoon tea party, served in the parlor from 3 PM to 5 PM, and in the evenings, there is hardly a better way to unwind from a day of exploring charming Savannah than indulging in Foley Inn’s special wine reception. Personalized suggestions of dining destinations are, of course, part of the package.
Both breakfasts and wine receptions can be included in the room rates by booking with the Foley Inn directly.
So, what about these ghosts?
Well, all of these comforts make Foule Inn sounds like a Bed & Breakfast dream…so what’s the deal with the haunted stories?
If its construction on the remains of another home destroyed by a tragic fire set an ominous tone from the Foley House’s beginnings, things kept on getting…spookier as time went on.
After Foley House Inn opened in the 1890s, it was an immediate success, but nearly a century later, in 1987, a creepy secret was found within its walls. Construction workers found skeletal remains inside the walls of the inn during a renovation. Till this day, the remains, or how it got there, have not been revealed.
There are many speculations as to the true nature of the mystery; some say it was a wealthy traveler, staying at the Inn, who disappeared one night and could have been murdered for his money. Some speculate if Mrs. Foley herself did the crime, towards an ungentlemanly gentleman who might have tried to strangle her one night.
Following the discovery, many unusual, perhaps paranormal things started to occur at Foley Inn. Odd noises were reported, some claiming that they could see a man in a top hat wandering around the garden, or a sudden rush of cold air late at night. The staff at Foley House Inn have nicknamed the ghost's guest Wally, as in "wall-y". As one does.
Maybe it will never be proven whether the Foley House Inn B&B is truly haunted or not, or how Wally’s bones could have ended up inside the walls. But one thing we can know for sure is this: its unending charm, comfort, and fun eccentricity make it a prime lodging in Savannah.