The Casablanca Inn on the Bay is located in St. Augustine, Florida. It is located right in front of one of the bays in the area and consists of three buildings, the main house—which is closest to the bay—the coach house, which is just behind the main house, and the secret garden—which is across the street from the coach house. The property has twenty-two rooms that guests are free to choose from as living spaces when they stay at the property. The property has two rooms that guests have used more frequently, with balconies overlooking the bay. Something unique about The Casablanca Inn is its Tini Martini bar that is open to guests and to the public. Many people find the property because of this bar and have mentioned how much they enjoy it.
The Casablanca Inn on the Bay is a quaint property located on the bay of St. Augustine, Florida. Many people have stayed there in the past because of its proximity to the beaches and a couple of unique places that are in the city. The property has a total of twenty-two rooms for the visitors who choose to stay there. These rooms are split between three different buildings, the Main House, the Coach House, and the Secret Garden. The three buildings are all right next to each other, the Main House being the closest to the bay, the Coach House being directly behind it, and the Secret Garden is located across the street from the Coach House. Most of the rooms are meant to house only two people, but a couple of rooms can accommodate larger groups. The most popular suites are in the main house. These rooms are Main House room number seven and Main House room number ten. These units have a few additional amenities in them that other rooms don't include, an example being a jacuzzi tub. Room seven has a king-sized bed, and room ten has a queen-sized bed. The other reason that these two rooms tend to be popular among guests is that they each have walk-out balconies with views of the bay, making them the only two rooms that offer that specific view. The amenities that are offered in each of the rooms and throughout the building are bottled water, ice machines, and private bathrooms. Most rooms have king or queen-sized beds. Each room also includes a walk-in shower with a rainforest showerhead in the center of the ceiling or a garden-themed tub/jacuzzi. Other places that guests are free to explore are the lobby located downstairs in the main house, the bar in the lobby called the Tini Martini, and the breakfast café called Mero's waterfront café. Both the bar and the breakfast cafe are open for public use, which is a defining feature of the establishment. There is also a front deck on the main house that many guests can sit or relax on. The deck faces the bay and has seats for guests to use. Those staying at the property for lodging have priority seating over those who may be visiting for the built-in café or bar. Because the city is generally a busy place, parking can be very expensive in the area, so the Casablanca Inn on the Bay has free parking provided for all of those who are staying on their property. Guests can use one parking spot each, with occasional exceptions to those who call in advance in need of two spots. The parking lot is about half a block away from the property, making it a short walk away. The buildings of the Casablanca Inn on the Bay are old-fashioned Spanish Colonial style. The main house is a historical building with white columns on the second-floor balcony and an open deck. There is a small grassy area at the front of the inn with Tiki Torches and an abundance of white lights to brighten the area up. Guests and visitors are free to eat, drink, or socialize with friends, family members, or other visitors out on the front deck or yard. Both visitors and guests can eat at the breakfast cafe in the Main House, but the guests who stay on the property are also given vouchers upon check-in that are good for two complimentary martinis (or a drink of equal value) per day at the Tini Martini and a couple of vouchers for a standard breakfast. The standard breakfast consists of applewood smoked bacon or sausage patties, two eggs, homemade fries, and toast. There are many other types of breakfasts that visitors or guests can purchase instead, including a Brunch bowl, a breakfast wrap, pancakes, and more. A full menu of breakfast options can be found on the website provided by the inn. The breakfast is served from 8:00 AM through 11:00 AM. Lunch is also served at Mero's breakfast cafe. Meals include a club sandwich, Rueben sandwiches, wraps, burgers and fries, and more. The lunch is served from 11:00 AM through 3:00 PM, and menus for lunch can be found on the website as well. If any of the guests who stay at the inn require certain dietary accommodations, such as for gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian guests, the inn strives to provide what is needed.
