Somehow, when writing about other Florida Bed & Breakfasts, I overlooked the Cedar House. I noticed on an independent B&B website that all 32 reviews about the house were positive. So it’s time for me to make amends and present this inn as one of the best lodging establishments in America’s oldest city: St. Augustine. The house was built in 1893 and has been restored to its original charm and Victorian elegance, with a spacious and welcoming parlor, sunny dining room, wedding garden, gazebo, outdoor Jacuzzi and seven perfectly appointed Old Florida rooms, wrapped in quaint porches and balconies.

Cedar House has been featured in the Palm Beach Post, the Charlotte Herald, Birmingham-England’s Post, the Orlando Sentinel, and Southern Living magazine. In a field of more than thirty Bed & Breakfast inns, a survey by St. Augustine Record ranked Cedar House the best inn for both 2008 and 2009. Additionally, it has been voted one of the 15 “Most Romantic Hideaways and The best weekend getaways in Florida.”

Accommodation prices vary by season, but in the off-season it is possible to reserve a room at Cedar House for as little as $139 per night. That, of course, includes personalized service, luxurious accommodations, and a lavish gourmet breakfast served on elegant china and lace. If you think about it, that’s about the price you’d pay for a mediocre hotel that offers, at best, a mediocre continental breakfast.

Now he allowed me to get to the most important thing about this inn: the owner, Cynthia Humphrey. As of this writing, she’s only been the grand matriarch of the place for about six months, but she’s definitely hit the ground running. Unlike most B&Bs, the place draws at least as many young adults as older adults, with about 70 percent originating within 100 miles of St. Augustine. Imagine what will happen as word spreads.

Perhaps the best word to describe Cedar House is celebration. Cynthia spent ten years planning events for the Ritz-Carlton, so she came in with an invaluable skill set in the field. She loves to go the extra mile to help people celebrate birthdays, reunions, family reunions, vow renewals, and weddings. She described a family event where they took over the entire inn for a sleepover. Wonderful! And in her first six months at the Casa she has attended 30 weddings. I don’t mean wedding receptions, I mean weddings. The lady is amazing.

Now, the small details that distinguish an exemplary inn from a good one. The Cedar House staff provide top-notch service, including little extras that wow guests. There are always freshly baked cookies in the house and a favorite seems to be the Ghirardelli Chocolate Dipped Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip. Breakfast is an elegant and sumptuous two course affair and if I were to stay overnight twelve nights I would not eat the same thing twice for breakfast. Signature dishes include apple-pear-pecan bread pudding drizzled with maple syrup and cinnamon butter, artichoke-cheddar soufflé with a grilled sausage medley, or perhaps Banana Royale, which includes banana bread homemade stuffed with foster bananas and topped with whipped cream and crushed praline. These are not your mom’s bisquick pancakes.

What would make your birthday or anniversary special: a custom lavish cake, St. Augustine roses and chocolates, a scenic horseback and carriage ride, or perhaps a fabulous gourmet picnic? Cynthia wants to make any special day one you will remember forever. She better get ready, she will surely hear more good things about this bed & breakfast, and it will be well deserved.