Savannah Tourism Guide

Where to Stay in Savannah

Where to stay in Savannah GA: the columned entrance of the Kehoe House inn framed by crepe myrtle blossoms
The Kehoe House, an 1892 mansion that’s now an inn, on Columbia Square. Historic inns trade some modern conveniences for character, so ask about stairs and parking before you book.

The short answer to where to stay in Savannah GA is the Historic District, and the real decision is which end of it. Stay at the north end, around River Street, Bay Street and City Market, if it’s your first visit and you want restaurants, bars and the river at your door. Stay at the south end, from about Liberty Street down to Forsyth Park, if you’d rather have quiet nights, leafy squares and an inn in a converted house. Leave the district only for a specific reason: a lower rate when you’re driving anyway (Midtown, the Southside or Pooler), the beach (Tybee Island), or resort facilities (Hutchinson Island).

This guide is for anyone choosing a base, and it compares areas on the things hotel listings tend to skip: the total cost after taxes and parking, noise, whether you’ll need a car, and how easy the neighborhood is on your feet. The caveat worth repeating is cost. Savannah adds about 15 percent in taxes plus $5 a night to a room, and downtown parking can add more, so the cheapest rate on a booking site isn’t always the cheapest stay. Everything here was checked September 23, 2026 against official sources.

Savannah Neighborhoods Compared: The Decision Matrix

AreaWalk to the squaresNoise at nightParkingCar needed?Price tierBest for
North Historic District (River Street, Bay Street, City Market)Right thereHigh, especially weekendsPaid garages and metersNoTopFirst-timers, nightlife, short stays
Central Historic District (Broughton Street and the middle squares)Right thereModeratePaid garages and metersNoTop to midWalking everywhere with a little less noise
South Historic District and Forsyth ParkRight thereLowMeters, some inn parkingNoTop to midCouples, inns, slower trips
Victorian District and Starland15 to 30 minutes on footLow to moderateEasier street parkingHelpful at nightMidVacation rentals, longer stays, repeat visitors
Hutchinson IslandA free ferry rideLowOn siteNo, but the ferry stops at 10pmTopResort stays, golf, conventions
Midtown, Southside, Pooler and the airport15 to 25 minutes by carLowUsually easyYesLowerRoad trips, budgets, early flights
Tybee IslandAbout 30 minutes by carVariesPaid across the islandYesMid to top in summerBeach-first trips

How We Compared the Areas

We don’t rank individual hotels on this page, and we don’t take payment from any of them. Instead we compared areas on six things that decide how a Savannah stay feels: walking distance to the squares and the river; noise after dark; the real cost of parking; whether you’d need a car; accessibility for travelers who can’t manage stairs or cobblestones; and the total bill once taxes and fees are added. Where we name hotels and inns, they’re examples of what each area offers, confirmed as operating in September 2026 from the properties’ own sites and official listings. They aren’t endorsements, and we haven’t stayed in them.

We don’t quote nightly rates either. Savannah rates swing too much with the calendar for a number to stay true for long: a room that looks reasonable on a Tuesday in January can cost several times as much on a Saturday in April. The price tiers in the matrix above describe how areas compare with each other on the same night.

The Best Base for Your Kind of Trip

If you’d rather skip straight to a recommendation, start here, then read the section for the area it points to.

Your tripBest baseWhy
First visit, 1 or 2 nights, no carNorth or central Historic DistrictEverything on foot, and no parking to pay
First visit, 3 or 4 nightsCentral or south Historic DistrictStill walkable, with quieter nights for a longer stay
Couple’s weekendSouth Historic District near Forsyth ParkInns, shade and a calmer walk home after dinner
Family with young kidsA Historic District hotel with a pool, or a Victorian District rentalA pool for hot afternoons; space and a kitchen for longer stays
Group of friendsA Victorian District rental, or a riverfront hotel for nightlifeShared space, or the bars at the door
Road trip with a carMidtown, the Southside or Pooler, or a downtown hotel with parkingEasy parking, as long as you price it into the comparison
Beach first, city secondTybee IslandSand at the door; the squares are a 30-minute drive
Conference or golfHutchinson IslandThe convention center and the Westin’s golf course are there
Return visit, 5 nights or moreA Victorian District or Starland rentalMore space, a more local feel and an easy walk to the south end of the district

North Historic District: River Street, Bay Street and City Market

This is where most first-time visitors should look first. You’re a few steps from River Street’s restaurants and bars, the free Belles Ferry, City Market and the northern squares, and you’ll rarely need anything more than your feet and the free DOT Express Shuttle. The riverfront is also where you’ll find the most hotel beds, from big-brand riverside hotels to newer design hotels.

