AAA reserves its Four Diamond status for exceptional properties, and Rosemary Inn Bed and Breakfast is certainly deserving of the designation. It is, in fact, the only Four Diamond accommodation in the entire greater Augusta area, and Rosemary Inn has received the status for seven straight years. Owners/innkeepers Kelly and Diana Combs will greet you warmly into their home and are happy to give a tour pointing out all of the wonderful architectural details along with a history of the mansion which was built in 1902. They live in the home and are the ones preparing and serving the full breakfast each morning. Their love for the home is obvious, especially when they describe "painting every square inch!" The website provides many enticing details and photos.
The exterior is grand and imposing with its massive columns and beautifully-landscaped grounds. The wide, wraparound porch just begs for its guests to sit and enjoy. The location, too, is perfect for exploring attractions and restaurants in North Augusta, such as Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site, Manuel's Bread Cafe, Sno-Cap Drive-In, the Living History Park and Antonio's Italian Eatery. Click on the links to find out more.
Rosemary Inn offers six guestrooms, each with private baths, high speed internet, luxurious bed linens and exceptional bath products. There are writing desks, alarm clocks, irons, ironing boards and even umbrellas if you're heading out in the rain. I particularly enjoyed the upstairs refreshment station with snacks, cold drinks and a tea/coffee station. The turndown service each evening made me feel especially pampered.
I stayed in the Atelier Suite where Edith Barrington Jackson Alexander taught art to area students for 52 years. She was a daughter of James U. Jackson who originally built the home. She, her husband and their five children lived on the second floor, and she was actually the family member who lived in the house the longest.
The Combs have done a fabulous job of restoring the mansion to its former glory. The rooms are comfortable and beautifully-decorated. If you look for lodging that is a cut above and appreciate a place with rich history then this would be a great choice. Imagine staying where famous Americans such as John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, Woodrow Wilson, Howard Taft and Ty Cobb have been guests. If those walls could talk . . . .