Whether you want to take your holiday shopping on the road, spend a weekend relaxing before the craziness begins, or celebrate the season somewhere new, staying at and getting pampered at a bed and breakfast can create an opportunity for a festive getaway – And, what better way to avoid an extra helping of aunt Sally’s fruitcake, control your own TV remote and enjoy your own bathroom.
A weekend at a bed and breakfast inn can also make the perfect gift for your partner by treating them to a romantic getaway. If your feeling inspired, read on and explore your options for rest and relaxation in the Historic Gainesville Downtown Bed and Breakfast district.
Gainesville’s bed and breakfasts are filled with character and history, beautiful gardens and relaxing fountains, innkeepers who love hosting guests and giving personalized recommendations, themed rooms with modern amenities, and impressive home-cooked breakfasts.
The bed and breakfast inns in the downtown district (as well as the nearby hotels) are just a sweet stroll away from excellent restaurants such as Mark’s Prime Steakhouse, Dragonfly Sushi & Sake Company, or The Leaning Pig. Enjoy a delectable meal and then grab a coffee at Wyatt’s Coffee and explore the record collection at Hear it Again Records to find a new record for your collection, or take in a play or movie at the historic Hippodrome Theatre. You could also make your way a ½ mile south on SE 2nd Street to experience one of downtown’s gems, Depot Park, which is home to Box Car Beer & Wine Garden, Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention and the Gainesville to Hawthorne Rail to Trail. If you enjoy breweries, Big Top Brewing Company and First Magnitude Brewing Company are also close by.
Camellia Rose Inn Bed and Breakfast
Innkeepers Pat and Tom
The Camellia Rose Inn is a Queen Anne home, built in 1903 for Thomas J. Swearingen who owned one of the first automobile dealerships in the area.
Stay in one of their spacious, beautifully decorated rooms with large windows and private bathrooms. Or, for extra privacy book a stay in a charming cottage.
Enjoy a delicious full breakfast, complimentary snacks and beverages throughout the day, and an evening happy hour with complimentary beverages and snacks. Spend the day at the Camellia Rose relaxing on the wrap-around porch or the 2nd floor veranda.
Our Favorite Enhancement: Stardust Package
The Laurel Oak Inn Bed & Breakfast
Innkeepers Dave and Nan
The Laurel Oak Inn is a beautifully restored 1885 Queen Anne Victorian known for providing southern hospitality with an east coast flair.
Each guest room is intimate, quiet and carefully curated to tell a unique story. The Inn offers a sitting room off the kitchen, which is a great place to socialize with other guests and often times the Innkeepers. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon on the porch listening to the streaming fountain or birds chirping.
Our Favorite Enhancement: Rose-Petal Turndown
Magnolia Plantation Bed & Breakfast Inn and Cottages
Innkeepers Cindy and Joe
The Magnolia Plantation Bed & Breakfast Inn is an 1885 Victorian Painted Lady that features gardens, a central foyer, period kitchen, formal dining room, sitting rooms, guest rooms and cottages.
Guests can choose to enjoy their full-course breakfast in the formal dining room, on a porch or in the garden gazebo. Or, stay in bed and have your breakfast delivered to your cottage.
Relax the day away with a cup of coffee or glass of wine in their beautiful landscaped gardens.
Our Favorite Enhancement: The Inn’s Beautiful Holiday Decorations, pictured above.
Sweetwater Branch Inn Bed & Breakfast
Innkeeper Cornelia Holbrook
Sweetwater Inn is a Victorian complex of two Victorian-era mansions, the McKenzie House and the Cushman-Colson House dating back to 1895.
The Sweetwater features 20 different rooms, suites, and cottages, an in-ground, heated saltwater pool and spa and sculptured gardens. Sweetwater is an eclectic blend of Victorian charm and Southern hospitality.
In the evening, find your favorite spot in their gardens or near the pool to delight in their complimentary wine and cheese.
Our Favorite Enhancement: Sweetwater Package
And if you would prefer to stay outside the city, the Herlong Mansion Bed & Breakfast in Micanopy might be the perfect place. Micanopy, 12 miles south of Gainesville, is Florida’s oldest inland town filled with shops, eateries, parks and lots of history.
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