Since her college ensemble days at the University of South Carolina Columbia, Pontheolla Abernathy has dreamed of owning her own boutique hotel or bed and breakfast.
After she and her husband Paul retired from life in D.C., the couple moved to South Carolina to finally sit back and enjoy life.
“I told my husband once we moved down south, this was my time to do something I wanted to do,” Pontheolla Abernathy told Travel Noire. “He agreed.”
In August 2013, the Abernathy’s opened the Clevedale Inn in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Pontheolla and Paul are history buffs, and when it came to finding the perfect property for their accommodation they wanted to incorporate a place with ties to the area. According to Pontheolla, upstate South Carolina is known for its textiles and manufacturing. It was also known as a railroad hub.
“We wanted a place that had some family history while also connecting with the history of the city. We found this home which is on a 440-acre farm that was owned by the Cleveland family.”
If the Cleveland name sounds familiar, it’s the family of former president Grover Cleveland as well as the family behind Cleveland, Ohio. What makes the tie even more significant, is that Pontheolla was embraced by the family as well.
The Clevedale Inn sits on 4-acres of the property and features four bedrooms within the main homestead. The couple later added a private suite that is built inside of an old train caboose to tie in the history of the area’s railroad.
Each morning guests are treated to a full plated breakfast, featuring Southern favorites. Expect dishes such as Cajun shrimp and grits, eggs Benedict with Charleston crab, or French toast with freshly diced Granny Smith apples and pecans from the ground’s gardens.
If you would like lunch or dinner, the Inn can arrange a private chef to come in and prepare that for you.
People come from all over the world to stay at the luxurious accommodation and say that the garden is one of the highlights. The Inn is located close to the BMW manufacturing plant, so it often welcomes guests coming through the area for work.
“With the pandemic, our garden has been the perfect area for people to safely come and work,” Pontheolla said.
Booking a stay at the property is simple. They can be found on their website www.clevedaleinn.com or on any of the major hotel booking sites, including Airbnb.
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