Examples of what’s here, all operating in 2026: the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District at the west end of River Street, with rooms spread across the old Power Plant, the Three Muses and the Atlantic buildings; the Hyatt Regency Savannah on Bay Street, directly above the river; the Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront; the Holiday Inn Express Savannah Historic District, which overlooks the river and has a rooftop pool and free breakfast; the Andaz Savannah beside Ellis Square near City Market; The Alida on Williamson Street; and at the east end of the riverfront, the Thompson Savannah, which has a pool.

The tradeoffs are noise and crowds. River Street and City Market are the heart of the downtown to-go cup zone, where adults can carry one drink outdoors in a cup of 16 ounces or less, and weekend nights run late. Ask for a room on a high floor or away from the street side. Mobility is the other catch. River Street is cobblestone at the foot of a steep bluff, and the only public elevators between Bay Street and River Street are the one between the Hyatt and City Hall and the one at The Alida. Everything else is a ramp or a steep old staircase.

Choose it if: it’s your first visit, you want nightlife close by, or you’re staying two nights or fewer. Skip it if: you’re a light sleeper or you’ll be in town for St. Patrick’s Day and want any peace at all.

The long cast-iron balconies of the Marshall House hotel on Broughton Street in Savannah
The Marshall House on Broughton Street has been part of Savannah since 1851, and its ghost stories come with the building.

Central Historic District: Broughton Street and the Middle Squares

Between the river and Liberty Street sits the stretch that many repeat visitors prefer: close enough to walk to River Street in 10 to 15 minutes, but a block or two removed from the loudest bars. Broughton Street is downtown’s main shopping street, and the squares around it hold several of the city’s house museums, which makes this the most efficient base for a museum-heavy trip.

Examples here include The Marshall House on Broughton Street, which dates to 1851 and has a long-running reputation as one of Savannah’s haunted hotels (the ghost stories are stories, but they’re popular ones); the Kehoe House, an 1892 Queen Anne mansion on Columbia Square built by an iron-foundry owner who used it to show off his work; and the Perry Lane Hotel, a Luxury Collection property with 167 rooms and a rooftop pool that sits roughly halfway between River Street and Forsyth Park.

Choose it if: you want to walk everywhere and still sleep. Skip it if: you need free parking on site, which is rare this close to the river.

South Historic District and Forsyth Park

South of Liberty Street, the district gets greener and quieter. The squares are more residential, Forsyth Park is your front yard, and a larger share of the beds are in historic inns and bed-and-breakfasts. The walk to River Street is about a mile from the park, which is pleasant in April and a real consideration in July, when the free DOT Express Shuttle’s Forsyth loop earns its keep.

Examples here include Hotel Bardo, the former Mansion on Forsyth Park, which has an outdoor pool; The Gastonian, two restored 1868 mansions joined by a walkway over a garden, with 17 rooms two blocks from the park; The DeSoto, a 245-room hotel near the Cathedral Basilica; and the Hamilton-Turner Inn on Lafayette Square, familiar to readers of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The Foley House Inn is another long-running historic inn in the district.

The catch with inns is the building. Houses from the 1800s often mean stairs, smaller bathrooms and limited or no parking, and some have no elevator. None of that is a flaw if you know it going in. It’s a flaw if you find out at check-in with two large suitcases.

Choose it if: you want quiet, character and the park. Skip it if: stairs are a problem or you want the bars within a two-minute walk.

Brick row houses with black shutters under live oaks on Jones Street in Savannah
Jones Street, one of the quiet residential blocks of the south Historic District. Note the stoops: stairs come with the territory.

