Melrose Mansion
Looks can be deceiving. Enter this grandly columned 1854 Victorian Gothic, and rather than antiques and brocades, you’re met with ultramodern, atonal leather furnishings set against stark white 21-foot-high walls. The architectural bones and original embellishments of the house have been retained, including stunning carved cornices, moldings, and chandelier medallions, now accented with abstract art and a pop of green. The overall effect is a sexy shock to the system. The well-appointed guest rooms in the main house (a former Storyville “party house”) and a bungalow range from large to enormous and follow the vibe: low-slung king beds in super-soft sheets, with marble and glass bathrooms (some with Jacuzzi tubs). Similarly chic condo-style suites in a third building have full kitchens and living rooms. Between them is the large pool. There’s a generous continental breakfast, evening wine and cheese, and snacks and staff round the clock—the latter are smooth and solicitous, but not at all cold; they’ll gladly help with arrangements or share recommendations and anecdotes. Like which perfume the ghost of Miss Kitty wears—it’s said to waft through her old room. No worries; it’s a (well-scented) storage room now.
Looks can be deceiving. Enter this grandly columned 1854 Victorian Gothic, and rather than antiques and brocades, you’re met with ultramodern, atonal leather furnishings set against stark white 21-foot-high walls. The architectural bones and original embellishments of the house have been retained, including stunning carved cornices, moldings, and chandelier medallions, now accented with abstract art and a pop of green. The overall effect is a sexy shock to the system. The well-appointed guest rooms in the main house (a former Storyville “party house”) and a bungalow range from large to enormous and follow the vibe: low-slung king beds in super-soft sheets, with marble and glass bathrooms (some with Jacuzzi tubs). Similarly chic condo-style suites in a third building have full kitchens and living rooms. Between them is the large pool. There’s a generous continental breakfast, evening wine and cheese, and snacks and staff round the clock—the latter are smooth and solicitous, but not at all cold; they’ll gladly help with arrangements or share recommendations and anecdotes. Like which perfume the ghost of Miss Kitty wears—it’s said to waft through her old room. No worries; it’s a (well-scented) storage room now.
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