The Mermaid & The Dolphin
A Boutique Inn & Tropical Garden Spa Resort

Galveston's only tropical bed and breakfast hotel, The Mermaid and Dolphin Resort, offers a lodging accommodation alternative to traditional bed and breakfasts or hotels. Exceptional accommodations for business or leisure! Island visitors gravitate to The Mermaid & Dolphin Resort for its richer experience, yet comparable pricing... More service, more amenities, style and flair! Here you will find all the privacy, luxury and ambiance afforded by the spaciousness of the mid-nineteenth century mansion, plus lavish in-room amenities, hospitable guest services, recreation and leisure activities and always a comfortable laid-back Island attitude! Check out the Fabulous Guest Suites!

Galveston's only luxury resort...Featuring all suites with private, Jacuzzi-For-Two AquaSpas!

Credit goes to the ancient Greeks for being the first to avow the magic of Thalassa, The Sea...for rejuvenating body, mind and spirit! Water...It's the essence of life. So naturally, it's one of the greatest sources of relaxation. Refreshing, swirling waters & jet massage float tension away. Relax your body, rejuvenate your mind and re-discover yourself at Galveston's Tropical Romantic Getaway...located just 10 blocks from Galveston's Seawall beaches. The luxury resort with a comfortable laid-back Island attitude! Intimate, private and exceptionally elegant! Experience the magic & romance of the Mermaid & Dolphin!

Some choices in life are perfectly clear...

The Mermaid & Dolphin is extraordinary. The luxurious resort, once the Texas Governor's Summer Mansion, is a breathtaking paradise offering Island visitors an exquisite sanctuary of seclusion, romance and adventure. When you enter the Mermaid & Dolphin, you'll know immediately that it is a place far away from the everyday and ordinary: elegant, European, tropical, Caribbean, quaint, romantic, artistic, private, relaxing. It is a one-of-a-kind Island resort... warm Gulf breezes, swaying palms, sun-drenched days and romantic moonlit nights, all in a setting of historic enchantment.

Check out the Tropical Garden Rainforest, featured on HGTV's "Secret Gardens of Galveston!"

Sultry and Seductive.
Intoxicating and Inviting.
A feast for the senses.
The Mermaid and Dolphin
will surround you with magnificent
architecture and tropical splendor...
Sway with the palms
Feel the Island breeze.
Let the sea soothe your soul.
Fall in love.
Write a poem.
Dream a little more...

Come visit us on beautiful Galveston Island, and indulge yourself in the easy elegance and amenities of our first class resort!

Galveston's finest Boutique Hotel offering Bed and Breakfast Lodging Accommodations! Intimate, private and exceptionally elegant! Experience the magic & romance of the Mermaid & Dolphin! The luxury resort with a comfortable laid-back Island attitude! Whether you're celebrating a special occasion, seeking accommodations for business travel, or just looking for a relaxing getaway, The Mermaid & Dolphin is sure to please!

Changes In Latitude

The stately ballroom has been converted to the resort's dining facility, offering guests intimate individual table seating. Elegant, tropical breakfast buffets are served on weekend mornings. In-room coffee makers are provided in each guest suite for those that prefer the quiet luxury of greeting the morning in their suite.

Private dinner parties, events, workshops, and small corporate retreats and conferences can also be accommodated for clientele seeking personalized service, combined with elegant, historic charm. A fully certified commercial kitchen offers a wide range of menu entrees. In the ballroom's turret is a grand piano available for entertainment at private events.

Finnegan's Pub is also available for private functions in combination with rental of the ballroom.

The resort boasts lush tropical gardens featured on HGTV's Secret Gardens of Galveston. Within the gardens a private sundeck and loungers await guests wanting to relax or catch a few "rays". A sense of nostalgia, seclusion and informal elegance prevail in the tropical gardens that surround the estate. The garden's border, an eight foot privacy fence, draped with flowering vines, is the backdrop to graceful palms and lush undergrowth. Orchids, Staghorn Ferns, Ginger, Night Blooming Jasmine, Passionflower, Shooting Star Clerodendrum, Heliconias and Hibiscus contribute to the luxuriant foliage, vibrant color, dramatic form and captivating fragrance of our garden refuge. Fragrant Frangipani (Plumeria) grow throughout the gardens, their rich, seductive scent perfuming the evening air. Native to Australia and the South Pacific Islands, Frangipani blooms are often used in Hawaiian Leis.

The Mermaid & The Dolphin's tropical gardens are home to more than 30 varieties of Frangipani! Interspersed in the gardens are many tropical fruits. Mango, Key Lime, Guava, Avocado, Orange, Kumquat and Star Fruit trees. Plus Kiwi vines, Black Pepper, Allspice, Bay Leaf, Miracle Fruit, Papaya and more than a dozen varieties of Bananas.

