Feb. 24, 2003

I must have looked pretty funny, parked on the side of the road where the Vicksburg exit from the Trace dropped me off. At least I would have, had anyone been around. But on that deserted intersection, I clicked on the overhead light in the car and rattled through the pages of my brochures from the Visitor Center, AAA guide books and miscellaneous pages I had printed out before the trip. After a few phone calls, I landed a just-cancelled room that would end up being one of my favorites of this entire trip.

The Cedar Grove Mansion Inn was originally built as a wedding present from John Alexander Klein to his bride, Elizabeth Bartley Day—General Sherman’s cousin—in 1840 and completed eighteen years later. AAA gives it a 4 diamond rating, and it didn’t take long for me to see why. This impressive antebellum spread includes not only the fifty-room main house, but five acres of gardens, gazebos, a carriage house, pool, tennis court, and even a collection of classic cars. It spans a full city block, overlooking the Mississippi River.

The cancellation the inn had was a fairly large group, so I had the opportunity to look at many of the rooms. Like a spoiled princess, I wandered from one to another, trying to decide between Perfect and Even More Perfect. There were no bad rooms. They were all decorated with gorgeous antiques, extremely spacious, and outfitted with modern amenities.

For the most part, I try to seek out unusual budget accommodations on these trips and pack plenty of plain motel rooms in-between those. But every now and then I find something that’s worth a little splurge. After looking around, I decided this was definitely in that category. It had history, class, and luxurious ambiance, and it was dripping with Southern hospitality.

I took, as I often do, the smallest room. With a discount for being a AAA member, I slid in for a mere ninety dollars to a room that might easily cost triple in some other cities. The Garden Room was next to the pool and the only other poolside room was vacant for the night, so I essentially had the whole cottage building, originally the home of Mr. Klein and his wife while the mansion was being completed, all to myself.

A patio outside the door spanned the length of the building, with tables and chairs looking out over the main mansion and grounds. Inside, though, was where I wanted to stay, from the moment I saw the lavish furnishings and sitting area with fireplace. The private bath was large enough to have been a guest room itself. I might have been happy to throw a pillow in the claw-foot tub and settle in right there had the half-canopy antique bed not looked so inviting.

Now, it’s not for the sake of torturing readers that I describe food, but sometimes a good meal just deserves to get credit. This is the case with the feast I was served when, after settling into my room, I landed at a candlelit table in Andre’s, inside the main building. Brick walls, green trellises, gold-framed mirrors, and a high pitched ceiling gave it a sort of magical garden feeling, with sultry light and plenty of ambiance. As I slid in for dinner, “Unforgetable” floated from a piano bar. A large window at the end of the room showcased a flowing fountain outside.

I decided to go for it and ordered a ribeye steak, preceded by a green salad with a vinaigrette dressing that was so good I couldn’t resist sneaking more by dipping into it with the warm focaccia bread. Between courses, chilled raspberry sorbet was served. The steak itself was tender, spicy, and accompanied by garlic mashed potatoes and a mouth-watering vegetable medley. The portions were generous or I might have fallen for the homemade southern pecan pie a la mode. As it was, I simply lingered at the table, enjoying the soft glow of the candlelight and soothing melodies that continued to flow from the piano bar.

James Rouche, the chef responsible for this feast, took over culinary duties not long ago, after the restaurant’s namesake chef sadly and unexpectedly passed away. He emerged from the kitchen after a bit and sat down to chat. He told me he learned much of his cooking skill on the road, riding a motorcycle between Washington, D.C. and Corpus Christi. He worked at Emeril’s in New Orleans, among other places. It was great to be able to directly thank him for the meal I’d been served.

I spent the rest of the evening back in the room. Internet access gave me the best of both worlds. I was able to combine 19th century luxury with 21st century technology. All this in front of a warm fire. I slept soundly.

A full southern breakfast was included. Even before breakfast hours, a buffet of complimentary fresh baked muffins and orange juice was set out, which I think is a great service, especially for guests who are early risers. This fits with other extras that are offered here, such as afternoon tea and cookies and turndown service with chocolates and evening sherry. I’m such a recluse that I asked them to skip the turndown service, but the front desk clerk, an energetic and helpful college student named Angel, gave me a stash of seven individually wrapped chocolates. I saved these and rationed them out over the next week.

As if all this wasn’t enough, a free tour of the mansion was given after breakfast. This was fascinating, as well as educational, much due to the knowledge and friendly delivery of the guide, who had none of the annoying monotone that often comes from those who repeat identical information over and over. The architecture was fabulous and the history intriguing. Many original pieces of furniture remain, along with portraits of Mr. Klein and his wife, antique musical instruments, and signs of Civil War history around every corner. There’s even a Union cannonball still embedded in one parlor wall – not something you see every day.

So I gave this place a raving review. I didn’t see a single room that I wouldn’t love to stay in. The prices were extremely reasonable, including those for larger suites such as my favorite, The Library Suite, which is two stories, with a gorgeous red-draped living area with chess set upstairs and plush bedroom, bath, and private patio down a spiral staircase. Another popular favorite, The Grant Room, includes General Grant’s king canopy bed.

I didn’t see much of Vicksburg itself, through I drove around a little after reluctantly—very reluctantly—checking out of Cedar Grove Mansion Inn. There’s a lot to see in this area, especially for Civil War buffs. But I needed to get some distance covered, so I found my way to Interstate 20 and headed east.