The vision of tobacco tycoon and Confederate major Lewis Ginter, this beaux arts–style hotel was completed in 1895. Rooms sport an old-fashioned but inviting decor and are extremely comfortable; amenities and facilities are good. According to rumor (probably untrue), the magnificent grand staircase in the lobby served as the model for the famed stairs in Gone with the Wind.
Even if you don't stay here, it's worth having a peek inside. Pick up a hotel walking-tour brochure at the concierge desk. A statue of the hotel's namesake, Thomas Jefferson, anchors the lobby. Afternoon tea is served beneath Tiffany stained glass in the Palm Court lobby (from 3pm Friday to Sunday), and cocktails are shaken or stirred at the grand Lemaire Bar.