The conservatory, a lush glassed garden with Coconut Palms, Frangipani, Kahili Ginger and unusual tropicals encompassing an Endless Pool offers guests year-round indoor swimming. The powerful jetted current allows guests an olympic style workout while swimming stationary. While normally kept at ambient temperature, the pool when heated, can function as a hot spa for larger groups reserving the entire Inn. Its shallow end, fitted with multiple benches and jets was designed by a massage therapist. Relax, Re-energize, and Rejuvenate body, mind and soul!

Sharing the sun-dappled grounds of the estate are many spirited creatures; several Island cats, an array of tropical birds, and a multitude of butterflies. Guests may catch a glimpse of one of the Island cats as they entertain, play or lounge about the lush gardens.

Jewel Of The Isle Spa

Our Jewel Of The Isle Spa offers a sanctuary for the senses. Therapeutic, Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports/Athletic, Trigger Point/Myofacial Release, Reflexology, Prenatal, Aromatherapy and Chair Massage are offered in-suite. Full European Facials, Mini Facials, Herbal Foot Soaks, Soothing Scalp Scrubs, and Aromatherapy Body Wraps are also offered. Appointments are required. Please call at your earliest convenience to assure desired appointment slots. 48 hour cancellation required on all spa services. Please visit our Special Packages page for Massage and Day Spa Package pricing.

Recreational Library
Whether you're seeking relaxation, rejuvenation, or re-energizing, the Inn is sure to please. Additional recreation / leisure activities include in-suite Cable TV/VCR and CD players. Guests enjoy complimentary use of the a video library of over 400 movie titles, a CD library and a reading library.

The Business Center
Weekday business travelers will be pleasantly surprised. Here they will find much more than overnight lodging. Business amenities abound, making corporate travel more tolerable, and even enjoyable. Within an easily accessible, self-serve business center, is a computer with high-speed DSL Internet service, color printer, photocopier, scanner and fax. Audio-visual and other business equipment is available for meetings or workshops.

The numerous business amenities in the Inn and each suite attracts business clients that miss the comforts of home, yet cannot leave technology behind. Data port connections for laptop computers providing high speed DSL Internet access and telephones are located in each suite.

Concierge services are available for deep-sea fishing, golfing, historic tours, local museums, attractions, entertainment, and masseuse services. Special packages are available with advance notice, and boutique gift shops offer last minute gifts, souvenirs, sundries and other travel needs.

The Mermaid & Dolphin is centrally located to Island attractions! Gulf Beaches and Galveston Island's Seawall, The newly restored sandy beaches offer sunbathing, shelling and water activities. The Seawall provides a scenic twelve mile stretch ideal for bike riding, jogging or leisurely strolls. Galveston's West Beach offers miles of sand and wide open spaces! And Galveston Harbor has a beauty all its own!

The Strand Historic Shopping District
Galveston's historic old town area of shops, boutiques, restaurants and night life. Ride the Galveston Trolley. Take a Horse-drawn Carriage Ride. Or check out the Local Pubs! Stroll down Gallery Row, Galveston's rapidly growing art district. Or take in a performance at The Grand 1894 Opera House, Galveston's intricately restored performing arts center.

Visit the world renowned Moody Gardens! Galveston's Tropical Rainforest Pyramid, Discovery Pyramid, IMAX Ridefilm Theater, IMAX 3D Theater, Aquarium Pyramid and Convention Center.

Antique Shopping
Explore more than 20 Antique Shops full of trinkets to treasures!

Area Museums
Galveston's rich history provides the backdrop to more than a dozen museums, including historic estate mansions, the Ocean Star Drilling Museum, the renowned Texas Seaport Museum, featuring Galveston's Tall Ship, Elissa, The Railroad Museum, The Lone Star Flight Museum, chronicling the golden age of aviation and The Great Storm Documentary at Pier 21 Theater. The Bishop's Palace. Ashton Villa. Galveston County Historical Museum.

Golfing
Galveston Island Municipal Golf Course and the Galveston Country Club offer golfing enthusiasts an opportunity on the greens. Miniature golfing at Magic Carpet Miniature Golf and Stewart Beach Miniature Golf.

Galveston Bolivar Ferry
The free ferry that operates between the Island and the Bolivar Peninsula provides a 20 minute cruise and the opportunity to see dolphins that live in Galveston Bay.

Deep Sea Fishing Fishing charters and party boats available. Also free and commercial fishing piers.

The Mermaid & Dolphin is the perfect setting to start your lives together. From the ceremony to the reception, to the honeymoon accommodations, The Mermaid & Dolphin provides the most romantic tropical setting on Galveston Island. The 1866 Texas Governor's Summer Mansion provides all the grandeur and elegance for your special day!

