Looking for a place to spend a romantic weekend on a budget? Need a quick getaway where you can sleep in late, explore a new area and let someone else make breakfast (and do the dishes)? Want to offer charming lodging options to visiting friends or family? May we recommend a stay at a South Carolina bed-and-breakfast (B&B)?
Whether you journey just across town or all the way across the state, there is no shortage of private, often historical, homes where the owners welcome guests as part of the family. True to the best traditions of Southern hospitality, B&B hosts offer guests a clean, comfortable place to sleep and a built-in social atmosphere you won’t find in a traditional hotel—all followed the next morning by a breakfast you’ll be talking about for years.
We couldn’t include all of South Carolina’s hospitable B&Bs in this month’s travel feature, but we selected four unique places that set the standard for this elegant way to travel.
Bloomsbury Inn
1 of 2
C’mon inn
Guests at Camden’s Bloomsbury Inn can soak in the rich history of the historic home and the beauty of the grounds.
Photo by Keely Laughlin
2 of 2
Rolling out the welcome mat
Retired Air Force officers Frank and Katherine Brown, owners of Bloomsbury Inn, enjoy their new careers interacting with their guests at Bloomsbury Inn. “We wouldn’t want to do anything else,” Frank Brown says.
Photo by Ruta Smith
The sea of camellias and live oaks seems to part as I drive down Lyttleton Street in Camden.
While the car rolls along, the stress that’s dried on me this week like thick paint begins to loosen and flake away. Nobody’s eyes could resist this loveliness, nor the peace that descends like crape myrtle confetti in a gentle breeze. All that, and I haven’t even reached the Bloomsbury Inn yet.
Built in 1854, this columned beauty reflects all the Southern graciousness of the time in which it was built. I sense a release as I ascend the front steps. If I never get past the broad cradle of the ferned front porch, that’s OK. Settling into a comfy chair beneath the cooling fans is a heavenly scenario in and of itself.
But the great door opens and the voice of Katherine Brown beckons. She and her husband, Bruce, have called this manor house “home” since 2005.
“It’s way too hot to be out on that veranda today—get in here,” she urges like a concerned mother.
She leads us through an elegantly chandeliered foyer and up the staircase to the second floor, where four sumptuously decorated rooms await their guests. Each features fine creature comforts like en suite baths and individual temperature controls. A sideboard on the landing is stocked with tea, coffee and snacks for anytime refreshment.
In this former home of Col. James Chesnut Sr. and his wife, Mary Cox Chesnut, I will slumber in a handsome, jewel-toned room fit for a king. Back in the day, it was the bedroom of the Chesnut’s youngest son, James Chesnut Jr., who stayed here with his wife, Mary Boykin Chesnut. Her journals (published in the book, A Diary of Dixie, which can be found throughout the inn) famously recount the turmoil of the Civil War from the perspective of life at Bloomsbury.
“And yet from my window I look out on many a gallant youth and maiden fair,” she once wrote from the home. “The street is crowded, and it is a gay sight … They call the walk in front of Bloomsbury ‘the boulevard.’”
With visions of Ms. Chesnut in my mind, I head downstairs for social hour in the ladies’ parlor, where guests sit and chat with the Browns over wine and a savory spread of homemade treats. Bruce pours while Katherine urges us to eat.
“C’mon—fix yourselves a plate,” she says. “There’s some smoked salmon and my own pimento cheese. I think you’ll like it.”
The antique furnishings and refined appointments of this room are set off by the delicately colored landscape scenes on the Zuber wallpaper. Bruce, who serves as Bloomsbury’s official historian, shares bits and pieces of the inn’s colorful past, promising, “Tomorrow morning at breakfast, I’ll sit and tell you the full story.”
Between bites and sips, we learn a little something about our hosts. Both Katherine and Bruce retired from the U.S. Air Force, saying goodbye to distinguished careers to open their B&B.
“I sometimes miss it—mostly the people I worked with,” says Katherine, who, as a USAF colonel, served as director of protocol for four-star generals. “I’m a people person. That’s why I love doing what we’re doing right now.”
With social hour ending, our hosts make dinner suggestions for those who haven’t yet made plans. It’s just a few short blocks to Camden’s quaint downtown where we find Mexican, Southern, Italian, Greek and American grill-style dining.
After dinner, I indulge that porch fantasy, the rocking of my chair keeping time with the night sounds of crickets and frogs. Then, it’s up to the “bedchamber” where I settle down in a comfy chair with a copy of Mary Chesnut’s book. When I pad to the bathroom later for a soothing shower, the only sound is the cozy creaking of the floorboards. The bed feels like heaven, but the best is yet to come.
