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The Westin Poinsett Hotel
Making Your Dream a Reality
4.7
4.7
out of 5.0
62 Reviews
120 South Main Street Greenville, SC 29601
t: 864-250-7901
Services:
Wedding Venue
Description:
For one hundred years, the Mansion House Hotel stood on South Main Street in Greenville, South Carolina. In 1924, the hotel was demolished to make room for the construction of the Poinsett Hotel. The price tag for the new hotel was 1.5 million dollars, and when it opened on June 20, 1925, it was one of the most beautifully furnished hotels in the country. However, during the first year of business, the hotel lost $30,000 and continued to lose money through the years of the Great Depression.
In 1930, Mr. J. Mason Alexander was hired as General Manager Director. Mr. Alexander was known as Old Admiral Spit and Polish, the best hotel manager in the business. Mr. Alexander had a formula for success known as The four Cs: Cleanliness, cooking, competence and courtesy. Local residents filled the hotels dinning room for family dinners and ballrooms for formal dances. The hotel quickly became known as Carolinas Finest, and by 1940 it was making money.
Also known as Mr. Poinsett, Mason Alexander was labeled, the man who gave you clean money, because he made sure that no guest left the Poinsett Hotel with anything but clean money in his pocket. Thus, the people who handled money were required to polish all coins before putting them in the cash register for change. Mr. Alexander kept the hotel like a good housekeeper would keep a house. He considered hotel patrons as honored guests who should receive a warm reception, fine dining, and a peaceful sleep. Some notable guests at the Poinsett included Amelia Earhardt, John Barrymore, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Bobby Kennedy and the flamboyant Liberace.
Due to increased business during 1941, the hotel added 60 rooms bringing the total to 248 rooms. By the mid 1950s the motel industry boomed and city hotels became obsolete. In 1959 the hotel was sold to Jack Tarr hotel chain. From 1971 until December 1986, the hotel was foreclosed, and by the end of that year, the last residents of the retirement home moved out. The hotel remained empty until November 1997 when Steve Dopp and Greg Lenox, owners/developer of historic Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, purchased it and the extensive-and expensive renovation process began.
In June 2000, the owners, former employees and friends of the Poinsett Hotel celebrated the 75th anniversary of its original grand opening with an exhibit of historic memorabilia in City Hall and a reception in the Gold Ballroom of the hotel. Many memories of the grand days of the hotel were recalled and shared.
Until early 1990, the Poinsett Hotel was considered one of the eleven most endangered historical sites in South Carolina. With the grand opening of the Westin Poinsett Hotel, the hotels future will no longer be jeopardized and once again the City of Greenville will be home to the Carolinas Finest.
Business Details
Categories:
Wedding Venue
Frequently Asked Questions for Wedding Venue
What service does your venue provide?
Ceremony, Reception, Rehearsal Dinner
What settings does your venue provide?
Indoor
Describe your venue:
Historic Site, Hotel
Do you have onsite catering?
Yes
Do you allow outside catering?
No
Do you offer an on-site wedding consultant?
Yes
Do you have a liquor license?
Yes
Do you offer valet parking?
Yes
Is there handicap access?
Yes
Do you have liability insurance?
Yes
Do you have a site fee?
No
How does your venue determine the cost of the space?
We have put together unique wedding packages that include all fees such as room rental, taxes, services charges, food, beverages, bartenders, cake cutting fees, etc. We know that planning a wedding is stressful and want to make understanding the bill very simple. The packages also offer the opportunity for anyone and any budget to be able to experience the historic charm and southern hospitality of the Westin Poinsett if they are flexible. We offer discounts for lunch, Friday, Sunday, select holidays and certain months.
Do you rent other items such as linens, tables, or flatware?
Our packages include all items needed for setup as well as complimentary votives candles, hurricane vases, tapered candles and mirror tiles.
Do you require clients to use a specific list of vendors?
Our brides are welcome to choose their own vendors. We are happy to offer a list of vendors who have worked with us often and have a proven track record of success but do not require use of our vendors.
What is the maximum capacity of your venue?
600
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