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A charming, very solidly build historic beach house, Amelia Oceanfront Bed & Breakfast offers six distinctively decorated, spacious guest suites, all with oceanfront views and all furnished with a beach eclectic and nautical decor. As one of the very few beachfront vacation accommodations on Amelia Island, this enchanting old  house, build in 1938 and upgraded and renovated in 2009,  is built INTO the dunes, directly on the ocean.

We offer a variety of beach activities to do, from sunbathing to fishing to boogie boarding, to just plain relaxing in our lounge chairs or hammock. Relax in style, sinking your feet in the white sands outside your room. Relax in luxury, with breakfast delivered to your private dining room table or on the beach patio, as per your wish. Relax in the natural beauty of Amelia Island.

The historic district of Fernandina Beach lies just minutes away, where fine dining and shopping await. Amelia Island offers activities for any taste, with cultural events, adventure and athletic opportunities, as well natural wonders and beauty, so whether guests visit for a relaxing escape or an exciting exploration, everyone will enjoy the romance and the wonder of this enticing beach retreat. Check out Things to Do.

NOTE: If you want to be real technical, we are not a B&B in the historical sense. We offer six suites on the beach with breakfast service. We, the Innkeepers, do not live at the Inn, but just across the street, literally 60 seconds from the front door.  We take pleasure in serving you a different breakfast every day of your stay and provide daily services, as well as organize unscheduled happy hour events with live music during summer evenings.  On the rare occasion that we may not be at the Inn to welcome you, we will have arranged for friends or family to assist you. Instructions for arrival and check in will be in your confirmation email.  We are glad to help you with any questions you may have.

The Inn in the late 1960s

History

Originally built as a family residence by Walter Nolan Baker in the late 1930s, the house was purchased in 1949 by William A. Veech. With some renovation, it was converted to an apartment and remained so until the 1980s, with a brief exception in which it was used as a shelter for battered women.

The photograph to the left, depicts 6 or 7 year old Ray Dechiara with his mom and aunt Tony Davis in the late 1960 on the beach deck of the Inn. Ray and his sister Lisa and families recently were our guests at the B&B again and exchanged great stories of beach fun with us.

The more current bed and breakfast history began when David and Susan Caples (Elisabeth Point Lodge) bought the building in 1981 and remodeled extensively, creating a rustic elegance with a strong historical and nautical personality and named it the 1735 House Bed and Breakfast. Regardless of its purpose, the house has always been a retreat and a place for comfort in its natural ocean beauty.

In early 2000 the Inn changed hands and the magnificent mermaid fountain, which came all the way from Europe was added to the sights. In 2009, the Inn changed hands again, underpinning that an Innkeeper’s life is very involved. The entire exterior was re-renovated in a cottage-by-the-sea style and renamed Amelia Oceanfront Bed and Breakfast to emphasize the unique feature of actually being directly on the beach. A new canopied oceanside deck provides the perfect place for an evening cocktail while relaxing in the sea breeze and enjoying the sounds of the ocean.

InnKeepers

The new Innkeepers at Amelia Island Oceanfront B&B

On January 1, 2012 Johan (Han) Ramakers and his wife TJ Seaton became the new Innkeepers. They had arrived on Amelia Island from the Caribbean in 2006 and in a relatively short period of time widely established themselves in the local community.

Han met TJ on the island of St.Martin in 2004 where he was enjoying the fruits of early retirement and she was on a graduation vacation with one of her sons. Make sure to ask them how they met…it’s quite a story.

After some intense maneuvering and going back and forth between the islands and the mainland, both decided to relocate their combined family and business interests to Amelia Island and settle for the long haul.

TJ knows every shop and shop owner on the island and is in charge of the Inn’s decorations and housekeeping affairs and Han, as publisher of the local news and entertainment info website SearchAmelia.com, and co-organizer of the Amelia Island Blues Festival, is well known in the business and hospitality industry and is hands-on involved in the organization of many of the local festivals and charities. He cooks most of the breakfasts with a Dutch/French Flair.

Location

An often asked question is “how far are you from the historic district” or “how far are you from the Ritz Carlton or the Plantation” and our answer is always: 5 Minutes! Frankly, that is true for town and the Ritz, but the Plantation takes a couple of minutes more. The island at its widest point is only 2 miles and measures a little over 13 miles from the most northern to southern point, and we are located just north of the imaginary center. Yes, most shops, restaurants, churches and supermarkets are located well within the 5 minute distance limit.

A beach walk north to Main Beach and its attractions takes about 15 minutes and a beach walk down to Seaside Park and its bars, restaurants, beach shops and bicycle rentals is 1.2 miles and takes about 20 minutes. Enough to work off the giant breakfasts we serve!