Ambrias Garden Manor Bed and Breakfast is found on two lots in downtown Florence, South Carolina. Initially, the home was built in 1920 and differs in style from the surrounding houses in the neighborhood. There are four bedrooms available for reservation, all individually themed and decorated. The bed and breakfast is open year-round, with the busiest season being January through May. A full Southern breakfast is provided daily from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and is commonly praised by guests in reviews. Several events can occur on the property, such as weddings, graduation parties, baby showers, and more. Ella, one of the owners, mentions that she and her husband try to create a "second home" for their guests.
Ambrias Garden Manor Bed and Breakfast is in downtown Florence, South Carolina. The bed and breakfast is a two-story house with four rooms available for reservation. The names of the units are Sweet Dreams, The Valentina, The Taupe DeLirre, and The Camellia. Ella, one of the owners, remarks that Sweet Dreams and The Valentina are the most popular rooms. She further explains that The Valentina is popular because of the window view of the garden outside on the property. The Valentina is decorated in red and black to convey themes of "romance and love," while Sweet Dreams is a blue and pink decorated suite that intends to bring a feeling of "calmness and peace," Ella comments. With the exception of The Camellia, which is equipped with a king-size bed, all guestrooms have a queen-size bed. Some of the standard amenities provided in each unit are an ironing board, TV, refrigerator, and "any other amenity that a chain hotel would have," says Ella.
There are various other spaces that patrons can access when staying at Ambrias Garden Manor Bed and Breakfast. The "Parlor Room" is an open living area with seating and a large-screen TV. Ella and her husband enjoy getting to know their guests in the communal spaces. People staying at the bed and breakfast may utilize two dining rooms, one being larger than the other. The larger dining area is used for morning breakfast and can seat up to 14 people. On the outside of the property is one long porch with seating. The large porch on the home's first story also includes a swing.
Visitors may utilize the gazebo in the property's backyard for events and activities. Ella remarks that the gazebo can be used for weddings, reunions, birthday parties, baby showers, and other get-togethers. Also found on the premises is a garden with camellia bushes and other flowers. The garden has a variety of scents and colors that guests can enjoy when staying at the establishment.
A full Southern breakfast is served every morning in the large dining room from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Accommodations can be made upon request if the visitors plan an earlier departure from the bed and breakfast. A typical breakfast includes grits or pancakes, sausage or bacon, a fruit plate, toast, coffee, and juice. Dietary accommodations can be made, and Ella asks that patrons make those needs known during the reservation or check-in process. Ella says that breakfast is one of her favorite parts of her job because she and her husband, David, sit down with those staying at the inn and eat with them. Ella and David "take advantage of breakfast as a time to get to know their guests and have the guests get to know [Ella and her husband]."
In the surrounding area, the town of Florence has a number of attractions that people can visit. Among the various restaurants in Florence, Ella specifically suggests the Town Hall, Thai House and Sushi Bar, and Victors located inside Hotel Florence, all of which are within walking distance from Ambrias Garden Manor. Other attractions include events such as the South Carolina Bridal Showcase and the races at the Darlington Raceway. Additionally, the Pecan Festival is held at the beginning of each November.
One of the owners, Ella, remarks that she wants those staying at the establishment to feel like Ambrias Garden Manor Bed and Breakfast is a "second home." The way that Ella and her husband strive to achieve this is by frequently interacting with their patrons. Breakfast is a time for Ella and her husband to meet and converse with those staying at the inn and "create relationships" with them. Ella credits these relationships to the various returning guests that the bed and breakfast receives. According to Ella, another way she and her husband strive to make the inn a "second home" for visitors is by leaving chocolates and wine in the rooms of those celebrating special occasions. Ella says they strive to make people feel as though they are "a part of the family."
Several different kinds of events can be held at the Ambrias Garden Manor Bed and Breakfast, including tea parties, birthday parties, baby showers, graduation parties, weddings, and jazz parties, the latter of which is Ella's favorite. Local musicians are hired to play for the jazz parties, and Ella and her husband provide the food. These types of events typically occur when weather conditions are fairly moderate between the months of April and September. One guest commented on their experience at the manor in a review, saying, "Mrs. Ella and Mr. David were great hosts! They made sure my family's stay was everything that we needed it to be, and they went out of their way to ensure that my baby shower was a success. I appreciate them for accommodating my guests and making my weekend special."
Ella and her husband have a few policies that they ask those staying at the bed and breakfast to follow. One such policy is that there is no smoking inside the house, however, smoking is permitted outside and in the gazebo. Pets are also prohibited from staying at the inn, in an attempt to keep a safe environment for those who have allergies. Ella mentions that there are no age restrictions for people who would like to stay at the inn.
Some describe the breakfast at the Ambrias Garden Manor Bed and Breakfast as "unique," according to Ella. She remarks that many of the guest reviews mention the breakfast as a "defining feature of their stay." Ella and her husband strive to create an environment of "good Southern hospitality" for their visitors. The manor is notable for being the first African-American-run bed and breakfast in South Carolina, and Ella claims that it is still currently the only African-American-run bed and breakfast in Florence, South Carolina. On account of this, she states that the Ambrias Garden Bed and Breakfast has been featured in Southern Living, South Carolina Homes and Gardens, and Travel Leisure.
David and Eloise (Ella) Frazier are the current owners of Ambrias Garden Bed and Breakfast. Both are from South Carolina, though they met each other in New York and decided to get married. David and Ella moved back down to Florence, South Carolina, to find a teaching job for Ella. After some time, Ella decided to pursue another passion in the fashion industry. While searching downtown Florence for a location to start her first boutique, a man extended the offer for them to purchase Ambrias Garden Manor and convert it into a bed and breakfast. Ella mentions that, initially, they were not looking to start a bed and breakfast. However, after giving it a chance, they fell in love with it and decided to convert the home into the business that it has become today. David and Ella bought the property in 2003 and opened the bed and breakfast to the general public in 2004.
Before it was a bed and breakfast, the property was home to a local train worker, his two sons, and his wife. The sons moved away after their parents passed away, and the house was left in the hands of the train worker's niece. After some time, the train worker's niece concluded that the home was too large for her to care for alone, and she sold it to a realtor named David Wimberly—the individual that approached Ella and David in Florence and sold the house to the two.
After almost 20 years of ownership, David and Ella have made several notable changes and renovations to the house. One of these updates was adding two full bathrooms to bring the total to three bathrooms. The kitchen was also upgraded to have granite countertops. Other additions to the home include new flooring, carpet, paint, and wallpaper. David and Ella decided to build the gazebo in the backyard, which provides a location for many of the events they now host on the property.
111 Kuker Street
Florence, South Carolina 29501
United States
Bed and Breakfast
David and Eloise (Ella) Frazier
David Wimberly
