St. Augustine hotel was named a 'Best Resort in Florida' by Travel + Leisure

Colleen Michele Jones, St. Augustine Record
·4 min read

One of St. Augustine's most eclectic lodging properties has been listed among the "Top 15 Best Resorts in Florida" by the readers of Travel + Leisure.

It's not the first time The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens has made the annual list, and it's just one of many accolades the hotel has racked up since opening in 2017.

Ask general manager Charlie Robles to what he attributes the resounding success of the property and he'll tell you it's certainly its uniqueness and historical character.

"I always like to say you're two blocks away from downtown but two centuries away from everything else," Robles said.

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The inn encompasses one city block with nine separate buildings of varied architectural and style periods centered around a grassy courtyard that's lushly landscaped and includes fire pits, a pool, statues, a koi pond and fountains.

Thirty units (20 of them suites) are available and Robles said The Collector is more than 90% occupied year round.

A photograph from the collection of the Library of Congress shows the Prince Murat House, on the corner of St. George and Bridge streets, in 1938. The house was built in 1790 and is now part of The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens in St. Augustine.
A photograph from the collection of the Library of Congress shows the Prince Murat House, on the corner of St. George and Bridge streets, in 1938. The house was built in 1790 and is now part of The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens in St. Augustine.

A storied past

The story of how the nine historic structures came to be tied together in a kind of enclave is as fascinating as the houses themselves.

Kenneth Worcester Dow, the only heir to the Dow family's lucrative lumber business, purchased the oldest house on the block, the 1790 Prince Murat House, in the 1930s after falling in love with St. Augustine in his travels.

The structure is made of coquina and, aside from some restoration work, looks very much the way it did at the time when Dow and wife Mary welcomed regular houseguests, including famous writers and actors of the time.

A portrait of Kenneth Worcester Dow hangs in the lobby of The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens on Cordova Street in St. Augustine. Dow, who died in 2002 at the age of 90, was the former owner of the property and collected many of the antiques that decorated the museum.
A portrait of Kenneth Worcester Dow hangs in the lobby of The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens on Cordova Street in St. Augustine. Dow, who died in 2002 at the age of 90, was the former owner of the property and collected many of the antiques that decorated the museum.

The Dows were passionate collectors of artwork, furniture and other antiques,

"They went to Europe about three or four times a year and brought back all kinds of things," Robles said.

By the early 1950s, Dow had acquired all nine homes on the site, some of which include a former boarding house; a general store; the home of famed writer William Dean Howell; and the Rose House, named so because one-time resident Jean Gordon, a renowned floral expert, ran a "rose museum" at the property.

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Surrounded by history

In addition to the houses, the 1 acre on which they sit was the site of several important chapters of St. Augustine history, including its use as a 16th century hospital (where amputated body parts were known to be thrown out windows, Robles noted) and cemetery; an 18th century Spanish defense line; and the setting for the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation reading that freed Florida’s slave population. Markers around the property offer more information, as does a tour free to guests led by docent Melissa Stuart.

The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens on Cordova Street in St. Augustine was named one of the Top 15 Best Resorts in Florida by Travel + Leisure magazine readers.
The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens on Cordova Street in St. Augustine was named one of the Top 15 Best Resorts in Florida by Travel + Leisure magazine readers.

In 1989, an aging Dow offered to deed his entire collection to the city of St. Augustine; surprisingly, the city turned him down.

Instead, he donated the site to the Museum of Arts and Sciences in 1989. Following an 11-year restoration, the Dow Museum of Historic Houses opened in 2000, showcasing the extensive collection.

In 2013, the property went up for sale, eventually being purchased by David Corneal for $1.1 million, according to Robles who noted it was in very run-down condition at the time.

"It took close to five years and $9 million to restore it because so much had to be repaired and replaced," Robles said.

The work has obviously paid off.

Rates for rooms, which include amenities like kitchenettes, turn-down service, daily breakfast and snacks, start at $229 (suites and peak times drive up the price.)

The inn is popular with couples looking for a romantic getaway, family reunions, corporate escapes and travelers looking for a unique, historical experience. Robles, who has a license to marry people, has officiated quite a few small (six guests maximum) weddings.

The only 4 Diamond hotel in downtown St. Augustine, Robles said The Collector takes pride in the personalized, hospitable experience its staff provides.

The recent award by Travel + Leisure is just another feather in its cap. The Collector took the No. 5 spot of the Top 15 Best Resorts in Florida, in the company of heavy hitters like the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island and the White Elephant in Palm Beach.

The grounds of The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens, at 149 Cordova St., is open to the public every first Friday of the month, with live music and refreshments available. 

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Collector Luxury Inn and Gardens makes 'Best Resorts in Florida' list