Penny Farthing Inn

I spent four wonderful days at Penny Farthing Inn, and it was exactly what I was looking for—a charming place where I could walk to the historic areas of St. Augustine. The location is ideal. The inn is just a half-block from the Lightner Museum and about 1½ blocks from Flagler College, yet it sits on a quiet street with little to no tourist foot traffic. I could walk to the marina in less than eight minutes and St George St in six. Parking can be scarce and expensive in St. Augustine, so being able to leave my car at the B&B and walk almost everywhere was a huge plus. The only days I needed my car were when I visited Vilano Beach and the Fountain of Youth. My room was lovely, comfortable, and spacious. Breakfast each morning was delicious and a wonderful way to start the day. I also enjoyed the inn’s complimentary Happy Hour from 4 to 5 p.m., with wine or soda, cheese, meats, olives, crackers, and chips. It was a nice opportunity to relax and enjoy a snack after a day of sightseeing. But the best part of my stay was the warm and welcoming staff—Teresa, Daniel, Michelle, and Ellie. Teresa and Daniel purchased the Penny Farthing Inn this spring and are working every day to make the property even better. Their enthusiasm and genuine hospitality really made me feel welcome. My stay at Penny Farthing Inn made my visit to St. Augustine extra special. I would happily stay here again and highly recommend it to anyone who wants a convenient location, a comfortable inn, and a truly welcoming experience.

We have stayed here quite a few times, and it's always the most unkept of the B&B's on that street. The two adjacent B&B's are far superior in cleanliness, and hospitality. The young woman who has checked us in the past two times, always seems bothered to do her job. The price is what has brought us back, since we only stay one night while traveling through. They used to have a "Happy Hour' which consisted of some wine, cheese/crackers etc. The young woman even specifically mentioned Happy Hour starting at 5:00pm, and they have "Happy Hour" listed on the amenities list, and yet when my husband went down to see what was offered, there was nothing. He proceeded to ask her when she would be putting things out for Happy Hour (Since it was after the 5pm stated time for it) and she said it's just the water, soda, and pre-packaged chips that are out all of the time. That is NOT Happy Hour, so remove that from the list of amenities that are in each room!! Clearly that is not being done anymore, with the new owners, or the yououng woman didn't feel like setting it up. We stop in St Augustine at least twice a year, and I literally just checked their website to possibly book again and they have drastically raised their prices, and added a two night minimum for weekends. We shall see what the new owners do, because the place needs a lot of updating, to get it on the same level as the neighboring B&B's. It could be really wonderful, and hopefully the new owners take it that direction. We would definitely try it again sometime (We don't need Happy Hour, just don't state you offer it, when you don't). In the meantime, I just booked Cedar House Inn next door. We have stayed there multiple times as well, and they are magnificent!!

This hotel is currently under renovation however, despite its excellent location, our stay was underwhelming. We were in the tree house for two nights. The bathroom layout was not great, the toilet was separate from the shower/bath, which was separate from the hand basin. There was only a curtain for privacy, I personally felt uncomfortable showering. There was also a furry pedestal mat around the toilet, not hygienic. There was a plastic curtain pinned to the hand basin. There was a plug in air freshener beside the sink , masking odours. The decor was period but the curtains were awful, thin and cheap looking , blinds would be better. It was clean , the bed was high from the floor, but clean and comfortable enough. There was an excellent maintenance man who was friendly and cleaned up the cat poo on our porch, he explained about the presence of feral cats.This place could be much better and hopefully after renovations, it will be. Just not what I expected as I’ve stayed in St Augustine several times.