St. Francis Inn

The St. Francis Inn is the bed and breakfast that defines the genre in St. Augustine. The house was built in 1791, during the second Spanish period, of coquina stone and wood, at the corner of St. George and St. Francis Streets in the oldest part of the town — the quiet southern end of the historic district, near the Oldest House and the National Guard headquarters, well away from the crowds of the northern blocks. It has been taking in guests in one form or another since 1845, and the building wears its history well: thick walls, wooden balconies, low doorways, and a walled courtyard garden of banana trees and tropical plants that sits at the center of inn life. There are fewer than twenty rooms and suites, each furnished individually; many have balconies or porches, fireplaces, or whirlpool tubs, and a separate cottage and house suit families or groups. The rhythms are what regulars come back for. A full hot breakfast is served every morning; an evening social gathers guests in the parlor and The Snug, the inn’s small lounge; and the solar-heated pool tucked inside the courtyard walls is a genuine luxury in a neighborhood of tiny lots. Free parking — a real perk in this part of town — free Wi-Fi, bicycles for exploring, and specialty coffees round it out. The inn has been a regular in national rankings of America’s best B&Bs.

Living here: the location is ideal for walkers, with Aviles Street’s galleries a block or two away, the plaza and bayfront five minutes north, and St. George Street’s main stretch beyond that. Rooms vary in size and character, as they do in any building of this age — some are snug, some have stairs, and sound can carry through old floors — so read the room descriptions and ask questions when booking. The inn is welcoming to families in the cottage and house, and some units are pet-friendly; check policies when you reserve.

Like most of St. Augustine’s old houses, the St. Francis Inn has its ghost stories, and the inn has been featured on local ghost tours for years; guests who enjoy that sort of thing will hear about it, and those who do not will simply enjoy a lovely old house. During Nights of Lights, from the weekend before Thanksgiving into January, the inn is decorated for the season and the walk to the plaza through the lit streets is part of the stay — book early, because this is one of the most requested small inns in the city for the holidays.

Book it for couples, history lovers, and anyone who wants the real, intimate experience of living inside the old town for a few nights: breakfast in a two-century-old house, a swim behind coquina walls, and a stroll to dinner. If you want a full-service hotel with a spa and room service, look to the Casa Monica; if you want privacy and garden space with adults only, The Collector. The St. Francis is the warm, hosted middle ground. Book directly with the inn for the widest choice of rooms.