Reflections on 20 years at Central Florida B&B

Who would have thought when we opened for business 20 years ago, that we would still be here and going strong? After 10 months of planning & zoning meetings, and one year of extensive renovations, Thurston House our Maitland, Florida bed & breakfast proudly opened its doors to guests on September 15, 1992. Since the first day, we have constantly been fine tuning our accommodations, and have kept up with whatever changes there have been in the hospitality industry.

20 years ago there was no home computer or internet. We were one of the first B&B’s to have a website and our own domain name.  We now have complimentary wireless Internet throughout the inn. It is always great to see guests being able to catchup electronically, while enjoying our beautiful wraparound porch. 

We started with a variety of  furniture, amenities and linens, and have since upgraded all to the best we can possibly afford to offer. Breakfast started out as a more basic meal, and now we are known for our fabulously creative offerings. Every type of special needs diet has been accommodated, from Atkins to Vegan to Celiac and more. Our cookbook “Cooking Thurston House Style” is recently hot off the presses and available for purchase too.

Guests have come from all over the world, including 24 countries, every state, 4 territories and even from Maitland itself! We enjoy many repeat guests who have become our friends too. Here’s to another 20 years for our fabulous North Orlando bed & breakfast!

Central Florida Bed & Breakfast Debuts Cookbook!

Thurston House, North Orlando’s finest bed & breakfast, has finally self published a cookbook – Cooking Thurston House Style. Guests have been asking for this for quite some time! Innkeeper Carole shared some of her all time favorite recipes, along with a few photos and some helpful hints. The book is available at Thurston House in Maitland, selling for $25. Book a room now, and ask that the innkeeper add this to your bill too. ENJOY!

Back To School at Rollin’s College!

It’s that time of year that students start heading back to this area to settle in for the new school year. Rollin’s College is just minutes from Thurston House and over our 20 years in business we have had our share of parents and incoming students stay here. Just now we have a mother & daughter from Switzerland. This is the 2nd daughter to be attending there. She and her sister are on tennis scholarships.

We feel a great connection to Rollin’s because besides being less than a 10 minute drive away from us, the college opened in 1885. That is the same year that Thurston House was built! For students this area is a wonderful mix of upscale city and small town feeling. Park Avenue, right next to the campus, is home to wonderful restaurants, galleries, stores and museums. What a wonderful experience for them!

Parent’s Weekend comes fast and this year it is November 2-4. Two rooms are still open but they always go quickly. Book now!

 

Central Florida Amazing Bed & Breakfast Special Deal!

Not often does a special this good come along. Thurston House in North Orlando, Maitland is offering a 30% discount for reservations booked by 6/20. Everyone loves a deal, and when it has to do with a two night stay at a lovely bed & breakfast, all the better! Book by the end of day June 20th for a two night stay and receive a 30% dicounted price! This deal is only available for August 16-26, and October 1-31. Rooms must be prepaid in full, and there is no cancellation allowed. Enjoy the best of Central Florida with many special places to see, areas for shopping and great dining options. This great deal may only come once in a lifetime so BOOK NOW! When you book online, the innkeeper will make the neccesary adjustments then send an updated reservation confirmation to you. Or…you can just call and take care of it.

The August dates will show you Sizzling Central Florida Summer at its best! The October dates will introduce you to foliage, Florida style. The Golden Rain trees will show off their fall colors just for you. There are also two arts festivals the month of October – The Maitland Rotary Art Under the Stars 10/5-7 and the Winter Park Autumn Art Festival 10/13-14.    

With such a great deal you’ll have plenty of money left for enjoying all that Central Florida offers to you! HURRY!

Full Sail University, For Over 30 Years!

For over 30 years, Full Sail University has been providing advanced classes for those who want to learn about the music and film industry. Now their cutting edge campus teaches anything that has to do with the entertainment business. Classes offered include computer animation, film, games, music recording and show production, just to name a few. The campus has steadily grown into a technological and creative playground, with studios, labs and amazing facilities.

Full Sail students filming

We have enjoyed many Thurston House Central Florida B&B guests who are coming into Full Sail for one of their monthly graduations, or to settle in a new student to the area. Students have actually filmed a movie here, and NBC News filmed Matt Lauer doing an interview on our porch. Our North Orlando bed & breakfast is just a short drive away from their Winter Park campus, and also from downtown Winter Park and Park Avenue.