St. Petersburg, Florida stands tall among the nation's hottest vacation destinations. In the last few years, it experienced an explosion of tourism. People come from all over the world come for the perfect weather, beautiful beaches and the relaxed atmosphere of the "biggest little city in Florida." The residents of St. Petersburg are proud of their city's tremendous growth and prosperity. Their warm hearted, neighborly attitude is refreshing to experience. As much as St. Petersburg can boast about their weather, it is the people of St. Pete that makes is so sunny. And there is no better way to enjoy this warmth than to stay at a bed & breakfast.

My wife, Christine and I stayed at two bed & breakfasts during our stay in St. Petersburg, the Sea Breeze Manor and the Vinoy House Inn. These are the only two inns in the area that boast a tropical theme. Both promote a laid-back "Key West" atmosphere, a veritable paradise in paradise. Both the similarities end there. Each inn has been shaped by its unique history and by the individual owners who continue to shape that history.

Sea Breeze Manor

The Sea Breeze Manor is located in Gulfport, a few minutes from St. Petersburg. This quaint artist community sits just far enough off the beaten path to provide solitude if you so choose, but remains close enough to downtown St. Petersburg to put you in the center of the action without any hassel. At the turn of the century, many northerners built winter homes in Gulfport. The Sea Breeze Manor was built in this setting in 1928 on a boulevard just steps from the beach.

The Manor served as a private residence from 1928 until 1996, when the original innkeepers purchased the property. They had the vision to convert this two-story Tudor style home into a six suite luxury inn with a tropical island theme. Their vision became reality, with meticulous attention to detail. The first things guest will notice upon arrival are the warm tropical colors and the distinct Key West style architecture. There are two cottages set apart from the main house - the "Key Largo" and the "Key West." Each has a private patio and a view of Boca Ciega Bay. In between the cottages and the main house, lies a beautiful tropical garden guests can enjoy. There are four suites in the main house - the "Aruba," "Barbados," "Bermuda" and "Jamaica." Each is individually decorated and painted in warm, sunny colors with vivid shades of blue, yellow and green you rarely get to see outside of a tropical setting. All suites except the "Aruba" have a private balcony. Additionally, the inn boasts a fantastic tropical mural in the dining room. Here, guests can eat inside and still be surrounded by tropical scenery, or dine outside on the veranda overlooking Boca Ciega Bay.

Unfortunately, the original innkeepers were more successful artistically than they were in business. Enter the Inn's current owner Lori Russo. Lori worked for twenty years arranging worldwide delegation tours for corporate executives and politicians (even a U.S. president) in Washington, D.C. She found herself consumed by her job and islotated from friends and family. In 2002, she decided to take back her life and get into what she calls, "the business of life." She wanted to combine her business sense with her love of people and ability to entertain. So she went out in search of an inn. She fell in love with the Sea Breeze Manor at first sight, she knew quickly this was her inn. She admittedly would not have had such vision on her own - and truly, one has to experience the Sea Breeze Manor to appreciate such vision - but she did have the business sense. They needed each other.

Since 2002, the Sea Breeze Manor has done well thanks to Lori's efforts. She continues to foster an environment that is luxurious, yet relaxed. Guests are invited to make themselves at home. Also, well worth noting is Lori's gourmet breakfast. The breakfast, like Sea Breeze Manor itself, is anything but ordinary.

The Vinoy House

The historic Vinoy House is located in the heart of the waterfront district in downtown St. Petersburg. From this prime location, guests can literally walk to every major attraction in St. Petersburg, including the Salvador Dali Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Florida International Museum and the Florida Holocaust Museum. Built approximately in 1910, this house served as the private residence of St. Petersburg's most influential developer, Aymer Vinoy Laughner.

Aymer Vinoy Laughner changed the landscape of St. Petersburg forever when he built the Renaissance Vinoy Hotel in 1925. The Renaissance Vinoy Hotel is such a masterpiece of Mediterranean Revival architecture that is is designated in the National Register of Historic Places. Mr. Laughner oversaw the construction of the hotel from the Vinoy House, which sits across the street from the hotel. The house remained a private residence after Mr. Laughner's death and fell into disrepair until Michael Roberts purchased it in 1996.

Mr. Roberts bought the house with an ambitious plan. He wanted to convert the old clapboard house into a six suite bed & breakfast with "Hemmingway decor and a Jimmy Buffet atmosphere." Imagine if you had to build private bathroom into each bedroom of your home. Now imagine six bedrooms. The results are a testament to Mr. Robert's creativity. In some suites, bedroom closets had to be expanded and converted into bathrooms. In another suite, the shower and tub were built into the bedroom wall. The suites bear sunny names such as "The Boca," "The Montego Bay" and the "Key Largo." They adorn sunny colors and decor to suit their names.

Mr. Roberts uses the decor of the house to foster the "Jimmy Buffet" atmosphere he wants for his Inn. And it certainly does. But perhaps as influential in creating that atmosphere is Mr. Roberts himself. "If guests are in my living room with their feet up, I know I've done my job," he happily told us upon check in. He exudes a "Key West" attitude, and in turn, the house has absorbed it.