SAVANNAH, UNFOLDING
LOCAL STORIES & TRAVEL INSPIRATION
See Savannah unfold through neighborhood discoveries, seasonal inspiration, and insider recommendations from The DeSoto. Whether you're planning your first visit or returning to a favorite city, you'll find plenty of reasons to keep discovering the hidden gems of the city.
Spooky Season in Savannah: Your Guide to an October Getaway
There may be no better place to celebrate spooky season than Savannah. With centuries-old architecture, moss-draped oaks, historic cemeteries, legendary ghost stories and some of the most beautifully decorated porches in the South, October feels right at home here. And from The DeSoto, you're in the heart of it all.
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Celebrate the Season: Plan Your Holiday Party at The DeSoto
The holidays have a way of arriving faster than expected. Calendars fill, weekends disappear and suddenly everyone is searching for the perfect place to celebrate.
Our advice? Book the party early and enjoy the season later.
Spooky Season in Savannah: Your Guide to an October Getaway
There may be no better place to celebrate spooky season than Savannah. With centuries-old architecture, moss-draped oaks, historic cemeteries, legendary ghost stories and some of the most beautifully decorated porches in the South, October feels right at home here. And from The DeSoto, you're in the heart of it all.
Located on Madison Square in Savannah's Historic District, The DeSoto makes an ideal home base for an October getaway—close to ghost tours, historic cemeteries, decorated homes, restaurants, shops, nightlife and many of the city's most popular fall events.
Stay for the Treats, Skip the Tricks
Make a weekend of it with our Treats No Tricks package, created especially for fall stays in Savannah.
Stay two nights or longer and enjoy 15% off our Best Flexible Rate plus two drink tickets per stay. After a day exploring Savannah—or an evening spent searching for a few of its legendary spirits—return to The DeSoto for a nightcap and a comfortable place to call home.
BOOK THE TREATS NO TRICKS PACKAGE
Explore Savannah's Haunted History
Savannah's history and its ghost stories have always been intertwined.
Just a short walk from The DeSoto, Colonial Park Cemetery dates to the city's earliest years and sits among the historic streets, squares and buildings that have inspired generations of Savannah ghost stories. Throughout the Historic District, evening walking tours lead visitors by lantern light through some of the city's most storied locations.
For those willing to venture a little farther, Bonaventure Cemetery is one of Savannah's most unforgettable landmarks. Its elaborate monuments, winding pathways and enormous live oaks create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the city. During October, special after-hours experiences offer an especially memorable way to explore its history.
Whether you prefer a classic walking ghost tour, haunted pub crawl, hearse tour or an evening cemetery experience, Savannah offers plenty of ways to embrace the spooky season.
Take a Halloween Stroll Through the Historic District
You don't need a tour to get into the Halloween spirit.
One of our favorite October activities is simply walking through Savannah's Historic District. The city's grand homes and townhouses take on a different personality for the season as stoops and porches fill with pumpkins, autumn wreaths, skeletons, cobwebs and elaborate Halloween displays.
Grab a coffee, wander through the squares and take the long way back to The DeSoto. Part of the fun is discovering which decorated porch is waiting around the next corner.
An October Full of Things to Do
Spooky season isn't the only reason to visit Savannah in October.
The month brings festivals, live entertainment, outdoor events and some of the year's best weather for exploring the city on foot. Early October kicks off with Banana Ball Playoff Weekend, October 1–4, bringing special events and celebrations throughout Savannah.
Later in the month, Savannah Pride Festival returns to Forsyth Park on October 24, filling the park with live entertainment, local vendors, food and community celebrations.
And on October 25, The DeSoto gets into the Halloween spirit, too. Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics brings an atmospheric live musical experience right here to the hotel—the perfect addition to an October Savannah getaway.
Fall Evenings, Savannah Style
October also means spending more time outside.
Walk beneath the live oaks, explore the city's 22 iconic squares, head toward River Street for an evening along the Savannah River, or settle in for dinner and drinks without ever leaving The DeSoto.
Start your morning with breakfast at 1540 Room, grab coffee before heading out to explore, and return in the evening for cocktails and casual bites at Edgar's Proof & Provision.
