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Rose Hill Estate – Image Credit Raines
A landmark collaboration is set to redefine hospitality in Aiken, South Carolina. Co-developers and majority owners Raines and Vantage Realty Partners today announced plans to restore and re-imagine the historic Rose Hill Estate. The iconic downtown property, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, will be rehabilitated into a boutique hotel complete with a standout food and beverage program, private event spaces, and restored public gardens.
The project, slated to open in late 2027, brings together a powerhouse team of experts. Vantage Realty Partners first identified the site and its exciting potential. The company chose Raines as its hospitality partner to co-develop and operate the hotel upon opening. Verity Works, a historic preservation studio and co-owner of the estate, places the property’s historic character at the heart of the project, guiding a careful rehabilitation that honors its legacy and aligns with state and federal historic tax credit programs.
Elevating the project to a premier culinary destination is the inclusion in the partnership of acclaimed Atlanta restaurateurs Chris Hall and Ryan Turner, the visionary co-founders behind Unsukay Restaurant Group (known for Warhorse Investments, Muss & Turner’s, Eleanor’s, Local Three, MTH Pizza, and Roshambo). Hall and Turner are participating as general partners, bringing their hospitality and culinary expertise in direct collaboration with Raines to shape every facet of the F&B program. Their leadership will ensure Rose Hill’s public restaurant becomes the centerpiece of Aiken’s dining scene, poised to establish itself as the premier culinary destination for locals and visitors.
“Chris and I are honored to partner and collaborate with this incredible team that has been assembled,” Turner said. “This is a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity to help shape a landmark for the Aiken community.”
A community-focused mission is the driving force behind the redevelopment to carefully preserve the estate’s rich history while simultaneously creating an active, modern hub for both Aiken residents and visitors.
“Rose Hill is a rare gem, and we are approaching this project with the deep respect its history deserves,” said Grey Raines, managing partner of Raines. “Aiken is a world-class destination, and it deserves a world-class hospitality experience. Our goal is to create that experience — a place that feels both timeless and vibrantly current. We aren’t just building a hotel; we’re stewarding a legacy and creating a central gathering place for the community. We are thrilled to partner with Vantage to bring this vision to life.”
“We were captivated by the property’s history, its architecture and its prominent location,” said Chris Carter, cofounder of Vantage Realty Partners. “We understood from the beginning that the scope and significance of Rose Hill required a partner with specialized, best-in-class hospitality expertise. Through a mutual connection, we were introduced to the Raines team, and after walking the grounds together, it was clear we shared a unified vision for preservation and activation. This partnership is built on a shared commitment to executing this project at the highest level for Aiken.”
Distinguished history, preserved
Rose Hill’s history is deeply intertwined with Aiken’s identity as a Winter Colony sporting retreat. Purchased by the Phelps family in 1898, the estate’s main house was designed by J.F. Leitner early in his career and completed in 1900. The house reflects a refined, understated interpretation of the Shingle Style, incorporating Colonial Revival elements such as classical window and door details, gambrel roof forms, and horizontal massing. This approach balanced stylistic sophistication with the rustic sensibilities valued by Aiken’s seasonal residents, making Rose Hill architecturally rare for South Carolina at the time. The estate includes the main mansion, historic stables, and several auxiliary buildings set among formal gardens and landscaped grounds, collectively embodying the Winter Colony’s influence on Aiken’s built environment and social history.
The estate’s grounds also hold a remarkable place in Aiken’s horticultural and civic life, shaped largely by the vision of Mrs. Sheffield (Claudia) Phelps. While the name “Rose Hill” pre-dates the Phelps’ ownership, it was Claudia who transformed the expanded estate into one of Aiken’s most admired private landscapes. A respected horticultural leader, she regularly hosted gatherings of local garden clubs at Rose Hill and played an important role in the early statewide movement that eventually led to the formation of the Garden Club of South Carolina.
