Steve and Marianne Harrison

Steve and Marianne Harrison are the first to admit they were an unlikely couple to migrate South. “We were a typical New York City couple whose extent of travels to the South was Florida,” says Marianne. But after 25 years in the fashion industry, they were both lured by the promise of a simpler way of life owning a historic inn in Beaufort, South Carolina.

With their kids grown and gone, the two decided to dive into a whole new lifestyle. They got hooked the graciousness of the people and the deep vein of American history they tapped in the coastal town. “When I lost my enthusiasm for the fashion business, I found it again in this area,” says Steve. Fueled by their newfound passion, the couple transformed The Rhett House Inn from a five-room inn into a four-diamond property with 17 rooms and luxury amenities.