Victorian District and Starland

South of Forsyth Park, the Victorian District’s wooden 19th-century houses and the Starland neighborhood’s galleries and restaurants feel more like a place people live than a place people visit. There are few big hotels here, so most stays are vacation rentals. Starland Yard, a bar with three built-in kitchens and rotating food trucks at 2411 De Soto Avenue, is the neighborhood’s evening hub.

The Victorian District is inside the City’s short-term vacation rental overlay, along with the Downtown and Streetcar historic districts, so legal rentals exist here. Any short-term rental in Savannah needs a City STVR certificate, and in residential parts of the Downtown and Victorian districts, new certificates for non-owner-occupied homes are capped at 20 percent of residential parcels in each ward. As a guest, the simple check is to ask the host for the certificate before you pay.

Choose it if: you’re staying four nights or more, traveling as a group or coming back for a second trip. Skip it if: you don’t want to walk 15 to 30 minutes, or pay for a rideshare, every time you head to the river.

Ornate carved window frames and an iron balcony on a historic house in Savannah's Victorian District
Detail from the Victorian District, where rentals outnumber hotels.

Hutchinson Island

Directly across the river from City Hall, Hutchinson Island holds the convention center and The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, which has an 18-hole championship golf course. The free Savannah Belles Ferry connects its landing to City Hall and the east end of River Street daily from 7am to 10pm, with departures every 20 to 30 minutes in practice.

The views back across to the city are the best of any base, and the island is quiet at night. The limit is the ferry’s last run. After 10pm, getting back means a rideshare or taxi over the bridge, which is fine occasionally and irritating every night.

Choose it if: you want a resort pool, golf or a conference hotel. Skip it if: you plan to stay out late downtown most nights.

Midtown, the Southside, Pooler and the Airport

The chain hotels along Savannah’s main southside roads, near I-95 in Pooler and around the airport are where the lowest rates usually are, and parking is usually easier. That’s the whole case for them. You’ll drive 15 to 25 minutes into the Historic District and pay to park when you get there, so price the stay as room plus taxes plus daily parking before you decide it’s cheaper.

Downtown parking has fixed rules you can plan around. The City’s Bryan Street, Robinson and State Street garages charge $2 an hour with a $20 weekday maximum and a flat $5 on weekends, and they’re open around the clock, cards only. Street meters cost up to $2.50 an hour in the busiest zone and are free on Sundays. The City’s Visitor Day Pass, $15 for 24 hours or $24 for 48 hours, covers on-street parking only, not garages or street-sweeping zones, and you buy it at Mobility and Parking Services in the Bryan Street Garage.

Choose it if: you’re driving anyway, catching an early flight or stretching a budget. Skip it if: the savings disappear once you add parking and time, which on a weekday downtown trip they often do.

Tybee Island

Tybee is a separate city, 18 miles from downtown Savannah and about 30 minutes away on US 80, the only road on and off the island. Staying there makes sense if the beach is the point of the trip. It makes less sense if you plan to spend most days in the squares, because you’ll drive US 80 twice a day and pay Tybee’s parking whenever you’re out of your lodging’s lot: $4 an hour from 8am to 8pm every day, or $25 for a day pass, no cash.

Tybee also has its own rules on the sand. Glass is banned (the fine is $300), dogs aren’t allowed on the beach or the crossovers, smoking and vaping are banned, and the dunes are off limits. The split many visitors settle on is a few nights downtown and a few on the island, rather than commuting from one to the other.

A wide sandy beach on Tybee Island with scattered umbrellas and swimmers under a cloudy sky
Tybee’s beach is 30 minutes from the squares. Stay on the island if the beach is the trip, not a side trip.

Staying Outside Savannah: Hilton Head, Bluffton and Richmond Hill

Some visitors see Savannah from a base somewhere else, usually because of a family rental, a timeshare or a better rate. That works for a single day in the city. It rarely works for more.

  • Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Roughly 45 minutes to an hour each way, depending on traffic and where you’re staying on the island. Fine for one Savannah day trip, tiring for three.
  • Bluffton, South Carolina. Closer than Hilton Head, and a reasonable compromise if you want South Carolina’s resort towns and one or two city days.
  • Richmond Hill and the I-95 corridor south of the city. Chain hotels and quick highway access, useful on a coastal road trip. Plan on around half an hour’s drive into the Historic District.

