The Marshall House - Savannah's Oldest Hotel Still Hosts Its Civil War Ghosts

Staying in a hotel that once served as a Union hospital, where faucets allegedly turn on by themselves and children's footsteps echo through halls at night, is delightfully odd. The Marshall House, Savannah's oldest operating hotel, doesn't shy away from its peculiar past.

Built in 1851, this Greek Revival landmark has weathered yellow fever epidemics, Civil War occupation, and a 42-year closure, emerging as one of the city's most storied (and reportedly most haunted) places to stay.

Right in the Heart of Savannah's Historic District

You'll find The Marshall House on Broughton Street, right in the heart of Savannah's Historic District. It's the kind of location where you can park your car on arrival and forget about it until checkout. River Street is a five-minute walk down Abercorn Street, while Forsyth Park is 15 to 20 minutes on foot through some of the city's most beautiful squares.

The hotel opens directly onto Broughton Street's shopping and dining scene, and you're within easy walking distance of museums, art galleries, and the cobblestone streets that make Savannah worth visiting in the first place.

From Mary Marshall's Vision to Sherman's Hospital

Mary Marshall wasn't messing around when she opened this hotel in 1851. A savvy businesswoman who inherited her father's real estate acumen and cabinet-making fortune, she spotted an opportunity during Savannah's railroad boom and built one of the city's first proper hotels. She kept collecting rent on the property until 1914, long after her death in 1877 at age 93.

The hotel's early years were marked by drama. In 1864, Union troops led by General William Tecumseh Sherman occupied the building, converting it into a military hospital for wounded soldiers. Before that, it had already served as a hospital during mid-1800s yellow fever epidemics. These chapters of suffering have fueled decades of ghost stories, whether you believe them or not.

Joel Chandler Harris, author of the Uncle Remus stories, lived here during Reconstruction. The property changed hands and names multiple times, becoming the Gilbert Hotel in 1933 before eventually closing in 1957 during an economic downturn. For 41 years, the upper three floors sat abandoned while the ground level housed various shops.

The 1999 restoration brought the building back to life as a hotel, with careful attention paid to preserving original features. An 1830 portrait of Mary Marshall now hangs in the lobby, acquired from the estate of Jim Williams, the central figure in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

Step Inside

The Marshall House strikes an unusual balance between historical authenticity and modern comfort. Original 1850s doors lead into rooms with contemporary furniture. Heart-pine floors creak underfoot, exposed brick walls reveal the building's bones, and vintage architectural details remind you this isn't some cookie-cutter chain hotel.

The restoration team kept the Philadelphia pressed brick on the exterior and Savannah grey brick throughout the interior. Original staircases remain intact (though some spindles and accents have been recreated), along with fireplaces and several claw-foot tubs dating to 1880. The wrought-iron veranda and gas lights were reproduced based on the originals from 1857. A glass ceiling now covers what was once an open courtyard atrium, and display cabinets on the second and third floors showcase artifacts uncovered during renovation.

It's a mix that shouldn't work but does, vintage details and modern amenities coexisting without the stuffiness that plagues some historic properties.

45 Bistro Restaurant & Bar

Breakfast happens at 45 Bistro from 7 to 10 am, included with the daily amenity fee. The spread covers the basics: oatmeal, yogurt, fresh fruit, cereals, Swiss cheese and spinach quiche, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, grits, and biscuits with sausage gravy. Kids under 13 eat free. It's Southern hotel breakfast done right, substantial enough to fuel a day of walking Savannah's historic streets.

The Rooms

The 65 guest rooms and three suites at The Marshall House have character that newer hotels can't fake. You'll find a quirky mix of original features and modern touches, from those 1850s doors and molding to flat-screen TVs and mini-refrigerators. Every room comes with robes, umbrellas, and wall-mounted HD television.

Classic Queen

These rooms offer warmth and a touch of elegance without unnecessary fuss. You get one queen-size bed, a private bathroom with shower, and slightly more space than the hotel's Petite Queen rooms. They're straightforward and comfortable, ideal if you plan to spend most of your time exploring the city rather than lounging in your room.

Classic King

The Classic King rooms deliver a traditional Savannah experience with one king-size bed and a private bathroom with either a tub or shower. They're pitched as romantic getaway material or comfortable business trip accommodations, and they live up to that billing. You're getting the best rate for a king-size bed here, which makes them practical as well as pleasant.

Luxury King Suite

Privacy and space define these suites, located on the back side of the hotel where street noise won't interrupt your sleep. You get a separate parlor and sleeping area, one king-size bed, a private bathroom with shower, and a parlor with a sleeper sofa. Only two of these suites exist, so book early if you want one.

Mary Marshall Suite

This is the hotel's showpiece, located on the second floor with balcony access. It's a favorite for special occasions and weddings, and you can see why.

You get one king-size bed, an original antique claw-foot bathtub, a separate full-size shower, and a parlor with sleeper sofa that's separate from the bedroom.

Broughton Balcony King

These are the most distinctive rooms in the house, and there are only six of them. You step through large, raised windows onto that 120-foot wrought-iron veranda spanning the hotel's front.

Only balcony room occupants have access, which means you can sit in one of the rocking chairs and watch Broughton Street without sharing the space with every hotel resident.

One king-size bed, private bathroom with tub or shower, and those rocking chairs on a semi-private balcony. Book early or miss out.

The 120-Foot Veranda That's Been Here Since 1857

That second-floor veranda deserves its own mention. Originally installed in 1857, the current version is a faithful reproduction stretching 120 feet across the hotel's front, 12 feet wide and 12 feet high.

If you've booked one of the balcony rooms, you can sit in a rocking chair and watch Savannah go by, a scene that's remained essentially unchanged for more than a century. It's one of those simple pleasures that modern hotels can't replicate, no matter how many amenities they pile on.

About Those Unexplained Footsteps in the Hallway

The Marshall House has built a reputation as Savannah's most haunted hotel, ranking consistently in USA Today's "Best Haunted Hotel" lists. You'll hear stories about shadow figures in hallways, children running through corridors at night, and those mysteriously activating faucets. The Travel Channel has featured the property multiple times on haunted hotel programs.

Whether any of this is real or folklore depends on your perspective, but the hotel embraces it with good humor rather than trying to downplay the stories. Many travelers specifically request rooms that paranormal investigators favor. The building's history as a Civil War hospital and yellow fever treatment center certainly provides atmospheric material for ghost stories, whether or not you believe in such things.

The hotel works with AfterLife Tours, run by paranormal investigators from Savannah's Ghost Research Society, offering nightly walking tours at 8 pm and 10 pm. The later tour specifically covers The Marshall House along with other reportedly haunted locations. Each 90-minute walk covers about a mile through Savannah's historic district.

If you're staying here, you're sleeping in a building with genuine historical weight. Whether that history includes lingering spirits or just lingering stories is something you'll have to decide for yourself, probably around 3 am when the old floorboards creak in the hallway outside your door.