The dream of the ultimate bed-and-breakfast breakfast is a delicious reality at the Bloomsbury Inn, thanks to Katherine’s mad culinary skills. On any given day, one might be presented with a cold fruit soup, eggs Benedict, ham or bacon, and poofs of buttery biscuits proffered from an iron skillet.
Sitting at the table in a charming peacock-themed dining room, Bruce pours custom-blended coffees or teas from Charleston Tea Plantation, and shares the riveting account of the wars, politics, family dynamics and architectural features that make both Bloomsbury and Camden such special destinations.
“Yes, it’s a lot of upkeep,” he says of the historic inn. “No, we rarely take a vacation. But we wouldn’t want to do anything else.” — Libby Swope Wiersema
___
Get There
Bloomsbury Inn is located at 1707 Lyttleton Street in Camden.
Rates: $192 to $225. Check the website for special packages.
Known for: Deep historical connections to Civil War diarist Mary Boykin Chesnut; easy in-town access to restaurants; delicious home-cooked breakfasts.
For more information: Visit bloomsburyinn.com or call (803) 432-5858.
Red Horse Inn
1 of 3
Field of dreams
Nestled in the rolling hills of the Upstate, the guest cottages at Red Horse Inn are perfectly situation to provide scenic views—no extra charge. Guests who wish to bring their own horse, can rent a cottage that includes use of a paddock and turn-out shed.
Photo by Milton Morris
2 of 3
Family legacy
Christian Wolters inherited management of Red Horse Inn from his parents, Mary and Roger Wolters, who built the B&B from the ground up more than two decades ago. Recent updates tp the property include a wine bar, and expanded terrace and individual fire pits at many of the private cottages.
Photo by Milton Morris
3 of 3
A touch of romance
Owner Christian Wolters ensures guests have plenty of privacy as they enjoy romantic touches, like fabric rose petals and gauzy fabric drapes on the beds.
Photo courtesy of Red Horse Inn
“A little slice of heaven” is how Mary Wolters described the undulating landscape off Highway 414 in Landrum when she first set eyes on it more than two decades ago. Smitten, she and her husband, Roger, purchased just shy of 200 sylvan acres and proceeded to build an inn and six guest cottages.
The Red Horse Inn was christened for Winston, the thoroughbred and quarter-horse cross the Wolters owned at the time. The inn opened its doors in 1996.
A drive up the gravel road—which Mary carved out herself with the help of a bulldozer Roger gave her for their 21st wedding anniversary—takes you to the main inn. From its lofty perch, the inn surveys a seemingly endless procession of rolling green hills, framed in the distance by the hazy peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Follow the signs around to the back of the house, where Christian Wolters warmly greets guests in a suite of sunny rooms whose blond woods, pastel toiles and French-style furnishings reflect his mother’s keen eye for style. Christian took the reins from his parents a year ago, leaving behind a career in human resources to carry on his family’s legacy.
“My mom used to say that running the inn isn’t a job, it’s a calling,” he says. “Now I understand what she meant. I can’t see myself doing anything else.”
Profound silence, broken only by birdsongs, is what draws people to this pastoral corner of northern Greenville County.
“Our guests are looking for that peace and quiet and private recovery time together,” Wolters says. “People can really disconnect here.”
To foster that privacy, breakfast is not served at a communal table as in many B&Bs. Instead, Wolters stocks the makings of a continental breakfast (juice, coffee, tea, fresh seasonal fruit, yogurt and pastries) in the mini- or full-size refrigerators in rooms and cottages before each guest arrives. And to further avoid disturbing guests who covet their alone time, housekeeping service is provided only upon request, for an extra per-day charge.
The rooms may include thoughtful touches, such as personalized notes of welcome and fabric rose petals scattered on the bed. The six individually decorated bedroom suites, some with gauzy fabric draped over the beds for romantic effect, boast gas fireplaces, whirlpool tub/shower combinations and kitchenettes. Several have balconies, and two enjoy private entrances.
Crowning a nearby hill, six one-bedroom cottages provide the ultimate in a secluded getaway. Charming decor (including murals that Mary hand-painted), vaulted ceilings, kitchens and front and back porches (some with hot tubs) furnish all the creature comforts. Two of the cottages accommodate children in an upstairs loft, and two are pet-friendly. Guests who want to bring their own horses can reserve the Hayloft Cottage, which comes with its own paddock and turn-out shed.
A morning stroll around the grounds may reveal a glimpse of the inn’s two resident horses (including a buckskin-colored mare who is the great-granddaughter of U.S. Triple Crown winner Secretariat) grazing in emerald pastures hemmed in by white farm fences. Ten miles of trails lace the property, providing ample opportunity for exercise. For guests wanting to venture farther afield, Wolters can recommend things to do in the immediate area, including hiking to waterfalls, exploring the nearby town of Landrum, visiting area wineries and taking a drive along the Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Byway (SC 11), accessible just two miles from the inn.
