At this Tallahassee hotel, the public isn't invited. DeSantis advisers are.
The Governors Inn, owned by a major DeSantis donor, says on its website that its closed for renovations.
In the shadow of Floridas Capitol, a supposedly closed boutique hotel has become an exclusive retreat for Gov. Ron DeSantis closest allies and top advisers with a major supporter of the governor acting as gatekeeper.
Ostensibly closed for renovations, the Governors Inn is where DeSantis presidential campaign paid rent for campaign staff and where his top deputies sometimes mingle on a balcony overlooking Adams Street. Its where the governors former chief of staff and campaign manager held his first 2026 fundraiser after DeSantis made him Floridas attorney general.
There is no way for the general public to book a room or event online. Walk-ins arent welcome, according to signs taped to the glass doors at the front entrance. To get in, it helps to know the owner: Craig Mateer, a top sponsor of the governors second inauguration who made his private planes available to DeSantis during his presidential campaign.
The dynamics at play inside the Governors Inn, as described by more than a dozen people who have been inside for events, overnight stays or drinks, have ethics experts wondering about what is going on inside a venue with no public information about the price of rooms, drinks or events, and no clear criteria about how to get in.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2025/05/23/governors-inn-tallahassee-desantis-mateer-uthmeier-capital/
Nothing to see here, folks...