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Inn
Style in St. Augustine: Easy Elegance at the Inn on
Charlotte
08/19/2009
www.BlackDressTraveler.com
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Lynne Fairfield, Inn on Charlotte owner,
enjoying her oh-so-pretty porch.
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It is
not surprising that America's oldest city, St.
Augustine (Florida), has more than its fair share of
quaint inns and bed & breakfasts. How does one
choose where to stay with so many options? Well, if
your criteria include a luxurious bed, a well
appointed room, gourmet breakfast, and a welcoming
innkeeper then the answer is easy: make the simply
divine Inn on Charlotte your home away from home
while visiting the city of Ponce de Leon's Fountain
of Youth, cobble stone streets, and bay breezes.
Owned by hospitality veteran, the beautiful and
gracious Lynne Fairfield, the Inn on Charlotte is
conveniently located just steps away from St.
Augustine's main attractions, including the lovely
bayfront. (to learn more about tourist
attractions,
click here to read about my previous trip to St.
Augustine). I have never been much of a bed &
breakfast girl but now I realize that those other
B&B's were not a good match for my travel style.
Staying at a bed & breakfast is almost like staying
with a friend and I'll be honest - I love my friends
but there are very few that I actually enjoy staying
with. A good innkeeper has to possess the right
combination of professionalism without being distant
and warmth without being clingy. They have perfected
this magical formula at the Inn on Charlotte. From
the moment I arrived, I felt at home and at peace.
When I wanted to chat, Lynne and her fabulous
assistant Sharon were charming and a real joy to
spend time with. And when I just wanted to relax,
they were respectful of my quiet time on the porch.
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Tiffany's Studio with the fantastic bed -
see the step ladder! |
The
Inn is an elegant brick home that was built in 1918
for a local attorney and was tastefully restored in
2003. Gorgeous antiques and reproductions pay homage
to the Inn's past while modern amenities such as
whirlpool tubs in every room, cable television and
WI-FI accommodate the needs of the modern traveler
in each of the Inn's 8 rooms.
The sunny and spacious Tiffany's Studio is where I
nestled for two glorious days. The room's decor was
inspired by Louis Comfort Tiffany, the legendary
artist and designer whose famous stained glass
windows can be seen in all their glory at nearby
Flagler College. In fact, all of the rooms at the
Inn on Charlotte are named after a prominent person
in St. Augustine's history. My room had tasteful
Tiffany inspired accents such as lamps and stained
glass panels in the bathroom windows. And the bed,
how glorious. Plush and inviting, the little step
ladders on each side of the Queen bed made me feel
like a princess. Next time, I will pack my tiara to
make the experience complete!
Outside of my room, I spent a great deal of time
relaxing with a book and a glass of wine or sweet
tea on the Inn's shady porch. As visitors walked by,
many of them would stop and comment on the
loveliness of the Inn on Charlotte. I would raise my
glass and smile - that's what you do in the South!
The Inn keeps a small refrigerator in the living
room stocked with iced tea and lemonade that you can
help yourself to during the day. In the evening, red
and white wine magically appear in elegant crystal
carafes along with fresh baked cookies and savory
homemade cheese pennies.
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Breakfast quiche with oven roasted potatoes
and fresh banana bread. |
The
Inn on Charlotte takes their responsibilities as a
bed & breakfast very seriously and realize that
where you lay your head at night and what you eat in
the morning define the experience. Stepping out of
my Princess bed, I was greeted both mornings with
breakfasts that were visually appealing and
absolutely delicious. Cleaning the elegant China
plate of stuffed French toast and quiche with
sausage and granny smith apples was a pleasure with
every bite.
I have a very simple test for judging how much I
enjoyed my stay at a hotel: do I get up eager to
leave or does a bit of melancholy enter me as
check-out time approaches? I handed over the keys to
Tiffany's Studio begrudgingly: bye bye Princess bed,
farewell sweet porch, adieu delicious breakfast.
Maybe I'm still not a bed & breakfast girl, but I am
certainly an Inn on Charlotte girl!
(The Inn on Charlotte is currently offering a
special rate. Stay any 2 MidWeek (Sunday - Thursday)
Nights in August and September 2009 and receive the
2nd night for only $19.18. Applies to rooms $169 and
above. Click here for more
details. )
To learn more about the Inn on Charlotte, visit
www.innoncharlotte.com. To learn more about St.
Augustine, visit
www.getaway4florida.com. |
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Best
Places to Live 2009
U.S. News looked at areas with strong economies,
low living costs, and plenty of fun things to do
By Luke Mullins
Posted June 8, 2009
St. Augustine, Florida
 As the nation's longest continually inhabited
European-founded city, St. Augustine, Fla.,
considers itself the oldest city in the United
States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish Adm. Pedro
Menéndez de Avilés, this community of 13,000
residents on Florida's northeastern coast has
managed to maintain its colonial charm. Take the
Castillo de San Marcos, for example. This remarkable
stone-and-mortar fort is located right in the heart
of St. Augustine's cobblestoned historic district.
And even though 300 years of violent storms and
enemy firepower couldn't penetrate its walls,
visitors can enter the 20.5-acre monument site today
for just $6.
But St. Augustine's appeal extends beyond the
history books. With a highly educated workforce,
world-class golfing nearby—the immaculate TPC
Sawgrass course is located just up the road—and that
refreshing Atlantic breeze, this "ancient city"
offers enough activities to satisfy even the most
fanatical outdoor sports enthusiast. "Fishing,
kayaking, boating—we have just about everything,"
says Donald Edwards, a clerk at the Avid Angler
fishing shop. "I wouldn't live anywhere else."