In his first year as manager, Wolters has put his own stamp on the Red Horse Inn, constructing a wine bar in the reception area, expanding the side terrace and adding fire pits for chilly evenings. Future plans call for staff-led wine tours, trail rides and morning yoga on the terrace.
Before booking a room at the Red Horse Inn, be forewarned: The serenity of this place is infectious. After all, what could be more relaxing than ending your day on the terrace, watching the sunset over this pristine landscape, a glass of wine in hand? It’s enough to make you never want to leave. — M. Linda Lee
___
Get There
Red Horse Inn is located at 45 Winstons Chase Court, in Landrum, off Hwy. 414.
Rates: Rooms range from $185 to $245; cottages from $235 to $375.
Known for: Stunning mountain views; wine bar; 10 miles of hiking trails.
For more information: Visit theredhorseinn.com, email info@theredhorseinn.com or call (864) 909-1575.
Clevedale Historic Inn and Gardens
1 of 2
Impulse buy
It was love at first sight for Pontheolla Mack Abernathy when a realtor showed her the mansion and grounds that are now Clevedale Historic Inn and Gardens. After 18 months of hard work, she and husband Paul welcomed the first guests to their Spartanburg B&B in August 2013
Photo by Milton Morris
2 of 2
Old is new again
Hosting guests at Clevedale is a chance for Pontheolla Abernathy to share her love of antique furniture. She’s been collecting pieces since she was a student at the University of South Carolina, and has decorated the B&B’s four guest rooms and the dining room (shown here) with her favorite pieces.
Photo by Milton Morris
Pontheolla Mack Abernathy loves old things. Perhaps that’s what led her to begin collecting antiques when she was in college, and later to restore three historic houses with her husband, Paul. One of the houses is now the Clevedale Historic Inn in Spartanburg, which the couple operates as a four-room B&B.
“I’ve wanted to have my own B&B since I was in college,” she says. It was a dream she never lost sight of, but one that took many years to fulfill.
In 2010 the couple was living in Washington, D.C., when Paul, an Episcopal minister, decided to retire. Pontheolla, a former reporter who was managing a women’s boutique at the time, recognized Paul’s announcement as a chance to realize her long-held desire to run a B&B. They took a month and drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway, checking out a host of towns along the way before settling on the Upstate of South Carolina.
The first two properties Pontheolla liked went into foreclosure before she could tender an offer. She kept looking, and one day in 2012, while doing research on the internet, she came across a 1913 house called Clevedale. She called her realtor in South Carolina, who tried to dissuade her from the home, which had been abandoned since 2007. But Pontheolla had made up her mind.
She hopped in the car and drove from D.C. to see the property, located on the west side of Spartanburg, a 15-minute drive from downtown. “When I walked up on the porch, something came over me,” she recalls. “Something just said ‘This is your house.’”
The Abernathys purchased the historic residence, which came with four overgrown acres, and spent the next 18 months shoring up the termite-infested foundation, replacing old wiring and pipes and cleaning up the grounds. They welcomed their first guests in August 2013.
An allee of tall crape myrtles leads you up the original gravel drive off Willis Road, where the trees part to reveal the stately white-columned facade of the two-story colonial built by merchant Jesse Cleveland as a wedding present for his son Conrad in 1913.
Inside, the rooms are furnished with antique pieces that Pontheolla has collected in her work travels over the years. Of note is the burled-wood sideboard in the dining room, the first antique she acquired. She was a student at the University of South Carolina when she found the piece abandoned on the side of a road and loaded it into the trunk of her 1967 Mustang.
“I carried that piece around with me for years until I finally had it refurbished when we lived in D.C.,” she says. Now it has a home at Clevedale.
Of the four guest rooms, the Ohana and Wren chambers both have fireplaces and access to a rooftop porch overlooking the gardens. The Westmoreland Bridal Suite, named for U.S. Army General William Westmoreland, boasts a large bathroom with a whirlpool tub. Gen. Westmoreland was a friend of Conrad Cleveland Jr.—a banker and avid horticulturist who lived here from the mid-1940s until 1985.
In each room, you’ll find creature comforts such as thick 1,000-thread-count linens, ergonomic pillows and plush cotton towels.
Breakfast, served in the dining room on antique china, shows off Pontheolla’s culinary prowess with the likes of shrimp and grits, crab cakes Benedict, and red velvet waffles with fried chicken.
Make time during your stay to enjoy the landscaped grounds, where you’ll find the largest variety of magnolia trees on one property in both Carolinas, as well as Conrad Jr.’s English knot garden, a tangle of short boxwood hedges framing beds of spring-blooming bearded iris. And don’t miss the two ivy-covered ancillary buildings, which date back to 1798.
