The Hunt House blends heritage, hospitality and history in the heart of Beach Street

When the house at 250 South Palmetto Avenue was built around 1895, Daytona Beach was a young town, founded less than two decades earlier. Its first owners were Civil War veterans who helped establish the citrus industry that fueled the city’s early growth.

Over the years, the stately American Foursquare fell into disrepair. By 2018, when Kenneth Hunt discovered the property in the Beach Street Historic District, it was dilapidated.

“My initial intention was to rent it to college students,” Hunt said. “But after some research, I realized it was zoned for vacation rental or guest accommodations. That had me reconsider. The house wasn’t in great shape, but it had good bones.”

Hunt, who had moved to Daytona in 2013 to teach at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, envisioned more than just a rental property. He saw an opportunity to create a destination that would honor local history, foster community and redefine the vacation rental experience.

Kenneth Hunt

The Hunt House now operates as a dual-unit property, with each room themed around a historical figure or chapter of Daytona’s past. Guests enjoy private accommodations, a welcoming courtyard for gatherings, and access to Zanzibar Blu, an intimate venue on the lower level that hosts live music and community events. Curated dining experiences are also beginning to take shape, adding another layer to the property’s cultural and social offerings.

“The Hunt House delivers more than a stay,” Hunt said. “It offers an immersive destination where comfort, culture and community come together.”

Bringing this vision to life required extensive renovations: upgraded plumbing, wiring and HVAC; a new roof; plaster restoration; custom doors from Pennsylvania; and even the addition of a spiral staircase and vintage gaslight lamp. Hunt’s dedication to research also led to his election as president of the Halifax Historical Museum, a post he held for two years.

Once restored, the rooms were curated to highlight figures who shaped the region. The first floor includes the Jackie Robinson Room, Rockefeller Room, Women of WWII Room, Root Family/Coca-Cola Room and Beach Driving Room. Upstairs, guests find the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Room, Aviation/Embry-Riddle Room and Hawaiian Tropic Room, along with spaces honoring Daytona’s oldest churches. The third floor celebrates NASA and space exploration.

Daytona’s Black history is prominently represented. Robinson is honored not only as a baseball icon but also as a pioneer who broke barriers under Jim Crow segregation. Visitors staying in his namesake room often delight in discovering that Jackie Robinson Ballpark is just a block away.

Dr. Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman University, is also recognized for her courage and vision.

“She had a push for education and the determination to create a school despite overwhelming obstacles,” Hunt said.

Artifacts and art throughout the Hunt House invite reflection. Paintings by the Florida Highwaymen, a group of 26 African-American artists in the 1950s and 60s who sold their work from car trunks up and down the East Coast when galleries shut them out. This celebrates creativity in the face of exclusion. Sculptures by Ed Dwight, the first Black astronaut trainee, deepen the story. His bronze Tuskegee Airman and the church-inspired bust Heaven Only Knows connect history and faith. Dwight, forced out of the space program during the Kennedy era because of his race, finally made it to space in 2024 aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard at the age of 90.

Culture also comes alive in the Speakeasy Lounge, a venue featuring Latin, Cuban, reggae, blues and jazz musicians. Décor honors legends like Count Basie and Billie Holiday, while menus will soon pair cocktails and dishes inspired by their favorites.

For Hunt, success goes beyond bookings. “It will be measured by how well we build lasting collaborative efforts that support cultural preservation, education, and community growth,” he says.

Today, the Hunt House stands not only as a restored landmark but as a living tribute to the resilience and richness of Daytona’s heritage.

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Breathing New Life Into a Daytona Landmark