We’ve been on a mission lately to find great weekend getaways from Atlanta for you. Recently, we visited the Beechwood Inn in the North Georgia Mountains, the Chanticleer Inn in Lookout Mountain, the Historic Spencer House Inn in St. Marys, and the Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island. We traveled from the mountains to the sea, just one of the reasons we love Georgia, and now we’re taking you just two hours south of Atlanta to the 1842 Inn for a historic Macon Bed & Breakfast.
The 1842 Inn – A Historic Macon Bed & Breakfast
Walking up to the front porch, past the towering magnolias, you know you’re in for a grand retreat! This majestic antebellum home was built in 1842 in the Greek Revival style and has seventeen columns on the wrap-around porch. John Gresham, the original owner, was a mayor of Macon, an attorney, a judge, and a cotton merchant. When the home was purchased in 1900 by the B.F. Adams family, they installed the beautiful parquet floors and Victorian tile fireplaces. The Victorian Cottage guest house was moved onto the property in 1983. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 1842 Inn was selected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a member of the Historic Hotels of America.
Unlike Atlanta, Macon was not burned in the Civil War. Beautiful historic homes similar to the 1842 Inn line College Street and the surrounding blocks. We loved strolling through the neighborhood and admiring all of the homes, imagining them in their heyday and dreaming of living in them now.
Staying at The 1842 Inn
The 1842 Inn has 19 charming rooms in the original Greek Revival home and the Victorian era guest house. The rooms are decorated in period furniture, English antiques and paintings, oriental carpets, tapestries and elaborate draperies. We stayed the the aptly named Macon room and enjoyed the fireplace and the 12-foot ceilings. While we got out and explored the town, relaxing back at the 1842 Inn was our favorite part of the weekend.
The downstairs parlors include a grand piano and a beautiful antique bar. Evening hospitality hour features complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverages from their antique bar, including their signature southern beverage, the Mint Julep. There’s nothing more perfectly southern than sipping a mint julep in a silver cup while lounging between the columns of a historic home – not to mention in a wicker rocking chair! If you’re looking for a luxurious weekend away where you can take it slow, the 1842 Inn in all of its grandeur is a smart choice.
Ryan and I loved spending our afternoon in the porch’s rocking chairs.
When our lovely hosts showed us to our room, we were given a menu for the next morning’s breakfast. I chose the stuffed french toast, and Ryan had full southern breakfast with cheese grits, of course! Our meals, served with flaky croissants and hot tea, were delivered to our room for an elegant and romantic breakfast in bed. We were so wonderfully pampered! That evening was the last episode of Downton Abbey, and thanks to our wonderful hosts, we were fully in character. All of our breakfast’s beautiful details had been attended to, and we lounged in our plush robes as the sun began to peek through the windows.
The 1842 Inn is part of Select Registry, a portfolio of more than 300 quality-assured premier bed and breakfasts, inns, and hotels throughout North America. Each of their member bed and breakfasts, inns, and hotels has passed an unannounced, rigorous, 200-point quality assurance inspection to earn and maintain its Select Registry membership, and to ensure it provides travelers with guaranteed quality, exceptional service, and an unforgettable lodging experience.
Their rooms begin at $189 per night and can be booked here. If you visit the 1842 Inn, please let them know that you heard about them on A Friend Afar.
Have you stayed at The 1842 Inn or a similar old southern home? Which ones do you recommend? Are bed and breakfasts your favorite form of lodging, or do you prefer hotels? (Who doesn’t love a good breakfast??) Tell us what you think in the comments!
[Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. The 1842 Inn gave us a complimentary night’s stay, but all opinions posted here are our own. We completely adored it and very much recommend it to our readers! It’s the perfect place to stay for the annual International Cherry Blossom Festival.]
