The Peabody Memphis

Located in the heart of downtown Memphis, The Peabody is legendary for its charm, elegance, gracious hospitality, and five resident ducks that march daily through the lobby.

The Peabody Memphis opened in 1869 as a symbol of the South's rebirth. Named for philanthropist George Peabody, it quickly became the business and social hub of Memphis. In 1925, The Peabody was rebuilt at its present location on Union Avenue and continued to host presidents, celebrities, socialites and prominent business professionals. In the mid-1970s, The Peabody closed its doors as downtown Memphis experienced economic decline. But the "South's Grand Hotel" would not stay shuttered for long. The Peabody re-opened in 1981 after an extensive restoration, breathing new life into downtown Memphis.

In the 1932, General Manager Frank Schutt returned from a weekend hunting trip and mischievously placed his live duck decoys in the hotel's lobby fountain. A few years later, the hotel hired Edward Pembroke, a former circus animal trainer to train the five North American mallards to walk to and from the fountain each day, and the tradition of the March of The Peabody Ducks was born. Every day at 11 a.m., the ducks are led by the Duckmaster down the elevator to the fountain in the Grand Lobby. A red carpet is unfurled and the ducks march through the crowd to John Philip Sousa’s "King Cotton March." The ducks remain in the lobby until 5 p.m., when the ceremony is reversed and the ducks retire to their rooftop penthouse for the evening.

The Peabody Memphis is a Forbes Four-Star, AAA Four-Diamond rated property and a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and National Trust Historic Hotels of America.