The Inn's Grand Ballroom was designed and built in 1889 by prominent Galveston architect, Nicholas Clayton. Elegant and formal, the room has twelve foot ceilings, satin oak floors, the original opulent glass bowl chandeliers, and an ornate fireplace imported from England in 1889. Expansive, the room is adorned with both a large corner turret and a side bay. In the room's corner turret is the circa 1928 Conover Grand Piano, tuned and ready for your pianist. The room can accommodate formal dining seating for 36 people. The Ballroom's massive, arched pocket doors can open to extend the room into Finnegan's Pub, the Inn's Irish pub, allowing the perfect setting for socializing and entertaining after the wedding ceremony.

For events of up to 75 people, the entire main floor of the mansion may be reserved. For smaller functions and events, the 1866 Parlor may be reserved independent of The Grand Ballroom. Additionally, for outdoor functions, the verandahs and the tropical gardens surrounding the mansion may be reserved. Maximum capacity for any function is 75 people.

The Inn is available for formal portrait photography sessions for your wedding or special occasion for $150/90 minute session. Minimum charge $150. Reservations required. Please speak with Events Manager for details.

Hourly Rental Fee
Hourly charges to include set-up and clean-up time. Minimum hourly rental will apply and vary by event, time of year, time of day and number of attendees.

Food and Beverage Policy
All food and beverage served for functions within The Mermaid & Dolphin will be catered by our staff. The removal of catered food from the premises is not allowed. No outside food or beverages are permitted unless contract arrangements are made with The Mermaid & Dolphin at the time you schedule your event. Food & Beverage services not permitted in the 1866 Parlor. A 20% gratuity plus taxes apply to all food & beverage services.

Beverage Service
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission regulates the sale and service of alcohol. The Mermaid & Dolphin does not have a liquor license. Alcoholic beverages may be catered by a vendor licensed to do so. Names of vendors of alcoholic beverages are available upon request. Under no circumstances will alcoholic beverages be served to minors, and we reserve the right to check valid identification for birth dates. We also reserve the right to refuse service to anyone suspected of being intoxicated. The Mermaid & Dolphin will charge a glass rental fee for wine, beer and mixed drinks. Mixers will be provided to your specifications by The Mermaid & Dolphin. Champagne fountain rental is available through the Mermaid & Dolphin.

All alcoholic beverages in the common areas must be provided by a licensed vendor of alcoholic beverages in compliance with the rules and regulations established by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. There are areas in the Inn that are exempt from this law, but these areas must be defined by the management of The Mermaid & Dolphin. No alcoholic beverages may be brought into the common areas or carried out from any function. A bartender will be required at all functions serving alcohol. A fee of $20.00 per hour for the bartender will be billed, to include set-up and clean-up of bar.

Decorations and Signage
All decorations, displays or exhibits brought into the Inn must be approved in advance by the owners/innkeepers. Items may not be attached to any wall, floor or ceiling with nails, staples, tape, or any substance that will damage fixtures or furnishings. You must remove the decorations immediately following the event unless other arrangements are made in advance of the event. There may be an additional charge for major set-ups involving Inn labor. Please note: The Mermaid & Dolphin will not assume any responsibility for damage to or loss of any merchandise or articles left in the Inn prior to, during, or following the event.

Flowers
Fresh flowers, if desired will be provided by The Mermaid & Dolphin. Fresh flowers in bud vases and votive candles for table decorations are available at a small additional charge per table. Flower arrangements for various themes in small, medium and large sizes are available for an additional charge. Room decorations other than flowers must be provided by the client. Fresh flowers will be billed separately.

If you will not be bringing your bouquet, The Mermaid & Dolphin contracts services for Bridal bouquets or corsages, etc. and they will be priced separately.

Rentals
All rentals of equipment including but not limited to furniture, linens, glassware, china, cahmpagne fountains, etc., will be billed separately and payable at the conclusion of the event. A signed credit card authorization will be necessary to reserve any rental equipment.

Music and Entertainment
Music and entertainment can be arranged through the management, or coordinated with the vendor. There are some instances when additional equipment or electricity is required for entertainment set-ups. These requirements must be communicated to the management well in advance of the event. The charges will be based upon the specific requirements. Music and entertainment must be terminated by 6:00 P.M. unless the client has arranged to reserve the entire Inn, including all guest suites.

Security
All events which include children under age 15 will require security. Additional security may be required. Requirements will be based on number of attendees, the time of day, and whether or not the event has reserved all guest suites. If all guest suites are not occupied by event attendees, or all areas of the Inn are not rented, security will be required to confine event attendees to the Inn's main floor, and specifically the areas rented for the event. Security will be arranged through management and billed at $25 per hour with a minimum of two hours. The time period will include 30 minutes prior and 30 minutes following the event.

