If you are looking for a unique Florida vacation far removed from Mickey Mouse, try St. Augustine. I hadn't been in many years, but my fiance, Sue, had recently gone to yoga school there and fell in love with the place and wanted to go back to visit. She had the idea of staying in a hostel. I wasn't too keen on the idea. Personally I like a private bath, private entrance, private everything. And I prefer a bathroom that sparkles. But she was determined to get me out of the "Holiday Inn" mode into something less conventional. I was looking forward to exploring the beaches of St. Augustine.
Sue knew of an interesting Inn from her days in St. Augustine, and quickly found the website for "The Pirate Haus Inn." I couldn't help but be intrigued after browsing their website, and was pleasantly surprised to find that they have five private guest rooms in addition to two bunk bed dorm rooms for "backpackers." I finally gave in and made reservations right on their website. The price was right, the location was right in the historic district of Old St. Augustine, and the Pirate Haus Inn was practically within spitting distance of the bay and the Castillo de San Marcos (and everything else).
The first thing you notice when you enter the historic part of the city is how narrow the streets are. Really narrow, like they weren't really made with cars in mind. Yes, it was built THAT long ago. I quickly became disoriented, but Sue knew right where she was going and we found where the pirates live.
It's an old building, built in 1915, and not at all identifiable as a "hotel" except for the sign out front. Up the creaky, spooky wooden staircase we went and down the hall to the "office" where we found the door closed and an envelope with our room key. A short time later a real live pirate arrived to take charge of the office and help us get checked in. It was none other than Captain Conrad, in costume, along with his First Mate, Elaine, at our service.
Check-in was entirely friendly and filled with humor as the helpful pirate pointed out all the best restaurants (as well as the ones to be avoided) and suggested what we should see while we were there. Our room was on the second floor overlooking the street. There were two brightly painted bunk beds and a comfy queen bed with a large mural above the headboard.
Just up the hall was a sitting room with a computer with internet access, chairs and a sofa, games, magazines, books and a TV. Across the hall from the sitting room is a communal kitchen for the do-it-yourselfers (and where all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts are served).
We enjoyed the wood floors, the high ceilings, the pirate theme throughout...and the location: it was right smack in the middle of Old St. Augustine. Just walk out the door and within two minutes every restaurant, shop, and attraction is at your disposal. This is one of the main advantages of staying at the Pirate Haus Inn (other than the price)--once you park your car, you really don't need it again unless you plan to drive out to the beach or leave the historic section of the city.
To be sure, it was not the quietest place we've ever stayed. Being right in the middle of everything, and being right on the street, the conversations down on the street rode the breeze right into our room. But I long ago made peace with noisy hotel rooms by always carrying with me several sets of foam ear plugs. Now I no longer lose a moment’s sleep to noisy neighbors, traffic, maintenance or housekeeping staff, etc. The other guests in the Pirate Haus were most courteous, quiet at night, and it was entirely pleasant sharing the building with them. The other guests included younger couples, a family with young children, and a few singles.
Private guest rooms are $50 to $80 per night, and dorm room bunks are about $18 per night per person. Dorm rooms don't come with parking privileges, but the private guest rooms have limited parking available.
If you're up for something a little different--something with character--you might want to look into the Pirate Haus of St. Augustine. Read about all the details on the Pirate Haus Inn of St. Augustine website.
See you at the beach!
David McRee
Florida Beaches Expert
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