Mrs. Phelps’ influence was widely recognized, as evidenced by the 1937 naming of the Mrs. Sheffield Phelpscamellia in her honor — reflecting both her standing and her contributions to horticulture in the state. Under her stewardship, Rose Hill became more than a Winter Colony residence; it was a community touchstone, known for its cultivated gardens, gracious hospitality, and the role it played in shaping Aiken’s cultural identity.
The planned rehabilitation of Rose Hill will preserve and revive Mrs. Phelps’ legacy by reestablishing the gardens and grounds as one of the estate’s defining characteristics, curated with public trails and outdoor art displays.
Filling a critical void in Aiken
Aiken has long been a premier destination for golf, equestrian sport, and outdoor recreation, drawing visitors from across the Southeast and the nation. For more than 130 years, the city has cultivated a reputation as a vibrant sporting and leisure community — a place where history, culture, and year-round events create a uniquely enduring appeal. Yet even as Aiken continues to grow and welcome new audiences, its hospitality offerings have not kept pace. The partnership identified a clear void in the market for accommodation, and Rose Hill is strategically positioned to fill this gap, delivering a level of service and amenities currently unmatched in the region.
Central to the community mission are key local partnerships. Rose Hill will collaborate with the Aiken Center for the Arts — founded at Rose Hill — serving as a satellite site for exhibitions and curated art throughout the property. The estate will also host an Artists in Residence program, providing on-site studios for artists with ties to Aiken, further cementing the property as a cultural hub. In addition, the ownership team is working with the Historic Aiken Foundation to ensure that the development approach, which prioritizes the preservation and long-term stewardship of this landmark site is consistent with the historic preservation goals, ordinances, and guidelines in Aiken.
Discussing the project’s early stages, Chris Jackson, principal of Verity Works, stated “We made community engagement a priority during the rezoning process earlier this year, and that commitment will continue as we move into the rehabilitation of Rose Hill. Our goal is for this project to reflect the values and aspirations of the Aiken community at every step.”
About Raines
Raines is a leading hospitality management, development, and investment organization offering a comprehensive approach to its impressive property portfolio and client base. Led by managing partners, Grey Raines and David Tart, the award-winning company is known for its operational expertise, success with historic properties, and experience with the world’s leading brands, such as Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Choice, IHG and. Featuring a variety of properties, including notable boutique hotels, Hotel Theo in New Orleans, The Foundry Hotel in Asheville, NC and Hotel Florence in Florence, SC. Raines currently has 55 hotels and 5,949 keys throughout the Southeast. Within the Raines organization, a variety of specialty divisions offer curated and strategic programming. Raines is headquartered in Florence, SC, with a secondary regional office in Charleston, SC.
About Vantage Realty Partners
Founded in 2007, Vantage has become one of the prominent leaders in building community through their mixed-use developments. They create environments and choose partners that bring people together over food, drink, music, art, and experiences. The majority of the projects they’ve undertaken involve restoring Historic buildings and curating them with best-in-class, chef-driven restaurants and other local operators.
About Unsukay Restaurant Group
Ryan Turner and Chris Hall are Atlanta-based restaurateurs best known for co-founding Unsukay Restaurant Group in 2005 and co-founding Giving Kitchen, the James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year award recipient in 2013. Their acclaimed neighborhood-driven concepts, including Muss & Turner’s, Eleanor’s, Local Three, MTH Pizza, Warhorse Investments and Roshambo, are celebrated for culinary excellence, warm hospitality and deep community connection. Their work is anchored in a simple premise: people matter most and you can’t argue with delicious. Their participation in Rose Hill reflects their independent hospitality leadership and advisory involvement, separate from Unsukay’s operations. For more information about their Atlanta restaurants, visit unsukay.com.
About Verity Works Preservation Experts
Verity Works is a preservation-driven consulting and development firm dedicated to the thoughtful rehabilitation of historic places. The firm specializes in historic tax credits, National Register nominations, and comprehensive preservation planning, partnering with developers and communities to guide projects from concept through successful execution. As both consultants and co-owners at Rose Hill, Verity Works brings a preservation-first perspective that ensures the estate’s historic integrity, character, and legacy remain central to its future. For more information, visit https://verityworksco.com/.
