Plains Historic Inn and Antique Mall — Hotel in Plains

I’ve heard a bit about Plains in the past but didn’t know too much about the area, besides its famous residents and NPS affiliation. While watching President Carter’s funeral and related events a few months back, I was so caught up in the images and stories of his hometown that I found myself going down an online rabbit hole and stumbling across the Plains Inn. We were already planning a southern Spring Break road trip with a stop in Atlanta, so I figured there was no more relevant time to detour a few hours and visit Plains. ||We arrived early in the afternoon and were able to immediately check in; we were the only ones staying at the Inn for the night. We booked the 1970s “Presidential Suite” and in the 200+ hotels I’ve stayed in, it was certainly one of the most unique rooms I’ve seen. Every time I opened the door, I spent a few seconds in awe of how cool the room was. The suite was quite large, the brick wall and stained glass window on the door added so much charm, and the furnishings / decor had a very classic feel; the bathroom in particular felt especially regal. The common area also had a lot of charm, from the porch area overlooking the town to the presence of the original elevator (out of commission, though the Inn also has a modern elevator for guest use in addition to stairs). The Inn had some food in the common area, like bread, cereal cups, and packs of oatmeal / grits as well as milk and juices in the fridge; we didn’t really expect to have breakfast provided, so this was sufficient for our needs.||Location wise, the Inn is centrally located near most landmarks included as part of Jimmy Carter NHP. The only place out of walking distance was the Boyhood Farm, which was just a few miles down the road. One thing worth considering if making a weekend reservation is that there's no restaurant in Plains open past 2pm on Saturday, when the Buffalo Cafe closes. When we checked in around 1:30, the woman at the front desk encouraged us to quickly grab food, because there wouldn’t be food open until Monday beyond ice cream or Dollar General. ||Overall, our stay at the Plains Inn was truly one of a kind. It’s a beautiful, unique property with lots to offer in terms of history and character, and staying there really adds to the experience of visiting Jimmy Carter NHP. We had no regrets about our detour to Plains and would recommend it to those who...

Attending President Carter’s “Sunday school” is an incredible privilege. Truly extraordinary. He is a great man of faith and his lessons are an occasion of grace. And of course what a thrill to have one’s picture taken beside a gracious and highly respected past President! |The above is directly related to this review as the true reason for staying at the Plains Inn at all was that its guests had a reserved priority seating at the church to hear him. That was important, as otherwise, one would have to line up at the church door in the wee hours of the morning in order to be assured of a seat, something very difficult to endure for those of us in less than ideal health. But since Dec. 1, 2018, without notice to guests with existing reservations, and due to some apparent bitter internal acrimony, there is no longer any such priority seating whatsoever. So gone with the wind is the advantage of staying here. No longer any good reason for putting up with walls which though of brick are of the paper thin variety sound-wise, nor any reason to have to deal with this location’s numerous discomforts. There are much better possibilities, most notably at the grandly restored Best Western in Americus a short distance away. |All this makes one very sad really. President Carter himself had a direct hand in establishing this local endeavour, one which generated revenue for the community. Would that those responsible for this turn of events could set adide their animosities in the true spirit of the President’s lessons and actions, and restore the seating priority...

Wonderful place. We stopped off here in back in November, having specifically read about it years ago in an in-flight magazine. Really enjoyed our stay. Each of the rooms is decorated in a different style, representing the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and then there's the presidential suite, complete with period furnishings (I'll upload pictures at some point). At the time we were staying we managed to get the presidential suite which in itself was awesome, and they were nice enough to leave the other rooms open so we could wander in and look at them.

The rooms themselves have a wonderful charm and quirkiness - but don't go expecting hot tubs and on-demand movies, this is a historical place. There's also a little communal area for your breakfast and to have tea/coffee, complete with a 2nd floor patio to sit and watch the world go by.

The check in staff in the store below are wonderfully helpful and can provide you with lots of information on the town of Plains (and of course the Carters). The museum is definitely worth a visit.

Quaint and quirky place that's worth a stay for a day or two. (There's not too much in the town, I don't even recall a bar as such, but there is a cafe/restaurant in the block the...