Recently stayed at the Thompson Savannah for a quick weekend getaway with my cousin and his family. This hotel is located about a 10 minute walk away from the town center along the river and a 20 minute drive away from the airport. I have to say I have nothing but good things to say about the Thompson brand and this hotel in general.
I arrived late Friday evening and was greeted warmly at the front desk and thanked for my Hyatt Globalist status (this was booked as a “Guest of Honor” booking using 17,000 points per night). It was quickly explained that valet parking, breakfast, and a late checkout were already included in my stay. Service from the get go was unassuming, responsive, and very friendly and this was the case thoughout my stay.
The hotel lobby features a bar and large seating area where there was live music and quite a few people hanging out late into that Friday night.
My room was a upgraded to a “Corner King – River View”, while my cousin got the King Room with a river view. I don’t recall what floor my room was located on, sorry about that.
River View King:
The bathroom was sleek and modern, with a walk-in shower that felt luxurious. The toiletries were by DS&Durga of the Bowmakers type, a brand I’ve enjoyed at other Thompson hotels. They smell fantastic and lather up well
River View King (Corner)
I wouldn’t say there was much of a difference between the two types of rooms. They both featured the same furniture, but the corner room did have the extra window to look out of I suppose.
The bathroom was designed a bit differently and the shower was a little bigger, but again not much of a difference. I would hardly call this an upgrade if I’m being honest.
Amenities & Location
The hotel offered free bike rentals for guests, a great way to explore before dark. The location itself was ideal – just far enough from the downtown buzz to be peaceful, but still close enough to enjoy the action with a scenic river walk. Wi-Fi was fast and free throughout our stay so there were no complaints there and the TV featured Chromecast so it was easy to stream virtually anything from my phone.
Breakfast @ Bar Julian
The hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Bar Julian, is a gem and seemed to be popular amongst the locals as well. With sweeping views of the Savannah River, it’s a fantastic spot to kick off your day or unwind in the evening.
As a Hyatt Globalist, breakfast was included in my stay, and it didn’t disappoint. Bar Julian offers a delightful selection of morning dishes with a Mediterranean twist. I particularly liked their sweet potato bowl, oven bread, hummus, and maple+pecan granola. Since we were there for three nights, we got to try a bit of everything. The French Cruellers are a sinful treat.
However, do note that the restaurant can get quite busy at times resulting in long wait times. Luckily, breakfast was also available through room service at no additional charge due to Hyatt Globalist status.
Rooftop Pool:
We took advantage of the rooftop pool on two afternoons. Of course all my eight year old niece wanted to do was spend the entire day there despite it getting quite hot. It surprisingly wasn’t too crowded and was well maintained for the most part. I will say though that it’s always disappointing not seeing a lap swimming pool at high end hotels to get those workouts in 🙂
Bottom Line:
The Thompson Savannah is probably one of the newest and nicest hotels in Savannah. While its location may not be as smack-dab in the middle of the action like the Andaz, the tranquility and upscale amenities more than compensate for the 10-minute stroll to River Street. And quite honestly this probably made it more family friendly than other hotels in town. I wouldn’t hesistate to return to Savannah (more on that later) or this hotel.