Pontheolla treasures Clevedale’s history and enjoys telling guests—over a glass of wine—the stories of the first families to live here. She happily shows off bits of memorabilia: old photographs of Conrad Jr. and items original to the home that have found their way back over the past five years.
Despite a friend warning them years ago that “running a B&B is like being a stewardess on a plane that never lands,” Pontheolla and Paul delight in sharing their meticulously restored home with guests.
“My ultimate reward,” Pontheolla says, “is being able to preserve a piece of history.” —M. Linda Lee
___
Get There
Clevedale Historic Inn and Gardens is located at 1050 Willis Road, off Route 29, in Spartanburg.
Rates: $155 to $225.
Known for: Four acres of gorgeous gardens; wine and conversation with the inn’s owners every afternoon; 1,000-thread-count sheets.
For more information: Visit clevedaleinn.com, email clevedaleinn@att.net or call (864) 345-2394.
Anchorage 1770
1 of 2
Entertaining in Lowcountry style
Guests at Anchorage 1770 tend to congregate on the third- and fourth-floor balconies for cocktail hour with owners Frank and Amy Lesesne, not to mention the waterfront views.
Photo courtesy of Anchorage 1770
2 of 2
Talk of the town
Although locals initially thought Frank and Amy Lesesne were crazy to turn the William Elliott House into a B&B, they are now very pleased at the success of the inn and its on-site restaurant, Ribaut Social Club, where Chef Byron Landis’s menus feature locally sourced ingredients.
Photo by Ruta Smith
From the day in May 2014 when Frank and Amy Lesesne purchased Beaufort’s William Elliott House—which would become Anchorage 1770, a boutique bed and breakfast—they happily embraced the moniker “the insane Lesesnes.” Many locals thought the vibrant couple from Atlanta truly cuckoo for trying to transform the one-time “Queen of the Bay” into an upscale inn, but Frank and Amy pulled it off without a trip to the asylum.
“Amy is originally from Miami and wanted to get back to the water,” says Frank. “We’d planned to buy an inn that was already established, but we fell in love with the ‘Queen’ and saw its potential.”
The couple met as students at Wofford College in Spartanburg. Amy spent 10 years as a flight attendant with Delta, while Frank established a data service company that he eventually sold. Though they had no previous innkeeping experience, operating Anchorage 1770 came naturally, with much of their time spent socializing with overnight visitors as well as dinner guests in their popular restaurant.
The couple worked with Beaufort architect Cooter Ramsey to turn the historic mansion overlooking Bay Street and the Beaufort River into a comfortable B&B, including adding bathrooms to 13 rooms in the original house, and creating two additional rooms in an outbuilding at the rear of the property.
In late 2016, they also opened the Ribaut Social Club restaurant, named for a men’s club started in the house by a former owner, Rear Admiral Lester Beardslee. Chef Byron Landis’s creative menus featuring local produce have received rave reviews. (Our recommendation: The lamb and the local vegetable plate are delicious.)
Chef Landis also cooks up creative breakfasts for inn guests, and breakfast is included in the nightly rate. He also added Sunday brunch for both guests and locals in-the-know. Amy’s focus on food as hospitality is obvious from the first bite of any meal. She loves to quote a beloved Beaufortonian, the late Pat Conroy, who said, “A recipe is a story that ends with a good meal.”
Most rooms include water or garden views, large bay windows, four-poster beds, high ceilings, intricate plasterwork and original Adam-style fireplaces. But the gathering places for overnight and dinner guests alike are the spacious third- and fourth-floor balconies, where Frank can often be found holding court—and a refreshing cocktail—in the early evenings.
In fact, the most memorable part of any stay at Anchorage 1770 is the chance to spend time with the Lesesnes themselves. “Whether it’s out on the front porch during breakfast or up on one of the two balconies during evening cocktails with a view, we love interacting with our guests,” says Amy.
Many in Beaufort still call Frank and Amy the “insane Lesesnes,” only now it’s with a knowing smile that what the couple has created is just insanely good. — Lynn and Cele Seldon
___
Get There
Anchorage 1770 is located at 1103 Bay Street in Beaufort.
Rates: $200-$375 per night, including breakfast.
Known for: Two balconies overlooking the Beaufort waterfront; three dedicated pet-friendly rooms; Sunday brunch and gourmet dinners served in the B&B’s restaurant.
Fun fact: The inn’s name combines a former name for the house with the year it was built.
For more information: Visit anchorage1770.com or call (877) 951-1770.
___
See what you’re missing
Take a video tour of Bloomsbury Inn and Clevedale Inn and Historic Gardens in the “Featured Videos” section of SCLiving.coop this month. Both B&Bs are featured in Discover South Carolina’s video “South Carolina Bed & Breakfasts.”