Ghosts of Hotel Finial

The hotel’s restaurant is believed to be haunted by at least one spirit. Many guests, as well as hotel staff, have reported hearing footsteps not just in the restaurant but throughout the house.

Music has been heard playing in the music room, even when it is empty. Many witnesses have reported seeing a female figure on the upstairs landing. There is also talk about glasses clinking just behind the bar. The ghosts are said to be that of the mansion’s previous owners.

History of Hotel Finial

The Hotel Finial in Aniston was built in 1888. It was the home of the prominent Anniston family before it became a restaurant and a country inn. John McKleroy, who was a partner at the Anniston Land Company, built his home on the highest hill of Quintard Avenue. His family occupied the home for 25 years.

In 1920, McKleroy’s widow sold the house at a public auction. William Coleman Wilson bought the house and he made the house his residence until 1949. Frank and Robbie Kirby became the next owners after Mr. Wilson died. After the Kirby’s died, the estate went to the hands of the Methodist Church.

The property was then purchased by a South Carolina developer to turn it into a country inn. Architect Julian Jenkins and contractor Earlton McWhorter were tasked to turn the estate into what is now known as the Hotel Finial.

In January of 2009, the inn was donated to the Jacksonville State University Foundation by McWhorter. Jackson Hospitality Services has been contracted to manage the hotel. Today, there are various plans for improving the hotel further.

About

Hotel Finial has been serving guests and tourists for a very long time. The McKleroy Guestroom is the house’s most beautiful bedroom. The room has antiques dating back to the 1890s when Anniston was still a booming town. The room also has a bathtub that has jetted claw-foot.

The Wilson Suite is one of the inn’s largest bedrooms. The room’s bath also has a claw-foot tub. It has an iron mantle that is painted to look like marble.

The Kirby Suite has a modernized bath that has been updated when the Kirby’s bought the house. It has antique decorations that are dated from the 1800s. Guests can choose from the inn’s 60 rooms and suites that are tastefully furnished in Victorian style antique furnishings.

The restaurant offers some of the most sumptuous Southern food and the best wines. If you check-in at the hotel, you should definitely try the restaurant.

The restaurant serves dinner from Saturday to Tuesday between 5:30 and 9:30 in the evening. Lunch is served on Thursdays and Fridays between 11 am and 2 pm. Champagne brunch is served on Saturdays between 10 am and 2 pm.

The restaurant’s menu changes daily and the wine list changes seasonally.

Features

  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Complimentary breakfast
  • Free local calls
  • Wireless Internet access
  • Self-controlled heating and cooling system
  • Outdoor swimming pool
  • Private bathroom in the room
  • Safe in rooms
  • Refrigerator
  • Cable television

Things to Do

There are several local attractions in the area near Hotel Finial. The Anniston Museum of Natural History will satiate your interest in Africa and the wonders of the wilderness in North America.

If golf is your sport, you will have a very good time playing on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and the Cider Ridge Golf Course.

The DeSoto Caverns Family Fun Park is a great place to visit whether alone or with friends. People of all ages will be delighted with the Laser Light Sound and Water Show.

It is a great place for camping and school field trips. The Pinhoti Hiking Trail is a great place for people who want to go hiking or camping. Wild turkey is a very common sight on the trail.

The Talladega Super Speedway is a place where you can go camping. It will be a camping trip which is unlike any other. Race fans can maximize their Talladega experience by choosing from various accommodation.

Room Tariffs

  • Double occupancy starts at $60
  • Family rooms start at $70