In a world of corporate-owned hotels that play it so safe they barely raise our heartbeat, charming Covington’s Southern Hotel strikes a pose. It’s not just that it offers travelers a non-pareil place to drink cannily, eat well and bunk luxuriously at night. It’s more that The Southern’s complete existence under the shepherd-ship of owner Lisa Condrey Ward proves the Japanese concept of ikigai. Loosely translated, ikigai means a reason for being or a passion that gives joy to life. In the case of this clever, bijoux hotel, Covington’s metaphorical living room, ikigai is part of The Southern’s back story. Built as a hotel with Mission Revival roots in 1907, the once buzzy pre-war lodge eventually fell into disrepair, abandoned until Ward took a shine to its ruins. She decided not just to restore it, but to turn into a boutique hotel with a purpose (ikigai all the way)—and she’d run it herself (more ikigai). Now a getaway for travelers with a penchant for gastronomy and the arts, as well as a place to recharge over a long weekend, The Southern reigns as a glamorous (and dare we say, authentically hip) bolt hole for wedding festivities, too. Check out its sister event property, The Greenwood, once a Benedictine Convent—ideal for any soiree or business meeting.
Visit for the day, or book a room. Plush and timeless, with Audubon prints and soothing Southern flourishes the Traditional King guest rooms feel stately and cosseting. But, splurge on the stunning, 833-square foot Walker Percy Suite for its deep soaking garden tub and separate living area, anchored by a red sofa. This room could make your tryst dreams come true. Celebrate the setting sun in the Cypress Bar, which is adorned with postcards by muralist Grahame Menage. Sip a barrel-aged, Cherrywood-smoked Old Fashioned there, while you nibble pimento cheese with bacon jam. With infusions of France and intimations of an al fresco day in the garden, The Gloriette, The Southern’s signature restaurant, brings Chef Austin Kirzner’s gourmet talents to the table with dishes like Brioche French Toast and Confit Pork Belly. Don’t miss the Swordfish Piccata with Louisiana blue crab for dinner. thesouthernhotel.com
