Hotel of the Week: Explore Savannah’s Most Exciting New Property
Complete with a coastal Italian restaurant, members only club, and scene-stealing pool, Hotel Bardo is the buzziest hangout in one of the South’s most creative cities
With its romantic Georgian and Gothic architecture, decadent food scene, and buzzy arts community, Savannah is one of the most intoxicating cities in the United States. Much of it protected as a National Historic Landmark District, the city drew flocks of design aficionados following the 1997 film Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and its allure has only continued to intensify.
Also home to the prestigious Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD), the Georgia city is populated with makers and creatives as well as aesthetes who cherish the destination’s Southern charms. Now, visitors and residents alike have a visually arresting new location to drink, dine, and stay overnight, as the eagerly anticipated Hotel Bardo finally opens its doors.
Situated on a two-acre site, the 149-key hotel is enveloped in rich palette of deep, moody pinks with accents of cerulean and gold, while guest suites are dressed in more tranquil colors with jewel-tone pops. Sinuous banquettes add glamour to the lounge spaces, and dazzling fluted chandeliers lend a punctuating sparkle to the on-site restaurant. Perhaps one of the most prestigious tables in town will be inside Club Bardo, the members only club and private event space where a romantic mural by local artist Vanessa Platacis enlivens blush-color walls behind an intimate Art Deco bar.
Before opening to overnight guests, Bardo welcomed diners with its coastal Italian restaurant Saint Bibiana (the name loosely translates to “lively”). Here, visitors can sample from an ever-changing menu of decadent seafoods, like scallop crudo and grilled octopus, as well as decadent flavor-forward pastas such as black pepper torchiette with porcini mushrooms and lemon, or hearty entrees ranging from porchetta with pickled fennel jam and Granny Smith apples to braised duck with Swiss chard. Epicurean will also have the opportunity to experience Saint Bibiana’s hands-on cooking classes—which come with a side of cocktails, of course.
The resort also offers space for day drinking at the exuberant Bar Bibi, where aperitivo and small plates can be had in the colorful lounge or alongside the beautiful 82-foot-long pool sure to quickly become Instagram famous. Lined in a charming mint and Kelly green checkerboard, the pool is surrounded by terra cotta–colored loungers, scalloped umbrellas, and a series of bird sculptures by Belgian artist William Sweetlove, adding vibrancy to the picturesque scene.
Also on site is the new holistic wellness destination Saltgrass and private event areas within the Ballroom and separate Carriage House.
“We’ve thoughtfully transformed one of Savannah’s most historic and treasured assets, bringing together the best creative talent spanning design, brand, food and beverage, wellness, and programming to make the adventurous feel at home,” Jon Kully, managing partner at Left Lane, the hospitality firm behind Bardo, said in a statement. “We are ready to provide something fresh for the city–a coming together of good company in incredible spaces with impeccable service and dynamic programming from sunup to sundown.”
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