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About Your Hosts
Toni and Mark are your hosts at Island Cottage - your
Boutique Inn and Spa dedicated to your comfort and relaxation.
Married in 1992, owner Toni and her husband Mark have
combined their individual
goals
into one shared dream at Island Cottage.
Formerly a well know vocalist performer in the New York metropolitan
area as well as a facilities designer for Chubb Corporation,
Toni's
education
is in the field of advertising, marketing and design. An
accomplished writer, poet, songwriter and artist as well,
Toni's
decorative touches and talents are evident throughout the villas and
gift shop.
Painting since the tender age of four, the inspirational
surroundings from her childhood helped to develop the
foundation for
her appreciation of nature,
which is the primary focus of her art today.
She is most well known
for her watercolors depicting land and seascapes of serene &
tranquil coves, beaches,
rivers & marshlands, and of unspoiled secret waterways found along
the eastern seaboard from Maine to the Bahamas and around the world.
Mark's hobbies include antique car
restoration, woodworking and boatbuilding. On occasion, guests have
been invited in to Mark's private workshop
where they have been able to watch the master as he worked on such
projects as "Valentine", a 1969 Jaguar E-Type restoration
completed in
September, 2005.
Valentine has since been entered in two Jaguar Concours events where
she won "Best in her class" with scores of 98 and 99.8 respectively.
She was purchased by a couple in Daytona Beach when Mark auctioned
her off on e-bay, ... without a reserve !!
"Miss Lola" is another of Mark's
projects. She is a wooden Bahamian Dinghy designed, built and
launched in the Island Cottage
Swimming pool
during a fun filled Caribbean party with friends and guests.
Miss Lola was recently sold to a
family in Ormond Beach who sails her on the Intercoastal waterway.
Mark's education is in the field of
engineering and naval architecture. In 1979, he founded his own metal ship building yard in Florida where he
designed and built many Custom sailing vessels and yachts, many of
which are U.S. Coast Guard certified passenger carrying vessels
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During the first eight years of their
marriage, Toni and Mark worked side by side at the "Yard". Toni ran
the office, was in charge of marketing, and as tons
of steel were delivered, she
personally unloaded the trucks with her own crane
the couple named "Horton" from the Dr. Seuss books.  Meanwhile,
Mark worked closely with the architects, supervised
all aspects of the boatbuilding projects, and was often seen
welding and cutting metal along with his foreman John
and his crew. Mark's custom built sailboats and yachts are up to 100 foot in
length and many of them are Coast Guard certified chartering vessels
for day-sailing passengers and luxurious overnight cruises. Today,
his boats are mostly seen along coastal New England, in the Great
Lakes region,
in Florida's tropical waters or cruising the
Caribbean.
The couple sold the boatyard in the year
1999 to follow Toni's dream of designing and building a
romantic oceanfront villa inn which was completed two years later.
Within one year of opening, Island Cottage by the Sea was singled
out as one of Florida's top 10 inns by
world renowned travel writer, Herb Hiller, and has more recently received
the designation as one of the 5 best Florida Inns by Florida Living
Magazine,
a national publication, & the industry's "White
Glove" award by "Superior Small Lodging.
The most recent of honors was being chosen as a
"Select Registry - Distinguished Inns of North America"
Property since 2007, ...
One of the "TOP 10 HIDDEN GEMS" in the United States - awarded by
Trip Advisor, ... and Most Recently, ...
One of the "Top 10 Most Romantic Inns in the WORLD" out of over
13,000 inns world-wide!
Island Cottage's Green Practices also gained it recognition by the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
who awarded Island Cottage with a
Green Award for their environmental efforts - # 42 in the State to receive
this award.
Since
opening, Toni has hosted numerous beachfront wedding ceremonies &
receptions, and her
love of cooking is evidenced by her home-style gourmet entrees
served during reception dinners.
Her home baked cookies and delightful "Spa
Cuisine" are
also
a real hit among guests.
While visiting Island Cottage Florida Boutique Oceanfront Inn, you'll want to enjoy the property's "Spa", ... a dedicated room
exclusively
for the enjoyment of our guests, decorated with tropical accents and set beside an
enchanted
garden where couples
can enjoy facials, body wraps and
massages
"side-by-side" in an exclusive and relaxing
environment totally dedicated to just one couple at a time.
Your stay will not complete until you visit the inns "Wine & Gift"
shop/gallery where guests can purchase artwork of the innkeeper, signature
bathrobes, scented candles, spa lotions and signature soaps,
along with many other wonderful souvenir items and an eclectic collection of
fine wines
of estate wineries from around the world.
Guests are also encouraged to borrow books from the library or
DVDs from their vast movie collection.
So, whether you are here for your romantic getaway, a surprise birthday
celebration or a Mother-Daughter weekend of relaxation and pampering,
Toni and Mark are dedicated to deliver you the peace and tranquility
of this exquisite Boutique Inn and Spa
where their magical atmosphere will become a fond memory sure to last you a
lifetime!
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