Soulful Studio at the Raven Pool OnSite Parking

Summary:

History whispers and elegance awaits at the Raven! Book this lovingly restored early 20th century masterpiece for a night or a year! Dip in our on site 9 month (open March through November) HEATED pool and relax in the adjacent courtyard with a built in gas-powered grill.



The Space:

Welcome to The Ray — a stylish and soul-infused king-size studio honoring Ray Charles, who lived, learned, and performed in Jacksonville’s historic LaVilla district during his early musical journey. This vibrant space blends modern comfort with the deep cultural rhythms that shaped the neighborhood’s jazz and blues scene.

This spacious studio features a luxurious king-size bed, dressed in soft linens and bold, expressive accents inspired by Ray’s timeless sound — creating a warm and inviting retreat after a day in the city.



The open-concept layout integrates the living and sleeping areas seamlessly, offering a cozy lounge zone with a mounted smart TV for slow mornings, movie nights, or relaxing evenings in.

The thoughtfully designed kitchenette includes a refrigerator, sink, microwave, dishwasher, and generous counter space. It’s stocked with flatware, glasses, mugs, and everyday essentials, offering effortless convenience without the need for a full stovetop.



A comfortable dining table provides a perfect place for meals or morning coffee, while a separate dedicated desk offers a functional workspace ideal for remote work or longer stays.



An elegant armoire provides stylish and practical storage, keeping the space tidy while maintaining the studio’s clean, modern feel.

For added comfort, the studio includes an in-unit apartment-style washer and dryer, making it easy to pack light and settle in for extended stays.

The bathroom features modern finishes and a clean, contemporary design that complements the studio’s overall aesthetic.



Every detail in The Ray has been intentionally curated to honor Ray Charles’s legacy and his Jacksonville roots — blending soulful artistic touches with The Raven’s historic architectural character. This boutique king studio offers a meaningful, comfortable, and culturally rich stay in the heart of LaVilla.



The outdoor area is curated with an outdoor heated pool, courtyard, and on site parking lot. The outdoor pool area features chaise lounges, umbrellas, and tables with chairs - perfect for enjoying a snack while taking a dip.



The courtyard features an outdoor kitchen with a natural-gas powered grill, a refrigerator, and a food preparation area. It also features a natural-gas powered firepit as well.



The parking lot has room for fourteen cars including one ADA-accessible space. Starting on 25 March, we will be installing a motorized gate at the entrance to the parking area. My team will send guests a QR code which they will have a reader scan to give them access to the parking lot for the duration of their stay.



Prior to 1 April 2026 - a guest's first car is complimentary / parking is free. If you would like a 2nd car, there is a $20/day charge for this. We do not have capacity for guests with more than 2 cars.



Starting on 1 April 2026 - parking will be paid since we are adding an additional safety feature - a motorized gate - to the parking area. Once this is in place, paid parking will be available on a first come / first served basis. As a result, we recommend making a parking reservation as soon as possible in order to guarantee a spot for the duration of your stay. A guest's first car will cost $15/day. A guest's second car will cost $30 / day. If a guest wants to bring a third car, it will cost $45 / day. We are not able to accomodate more than three cars for any reservation / single apartment.



Guest Access:

Guests have access to their apartments, all interior common areas, and the pool area from sunrise to sunset. We feature internet-connected smart locks at every common door and for the gates in the courtyard / pool area for added security. We have a team member on site during high occupancy periods and have a team-member stop by every night to ensure the property is secure.



The Neighborhood:

This beautiful property is located in the up and coming LaVilla neighborhood within downtown Jacksonville. At the turn of the 20th century this area was a thriving mecca for African American jazz musicians, on par with New Orleans and Harlem. Famous 20th century musicians such as Ray Charles (who lived less than a quarter of a mile southwest of the property on Church St), Ma Rainey, the “mother of the blues,” often performed in LaVilla, as did “Jelly Roll” Morton, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, and many others! The city of Jacksonville is building out a "LaVilla Heritage Trail" with signs all over the area (including on the southwest corner of our off street parking lot) bringing to life the area's storied history.



