About Amethyst Garden Inn

Every year, Amethyst Garden is referenced among the finest inns in America. It is recognized as one of the preferred places for visitors in search of authenticity to stay in Savannah. Innkeeper/hostess Chemise does the utmost to ensure that the Amethyst Garden conserves its unique style and family atmosphere.

A House Brimming with History

Historic Inn Built In 1888

Tomlinson and Emma Johnson built their family home for $10,000 in 1888. In today’s dollars, the house that would eventually become Amethyst Garden would have cost $270,000. For what we would consider a modest price, they were able to build a grand three-level home with an attic on a one-and-a-half-sized lot. In addition, they outfitted their home with twelve fireplaces, large sliding doors, heart pine floors, and an intricately carved wooden staircase in its foyer. The couple owned the house for 14 years before selling it in 1901.

1940 Transformed to a Boarding House

The house changed hands many times until it was purchased by Evelina Carpenter in 1940 and turned into a boarding house. The men lived on the upper floors and the women on the lower floors. The home was sold to Charles and Jean Soderland in 1975. They placed the home under a historic easement and spent $75,000 to remodel the home. A time capsule left by the couple contained a signed letter, floor plans, a Coke bottle, Time Magazine, and a newspaper.  Possibly because the home was too large for a single occupant. During the early 1990s, it was split into apartments. In 1997 it began its life as a Bed and Breakfast.

2015 An Elegant B&B

In 2015, looking for the hotel of his dreams, the current owner fell in love with the Amethyst Garden. He was captivated by the unrivaled location, the proportions of its Victorian façade, the harmony of its interior spaces, and the building’s history. The following year, making it a point of pride to bring the Amethyst Garden to today’s glorious state. The current owner undertook a complete renovation. The hotel was modernized and beautifully decorated. Elegant materials and shimmering colors create an intimate universe where every bedroom and each room has its own distinctive character. Fine antique furnishings form a perfect harmony with original period paintings, and hand-picked objects of art (crystal, bronze sconces, and chandeliers).