Lakeside Inn keeps Mount Dora on the lakefront hotel map

Lakeside Inn helps Mount Dora feel like a real lake town, not just a pretty downtown with shops.

The inn’s timeline starts in 1882, when local partners decided Mount Dora needed a hotel to bring visitors and help the town grow. In 1883, they opened a two-story, ten-room hotel called the Alexander House. Early details were simple and practical: Georgia pine, a large veranda, and a place for travelers to stay near Lake Dora.

The name changed over time, and by 1903 it was Lakeside Inn. The property kept growing with more rooms, a boathouse, cottages, a pool, dining space, and landscaping. In 1930, Calvin and Grace Coolidge stayed there after his presidency. In 1987, Lakeside Inn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For Mount Dora, the inn gives the lakefront a long memory. It connects trains, winter visitors, porches, boat days, and small-town growth in one place. If you go for a meal, a stay, or a look around, check current hours, parking, events, and guest-only areas before assuming every corner is open.