Anchor Inn Bed and Breakfast is located in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The business has been operating as a bed and breakfast since the year 2001 and was recently purchased by the current owners, Tommy and Liz, in 2020. The property is located in what could be considered a "beach town" due to its proximity to New Smyrna Beach and the shops that are open there. There are a variety of restaurants in the area that Tommy recommends to his guests, as well as a few events that are held in the region. A couple of the more common events that are held in the area include a car show held on Canal Street and a monthly art show held on the same street. The Daytona 500 and Bike Week are also diversions that occur near the bed and breakfast that draw in many visitors.
Anchor Inn Bed and Breakfast has a total of seven units available for rent throughout the year. The property has two floors—six rooms being downstairs and one being upstairs. The downstairs rooms are "queen-size units," and the top floor room is a rentable suite. Tommy, one of the current owners, says that the Beach Trip Room is probably the most popular room out of the seven because it is ADA accessible and pet friendly, which is appealing to some guests. According to Tommy, the building itself has a "nautical" theme, which goes along with the business's name. All of the rooms strive to emulate this same nautical theme except for the Butterfly Room, which was created by previous owners and has not been adapted.
Every downstairs room has a queen-size bed, a recliner or rocker chair of some sort, a private bathroom with a shower or jet tub, and TVs with DVD players. Additionally, every room has refrigerators for those that bring food or water with them from their day-to-day activities. Each of the seven rooms comes with its own unique décor that goes along with the name of the room. Other rooms and areas that guests can visit include the dining room and the lobby area. In the lobby, visitors have the option to buy a few items for memorabilia purposes, including mugs, t-shirts, jewelry, and soaps.
The building that comprises the Anchor Inn Bed and Breakfast contains a "coquina rock" style on the columns and the fireplace, which Tommy says may be less common in buildings today. The decorations around the exterior of the building emphasize the same nautical themes as the interior design. There is a deck on the front of the house where two of the rooms are located that has seating areas and umbrellas available for use. Two porches—one at the front and one at the back of the home—come with various chairs and tables, with the rear porch also being equipped with a few hanging chairs.
The property is located in the historic district of New Smyrna Beach, next to a wine bar and a day spa. People who stay at the property tend to visit the area for the nearby beaches, but for those who desire to spend some time indoors, there are a few board games that can be used for entertainment. Mainly though, Tommy says that people "come here, stay here, [and] go do the things that are near here."
Breakfast is served every day at the property. The owner says that people "come here specifically because I have good reviews on my breakfast, and they want to try [it]." The breakfast that is served changes daily based on what the owner/chef wants to make. He tends to do a savory dish one day and then a sweet dish the next. A couple of dishes that may be served during one's stay are the signature pancake dish, pancakes with caramel pecan sauce on top, or the signature egg dish: an egg soufflé with a crescent dough on top. Tommy says that special accommodations can be made for those who let him know beforehand what those needs are. He claims that he "can work around any allergies or dietary conditions." He and the staff ask people what accommodations they need when they make their reservations and when they check in. Breakfast is served between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM, with meals being served every hour in hopes of spreading out the number of people that are in the same room.
According to Tommy, one of the owners of Anchor Inn Bed and Breakfast, the business is mostly known for its breakfast served every morning. One guest wrote in a review about the property, "breakfast was served each morning and was super delicious. They are very cautious of any dietary needs and cater to each guest. The rooms are beautiful and are all themed." Tommy also says that many people enjoy the appearance of the property and the fact that it is close to various things to do in the area. One guest reflected these thoughts when they wrote in a review, "The owner, Tommy, was very gracious and treated us to a glass of wine and beer upon arrival. Our room was dog friendly, super comfortable, and clean. We were within walking distance of a very nice wine bar around the corner and convenient to Canal Street. Breakfast was served in the morning and we had access to the dining area 24/7."
Anchor Inn Bed and Breakfast currently does not offer any events on-site, but Canal Street, which is just a couple of streets away from the property, holds the occasional monthly event, including a car show or an art exhibit/sale. For those looking for other things to do nearby, the wine bar that is next door to the property is open until 10:00 PM every day and often plays live music for their guests. There are other events that happen around the town throughout the year that the owners can inform people about if they are looking for things to do.
Some policies have been instituted at the bed and breakfast that patrons are asked to follow. Pets are allowed on the property, but there is a small fee required for cleaning the rooms where pets have been. Three rooms, including two on the bottom floor and the suite on the upper floor, are pet-friendly rooms. A quiet hour is in place starting at 10:00 PM, though Tommy mentions that he doesn't feel that they have had many issues with loudness before. Additionally, no smoking is allowed inside the building, but there are designated smoking areas with cigarette trays for people to utilize.
The owners of the property hope that their guests feel comfortable when they stay with them. Tommy says that if those staying with him need anything, they can ask him, and he hopes that he and his staff will be able to help them. He says that he wants guests to "walk away saying 'that was nice and relaxing.'" In an effort to help patrons to the property feel this way, Tommy says that he likes to interact with his visitors and create a relationship that is more than simply a host with a customer. He wants to help his guests "feel important and welcome" at his establishment. He strives to interact with people whenever he can, including when he gives them their breakfast or when they check-in. The owners live next door to the property, allowing for increased availability of guest assistance.
The Anchor Inn Bed and Breakfast is open year-round, typically seeing guests that are about 30 years of age or older. There are exceptions for those who are visiting for certain events, such as those in the town or weddings in the location, but otherwise, Tommy says that his visitors are often in that range. According to Tommy, February and March are the busiest months for the property because of the city of Daytona, which is about a 20-minute drive north of the property. During these months, there are a couple of large events held in Daytona, which give some spillover to the property. These events are the Daytona 500 and Bike Week, which happen back to back.
Besides the two events in Daytona, Tommy says that people like to visit the area for many reasons, but one of the largest draws is the beach that is nearby. The area has been described as "a beach town" due to its location and the events and shops that are found in it. There are dining options near the property that Tommy recommends to those visiting the property. The first of these is the Corkscrew, which is within close distance to the property for those who would like to walk through the town. His second recommendation is Panheads Pizzeria, which can be considered more casual and has a variety of pizza combinations that the owner enjoys. Tommy's third recommendation is Riverpark Terrace, which previously was used as a home but has since been converted to the restaurant it is today.
The Anchor Inn Bed and Breakfast opened up as a bed and breakfast in the year 2001. Tommy Conant and his wife Liz are the current owners of the property, having purchased it in the year 2020. They had stayed in bed and breakfasts many times during their years together and knew that they wanted to run a business someday together. They felt that running a bed and breakfast would cater to both of their strengths, helping them to accomplish the goals that they had set for themselves. They started to talk to hosts of businesses they were staying at to see what they did and didn't like, hoping to get a feel for what it would be like to own a business in the hospitality industry. In the end, they decided that running a bed and breakfast would fit well into their plans. They created a five-year plan for running one of these properties, and a couple of years into that plan, they found the Anchor Inn Bed and Breakfast.
The property's namesake has existed for about six years, having been changed by the owners just before Tommy and Liz. Before its current name, it was known as the Longboard Inn. Tommy and Liz have made some changes to the property since their time there, but not many. Mainly, they made changes to some of the decorations inside one of the rooms, and they changed the names of two of the rooms, one of which being the Beach Trip Room, which used to be known as Ocean Breeze. They also changed the previous owners' room into a rentable suite, adding another nautical theme room to the available choices. This specific room was painted by a few of Tommy and Liz's friends. These friends were invited to paint the room however they wanted to and ended up painting it to look as though the person staying in the room was in the middle of the ocean.
312 Washington St.
New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Tommy and Liz
