Londoner Bed and Breakfast Offers Authentic English Charm

Nestled at the heart of downtown Bradenton is , where authentic English charm is served with a steaming cup of Earl Grey and a plate of irresistible scones.

Jenny Taylor and her husband, John, left their home in southeast London in 2001, drawn to the sunny beach weather for which Florida’s Gulf Coast is known. For eight years, they operated the Riviera Beach Resort on Longboat Key, as well as a number of rental properties throughout west Bradenton.

Then they discovered a run-down, three-story house at 304 15th St. W. in downtown Bradenton for sale. Although the house was in disrepair, the Taylors saw a wealth of potential in the house’s hardwood floors, wrap-around porch, built-in cupboards and large, inviting windows.

“The moment I saw this house, I could tell that it had bed and breakfast written all over it,” Jenny Taylor said.

Built in 1926 by a leading figure in the local timber industry, the old house is constructed from a sturdy variety of pine no longer available locally.

Envisioning a British-themed bed and breakfast, the Taylors began fixing up the house, which had seen more than 80 years of history.

“I remember laying in bed and thinking ‘Oh, what have I done?’ ” recalled Taylor, who said that she and her husband invested about $150,000 in repairs alone.

“I just kept thinking, ‘We’ve put all this money and work into it, and a week from now, people are going to be paying to stay here — I hope.’ And it worked.”

Taylor said that since the bed and breakfast opened its doors in April 2008 it has turned a profit.

“I opened this bed and breakfast right in the middle of the worst recession this country has ever seen, and people kept telling me I was crazy for doing so. But I was backed by such a great local community, and so it all worked out.”

Just before the bed and breakfast opened, a local filmmaker booked the location for 10 days to shoot a horror film called “The Message.”

“It was a gory movie, but it did me a lot of good because I received $10,000 right before I opened,” said Taylor. “It gave me a nice little buffer right from the beginning.”

As its name implies, The Londoner Bed and Breakfast is themed after the city of London. The inn features six rooms, each of which has a unique theme based on one of the city’s boroughs.

The Kensington, with its fitting royal blue wall treatment, pays homage to Diana, Princess of Wales. Pictures of the princess adorn the room, which, along with its luxurious four poster bed and Victorian love seat, also features books on Diana.

The Victoria Suite down the hall is dedicated to Queen Victoria and furnished with Victorian style furniture, while the Westminister room is decorated in a regal theme that recalls Buckingham Palace in the Westminister district of London. Beatles fans may particularly enjoy The Chelsea, decorated with the famous Abbey Road photograph featuring books dedicated to England’s most famous rock band.

“What’s funny is that the more posh boroughs are actually our smallest rooms,” confessed Taylor, who hails from the Bermondsey district in London.

“The Bermondsey is in southeast London. It’s not exactly the nicest area. When you think of it, you think of the kind of place that chimney sweeps come from. Here at The Londoner, it’s our best and biggest room,” she explained.

“People who are actually from London come here and say, ‘Really? The Bermondsey and The Greenwich are your best rooms?’ but it’s my little joke. You see, I have a very sarcastic sense of humor, and it’s my house, so I get to decide who gets the nicest room.”

Taylor said that while The Londoner welcomes guests from all over, it’s often people who live locally that come and stay for weekends at her inn.

“I think that for a lot of people, it’s just nice to just get away from home," she said. "You can sit on the porch and have a glass of wine without worrying about work or laundry or whatever else you have on your mind when you’re at home.”

The inn offers complimentary afternoon tea to guests as they check in. Soon after they opened, Taylor said she began receiving requests for private tea parties. The service quickly became so popular that Taylor decided to open two full-service tea rooms on the first floor for afternoon tea.

Taylor said she currently gets as much business from the tea rooms as she does from the rooms she rents.

“I have a 103-year-old woman who comes in regularly with her family. I also get moms from Lakewood Ranch who are looking for a place to unwind, bridal showers and baby showers, and little girls’ tea parties," she said. “Everyone thinks that afternoon tea is such an English thing, but I think that it appeals to women all over the world. It’s a chance to get off the hamster wheel and enjoy the company of other women in a calming, quiet atmosphere where you never have to rush.”

For more information or to book a room at The Londoner Bed and Breakfast, visit the inn’s official website or call 941-748-5658.