A Southern Sanctuary

Sponsored by Houmas House Plantation and Gardens

The Inn at Houmas House is one of the most charming bed and breakfasts in the area, which in the heartland of Southern hospitality, is high praise indeed. A series of cottages has been built on the premises, patterned after historic buildings that were located on the old Uncle Sam Plantation, which was demolished to make way for the modern levee on the Mississippi.

All of the cottages boast antique furniture pieces in every room; what is not antique has been selected to blend beauty and comfort. No two rooms are the same, each having its own style and decorative touches; and all are nestled into private corners of the property's expansive gardens, which are carefully tended to provide full-color blooms all year round. A live oak canopy adds to the sense of seclusion; but though you'll feel quietly tucked away from it all, you're just a short and pleasant walk away from a filling breakfast.

Each cottage also has a front porch, complete with rocking chairs for enjoying a relaxing cup of morning coffee or a nightcap before bed. Many of the cottages boast a view of the Mississippi, perfect for savoring sunrise or sunset, depending on your personal clock.

Accommodations also include a tour of the mansion and complete leisure to enjoy the gardens, restaurants, and the unique Turtle Bar, where rare whiskeys and brandies are served. The bar is housed in a restored garconnière, an innovation of the Louisiana planter class, who sent their teenage sons out to live in small buildings separate from the main house until they were civilized enough to be tolerated.