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Where to stay? Where to stay? Well, that really depends on a couple different factors, doesn’t it? The first factor is probably going to be based on budget. The second factor would be based on the type of experience you’re hoping to have. With that said, I can only relay my own experience.
Grant and I have stayed at various bed & breakfasts, a variety of hotels, and even a motel. So, I’ll try and give you a feel for each.
Bed & Breakfasts
Bayfront Marin House Bed and Breakfast Inn
Well, I ain’t gonna lie, this is pretty much our favorite place to stay in St. Augustine when it comes to the Bed and Breakfast experience. The rooms are beautifully appointed and obviously decorated by an experienced interior designer with great color schemes and attention to detail, the beds are actually comfortable, the towels and sheets are soft, and some of the rooms have jacuzzi tubs for two. I’m kind of a linen snob, and have been delighted each time we’ve stayed. The place feels homey and despite its age, doesn’t feel haunted-even a little. For St. Augustine, that is saying something. It’s located on the Bay and you can even see the Old Lighthouse from the gazebo in the courtyard and watch the pirate ship go by at sunset. Breakfast is served in the garden or gazebo, or at any of the cozy sitting areas outside each room, and the food is tasty and boutiful. Cocktail hour is at 5:00 and they have a lovely white Sangria. The staff are friendly and sincerely care about your comfort. They offer loaner bikes for guests and are just a few blocks from the heart of downtown.
Trip Advisor reviews give it 5 stars (208 ratings at this writing) and I’d have to say that I agree.
St. Francis Inn
This is the inn for those who truly want to experience St. Augustine of old. Tales of hauntings, and an inn that is older than most other structures in the “Oldest City”, this is old world St. Augustine. The staff are friendly and caring, the rooms vary from small to suitelike, all beautifully appointed, the stairs are a little crooked and the place is full of old world charm. We stayed in two separate rooms there. One was tiny, the other comfortable. The TVs were small and across the room and felt out of place in such old world splendor. I’m not surprised to hear that it’s supposedly haunted, but it didn’t feel creepy. It’s located on the far south section of St. Augustine and not quite in the hub of everything. They do have a pool, and a lovely courtyard, and bikes for guests to borrow during their stay. I thought that was a sweet touch.
Trip Advisor guests gave it 5 stars with 260 reviews (at this writing). I believe that these are people that truly have a love for the very old fashioned charm that St. Francis Inn offers, and I’m glad to have experienced it myself, but I’d give it 4 stars because I do prefer some more modern luxuries as well as the old world charm.
Hotels & Inns:
St. George Inn
If you’re looking for the old fashioned comfort of a hotel that’s simple, tastefully appointed, clean and comfortable, St. George Inn is perfect. Located in the heart of the historic district, it’s walking distance to nearly everything. There’s more than one building, so the rooms and views will vary. We’ve only stayed in the building that surrounds the courtyard (St. George Square). They always have some kind of promotion or special package deal that includes trolley passes.
Trip Advisor 4.5 out of 5 stars with 191 reviews. I’m inclined to agree with that rating.
The Hilton St. Augustine, Historic Bayfront
A little more pricey than St. George Inn, this is what you’d expect of a Hilton. Modern ammenities, lovely rooms, a pool, and all around more luxurious. If that’s the experience you’re looking for, then this is perfect. You can get a room that literally overlooks the bay, too. We enjoyed our stay, but for the price, we have other preferences. The room was kind of small, and the balcony was smaller than it looked in the pictures and neighbors are literally right next to you on the balcony. I preferred the privacy at St. George Inn, personally, and didn’t feel that the price difference was worth it.
Trip Advisor rates it 4.5 out of 5 stars (146 reviews). I’d probably give it 4 stars at the most.
Casa Monica Hotel
This is considered a truly luxury hotel. The staff and service is excellent. The hotel is over a century old, so it carries that old world charm. If you want to experience St. Augustine as a historic experience, with modern, luxury ammenities, I would recommend the Casa Monica Hotel. We’ve stayed there a couple times, and both times the hotel staff were very accomodating.
