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NEW WONDERS OF FLORIDA’S WONDERLAND
INN
Central Florida’s County Inn Undergoes Restoration
"I was saving other houses in downtown Kissimmee
from the wrecking ball at the time. Glorious old homes that needed a little
attention -- I had saved three by that time. I wanted to save this one too, to
turn it into an integral part of the bed & breakfast, with the same
architecture and styling as the inn portion. This became the fourth house we
were able to save – and it became our new ‘Main House’," she said.
The Main House was gutted and rebuilt inside to serve as
a welcoming breakfast gathering place, which seats up to 22 people. Each
morning a gourmet continental breakfast is served there or in the vibrant
gardens surrounding the inn. The inn prides itself on the selections of teas and
coffees. "Since my youth, my family traveled extensively throughout the
world. I wanted to bring back to my guests all the wonderful things I had
experienced from my trips," said Rosemarie. "For instance, I know
that if someone wants tea, they want English tea, and for coffee, most guests
prefer the finer Colombian blends. I wanted to give guests who have been comfortable
staying at five- and four-diamond properties the touches that help make their
stay memorable, but in a more intimate, personalized setting.
The main office of the old inn was also converted into a
honeymoon cottage by cutting the walls out to make it more spacious, and adding
a bathroom with a whirlpool tub. "We brought back mullioned windows,
typical of that period [50 years ago]," said Rosemarie, who oversaw each
change. "We re-did all the bathrooms, adding pedestal sinks, tiling many
areas, and adding convenient tile benches in some of the showers. Then, for a
nice touch, we brought in beautiful, beveled full-length mirrors. Then we
searched and found the perfect country-styled furniture, including white wicker
rockers in each room, new mattresses on new wrought iron four-poster beds, and
dressers. Then we wanted something extra-special, to showcase the charming
rooms. We found it in the hand-painted original garden wall murals in each
guestroom, painted by famed local artist Steve Orin.” Just recently, each
guestroom was re-named to capture the flavor of the wall murals, decorations
and country theme of the bed & breakfast. The rooms provide other pleasant
surprises, such as juicers to fresh-squeeze oranges picked from the inn’s own
gardens, and chocolate turndown service. The outside serves up treats, too. The gardens contain more than 30 different
types of flowers and flowering trees. "We always had wonderful gardens
around us when I was a child... and the smell was intoxicating," Rosemarie
said. "We wanted to bring that magic to the inn, as well. It's something
that people who visit us always remark on -- they love this fast-fading part of
Florida, the natural, fresh and pure Florida, and we do too.” The gardens showcase many kinds of perennials, annuals,
roses, Bird of Paradise, Orchids, Petunias, Begonias, Hibiscus, Confederate
Jasmine, plus a butterfly garden rich with many plants butterflies love. There
is also lush palm, citrus, Crepe Myrtle and evergreen trees. The existing
orange grove on the site was pruned, then expanded with the addition of red
grapefruit trees, Fruit Cocktail Trees with grafted Persian limes, navel
oranges and tangerines on the same tree, and additional orange trees. Essential Information:
The bed & breakfast offers romance packages,
adventure packages and fun Day Excursion options, which include deep sea
fishing charters, Saint John's River fishing, offshore and freshwater angling,
kayaking, and more. Situated in a natural Florida setting, Wonderland Inn
offers guests a country retreat away from it all, and the convenience of nearby
attractions and dining options. The Wonderland Inn is located in Kissimmee,
Florida, just minutes from major Central Florida, attractions such as Walt
Disney World, Water Mania, downtown Kissimmee and others. For more information, call Toll-free 1-877-847-2477 Fax (407) 847-4099 E-mail innkeeper@wonderlandinn.com Or visit the web site at http://www.wonderlandinn.com
Edited
by Kerry Cohen |
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TM
Wonderland Inn, an 11-room bed & breakfast in
Central Florida, has just finished a $300,000 inn restoration to honor the
Historic Registry property, including the Main House, inn and gardens.
Rosemarie O'Shaughnessy, owner of the inn for the past 18 years, decided in
1998 to convert the property, which had become worn and neglected, into a
beautiful country inn.
"We stripped the home right down to the plumbing,
and then replaced that too," added John Fisher, property manager.
"All that remains of the old structure is the exterior shells of both the
inn and the home, and the hardwood floors in the Main House.”
“The real delight for me comes from the feedback from
our guests, who tell us over and over again how they think our bed &
breakfast is truly their favorite home away from home. It's such a pleasure to
be able to bring just the right items and the warm welcomes to our guests, in
order to make their stay a marvelous one," she explained.