The Jacaranda Hotel sits along tree-lined Main Street in Avon Park, Florida, and you know, you can spot the historic building pretty quick because it was built in the 1920s and it's listed on the National Historic Register, and when you first walk in, there's a lobby decorated in green, mauve, and beige-just sort of comfortable and welcoming, the way places used to be, with high ceilings and quiet halls that make it peaceful, and you also get to see the wide veranda out front, where people gather and look out over the street. The rooms were recently renovated and there are different choices, like standard rooms, mini-suites, and master suites, with touches like refrigerators, microwaves, cable TV, alarm clocks, and WiFi in all rooms, so you're not missing any basic comforts, and if you need a hairdryer or iron, you can ask for them. The hotel's pet-free but welcomes service animals, and you won't find tobacco anywhere inside or outside on the grounds, but you do get a complimentary breakfast, and there's free local calls and faxing, plus free WiFi throughout, so for all that, things are straightforward and useful without being fancy.
The Palm Room and Citrus Room, which are the hotel's dining areas, offer a restaurant with an elegant yet casual feel, and during the winter season, there's a Grand Buffet on Sundays with dishes like Southern fried chicken, salads, regional foods, and homemade desserts, and from November through May, culinary students from South Florida State College cook specialty dishes for the buffet, which you just don't see everywhere. There's lunch buffet from November through May, dinner buffet from January through March, and then a smaller summer menu from May through September, and on Friday nights during the season, you get seafood on the buffet. A pianist, Jeff Klein, entertains guests from November through May, so if you like live piano while you eat, that's nice, and Executive Chef Robin Norton oversees the kitchen. The staff is known for being friendly and helpful.
The hotel has services for events like weddings, family reunions, business meetings, and birthday parties too, with bigger spaces called the Palm Room and Citrus Room, which you can set up different ways-like theater style for up to 92 people-and the Palm Room holds up to 100 people. There's bus parking, an ice machine, washer/dryer, historic elevator, outdoor swimming pool to relax in, and you can plan events with at least 75 guests or more, with choices for hot or cold meal catering. Discounts of 10% are available for AAA, AARP, government, and military members, and they accept major credit cards. They also offer weekly and monthly rates, and you can rent a roll-away bed for $10, with $5 for each extra person. Check-in is after 2:00 PM, and check-out is before noon. The hotel has a night security guard, and the property is set up for guests with wheelchairs. Parking is on the street or in lots. You won't find fancy gyms or spas, but there's enough for a comfortable stay in a building that's got a little bit of the old Florida charm.
