Seven Sisters Inn

Tucked into Ocala’s East Fort King Street corridor, just a few blocks from the downtown square, Seven Sisters Inn occupies one of the city’s most photographed Victorian homes. The Rheinauer House, as longtime Marion County residents still call it, was built in 1891 for Charles and Emma Rheinauer, a prominent Jewish merchant family whose dry goods business helped shape Ocala’s early downtown commercial district. Charles Rheinauer lived in the home until his death in 1925, and Emma remained there until 1942. The house later became a bed and breakfast and has operated as one for decades, sitting within the Ocala Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Today the inn is run under ownership that took over in 2021, and it now books guests exclusively through Airbnb rather than a traditional front desk or phone reservation line, a modern twist on an old Ocala institution. The four guest suites, named Beijing, Casablanca, Cairo and Paris, each come with a private bathroom, a spa style shower or soaking tub, a queen or king bed, and a coffee maker. Guests share a parlor and a wraparound porch that looks out over the property’s gardens, a favorite spot for morning coffee before heading out to explore downtown Ocala’s shops, restaurants, and the Marion Theatre a short walk away.

What sets Seven Sisters Inn apart from Ocala’s chain hotel clusters along I-75 and State Road 200 is exactly what you would expect from a home well over a century old: character. Pressed tin ceilings, ornate woodwork, and antique furnishings fill the interior, giving the place the feel of a small museum you happen to be allowed to sleep in. It is a popular choice for wedding guests attending downtown Ocala ceremonies, for horse country visitors in town for events at the World Equestrian Center who want more personality than a highway motel, and for locals looking to book a staycation without leaving the historic district.

Because the inn operates through Airbnb, availability and exact nightly rates shift with demand, but past listings have started around 189 dollars a night. The innkeeper can also be reached by phone for questions about the property, group bookings, or small events, since the parlor and garden have hosted showers and receptions over the years. Free parking is available on site, a genuine convenience in a downtown district where street parking can be tight during festival weekends.

For anyone researching Ocala’s independent lodging scene, Seven Sisters Inn is a clear example of a business that has stayed locally rooted through multiple ownership changes while keeping its historic character intact. It is not a chain, not a management company juggling dozens of listings, and not a nonprofit. It is one house, one address, and a piece of Ocala’s downtown story that guests can actually spend the night inside.