Candace and I decided to slip away for a quiet stay-cation weekend in Tarpon Springs, and we…read moresearched the web for a B&B in the area. Ashley's Victorian Haven B&B was highly recommended, and for very good reason. This two-story house was built in the 1890's, and recently refurbished and stocked with a lot of period-piece antiques.
Barbara and her husband, Larry, are the inn keepers and super-sweet people. They're long-time residents of Tarpon Springs, and can offer lots of helpful advice about what to see and do during your stay in the area. They bought this house, located in the old Historic District of Tarpon Springs, totally rebuilt and upgraded the place, and then named it after their daughter. There is room for three groups of people to stay within the B&B.
The first floor of the house has a one-bedroom suite with two Queen-sized beds and a private bathroom with a walk-in, triple-headed shower, and a separate antique claw-foot tub. That's where we stayed. Also on the first floor is the kitchen, where coffee is served every morning starting at 7am. There is a very comfortable parlor with comfy seating on the antique sofas, and a large dining room with wonderful antiques on display. Step outside onto the front porch, and you have a porch swing, and plenty of quiet places to sit and read.
Upstairs in the house is a second-floor suite, and out back is a covered patio with a smaller vacation cottage. We spent our late afternoons sitting on this back patio and visiting with Barbara and her husband. She used to own a well-known antiques store in town, and has decorated the Victorian Haven with some of her cherished pieces.
Once Barbara starts brewing the coffee in the morning, all of the sleepy heads come staggering down to the kitchen to say Hi to one another and visit with Barbara. By 9am she has whipped up a fabulous breakfast including pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, sausages, and more, and we all sit down as a group around her dining room table. She checks in with each of the groups to inquire about our plans for the day, and then makes suggestions as to the best shopping, dining, and sightseeing options. The lady knows her stuff!
The home is located around the corner from the Tarpon Spring City Hall and police station, and so the neighborhood is very safe and quiet. You'll be walking distance to the famous Sponge Docks area of Tarpon Springs, and it was nice to leave the car behind, and get a bit of exercise. At night, the restaurants and clubs were also an easy hike from the B&B.
We had a fantastic weekend staying in a very clean and comfortable B&B, and really enjoyed our visits with Barbara. She gave us some great recommendations about the new places to explore along Dodecanese Boulevard, and also the antique stores in the historic downtown shopping area.
If you're looking for a great, reasonably-priced place to stay in the Tarpon Springs area, then I highly recommend that you check out Ashley's Victorian Haven B&B. It's a fun place to get away from it all.