From any of them, pick one part of the Historic District per visit, park once in a City garage and use the free DOT Express Shuttle rather than moving the car. On weekends the Bryan Street, Robinson and State Street garages charge a flat $5, which makes Saturday and Sunday the cheapest days to come in.

What a Savannah Stay Really Costs

A room rate is only the starting number. These are the items that turn it into the real bill, and how to keep each one in check.

CostWhat it addsHow to control it
City hotel-motel tax8% of the room rate (since September 1, 2023)Compare rates with taxes included
Sales tax7%Same as above
Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee$5 per room, per nightFewer, longer stays in one place
Hotel parkingA nightly charge at many downtown hotelsAsk before booking; compare with the City garages’ posted rates
City garage parking$2 an hour, $20 weekday maximum, $5 flat on weekends (Bryan Street, Robinson, State Street)Park once and walk
Tybee parking$4 an hour or $25 a day, every dayChoose lodging with its own parking
Rideshares from outer areasA fare each way, every dayStay central, or pick an area with an easy drive and cheap parking

The rule of thumb: add roughly 15 percent plus $5 a night to any rate quoted without taxes, then add parking. On a weekend, a City garage at $5 flat can be far cheaper than a hotel’s nightly parking charge, so check both. Ask too whether the rate carries any resort or amenity fee, since those don’t always show on the first screen of a booking.

Getting From the Airport to Your Base

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is northwest of the city near I-95, and downtown is usually 15 to 25 minutes away by car outside rush hour. Rideshare pickups are at the north entrance of baggage claim. Taxis are metered, and the city caps fares at $6.47 for the first mile, $2.69 for each mile after that and $1 for each extra passenger. On a budget, Chatham Area Transit’s Route 3 bus ($1.50) runs roughly hourly to the downtown transit center in about 36 minutes, though you’ll still have to get from there to your hotel. Airport and Pooler hotels make sense for a late arrival or an early flight. Just don’t make one your base for a downtown trip unless you’re driving anyway.

Hotel, Inn or Vacation Rental?

TypeBest forWatch for
Full-service or brand hotelElevators, pools, predictable rooms, loyalty pointsParking charges, noise on the river side, event-week pricing
Historic inn or bed-and-breakfastCharacter, quiet squares, breakfast and local adviceStairs, smaller rooms, limited parking, stricter cancellation terms
Vacation rentalGroups, families, stays of four nights or more, a kitchenThe City STVR certificate, cleaning fees, parking, and a location that may be outside the easy walking zone

For a first visit of two or three nights, a hotel or inn in the Historic District is almost always the better choice, because location does more for a short trip than square footage. Rentals start to win at four or more nights, with a group, or when you want a kitchen and a porch more than room service.

Where to Stay in Savannah GA on a Budget

Savannah isn’t a cheap hotel city, but you can take a lot off the bill by being flexible about three things: the day of the week, the season and how far you’re willing to drive.

  • Shift the nights. Sunday to Thursday is usually cheaper than Friday and Saturday, and midwinter and the height of summer are the quieter stretches of the year.
  • Look for included breakfast. In the district, the Holiday Inn Express and the Hampton Inn & Suites Savannah Historic District both include breakfast, which covers one meal a day for the whole trip.
  • Price the parking honestly. A Southside hotel with free parking plus a $5 weekend garage downtown can beat a central hotel with a nightly parking charge. On weekdays, when the garages run up to $20, the math often flips.
  • Use the free rides. The DOT Express Shuttle and the Belles Ferry cost nothing, so a hotel a little farther from the river but near a shuttle stop costs you nothing extra to get around.
  • Avoid event weeks. St. Patrick’s Day, spring festival weekends and big conventions push rates up across the city, including the outer areas.

The budget move to avoid is the far-off bargain without a car. A room you save on, then pay to leave twice a day by rideshare, isn’t a bargain.