The best part? From our location on Madison Square, you can leave the car behind and experience much of Savannah on foot.
Make The DeSoto Your Home for Spooky Season
Come for the ghost stories. Stay for the architecture, food, fall weather, decorated porches and unmistakable Savannah atmosphere.
Whether you're planning a Halloween weekend, a fall couples' getaway or simply looking for an excuse to experience Savannah in October, The DeSoto puts you right in the middle of one of the city's most memorable seasons.
And with Treats No Tricks, there are even more reasons to stay awhile.
Stay two nights or longer and enjoy 15% off our Best Flexible Rate plus two drink tickets per stay.
Celebrate the Season: Plan Your Holiday Party at The DeSoto
The holidays have a way of arriving faster than expected. Calendars fill, weekends disappear and suddenly everyone is searching for the perfect place to celebrate.
Our advice? Book the party early and enjoy the season later.
Located in the heart of Savannah's Historic District, The DeSoto offers a collection of event spaces, custom catering, festive surroundings and overnight accommodations all under one roof—making holiday party planning a little easier and celebrating a lot more memorable.
A Space for Every Kind of Celebration
No two holiday parties look exactly alike, and that's why having options matters.
The DeSoto offers multiple indoor event spaces that can accommodate everything from intimate company dinners and cocktail receptions to larger corporate holiday parties, association celebrations and end-of-year gatherings.
Planning something formal? Host an elegant seated dinner. Want to keep things social? Create a cocktail-style reception with passed hors d'oeuvres and food stations. Celebrating with a smaller team? Choose a more intimate setting where everyone can gather around the table.
Our event team can help match your guest count and vision with the space and setup that make the most sense.
Make the Menu Your Own
The food should be one of the things guests remember most.
The DeSoto's culinary team can work with planners to create custom catering menus designed around the style of the event, from festive receptions and cocktail hours to plated dinners, buffets and holiday-inspired selections.
Add passed bites, seasonal desserts, signature cocktails or a celebratory toast to make the evening feel distinctly your own.
Whether you're planning a sophisticated company dinner or a relaxed end-of-year celebration, our team can help create a menu that fits the occasion.
Let Us Handle the Holiday Atmosphere
One of the advantages of hosting your holiday celebration at The DeSoto is that the season is already part of the experience.
Throughout the holidays, the hotel transforms with festive décor throughout the property, bringing warmth and seasonal spirit to arrival areas and gathering spaces.
Your guests can step through the doors and immediately feel like the celebration has begun.
It also provides a beautiful backdrop for company photos, group pictures and all those candid moments that inevitably end up being shared long after the party is over.
Turn the Holiday Party Into a Savannah Stay
Why make everyone head home when the celebration ends?
With overnight guest rooms available right upstairs, The DeSoto makes it easy to turn a holiday party into a complete Savannah experience.
Reserve accommodations for out-of-town attendees, executives or anyone who would rather enjoy the evening without worrying about the trip home. Guests can simply head upstairs after the celebration and wake up the next morning in the heart of Savannah's Historic District.
For companies with employees traveling from different cities, the combination of event space and overnight accommodations can also simplify planning considerably.
Make a Weekend of It
A holiday event at The DeSoto doesn't have to end when dinner does.
Our location on Madison Square places your group within walking distance of Savannah's restaurants, cocktail bars, shops and historic squares. During the holiday season, downtown Savannah takes on an especially festive atmosphere, making it easy to build an entire itinerary around your celebration.
Guests can gather for drinks before the event, explore downtown afterward or extend their stay for a weekend in Savannah.
And with 1540 Room, Edgar's Proof & Provision and coffee available on property, there are plenty of opportunities to continue the gathering the following morning.
The Best Holiday Parties Start With Planning Early
Prime holiday dates don't stay available forever.
Booking early gives you more flexibility when choosing your preferred date, event space, setup and accommodations—and gives your team more time to focus on the details that will make the celebration special.
From the first welcome cocktail to the final toast, our team is ready to help create a holiday gathering worthy of celebrating another year together.
Holiday parties. Custom catering. Multiple event spaces. Overnight accommodations. All in the heart of Savannah.