Our Night at the Wilhite

For years, hundreds of Anderson residents passed the Wilhite House each day, wondering what it would take for someone to turn its mildewed walls and overgrown landscaping into a grand downtown landmark it once again. Now, Anderson has its answer and the Wilhite House is once again open for business.

If you’re not caught up on your Anderson history, the Wilhite House was built by Dr. Philip Abney Wilhite in 1858. Wilhite was a Georgia native who is credited with discovering the effects of ether, although by accident, when he was a young medical student.

Slowly over time, it’s been completely restored to its original charm with the addition of modern amenities. We were lucky enough to get a night to ourselves to enjoy all the luxuries the Wilhite House has to offer as well as some of our favorite places in Downtown Anderson.

3:00pm [ Check-in ]

From the moment we arrived, we felt right at home. We started to explore every room and despite the ornate mirrors, gorgeous antiques, and perfectly decorated rooms, we never felts like we were in a museum. Every room we stepped into felt like luxury, itself, was calling to us and inviting us to sit down.

After exploring all the rooms, we settled into ours (The Virginia Suite). Complete with a King-size bed, a private sitting area, and a clawfoot tub, we were looking forward to an evening of lounging.

Oh, and I did I mention that we had hot chocolate bombs waiting on us in our room? Y’all. It was amazing.

However, before we changed into our sweat pants and settled in for our girls’ night, we wanted to make our way downtown.

4:00pm [ Downtown ]

It just so happened to be sunny and warm for the first time in weeks, so we decided to walk to our favorite downtown destinations. From the Wilhite House, it took less than five minutes to stroll to our first stop on Main Street.

We popped into Simply Country Chic to check out their new arrivals and swoon over their candle collection. Just a few doors down, we enjoyed flipped through all the children’s books at Tracie Starr Home. Tracie Starr has some of the cutest baby things in the back of their store as part of their boutique “Starr Baby”.

Lastly, we walked to the other side of downtown to pick up evening snacks from Kitchen Emporium. It was a difficult choice, but we elected to grab some Caviar of the South, a box of fancy crackers, and a jar of bacon jam.

5:00pm [ Dinner ]

Armed with our snacks, we elected to have an early dinner at our very favorite place: Maki Sushi Bar. We grabbed our favorite appetizers and then took advantage of their incredible Triple Threat roll that was the special of the night. How could we say no to lobster salad, bbq eel, pickled radish, fried onions and creamy wasabi pesto sauce??

We couldn’t. It was amazing and we regret nothing.

6:00pm [ Self Care ]

Just as we were finishing dinner, the sun dropped behind the buildings and it got cold very quickly. We rushed back to the house to warm up!

We grabbed the bottle of champagne we brought, found two flutes, and drew our baths. Filling both tubs with bath salts, bubble baths, and piping hot water was a dream come true. If you have never sipped chilled champagne in a hot, bubble bath, we can’t recommend it enough–you will feel like you are the most pampered person in the world.

7:00pm [ Relaxing ]

Freshly bathed, we decided to just relax for a while. No TV, no games, just the most comfortable bed you’ve ever met. We pulled the covers up over our shoulders and just talked and exchanged TikToks until we were ready for our reserved snacks.

8:00pm [ Games & Snacks ]

We broke out our crackers and dips, Phase 10, and settled in at the kitchen table. We snacked and played cards for a few hours and then decided to call it a night.

10:30pm [ Bedtime ]

Don’t judge us for going to bed before 11! We’re working mamas and a good night’s sleep is all we ever, really, want. The king-size bed in this suite was actually a massage bed with dual controllers, so paired with a snuggly comforter and heavenly pillows, we were in for a great night’s sleep.

8:00am [ Coffee & Breakfast ]

We slept in and eventually descended the stairs to be greeted by the amazing coffee bar in the foyer. The cabinet is stocked with all kinds of coffee, tea, and cocoa pods that can be blended with any combination of sugar, syrups, and creamer. The only way the coffee bar could have been better is if it was delivered straight to our rooms.

After sipping on our coffee, we made breakfast. I brought some brioche bagels (get them from Aldi and you won’t regret it!), eggs, cream cheese, and strawberries. I found everything I needed in the kitchen to make a delicious and easy meal but when we topped our bagels with our leftover bacon jam from Kitchen Emporium, we were transported to an expensive cafe. That bacon jam is no joke, you guys. It’s so good.

10:00am [ Clean-up and Checkout ]

After a slow morning, we collected our belongings and tidied up. It was a little sad to say ‘goodbye’ to the Wilhite, but we were so happy to have been able to share our experience with you all on Instagram and here online. We encourage all of you to take a night off and travel back to a simpler time with the Wilhite House.

Courtesy of the Anderson Current