The Casablanca Inn on the Bay puts on various events for those who visit throughout the year. The main event that the inn puts on is actually a city-wide event called Nights of Lights. This takes place from mid-November to the end of January. Many of the buildings in the city put up an abundance of Christmas lights, making the whole city bright throughout the Christmas season. There is a Christmas-themed trolley tour that begins around that time that people can participate in. The trolley will drive them around town and give them 3D glasses that make the lights around the city look even more unique. The lobby of the Main House is typically where any events that the property puts on will take place. The city surrounding the Casablanca Inn has many other things that the management encourages guests to take part in and explore. There are many shops and historic buildings less than two blocks away. An old town trolley drives throughout the city that guests have enjoyed in the past. The tour has a total of 22 stops, each of which guests can get on or off. The guide drives by much of the historical parts of the city, explaining a brief background to each place. One of the attractions that the trolley drives by is the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. This monument has walk-through tours and many different interactive activities. Other things that guests have enjoyed visiting in the past are the old jail nearby the property of the inn and the Fountain of Youth, which is a natural spring made into a well. Castillo is rumored to have drunk from it every day and lived for well over 100 years, giving it its name today. There are also many places that the staff will recommend as places for guests to eat at. The first recommendation that they generally give is the restaurant called Columbia. It is only two blocks away and having been built in 1905, is known for its history. Another restaurant that they invite guests to visit is Harry's Sea Food Bar and Grill, located just down the strip of road that the inn is on. The last place that the staff generally recommend is called Mihan's Irish Pub, which has been a favorite for many who go there. One of the employees at the inn describes the area's culture as a "very small town, friendly, and a fisherman hotspot." The staff and management at the Casablanca Inn want their guests to feel like they are neighbors or new friends. The property is relatively small, allowing the staff to meet the guests and see them on the property frequently. All of the staff are local to the area, so they strive to help any guest looking for information or history regarding the area. Another thing that the staff tries to be is personable. The owners, Michael and Nancy, highly encourage the staff to be charismatic and truly care about those staying at the property. One hope that Abby—a staff member on the property—has is that all of the guests who stay with them will know her and the other management on a first-name basis by the end of their trip. Abby also says that if The Casablanca Inn on the Bay had a motto, it would be "a quaint, historic hotel, with a fun, new-age vibe." Many of the guests who have stayed here have mentioned the service that the staff members have provided for them. One guest wrote, "We loved our mini-vacation here. The staff is always pleasant, even the night-time maintenance guy; he personally got me a cup of coffee as nothing was open yet. The room was clean and nice." Other guests have reflected more about the property itself. One guest left a review that said, "the room was clean and comfortable, and bigger than expected. I especially enjoyed the large garden tub and the cute balcony with a sitting area. The free breakfast was far better than the standard continental breakfast offered by most chain hotels. The staff was very friendly and helpful." As mentioned in the review above, the Tini Martini has made this property stand out to many different guests and visitors. Each martini served is twelve ounces, and, according to Abby, the Tini Martini is the only martini bar in St. Augustine. Many people who are visiting the area have stopped at the property to have a drink and then realize that it is also an inn. Many guests to the inn were introduced in this way, making a sizeable number of repeat guests to the property. The inn is open all year round, with their busiest season around November through January for the Nights of Lights event. The owners hope to keep everything up to the current times without compromising the historical integrity of the building. Doing this has brought many people to their property who are curious about the history found in the area. That being said, rooms are constantly being updated and renovated for the comfort of the guests.
The Casablanca Inn was originally named the Matanzas Hotel and was constructed in 1914 by an architect known as Mr. Butler. The property is located in the same bay that Pedro Menendez had traveled through to found the city of St. Augustine centuries prior. The inn has been in the hospitality industry for just over 20 years now, having many guests and visitors come and go. The Casablanca Inn played a major role during the prohibition era of the 1920s. What is currently known as the Main House was originally a rum-running house. Once, a woman would help the old rum-running ships by burning a lantern late at night to know if the harbor was safe. The upstairs of the Main House has been said to be haunted by that same lady today. The property doesn't advertise this as true, but many guests have expressed that they believe in the tale. The old rum-running house was eventually sold and became the inn that it is today. Updating the building was difficult for the current owners because of the desire they had to keep much of the historical building's structure as it originally was. Fortunately, the inn's 22 rooms and suites have all been updated with modern amenities. It has since been added to the National Register of Historic Places. St. Augustine's history is still very alive today, evidenced by its cobblestone streets, the many Victorian-era-style homes, and 18th and 19th-century Spanish architecture that can be found throughout the area. The current owners of the property are Michael and Nancy. They love making the property decorative and themed. Every piece of furniture in the home was placed there to fit the theme of a Spanish colonial building. They strive to keep the building up to date and running efficiently with the goal of having many of their guests someday return and spend more time with them in the historical area. They hope to soon open a merchandise store for those who come by to purchase memorabilia and merchandise from the Casablanca Inn.
24 Avenida Menendez
St. Augustine, Florida
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Michael & Nancy
