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Destination: A Romantic Bed and Breakfast Getaway

A 30th wedding anniversary deserves special recognition, in a special place, don’t you think? Coupled with the fact our anniversary was on Thanksgiving Day this year, was even more reason to choose a celebration destination that would deliver a memorable experience worthy of our love for each other, and life itself. For this occasion we didn’t want a traditional hotel with hoards of people, making it difficult to relax and embrace our romantic side. Our lodging of choice was for a one-of-a-kind, intimate bed and breakfast, conducive for a romantic getaway. We wanted the accommodations to be fabulous, in a class of its own.

We hadn’t been to a bed and breakfast inn since celebrating a milestone birthday for hubby, three years ago. For that special occasion we were fortunate to find the River Lily Inn Bed and Breakfast overlooking the intracoastal Halifax River in Daytona Beach (Holly Hill), Florida. Everything about our four-night stay there was outstanding… and a hard act to follow! The River Lily Inn had become our new standard of excellence for Florida B&Bs. The B&B bar had been raised, and we were on a mission to match that esteemed bed and breakfast experience.

Casa de Suenos: House of Dreams

Part of our 25th wedding anniversary getaway was spent in Saint Augustine, Florida, and we have always wanted to return to that Ancient City on Florida’s Historic Coast. As a Florida resident, St. Augustine is only a few hours from home, and quickly became a new favorite destination of mine. I liked everything about it — the city, the architecture, the rich history, the epicurean delights, and of course, the warm Southern hospitality. As we began researching St. Augustine B&B’s, our first-choice was the St. Francis Inn. Imagine my disappointment then, to be told they had no vacancies for my anniversary date. The nice lady on the phone, however, mentioned they have a sister-BnB we may be interested in, called Casa de Suenos. After further review, we took her recommendation and booked four nights in the Sevilla Room — a decision that would later define the whole essence of a truly romantic getaway!

Casa de Suenos is a Spanish phrase, meaning House of Dreams. I can tell you now, the name says it all! It’s a fantastic place to just relax, unwind, and dream little… or a lot. If you allow the atmosphere of this place to seep into your soul, you will find yourself revisiting those [forgotten] dreams you once held tight. Yes, Casa will challenge you to dream again, only BIGGER this time!

Casa de Suenos: Gracious Southern Hospitality

The check-in at Casa de Suenos was a smooth and pleasant experience. Upon our arrival we were greeted immediately by Steve, one of the gracious hosts of the inn. He was just beginning a tour of the inn with another couple who had arrived before we did, so he recommended we have a seat in the sitting room/parlor. Can we just pause for a moment and look at this gorgeous room? Who wouldn’t want to kick back in this black and white beauty?

Almost immediately hubby and I were in a de-stressed state mind! Steve was back in a jiffy and left no stone unturned as he explained everything the inn had to offer, alerted us to the “rules of the house,” and gave us a personal tour of our home for the next five days.

Casa de Suenos Guest Amenities

Here are a few of the guest amenities you can expect at Casa de Suenos:

• Free Onsite Parking (a rare commodity in St. Augustine)
• 3 Free “Food Events” Daily (breakfast, social hour, and dessert)
• Coffee, Teas, Hot Chocolate, Soda, & Bottled Water (available 24 hours a day in the front sitting room)
• Nighttime Snack Basket in Dining Room (for those wee hour munchies)
• Inn-Baked Signature Cookies
• A Selection of DVDs for Guest Use
• Use of Plush Terry Bathrobes
• In-room Cream Sherry Decanter
• Complimentary Fresh Flowers
• St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum Passes
• Discounted Entry into the “Oldest House” Museum
• Use of Bicycles
• Use of Umbrellas and Ponchos (kept in the foyer area)
• A Heated Swimming Pool (at Casa’s sister-property, St. Francis Inn B&B)
• Access to Anastacia Fitness Club
• An Afternoon at the Beach with Casa’s Sister-Property, “Our Beach Cottage” (with free use of beach chairs, towels, private bathroom with shower, refrigerator, off-street parking pass)

As if all of this were not enough, hubby and I received two complimentary tickets to the holiday “Nights of Lights” trolly tour, two complimentary beverages at Claude’s Chocolates after the tour, and a sample box of Claude’s Chocolates — all for making our reservations months in advance! Oh, I almost forgot to mention the complimentary champagne for our wedding anniversary! WOW… that’s a whole lot of “freebies,” don’t you think?

Additionally, in a casual conversation with Steve one day, hubby mentioned we don’t drink Sherry, but that it’s a nice touch in the room nonetheless. And guess what? Hubby walked away with something that he does like very, very much. What a personal touch and totally unexpected gift from Steve! I won’t give specifics so as to not invoke jealousy, but the folks at Casa de Suenos are very generous, and very hospitable. All the hosts have one goal in common: to assure the utmost of customer satisfaction.

Casa de Suenos Room Accommodations

The Casa has seven guest rooms, three on the first floor and four on the second floor. Each one is unique with its own little flair and flavor. We chose the Sevilla Room on the second floor, as it had everything we like — a king bed, jetted tub, walk-in shower, and french doors leading to a private balcony. Sevilla is a lighthouse-themed room with classy nautical colors of navy blue, white, and a splash of red. Our bed was very comfy, the room impeccably clean, and I absolutely loved the quality and scent of the toiletries (there was also a generous supply of extra toiletries in the hallway).

During our stay, as the rooms at the inn were vacated and cleaned, the doors were then left open. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to browse and capture a few photos for comparison purposes for my next booking. (Enjoy the room photos below and let me know which is your favorite.)