Click here to read the full
article> |
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The 10 Most Romantic
Florida B&Bs
Need a little pampering? These inns are just the
ticket
Click-2-Listen
By Mary Thurwachter, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Sunday, January 27, 2008
You can get by this Valentine's Day with red roses
and chocolates in a big, heart-shaped box. But if
you really want to keep the flame of romance
burning, spring for a night or two in an intimate
bed-and-breakfast. Nothing evokes closeness like a
getaway to a B&B with a great four-poster bed, fine
linen sheets and plump pillows. Nothing says lovin'
like toasting your union before a crackling
fireplace or in a tub for two brimming with bubbles
and surrounded by candles.
Florida is blessed with some of the finest
bed-and-breakfasts around. Some of them are on sandy
shores with palm trees and hammocks. Some come with
horses who lead guests down happy trails. All of
them include yummy breakfasts you don't have to
make.
Inn on Charlotte in St. Augustine
From fine, locally made French chocolates to Eggs
Benedict fit for a king and queen, it's gourmet all
the way at the Inn on Charlotte.
Expect first-rate breakfasts. Owner Lynne Fairfield,
with 25 years' experience in the hospitality
business, and her sister Valerie Wright, a graduate
of London's Le Cordon Bleu, sometimes give cooking
classes at the inn.
And the food isn't alone in its grandness. Attention
to detail inside and out, and the use of antiques
and fine reproductions give this Old Town inn a
luxurious feel. Most rooms have Jacuzzis, a welcome
retreat after an afternoon's hike down brick-lined
streets. Also welcome — and relaxing — are the inn's
porches, comfortably furnished with wicker rockers
and chairs and perfect spots to catch late-day
breezes.
The Castillo de San Marco, a historic fort, the
Bridge of Lions, horse-drawn carriage tours, evening
ghost tours and the shops of St. George Street, are
within walking distance. Parking can be challenging
in this heavily visited tourist town. That's why
it's wise to park you car at the inn, or a block
away at a parking lot reserved for guests, and hoof
it to shops, restaurants and attractions. Another
good option — take the trolley.
Toast your love with complimentary mimosas,
available on request during breakfast on weekends
and holidays.
For reservations or more information, call (800)
355-5508 or see www.innoncharlotte.com. Rates range
from $139-$259. |
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ST. AUGUSTINE nameD A TOP
10 DESTINATION BY AMERICAN EXPRESS
Oldest City One of Only Two American Destinations
Selected!
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (Sept. 8) St. Augustine has been
named by American Express as one of the ten
“surprising, exciting, and cutting-edge places” in
the world where Americans can enjoy one of their
favorite travel pastimes.
A survey of American Express cardholders revealed
that 87 percent selected vacation destinations based
on their personal interests. The top ten interests
named were culinary, family events, music, fitness
and exercise, education/learning, history, the arts,
wine/champagnes, fashion/shopping and sporting
events. American Express then selected ten
“unexpected’ destinations worldwide where these
interests could be enjoyed. Their history
recommendation was St. Augustine, Florida.
American Express said: “Not many history buffs would
consider St. Augustine, Florida their ultimate
destination. However, this city celebrated its 400th
birthday back in 1965. Founded by the Spanish in
1565, it is where the nation’s first schools,
hospitals and banks were built. St. Augustine lays
claim to the first European birth in the New World
and is the oldest town plan in the United States. It
was here where the first Thanksgiving actually took
place, not at Plymouth Rock.”
St. Augustine was one of only two American
destinations to make the list. The other was
Virginia’s wine country. The other recommendations
made by American Express were: Culinary –Vietnam;
Family Events – Lake Garda, Italy; Music – Iceland;
Fitness and Exercise – Madagascar;
Education/Learning – Kerala, India; The Arts –
Beirut, Lebanon; Fashion/Shopping – Durban, South
Africa; and Sporting Events – camel racing in the
United Arab Emirates.
The American Express selection is the latest in a
series of travel-related accolades recently bestowed
on St. Augustine – a city of only 12,000 residents
located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida.
In August, ABC’s “Good Morning America” in
conjunction with Travel + Leisure magazine, named
St. Augustine as their number one pick for a place
where Americans could feel like they were in Europe
– without the cost of actually going to Europe. In
June, USA Today selected St. Augustine as one of
their ten recommended American destinations where
visitors don’t need a car to enjoy their visit.
For more information on vacation opportunities in
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, call the
Visitors and Convention Bureau at 1.800.653.2489 or
visit
www.Getaway4Florida.com .
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches
Visitors and Convention Bureau
88 Riberia Street, Suite 400, St. Augustine, FL
32084
contact: Jay Humphreys, 904.829.1711 x306
jhumphreys@getaway4florida.com |
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Melanie Lawson Welcomes Lynne
to WJXT-TV Channel 4
 In
June, I was invited to appear on Jacksonville
Channel 4 TV to prepare two of my guests’ favorites
– Breakfast Enchiladas and Cheese Pennies that we
bake just for our afternoon social hour. Melanie
Lawson and the entire crew couldn’t wait until it
was time to sample the finished dishes and I can’t
wait to return and share more of our Inn’s ‘kitchen
secrets’!
My recipes follow for your enjoyment.
Lynne
Click for recipes:
Breakfast Enchiladas
Cheese Pennies |
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If you have any
questions or would like more information, please contact us
800-355-5508, 904-829-3819,
email us, or use our
online
request form. |
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