Villa de La Fontaine  

Generally at eGO Travel Guides, we review a property, but leave it to the owners to describe it. Villa de la Fontaine demands a special exception. Like a work of art, its creators prefer that their achievement speak for itself. They're almost shy about exposing its wonders to the world. So, to even begin to do the property justice, we're stepping in.

The Greek Revival mansion was built in the 1830's, and was one of the first houses in the country to have indoor plumbing. Like most Charleston houses though, it had fallen into a state of disrepair by the late 1960's. The present owners, reknowned interior decorators whose clients have included the leading families in the country, turned it's restoration into a nearly 30 year project. From meticulously removing globs of paint from some of the finest woodwork in Charleston, to installing air conditioning throughout, no detail has been neglected.

The house is only part of the experience. It is furnished with musuem quality American antiques. Some of them have been passed down in the owners' families, others aquired during a lifetime of work with the finest of furniture and interior decor. For those that are interested, they are happy to share the histories and heritage that is intertwined with the greatest names in American history.

A visit though to Villa de la Fontaine isn't like staying in a musuem. Through decades of operating a bed and breakfast, the innkeepers have learned the fine details of how to make guests comfortable. From modern private baths to a full breakfasts, no comfort is sacrificed to dwell among the finest furnishings in Charleston.

The house is centrally located in Charleston's historic residential section. All the attractions including the Battery, King Street shopping, the market are in comfortable walking distance.

The one acre property consists of formal design of gardens, terraces with fountains and ample parking enclosed by a 7 foot brick wall and ornamental iron gates.

Breakfast: A full sit down breakfast is prepared every morning in the beautiful solarium overlooking a formal garden. Each morning the menu varies.