Steve Blanchard (L) and Tim Hinton at Phantom History House. Photo by Bruce Hardin.
TAMPA | Phantom History House, an inclusive bed and breakfast experience from partners Steve Blanchard and Tim Hinton, is now welcoming guests to Westchase from in and outside of Tampa Bay.
The B&B began operating earlier this year, offering a combination of eerie elegance and creepy comforts. The couple promises their home is the ideal space to serve as “your final resting place — for your upcoming trip.”
Blanchard is the former editor of Watermark and a current contributor. He says operating a B&B has long been a dream of his and its theme is an extension of his love for history and the paranormal. It also shares the name of his podcast “Phantom History,” which launched in 2018.
“I have always been interested in ghost stories,” he explains. “Whenever I would travel, I would also learn about the history of whatever city I was in by taking a ghost tour. I kind of got hooked.”
Hinton, however, says with a laugh that he isn’t “the creepy one.” The musician was drawn to the project after he and Blanchard, longtime friends, began dating during the pandemic.
“He mentioned to me that he’d always had this idea,” Hinton recalls. “I immediately thought, ‘that sounds that sounds fun. That something different to do.’ So when we decided to move in together, we found a place to buy that we could turn into a bed and breakfast.”
Their home offers four bedrooms, available individually or collectively. Each has its own rate, private restroom and theme, which the couple conceptualized together.
The first space is the Ouija Room, which offers a king bed and access to a private deck overlooking the property’s wooded area. It “pays homage to the spirit board of choice for many who want to contact those who reside on ‘the other side.’”
The Cemetery Room features a queen bed and a reading corner, which also overlooks the B&B’s back yard and pond. Complete with a graveyard mural, it “offers a respite fit for the dead.”
The Portrait Room allows guests to sleep “under the watchful eyes of numerous people — some living, some who have passed,” framed photos the couple obtained at various antique shops and by other means. It features a queen bed, unique shaving stand and more.
The Castle Room rounds out the residence with its own queen bed. While it’s the smallest of the four spaces, it allows guests to “feel like you’re within a castle’s bedchamber and enjoy your stay as the King or Queen you are!”
Additionally, the B&B has four themed meeting spaces. Its dining room seats up to 10 people “in an elegant bright space surrounded by gold-framed mirrors” and its Victorian Library features “a large collection of books on every subject and oddities strategically placed throughout.”
The Potion Room “provides an eerie yet elegant gathering space” and the outdoor lanai allows guests “to enjoy the beautiful Florida weather with a view of a nature preserve and serene pond.” The owners say each space is perfect for group gatherings of every variety.
“If you’re into this stuff, you’ll want to immerse yourself in this world,” Blanchard explains. “You can get whatever themed room you want and make it as creepy as you want. You leave the ‘real world’ at the door for this whole new experience.”
“We want this to be a safe, comfortable place where everybody’s welcome,” Hinton adds. “You can come and be yourselves, that’s a part of it too. We have the opportunity to explore the paranormal and we’re just a safe place for the community.”
Regularly scheduled events will showcase that, including a Half-o-Ween party coming up April 29, photographed at the link by Watermark’s Dylan Todd. The evening will feature drag entertainers Daphne Ferraro, Chi Chi Lalique and Kathryn Nevets as the fan favorite Tampa Bay Sanderson Sisters.
“Whether you’re local or traveling, our goal is to offer an experience unlike any other that you’ve had,” Blanchard says. “Come check us out.”
View a photo gallery of Blanchard and Hinton in the space by Bruce Hardin below.
Phantom History House is located at 12603 Corral Rd. in Tampa, FL. For more information about events, rates and booking at the B&B, call 407-927-7765 and visit PhantomHistory.com.
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