NOTE: As with most B&Bs, there are no elevators, only steps leading to the second floor rooms. It was not an issue getting our luggage upstairs, but for those with mobility challenges it may be. In that case, I would recommend a first-floor room (one is ADA compliant), or simply ask one of the hosts for assistance.

TIP: Our second floor Sevilla Room did not have its own thermostat to control the heat and/or air conditioning, only a common one in the hallway controlled by the staff. Once again, this was not a problem for us, but worth mentioning if anyone is adamant about needing a particular temperature.

TIP: For a quieter room, choose one upstairs, away from the traffic flow on the first floor. All guests must pass by the first-floor rooms in order to access the dining area and front sitting room which has the complimentary snacks and beverages. Typically, this isn’t an issue since the inn is small with limited traffic. Only extremely lite sleepers may find it bothersome.

Evening Social Hour at Casa de Suenos

After check-in hubby and I freshened up and made our way downstairs for the complimentary evening Social Hour, which occurs daily from 5:00 – 6:00 pm. This included an assortment of wines (from the local San Sebastian Winery), a selection of beer (from Bold City Brewery Beer), house-made sangria on weekends, assorted veggies with homemade dill or curry dip (I really must get the recipe for that incredible dill dip!), and a different specialty appetizer every day.

In addition to the great food, this is where you have an opportunity to mingle and meet other guests from the inn. We had the pleasure of connecting with three other couples and enjoyed sharing life stories and our world-travel adventures. Our newly found friendships were so delightful we decided to do the holiday “Nights of Lights” tour together as a group. We had a blast! What a festive and fun way to celebrate the holidays in the Sunshine State!

Every evening after that, we would meet up during the Social Hour. One of those evenings the fun never stopped. No, seriously. Miss Linda (another one of our gracious hosts) recognized the awesome fun and conversation we were having, so she allowed us to remain in the dining room way beyond the scheduled ending time. (We were still there at 9:00, but don’t tell the innkeepers!) The fact we missed dinner that night didn’t seem to bother any of us, as Linda kept the “food and beverages” flowing until she ran out! Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard… for so long! We all exchanged phone numbers in an effort to keep in touch, and expressed a desire to meet up again at Casa every year!

A Bountiful Breakfast at Casa!

The next morning we were ready for a big breakfast, especially since we bypassed dinner the night before. There’s just something special about breakfast at a B&B. Come to think of it, if the word “breakfast” is in your name, I suppose you better do it well! At Casa, it’s a hearty buffet-style breakfast. At first I wasn’t crazy about the idea of a buffet breakfast, as we usually choose B&Bs that offer a multi-course gourmet sit-down breakfast (I know, my spoiled butt likes to be pampered!). But I later realized I like the buffet option better — I can take more of what I like, and less of what I don’t! And for hearty appetites, seconds (and thirds) are encouraged by the hosts.

The breakfast always includes two hot homemade entrees, which vary from day to day, fruit salad or fruit soup (the chilled strawberry soup is to die for!), freshly baked breads, coffee and assorted teas, fresh juices, homemade granola, cereals, yogurt, and a full serving of inn hospitality. On weekends and holidays Casa offers complimentary mimosas and make-your-own bloody Mary’s. Since hubby and I were there for Thanksgiving, we were treated to the special Thanksgiving Holiday Brunch, which was outstanding. (Here’s a link to the breakfast buffet menu.)

Most days the breakfast was so plentiful we were not hungry again until the evening social hour. And after that, we were usually too full for dinner. We tried doing dinner at a nice restaurant one night, but left half the food on our plate. And… we knew Steve would have a delectable sweet treat waiting in our room upon our return (he had already told us what it was going to be). The decadent evening desserts were delivered to our room nightly, between 8:00 and 9:00 pm. (Check out the special cupcakes we received on Thanksgiving Eve!) The food at Casa really is good! If you partake of everything they offer it can greatly reduce your dining costs.

And although it is acceptable to take the food to the garden patio or back to your guest room, you would certainly miss out on the remarkable ambiance of the gorgeous dining room with its majestic palladium windows bathing the area with bright natural Florida light. In fact, both sitting rooms (East and West) have walls of windows and loads of sunlight. Even on a rainy day, Casa smiles bright!

TIP: As with most bed and breakfast inns, Casa de Suenos is extremely accommodating to those with special dietary needs. Just ask!

In Conclusion…

As an 18-year Florida resident hubby and I have vacationed from Amelia Island and the northern border to the southernmost point in Key West, and everywhere in-between. Atlantic coast, Gulf coast, we’ve seen most of what Florida has to offer. Undeniably, St. Augustine holds a special place in my heart. It’s one of my favorite cities in the Sunshine State — charming, quaint, romantic. I couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate 30 years of marriage. Befitting, after all, people have been falling in love here for 450 years. Wander through the ancient brick streets of downtown and you’ll be sucked into a magical atmosphere that hovers over the nation’s oldest city.

Add to that, Casa de Suenos. It is, in a word, perfection. They just don’t make B&Bs like this anymore. Casa distills the mood-elevating properties of a classic bed and breakfast inn. I highly recommend this inn for any special occasion, or no reason at all. When romantic Saint Augustine is presented with a full serving of Casa de Suenos hospitality, it’s a match made in heaven! Happy Anniversary, hubby!

QUESTION: Have you been to romantic St. Augustine? Our readers would love to know where you stayed and your experience there. Or, perhaps you have a question regarding Case de Suenos, restaurant recommendations, or things to do in the Old City. Please share in the comment box below. 

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