Who Should Stay Where

  • First-time visitors: the north or central Historic District, so the river, City Market and the northern squares are all walkable.
  • Couples: the south Historic District near Forsyth Park, in an inn or a smaller hotel.
  • Families: a hotel with a pool and space. In the district, the Holiday Inn Express has a rooftop pool and the Hampton Inn & Suites Savannah Historic District has an outdoor pool, both with free breakfast. A rental in the Victorian District suits bigger families on longer stays.
  • Luxury: the Perry Lane Hotel, the JW Marriott at Plant Riverside, Hotel Bardo on Forsyth Park, or the Westin on Hutchinson Island for golf and a spa.
  • Historic-inn fans: the Kehoe House, The Gastonian, the Hamilton-Turner Inn, the Foley House Inn and The Marshall House.
  • Drivers and budget travelers: Midtown, the Southside or Pooler, if you’ve priced in downtown parking.
  • Pet owners: check each hotel’s pet policy before booking. Leashed dogs can ride the Belles Ferry, but dogs aren’t allowed on Tybee’s beach.
  • Travelers who can’t manage stairs: a modern hotel with elevators near Bay Street, which gives you the public elevator down to River Street and the ADA-compliant DOT shuttle, rather than a historic inn.
An ornate white historic mansion with iron balconies behind live oaks in Savannah's Historic District
Many of the district’s inns are converted mansions. Expect high ceilings, grand staircases and fewer elevators.

Noise, Parking and Accessibility: What Listings Leave Out

Noise

Noise follows the bars and the calendar. River Street, City Market and the blocks around them are loudest on weekend nights, and the whole downtown gets louder during St. Patrick’s Day, festivals and big convention weeks. The to-go cup zone runs from the river south to Jones Street, and the squares beyond it are noticeably calmer. If you’re sensitive to noise, book south of Liberty Street, ask for a room off the street, and avoid rooms directly above a bar.

Parking

Assume downtown parking will cost something unless a hotel says otherwise. Meters north of Liberty Street run Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8pm; south of Liberty, Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm. Sundays and city holidays are free. The practical approach is to park the car on arrival and leave it for the days you’re downtown, then use it for the trips out to Tybee, Wormsloe or Fort Pulaski.

Accessibility

Savannah’s historic buildings and brick sidewalks are hard on wheelchairs and sore knees alike. Modern hotels are the safer choice for step-free rooms, and it’s worth confirming the specific room, not just the property, when you book. Downtown, the free DOT Express Shuttle and the Belles Ferry are both ADA accessible, and the public elevators between Bay Street and River Street (between the Hyatt and City Hall, and at The Alida) avoid the steep ramps and stairs.

Before You Book: Ten Questions to Ask

  1. Is the rate shown with taxes? If not, add about 15 percent plus $5 a night.
  2. What does parking cost per night, and can I come and go? Then compare it with the City garages.
  3. Is there an elevator, and does it serve my room’s floor?
  4. Which side of the building is the room on? Rooms on the street side or above a bar are the noisy ones.
  5. What are the cancellation terms? This matters most from June through November.
  6. Is anything big happening that week? St. Patrick’s Day, festivals and conventions change both the price and the noise.
  7. Is there a resort or amenity fee?
  8. For an inn: when is someone at the desk? Smaller properties may not staff the front desk around the clock, so arrange late arrivals ahead of time.
  9. For a rental: what’s the City STVR certificate number? A legal Savannah short-term rental has one.
  10. How far is the nearest DOT Express Shuttle stop? The shuttle is free and saves your feet on hot afternoons.

Where Not to Stay, and When

Most bases work for someone. A few combinations reliably disappoint:

  • An airport or Pooler hotel for a car-free downtown trip. You’ll spend the savings, and an hour a day, on rideshares.
  • A Tybee rental for a trip that’s mostly museums and squares. Two 30-minute drives a day, plus parking at both ends, add up fast.
  • A riverfront room on St. Patrick’s weekend if you want sleep. Choose the south end of the district, or accept that the party is part of the stay.
  • Hutchinson Island if you’ll be out late downtown every night. The ferry stops at 10pm.
  • An upstairs room in a historic inn if stairs are hard for you. Ask about elevators before you fall for the photos.
  • A far-flung Southside rental without a car. You’ll depend on a rideshare for every trip into town.

How the Season Changes Your Choice

In spring, location is everything and availability is the problem, so book early and take the best-placed room you can get. From June through August, with average July highs of 92.3°F and afternoon storms, a pool and cool common spaces matter more than they do in April, and a base near a DOT shuttle stop spares you long walks at midday. Fall brings back comfortable walking weather by October, but hurricane season runs through November, so favor flexible rates. Winter is the quiet season: the south end of the district is at its most peaceful, and a riverfront room that would be loud in April is usually far calmer on a January weeknight.

