Our Story

Before Savannah became a city of squares, steeples, and cobblestone streets, this bluff overlooking the Savannah River was home to the Yamacraw people.

Upon this ground, histories met and futures were shaped.

In the year 1733, Chief Tomochichi welcomed General James Edward Oglethorpe and the first English settlers to Georgia. With the guidance of interpreter and diplomat Mary Musgrove, conversations held on this bluff helped lay the foundation for the colony of Georgia and the city that would rise around it.

Long before Savannah’s streets were imagined, Yamacraw Bluff stood as a place of community, diplomacy, trade, and connection to the river below. The landscape that surrounds this property still carries the story of those early encounters and the people who shaped them.

The river still flows below the bluff.
The city still rises beyond it.
And the story of this place continues.

Welcome to The Bluff Hotel Savannah Historic District.

a reception desk with a painting on it

Get To Know The Yamacraw Tribe

Before English settlers arrived, Yamacraw Bluff was home to the Yamacraw people, a community connected to the larger Creek Nation. They chose this elevated location for its access to fresh water, protection from flooding, and strategic view of the Savannah River.

The river supported transportation, fishing, trade, and communication with Indigenous communities throughout the Southeast. Through the broader Creek cultural and trade network, the Yamacraw maintained relationships across present-day Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.

Led by Chief Tomochichi, the tribe played a pivotal role in the peaceful founding of Savannah in 1733. Their alliance with British settlers, especially Governor James Oglethorpe, laid the foundation for a city built on cooperation and respect. The Bluff Hotel stands on this historic ground, honoring the legacy of the Yamacraw people through thoughtful design and storytelling. Their spirit lives on in the very heart of our hotel.

a drawing of a man and two women in canoes
Chief Tomochichi and nephew