Feel like taking a brief weekend trip but don’t want to deal with the crowded beaches or theme parks?
Consider a quaint spot just 45 minutes away from Honeymoon Island State Park, a historic boutique hotel with a connection to Lake County locals.
Earlier this year Mount Dora couple Jim and Alexandra Gunderson celebrated 15 years of owning and revamping the Lakeside Inn.
What many don’t know is that their Victorian-era grand dame has an elegant but demure Latin sister on the Gulf Coast. It has 40 rooms, and the rates are surprisingly affordable, substantially lower than the average Tampa Bay or Orlando-area boutique hotel.
Renovated and reopened in 2022, The Hacienda in New Port Richey is celebrating its 99th anniversary this year.
It’s one of several pink Spanish Colonial-style hotels of its time, a popular trend of the 1920s, when architects emulated the residences of Spanish, Italian, Russian and other European estates and villas. Think of it as a mini Don CeSar or Vinoy. Its nickname: “The Pink Lady.”
The restoration preserved original features, such as its fireplace in the lobby and the fountain in the courtyard.
The multi-million dollar revamp preserved original features while adding modern luxuries. It now features 40 uniquely decorated guest rooms, often with historic photos, and an on-site Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, Sasha’s on the Park, a nice spot for a Sunday brunch.
The hotel was the brainchild of James Meighan, brother of silent film star Thomas Meighan, who thought he could make New Port Richey a winter playground for celebrities like Charlie Chaplin and Gloria Swanson.
Because of his success in restoring and maintaining the historic Lakeside Inn, the city of New Port Richey approached Jim Gunderson to take over the Hacienda project in 2018.
The hotel first opened on Feb. 5, 1927, and enjoyed its initial heyday as “Hollywood East,” hosting stars of the Silent Screen.
After decades of decline and a period serving as an assisted living facility, the “Pink Lady” has been brought back to life through the investment and patience of the Gundersons and reopened as a boutique hotel in September 2022.
Visit haciendahotelnpr.com for more information.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: The Gundersons of Mount Dora celebrate 99 years of their ‘Pink Lady’
Reporting by Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial / Daily Commercial
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