Where to Stay for St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is the one week when the answer to where to stay in Savannah GA changes. In 2027 the 17th falls on a Wednesday, and the parade is set for that day, starting around 10:15am; when the 17th lands on a Sunday, the parade moves to the Saturday before. The city fills for days around it.

If you’re coming for the celebration, stay as close to the Historic District as you can afford and book as early as possible, because you won’t want to drive in or hunt for parking that day. The City’s to-go cup rules still apply during festivals: one drink per person, in a cup of 16 ounces or less, and no glass. If you’re not there for the party but your dates overlap, stay at the south end of the district or outside the city, and plan museum days around it, since many museums close on parade day.

When to Book Your Savannah Hotel

Book as soon as your dates are fixed if they touch a spring weekend or a big event. St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Wednesday in 2027, with the parade set for March 17. The Savannah Music Festival runs April 2 to 17, 2027, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival runs October 24 to 31, 2026, and the Savannah Book Festival fills the first week of February (February 4 to 7 in 2027). Savannah Bananas home games at Historic Grayson Stadium, which sell out through a ticket lottery, add to the demand on their dates. From June through November, hurricane season, pay a little more for a refundable rate if you can.

Where to stay matters more than when you book, though, and it shapes the rest of the trip. Once you’ve picked a base, our day-by-day Savannah itineraries show how to use it, and the Savannah travel guide covers the rest of the planning, from getting here to what to reserve.

Where to Stay in Savannah: FAQ

What is the best area to stay in Savannah for first-time visitors?

The north or central Historic District, between the river and Liberty Street. You can walk to River Street, City Market, Broughton Street and the northern squares, and the free DOT Express Shuttle covers the trip to Forsyth Park. The tradeoff is noise on weekend nights, so light sleepers should look a few blocks south, toward the quieter squares.

Is it better to stay on River Street or near Forsyth Park?

River Street suits short, social trips: restaurants, bars and the river are at your door, but so are crowds and late noise. Forsyth Park suits couples and slower trips: quieter streets, historic inns and green space, with River Street about a mile’s walk or a free shuttle ride away. For a first visit of two nights, River Street usually wins.

Do Savannah hotels charge for parking?

Many downtown hotels charge a nightly parking fee, and inns may have little or no parking at all, so ask before you book. Compare the charge with the City’s garages: Bryan Street, Robinson and State Street cost $2 an hour with a $20 weekday maximum and a flat $5 on weekends. Hotels outside the district usually have easier parking.

How much are hotel taxes in Savannah?

The City of Savannah’s hotel-motel tax is 8 percent and sales tax adds 7 percent, so budget roughly 15 percent on top of the room rate. Georgia also charges a flat $5 per room per night State Hotel-Motel Fee. Check whether a quoted rate includes taxes and any resort or amenity fee before comparing properties.

Should I stay in Savannah or on Tybee Island?

Stay in Savannah if the squares, museums and restaurants are the point of the trip; stay on Tybee if the beach is. The island is about 30 minutes away on US 80, and Tybee charges $4 an hour for parking every day, so commuting back and forth daily gets tiresome. Many visitors split their nights between the two.

Are vacation rentals legal in Savannah’s Historic District?

Yes, with a City short-term vacation rental certificate. Rentals are allowed in the City’s STVR overlay, which covers the Downtown, Victorian and Streetcar historic districts, and new certificates for non-owner-occupied homes in residential parts of the Downtown and Victorian districts are capped at 20 percent of parcels per ward. Ask your host for the certificate before paying.

Related Savannah Guides

Sources and How We Checked

We checked this guide on September 23, 2026. It’s compiled from the hotels’ own websites and official listings, the City of Savannah, the City of Tybee Island and the other agencies below, not from other travel lists or booking-site rankings, and it doesn’t claim first-hand stays. We don’t quote room rates, which change daily.

Savannah Tourism Guide is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with Visit Savannah, the City of Savannah or any hotel, inn or attraction listed here, and no one paid to be included.

Photo Credits