About the Old Colorado Inn and Your Hosts
Read below to learn more about the properties that make up the Old Colorado Inn and your hosts, the Vitale Family.
You can always give us a call at (772) 215-3437 for more information. We look forward to meeting you!
A Brief History of the Old Colorado Inn
The Old Colorado Inn is comprised of several historic properties located in Downtown Stuart, FL. The inn itself was originally built in 1914 as the Coventry Hotel & Apartments by early Stuart settler John Coventry and his son, Frank, who later became notorious for driving the getaway car of the infamous Bank of Stuart robbery by the Ashley Gang in 1915. Nearly 100 years later, the inn was restored by its current owners, the Vitale family, in an effort to revitalize the historic property while preserving the distinctive "Old Florida" charm of the buildings. Following the initial success of the Old Colorado Inn, the Vitale family expanded the property by acquiring various additional historical buildings in the vicinity...
The Expansion
The Old Colorado Inn now includes several supplementary historical structures: The Ernest Lyons House (the oldest home in Downtown Stuart) was built in 1890 and served as the town's first schoolhouse. It then became home of the renowned Floridian author Ernest Lyons for over 50 years, for which it was designated as a National Literary Landmark in 1992. The Owl House River Retreat is an iconic riverfront home originally constructed in 1904. It features an unusual four-pointed gable roof resembling an owl's head. The Blue House is a 1914 Sears & Roebuck kit home and is a prime example of a classic Florida cracker house. And, finally, the Clifton Guest & Fishing Lodge was built in 1915 by well-known architect Sam Matthews and once housed Ralph Evinrude, chairman of the Outboard Marine Corporation, and his wife, the Golden Age Hollywood starlet Frances Langford. Come visit us!
About Your Hosts
Steven and Ashley Vitale have been Florida residents for over 30 years. They are blessed with seven children, all raised here in Stuart. The Old Colorado Inn is truly a family business. Steven and Ashley's oldest son Christopher works as the hotel manager, and many of the children grew up helping at the hotel alongside their parents. The Vitale family is passionate about maintaining the historic charm and beauty of Downtown Stuart and was even able to save two historic houses from destruction, relocating them to the Old Colorado Inn property. For his tireless efforts to preserve the history and character of Stuart, Steven was awarded as Preservationist of the Year in 2019 by the Martin County Historic Preservation Board. We look forward to having you stay with us!