Savannah is a historical city, but that doesn’t mean it’s stuck in the past — it’s an art-school town as well, and there’s some appetite here for a bit of experimentation. So a contemporary-style boutique hotel like the Andaz Savannah is certainly not out of the question. You’re a short walk away from the plantation houses and tree-lined boulevards you might expect from Savannah, but the hotel feels remarkably urban, a well-kept loft building just off the river walk. Rooms are cool and contemporary, but not at all minimal — there’s plenty of color, and the eye can’t help but be drawn to the occasional scarlet or leopard-print chair or sofa. Good as it looks, design isn’t the sole point of this place. Savannah, and by extension the hotel, is about the good life — the rooms lack for no comfort, and food and drink are central to the experience, with daily wine tastings, custom-roasted coffee, and a fine introduction to modern Southern cooking at the restaurant. And the town itself is the other half of the equation, with some of the American South’s most exciting restaurants in the neighborhood; your concierge will see to it that by the time you leave, you know Savannah inside and out. How to get there: The hotel is about a 25-minute drive from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV).