When my daughter Sophie and I arrived at the newly-opened boutique hotel, The George, nestled between the shimmering waters of the PeeDee River and historic Front Street in colonial Georgetown, we were greeted by friendly doormen, reservationists and the woman at the helm of the operation, Georgetonian Christy Whitlock. As we sat on a sofa in the front window of the lobby, Whitlock shared the origin story of The George. Inspired by her stay at the Hotel Florence, a development that revitalized Florence’s entire downtown area, she conceived the idea of bringing the first boutique hotel in 50 years to the already charming downtown district of Georgetown.

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PODCAST: The Story of The George

The first step to launching the project, Whitlock said, involved reaching out to Ben Zeigler, one of the co-founders of the Hotel Florence, and Jay and Joe Keenan, whose portfolio includes four thriving hotels in Charleston. Having secured the location on the site of what was the Post and Courier building and previously the Georgetown Times, Joe Keenan joined forces with his wife, interior designer Jenny Keenan, and from there the project took on a life of its own.

A private tour of the property, guided by Whitlock, revealed an enchanting design concept that blends English flair with Lowcountry culture. Downstairs, the walls are hung with paintings from the Charleston Artist Collective, while bespoke wallpaper portraying a lush forest covers the interior of an archway leading from the lobby to the port side of the hotel. Bougie yet comfortable custom-designed furniture invites guests to slow down and lounge awhile. Further accent touches such as Gullah baskets and round shadow boxes displaying Indigenous nature-derived artifacts such as rice, indigo and cotton intertwine the past with the present. “We try to incorporate as much history as we can,” said Whitlock, explaining that these crops are significant to the Lowcountry theme as they were once the largest exports for Georgetown and surrounding areas.

Once the courteous staff checked us in, Sophie and I went upstairs to see our room, which featured an accent wall papered in a pale blue floral, one of many patterns that Jenny curated for the project, which are hanging in the 56 guest rooms throughout the hotel. Also, upholstered headboards anchored plush bedding that promised a delicious night’s sleep. Having stashed our bags, Sophie and I changed clothes for dinner and headed back downstairs for our reservations at the posh onsite restaurant, The Independent, a unique Indigo Road Hospitality Group establishment.

Named for the Independent Seafood market, a family-owned business that served the Georgetown community for 80 years, the restaurant was booked solid on a Tuesday night. The clinking of glasses and laid-back laughter amongst stylishly-clad friends sharing a meal, set against a merlot wall color, coffered ceilings and cane-backed chairs, conjured an atmosphere of a fashionable Parisian cafe. Indeed, the evening called for one—okay, two—glasses of the Louis Metaireau ‘Petit’ Mouton Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine. For starters, Sophie and I shared the crowd favorite, locally-sourced deviled eggs topped with fried oysters. Then, chef Thomas Vance came to the table to greet us, and sent over an artful salad with roasted butternut squash, arugula, pears, spiced pumpkin seeds and burrata that he makes in-house, drizzled with aged balsamic. For the main course, Sophie ordered fresh peel-and-eat shrimp with a side of pommes frites. And as Whitlock and our server Jen McConnell had both gushed over the blackened flounder with lump crab and andouille pileau accompanied by fried okra and lemon beurre monte, I had no choice but to opt in for my entrée. As promised, the selection certainly delivered, so my compliments to chef Vance. Our gastronomic experience would have been remiss without dessert, and Sophie selected the chocolate ganache, another excellent choice for us to share.

By the next morning, a mini tropical storm swept through Georgetown, contemptuously daring The George’s staff and guests to carry on with plans for the afternoon’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. Serendipitously, by the time revelers began spilling out from the ballroom onto the sprawling portside lawn, the skies cleared and the sun emerged, dappling the river and her moored vessels. Between passed hors d’oeuvres and an open bar, the prosecco flowed as nearly 300 well-heeled guests greeted each other, often with hugs and side kisses. A ribbon of greenery festooned two columns on the back patio, creating a stage where Keenan emceed the celebration, thanking everyone who has been involved in the six-year-long project. Steve Palmer, founder of the Indigo Road Hospitality Group, held the shears, passing them along to Mayor Carol Jayroe who did the honors amongst great fanfare.

That evening, as we drove back to Charleston with The George fading behind us in the rearview mirror, Sophie and I agreed that we had found our new home away from home for overnight or weekend mother-daughter getaways.

By Sarah Rose

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