Staying In Disney's Backyard

Staying in Disney's Backyard

Perri House B&B

by Kelly Monaghan

Note: Perrihouse has changed management since this article was written.

Why stay in a boring old hotel when you can stay in a wildlife habitat?

In Lake Buena Vista, behind Disney World’s vast expanse, past Mickey’s enormous support operations, down a street with the unromantic name of State Road 535, you’ll find Perri House, an intimate bed and breakfast establishment nestled on 16 acres that have been lovingly returned to their near natural state by owners Nick and Angi Perretti. In fact, they’ve done such a good job of coaxing dozens of species of birds to come calling that the National Wildlife Federation has certified the property as an official Backyard Wildlife Habitat.

After many years of visiting central Florida, PerriHouse is still my favorite place to stay. One thing I find attractive is the clever way Nick and Angi have combined the best features of a motel and a bed and breakfast. Each of the eight rooms has two entrances. One leads to the outside, so you can come and go as you please in relative anonymity. The other opens onto a spacious common room where the guests, who hail from all over the world, gather for an evening glass of wine and pleasant conversation or just select a book for solitary enjoyment from Nick and Angi’s multi-volume library.

Each room is distinct and colorfully decorated and most have luxuriously comfortable four-poster beds. The signature touch is Angi’s dramatic curtain treatments on windows and bath, which can make the simple act of stepping out of the tub seem like opening night at the Met. There are thoughtful touches like mini-bars that don’t charge highway robbery prices ($2 for imported beer? Imagine that!), plush robes, hair dryers, and a little gizmo in the bathroom that dispenses soap, lotion, shampoo, and conditioner.

Breakfast is served in a spacious and sunny room. It’s casual and self-service with a wide selection of fresh fruit, cereals, breads, and giant muffins. There’s even pb&j for the kids. And tea, ice, and water are available around the clock.

There’s a pool, of course, open 24 hours a day, with a nearby hot tub, and surrounded with shaded and sunny places to sit or bask. It’s best at night, with a glass of wine under a clear Florida sky with someone you love. Heaven. Time it right and you can glimpse the fireworks over at Disney World.

One of PerriHouse’s biggest draws is the wildlife, birds mostly, but armadillos, flying squirrels, bunnies, and bobcats can be glimpsed, too, and you’re likely to spot tiny emerald green frogs on your way to the pool. A pair of red-headed sand hill cranes have adopted the place and can regularly be seen strutting about on the lawn. Approach quietly and you can get a great close-up shot of these striking birds which stand about chest high. Early risers should take a dew-dappled pre-dawn walk out back through the mist and moss draped pines to the Grand Cypress Resort golf course. It’s an exact recreation of the fabled course at St. Andrew’s in Scotland and quite magical in the mist.

This is a terrific place to stay if you are visiting Disney World (or anything else in the Orlando area, for that matter). For about what you’d pay at a midlevel hotel you can experience the "real Florida." And for overseas visitors, PerriHouse offers a special opportunity to sample American hospitality and lifestyle at its best.

And that brings us to Angi and Nick. They virtually define terms like "friendly," "gracious," and "hospitable." It’s hard not to feel part of the family after a visit here. Angi is that rarest of breeds, a native Floridian, and Nick is a Brooklyn boy. Here in what was once scrub land they have built their dream house and created a demi-paradise alive with birdsong and good cheer. How nice of them to share it with the likes of us!

Rates at PerriHouse begin at $89 ($79 for a single) and rise to $270 for a two-bedroom suite. Behind the main house is a hexagonal "farm house" that was once the studio of Angi’s artist father. It sleeps 14 and is a real bargain at $325 a night or $2,100 for a week. Coming next year are four separate "Bird House" cottages for $250 to $399 a night that Angi promises will be themed delights.

The mailing address is 10417 Centurion Court, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830.
For reservations call (800) 780-4830 or (407) 876-4830; the fax is (407) 876-0241.

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