Hi! I’m Veronica, your Innkeeper. I first aspired of being an innkeeper when I drove across the US in my pickup truck in 1995. I was headed for the Badlands of South Dakota and stopped for the night at a small B&B in Minnesota. I was about to start my last year of college at The Cooper Union in New York City and was doing research for my thesis project. The B&B was an old farmhouse. There were only a few rooms, and the guests shared a second-floor bathroom. The breakfast was delicious and exquisitely plated. I specifically remember the Innkeeper/chef apologizing that her breakfast didn’t present as well as it normally would, but she had an accident with a knitting needle and couldn’t use one of her hands. I remember thinking, “how is it possible that it could look any better?” I ultimately graduated with a BARCH from The Cooper Union, was recruited by a regional architecture and engineering firm, completed numerous award-winning projects in the emergency services and education markets, became one of five female partners in the firm and managed a regional office for the firm. I hold my architectural license in New York.

During this time, I married the love of my life, bought, and restored a historic home in Huntington, New York and adopted two children from Russia, Margarita and Egor. As much as I loved being an architect and designer, I always had the idea of being an Innkeeper in the back of my mind.  I am one of seven children and always loved to host the holiday family dinners and dinner parties for friends. I never shared the Innkeeper dream with anybody but on several occasions family and friends noted to me that they thought I would do well as an Innkeeper.

So, life happened and sadly in 2019, my husband and I separated and ultimately divorced. That idea I had in the back of my mind about being an Innkeeper, kept on pushing itself forward. I started to research about B&B ownership and attended B&B seminars. I thought, that perhaps, once my son, Egor, graduated from high school, I would pursue this dream. Egor and I talked about it, and I asked him if he would mind moving out of New York. Egor loves to surf so I assured Egor that if we were to make a move, I would get him as close to the ocean as possible. Then the search began. I searched the entire East Coast of the US, looking for the perfect location. When I arrived at to the Williams House for the first time, I knew it was the one. A spectacular example of early Victorian architecture, luscious gardens, courtyards, and enough projects to keep my architectural mind engaged too.  It was ideally situated in the historic city of Fernandina Beach, with excellent restaurants, shops, outdoor activities and close enough to the beach for Egor to surf. I knew the Williams House was the B&B for me and Egor and made the dream a reality in December of 2020.

I love to manage the Inn and understand the importance of the Williams House in the community. I am thoughtfully restoring the Inn and always have project in the works. I love to cook, try new recipes on my guests and to make each guest experience memorable. Egor has since graduated from high school, is currently working locally, and helping me at the Inn while working towards becoming an EMT and/or perhaps firefighter.

Please allow us to share the beauty of the Williams House and Fernandina Beach with you as our guests.