Where to stay in Savannah: the best neighbourhoods and hotels

Savannah began on this bluff above the river, and the waterfront is still where most visits start. River Street runs along the quay on ballast-stone cobbles, lined with former cotton warehouses that now hold restaurants, bars, galleries and praline shops. Every so often a container ship the size of a city block glides by, close enough to wave at.

Hotels here have the views and the buzz. At the western end, a former power station has been turned into a huge riverside resort with a dozen restaurants and a spa; at the eastern end sits a big, comfortable hotel with a pool on the riverwalk. Across the water on Hutchinson Island, reached by a short ferry ride, a golf and spa resort looks back at the skyline. Expect noise at weekends, and bring flat shoes for the cobbles.

A couple of blocks back from the river, City Market is four blocks of restored warehouses filled with galleries, restaurants and bars, with live music drifting across the courtyard most evenings. Ellis Square is next door, and Broughton Street, the main shopping street, runs just to the south.

This is the handiest base for eating, drinking and shopping, with River Street a short walk one way and the quieter squares a short walk the other. The hotels are mostly modern and well priced for the location, several with outdoor pools, plus a stylish option right on Ellis Square and another in a historic building, a few steps from the market.

South of Broughton Street the city settles into the pattern that made it famous. Every few blocks the grid opens into a square with a monument, a fountain or simply a ring of benches under the oaks: Chippewa, where Forrest Gump waited for his bus; Madison; Monterey. Between them are house museums, churches, antique shops and the cathedral's twin spires.

It is the most beautiful place to stay and, for couples, the obvious one. Hotels range from a five-star with a pool steps from Chippewa Square to a storied landmark overlooking Madison Square and a playful boutique in the middle of the landmark district. There are historic inns too, with courtyards and evening wine. River Street and Forsyth Park are each about ten minutes' walk.

At the southern end of the Historic District, Forsyth Park spreads out under an avenue of oaks leading to the most photographed fountain in Georgia. Locals jog, picnic and play frisbee here, there is a farmers’ market on Saturdays, and the streets around it are lined with ornate Victorian houses.

This is the calm end of town. A luxurious hotel in a Victorian mansion faces the park, with a spa and pool; around it are small bed and breakfasts and inns with gardens, porches and proper cooked breakfasts. You are about a mile from the river, a lovely walk through the squares, though you may prefer a taxi home after dinner.

Midtown is everyday Savannah: shopping centres, chain restaurants and a run of reliable modern hotels along Abercorn Street, about three miles south of the Historic District. Nobody comes for the scenery, but rooms cost noticeably less, parking is simple and many hotels have a pool.

It suits road-trippers and families who want space and a kitchen, and who are happy to drive ten minutes into town. If your time in Savannah is short, though, spend the extra to stay in the old city; this is a place best enjoyed on foot.

Tybee Island is where Savannah goes to cool off. It lies about 20 minutes east of the city, at the mouth of the river, with miles of wide, hard-packed sand, dunes and warm, shallow Atlantic water. The north end has the historic lighthouse and the quietest beach; the south end has the pier, the surf shops and the bars.

Do not expect resorts. Tybee is proudly unpolished, and places to stay are small beach hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts with pools, a few steps from the sand. It works beautifully as a couple of beach days tacked on to a city break, or as a base for families who would rather visit Savannah than sleep in it.

Pooler sits beside Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport and the I-95, about 15 to 20 minutes from the Historic District. It is a convenient stop on a drive down the coast, with free airport shuttles at several hotels, plenty of parking and the Tanger Outlets close by.

The hotels are modern three-star suites and inns, often with breakfast included. Stay here for a night at the start or end of a trip, or if you are heading on to Hilton Head. Neighbouring Port Wentworth and Richmond Hill, also on the interstate, offer more of the same at similar prices.