Smoking Policy
Smoking is not allowed indoors. Smoking is allowed outdoors on verandahs and in gardens. It is the client's responsibility to request that event guests refrain from throwing smoking debris into the gardens. A clean-up fee of $100 will be billed if it is necessary to remove cigarette butts or smoking litter from the grounds surrounding the Inn.

Guest Suite Rental
Weddings, union ceremonies and vow renewals consisting of only the couple will not require rental of all guest suites. Generally, all Saturday events/weddings with 20 or more people, or any event with entertainmet will require rental of all guest suites. Days other than Saturday are variable, please check with Event Manager for your specific date. Additionally, all Saturday evening garden/outdoor events with more than 12 people will require the rental of both the Secret Gardens Suite and the Celtic Twilight Suite. Any Saturday evening wedding/event with more than 12 people, reserving use of the ballroom, pub or parlor, will require the rental of the Ocean Rhythms Suite. All weekend guest suite reservations require a 2-night minimum stay and are in addition to rental of function facilities. Restrictions apply to assure comfort of the Inn's overnight guests which are not a part of the event. Please call for clarification of special circumstances.

Consultation/Planning Visits
One free consultation/planning visit to accommodate you and/or your vendors will be provided, appointment to be set with Innkeeper, maximum 1/2 hour. All additional visits or time required will be charged at $25/half-hour, $25 minimum per visit.

Vendors
We will be happy to arrange for or recommend local businesses to provide for your other needs: alcoholic beverage vendors, florists, photographers, musicians, wedding chaplains, hair stylists, manicurists and massage therapists.

Reservations
An appointment is necessary to view the Inn. Please call at your earliest convenience to schedule your appointment. A non-refundable deposit is required when booking an event. This will reserve the space for you and will be applied to the total bill. A contract detailing the terms of our agreement will be provided.

Photography
The Inn is available for formal portrait photography sessions for your wedding or special occasion for $150/90 minute session. Minimum charge $150. Reservations required. Only certain photographers are contracted with the Inn. Please call for referrals.

The Marriage License
In Texas, you must have your Marriage License seventy-two (72) hours prior to the wedding ceremony. Marriage Licenses are purchased from the County Clerk at the County Courthouse and are good for thirty (30) days from the date of purchase. You may purchase your Marriage License in any county and go to another county within the State of Texas to be married. The cost is $36, payable in cash. The Galveston County Courthouse is located at 722 Moody (21st Street), in downtown Galveston. The office is open Monday through Friday 8am-5pm. You may reach the office by phone at 409.766.2200.

When You Go To The Courthouse...
You will need:

• $36 cash
• Proof of your identity and age, your Texas Driver's License or your Birth Certificate.
• If you are younger than 18, you must bring a parent or legal guardian with you.
• Your Divorce Decree proving any prior marriage has been dissolved.
• If you are from Out of State or do not have a Driver's License, you will need your Social Security Card and a Photo I.D.
• If you are from another Country and want to be married in Texas, you will need to have your Passport.
• You may appear separately or together before the County Clerk when applying for your Marriage License.
• The County Clerk's office is only open Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends.
• A blood test is not required to obtain a marriage license.
• Witnesses are not required.

Featured In...

Newly Renovated and Lavishly furnished, the Inn was featured on the
Galveston Historical Foundation's 25th Anniversary Tour

Featured by Travel Editor, Syd Kearny, The Houston Chronicle

Featured by Travel Editor, Jean Simmons, The Dallas Morning News

Seen on FOX TV

Featured In Texas Monthly Guidebook

Featured in Romantic Getaways

Featured in Houston Lifestyles & Homes

Featured on Galveston's Garden Tour

Featured by Travel Writer, June Naylor-Rodriquez, Fort Worth Star Telegram

Featured by Contributing Writer Jan Johnson, "An Island Sanctuary", Where Houston Magazine

Featured in Houston Lifestyles & Homes

Featured in Best Fares Magazine

Featured in "Great Escapes", Victorian Magazine

Featured in "Destination Texas", Southwest Airlines, Spirit Magazine

Featured in "Great Getaways in Texas", Gourmet Magazine

Featured by Travel Editor Syd Kearney, The Houston Chronicle

Voted as one of "Top 15 Inns Nationally" by inn-goers in Arrington's Bed & Breakfast Journal

Featured by Travel Writer, Gayle Forman, Travel & Leisure Magazine

Featured in The Toronto Star

HGTV, "The Secret Gardens of Galveston"

Coastal Living Magazine

GulfScapes Magazine

Galveston's Port-of-Call Magazine

Atlanta Goodlife Magazine