Nearby neighborhoods include historic Springfield (a few blocks to the north), Brooklyn (a mile to the southwest), historic San Marco (2-3 miles to the south - over the Main St bridge), and historic Riverside/5 Points (less than 2 miles to the southwest). All of these areas teem with local restaurants, boutiques, and bars. The core area of downtown Jacksonville and the stadium district are 1-2 miles to the east and walkable during stadium events to include Jacksonville Jaguars games, the Gator Bowl, the Florida-Georgia football game as well as concerts at Daily's Place.



The Prime Osborn convention center is a mile to the southwest of the property.



Getting Around:

While you can walk around downtown Jacksonville on foot, it is best to have a car or use a ride-sharing app (such as Uber or Lyft) to go from the less densely populated portion of downtown - LaVilla - to the other parts of downtown.



Other Things to Note:

We require every guest who books a listing with us ("the booker") to fill out a check-in form which includes reading and signing our rental agreement. As part of our check-in process we require all guests to provide us information about them / their stay with us. This includes uploading a valid, unexpired government issued identification card and a "selfie" (picture showing one's face typically taken using one's phone camera).



This process is similar to checking into a hotel and we hope you understand that this is necessary since we typically do not have staff on site to validate a guest's identity. If you aren't comfortable with this then we recommend you book a property with another host since completing the check-in form (which includes uploading a non-expired ID, selfie, and reading/signing our rental agreement) is required before we can send you check-in information.



Please contact us before booking if you would like to review our rental agreement.



Please note that we may request a security deposit and add a damage waiver fee to your booking if needed.



We charge for additional guests above a fixed amount. This amount and additional charge varies by unit type, size, and configuration. If you input the correct guest count when you make your reservation the amount the booking site indicated as the total cost will not change (due to guest count). We ask for confirmation of guest count after you complete your booking. If you need to increase your guest count after booking confirmation due to a booking error, this could result in a price increase. Finally, we verify guest count via external cameras located on our properties. In the event that we notice a guest count at the property that is higher than reported, we reserve the right to ask for additional guest fees that would be double the amount we would have charged prior to check-in.



Please refer to the following guidelines regarding fees for extra guests:



Studio & 1 BR units - $25 per guest/night after 2 guests (i.e. 3 guests would be $25/night extra and 4 guests would be $50/night extra)



Pet Policy



This is a pet-friendly property. While our cleaning team is thorough, guests with severe pet allergies should be aware that dogs, cats, or other animals may have stayed in the space previously.



Pet fees:



$30 per night, per pet

$150 per week, per pet

$300 per month, per pet



Pet fees are included in the accommodation rate as long as you choose the appropriate quantity of pets when completing a booking. We confirm this with all guests post booking confirmation.



If you are local to Jax and book for less than 7 days we reserve the right to ask you to cancel your reservation. We rarely make an exception to this policy, but may elect to do so at our sole discretion.



The following additional charges apply to late check outs/early arrivals, assuming I can offer this at all (I often can’t so please never assume this will be allowed):



1 hr or less early arrival or late departure: $25

1-2 hr early arrival/late departure: $50

2-3 hr early arrival/late departure: $75

3+ hr early arrival/late departure: $100 or the cost of an additional night’s stay, whichever is more



***Smoking is strictly forbidden anywhere on the property - both the interior and the exterior spaces***



***If we find cigar/cigarette butts of any kind on the property or evidence of smoking (ash, cigarette butts, empty cigarette packs, etc. left in common areas) we will assess a $500 cleaning fee in addition to the regular cleaning fee***



For guests requiring a pack n play, high chair, or any other non-standard item, please submit your request at least 7 days before check-in to ensure availability. If the request is made less than 7 days prior to check-in, we will make every effort to accommodate it, but cannot guarantee availability.