You’ve done your research, and you’ve chosen the beautiful Bayfront Marin House for your St. Augustine vacation. Congratulations, you’ve made an excellent choice! 🙂
The next step is choosing the room that’s the right style for you. That’s one of the most fun things about bed and breakfasts–no two bnb’s are alike, of course, but really no two ROOMS are alike in these unique destinations. Which makes sense when you think about it…no two guests are alike at our inn, so why should our rooms be cookie cutter?
Here is how to choose the room that’s right for you, based on your preferred style. There are other factors in choosing a room–like whether it has a King sized bed, or a great water view, or whether or not it’s pet friendly–and those comparisons can be easily seen on our handy chart, located here.
But once you’ve chosen your favorite amenities, you’re still left with a bunch of rooms with very different styles. So here is our rundown of the styles of rooms in our downtown location. (If you love a fun, beachy look, check out the waterfront rooms at our Beachcomber Cottages).
Bed and Breakfast Farmhouse Style:
Bed and Breakfast Farmhouse Style:If you like Farmhouse Style, Joanna Gaines, or the Cotton Stem Instagram account, consider the Francisco Marin room or the Coquina Suite. They both have a clean, neutral look, with lots of interesting textures and of-the-moment touches.
The Francisco Marin has exposed stone (it’s coquina, the same stone that the fort is made out of), a wall of reclaimed wood (bought from the amazing family who owns Weaber Lumber in Pennsylvania), a cool soft color, and a black and white bathroom that’s definitely Pinterest worthy! The shower has a showerhead and a handheld, and a custom vanity made by a local craftsman.
I grew up in a 200 year old farmhouse in Pennsylvania, and one of my favorite things about it was the deep windowsills. The Francisco Marin has the same deep windowsills, and as a bonus they look out on the horse and buggies going on Marine Street.
The Coquina Suite has even more exposed stone (a whole wall of it!), and a very neutral palette to show off the colors in the coquina. It also has a comfy daybed, and the coolest pedestal sink we’ve ever seen–it’s made out of stacked stone! The shower has body jets, which are perfect after a busy day of walking around St. Augustine. And did we mention that the Coquina Suite has a sliding barn door? Not a rustic one, but a sleek door with modern etched panels–a great marriage of farmhouse and modern.
Looking for a more Traditional Bed and Breakfast Feel?
Look at the Marie Antoinette, the Lyndsey Michelle, the King George, the Bridge of Lions and Stephanie’s Hideaway. All five of those rooms have Victorian beds and armoires or dressers with hand carving and gorgeous wood.
Four of the rooms have four poster beds–for the ultimate romantic night (the Marie Antoinette, the Bridge of Lions and Stephanie’s Hideaway). The King George and the Lyndsey Michelle both have intricately carved large headboards.
Many brides like our more traditional rooms, as they want photos with the pretty beds in the background. But don’t worry–traditional definitely doesn’t mean stodgy. These traditional rooms still have our clean, tailored style–modern, but with a more traditional twist.
What if you’re the outdoor type, looking for a masculine room?
(AKA What if your SO said they don’t like bed and breakfasts because they picture them to be too girly)? Our rooms are definitely not ‘girly’, but there are some that seem more masculine than others. I think the Governor White has a masculine feel, with deep blue walls and a dark brown velvet headboard. Plus, it has a whole wall of gorgeous stacked tile with an electric fireplace mounted in the middle–it reminds me of a mountain retreat (except it’s on the water!)
I also think the Napoleon Suite has a manly feel, with a bold patterned bath, stone floors, and a dusky green wall color. Finally, I think the neutral colors and exposed stone in the Coquina Suite is pretty masculine.
All of our rooms are a mix of feminine and masculine elements–we work very hard to create rooms where everyone will feel comfortable.
What if you just want a soothing, peaceful getaway?
That’s what we’re all looking for, right? (Here’s a true confession: sometimes when I go on vacation, I secretly hope for rainy weather so that I can lay around)!
If you’d like a peaceful room–no rain needed–I’d recommend the Robinson Lewis, with its pale blue walls and creamy dreamy ceiling. I also like the blues in the Burgess Cottage…just walking into that room makes me breathe a little more deeply and slowly. Finally, check out the Princess Margaret--with a pale grey and taupe color palette, the edges of the world seem to just melt away.
Want a happy, bright room?
There’s nothing like yellow to put you in a celebratory state of mind! And I love the Forrester Suite, with its soft yellow walls and sky blue ceiling. Not to mention the great windows that look out over the bay–this is one of the few rooms where you can lay in bed and see the water! (Note: Glass panels are good for seeing in as well as seeing out, so while you can see the water from your bed, we don’t recommend you keep the blinds open day and night).
I also love the Napoleon Suite, which has French doors that open to the sunny patio. And don’t forget the Marie Antoinette–it’s right on the water and the light reflects beautifully into the room and your private porch.
Are you a hip, fashionable stylista?
Are you a hip, fashionable stylista?I love the modern vibe of our Hopkins Cottage. It has a cool wall mounted fireplace, funky modern chandelier, and a glitzy glass tile accenting the brown marble in the bathroom.
If you like modern farmhouse design, you may also like the very ‘now’ wooden wall behind the bed, and the black and white bath in the Francisco Marin. You might also like the very trendy patterned tile in the Napoleon Suite…if you’ve been considering that look in your house, you might want to live with it a few days on vacation. It’s a bold statement, for sure! If your style is more glamorous, check out the wall of sparkly tile in the Governor White, and the crystal chandelier in the Captain Henry. They’re like jewelry for the room!
Is it hot in here? Or is it me?
We don’t take sides between people who need a Ceiling Fan and people who hate them. We skirt the neutral middle, and offer some rooms with them, and some rooms without them. If you need a ceiling fan to sleep, you’ll find them in the following rooms: King George, Napoleon Suite, Lyndsey Michelle, Governor White, Stephanie’s Hideaway, Princess Margaret, Forrester Suite, Bridge of Lions. If you’re not on Team Fan, the following rooms do NOT have them: Hopkins Cottage, Robinson Lewis, Burgess Cottage, Coquina Suite, Francisco Marin, Captain Henry, and Marie Antoinette.
Of course, if you like the white noise that a fan provides, just ask us! We have a standing fan that we would be happy to loan you.
People always ask me my favorite room. This sounds like a wussy answer, but I really do love them all! My favorite on any given day is the room that we’ve worked on most recently. So if we have a new floor that I really love, that will be my favorite room for a while. At least until we paint one of the other rooms, or find the perfect chairs for another.