The restaurant downstairs has great food, and I loved their Caesar Salad (they actually grill the lettuce – weird, but strangly delicious).
Trip Advisor ratings put it at 4 out of 5 stars, (237 ratings) and I’d rate it similarly.
Obviously, these are based on our own experience, and different times of the year, occasions, and even rooms may make the experience different for each person. I’ve tried to impart enough information to be useful here.
I’d love to hear your own feedback and experience, and any great places that we haven’t tried yet.
When I visit a new place for the first time, I find it difficult to relax when I feel lost. The place often feels big and overwhelming, and I’ll get this nagging suspicion that I’m missing out on something important. So for me, I want to know what there is to see, and where it is located in relation to me, my hotel, and any potential dining establishments. So that’s why I believe that to truly appreciate St. Augustine, it’s a good idea to wrap your wits around this little town, because it’s loaded with gems you could easily miss. And that would be really too sad, because there’s so much worth seeing.
To simplify this process, I recommend first buying a ticket to the Old Town Trolley Tours, settling down in the very last seat, and doing the full driving tour at least once all the way through. The tickets are about $20 each, however, they are good for three full days, and there are a dozen places where you can get on or off, so you can park your car and leave it for a few days and actually see St. Augustine in all her splendor!
You don’t, of course, have to take the trolley tour. This just happens to be how Grant and I saw St. Augustine the first time we ever visited, and I’m so so so grateful that we opted to see it this way. We took the whole tour, then got off the trolley at the next place we wanted to see. I never felt disoriented, and I had my bearings like someone who knew the town. This made for a relaxing and organized method of sight seeing * happy sigh * We did that for two full days, getting off the trolley here, climbing back on there. We walked a lot, but we also got to see more of St. Augustine than we would have otherwise, and because of the tour guide’s narrative of each little spot, we already knew a little about it when we visited. By the end of the second day, I could have given the tour (not really, but I felt that comfortable and confident). Another point to consider is that there are also places that aren’t really comfortable walking distance from the Historic District proper (like the Old Jail, The Fountain of Youth, etc). These are clear across town, so the trolley tour is a quick and easy way to get to those attractions without missing anything.
It has a number of other advantages as well:
- You’ll get to hear a detailed (though very mildly fabricated) history tour of St. Augustine. This is excellent because St. Augustine happens to have a rich and fascinating history that is a key ingredient in what makes it such a cool place to visit.
- In a little over two hours, you’ll get to orient yourself with the layout of St. Augustine visually. They’ll give you a map, but seeing all the actual landmarks in person, along with the map is perfect.
- After you’ve done the whole trolley tour, you’ll know what is where, and you can plan which places to see and when. Then you can disembark at the nearest trolley stop, and start enjoying the sights up close and personal.
- If you get tired of walking at any time, you can just mosey up to the nearest trolley stop, and in the next 15 minutes, a trolley will pull up and rescue you (unless it’s after hours and the trolley isn’t running, of course).
If you want to orient yourself quickly, and familiarize yourself with what this town has to offer, this is perfect! So there you have it. My advice to first time visitors of St. Augustine.
Savings Tip:
The St. George Inn is a great place to stay. It’s clean and well managed and right off the main walking street (St. George Street), and they usually have a special where you can get 2 FREE trolley tickets, free parking during your stay, and a free continental breakfast included in your room rate (which is really reasonable, by the way). We’ve stayed there a few times, and enjoyed it, the rooms were pretty comfortable.
The nation’s oldest continuously occupied city, St. Augustine is a bit of nostalgic delight located on Florida’s east coast.
May 2008. It was our 19th wedding anniversary and having never been to St. Augustine, I’d been itching to visit for years. Once we were there, I cursed my husband for making me wait so long. Years later, and it’s far and away my favorite little romantic weekend get away. Now we venture there often. Any excuse will do, and I find that when I’m home, I miss it.
It’s a little city that’s loaded with character; with its cobble stone streets, brick paved by ways, gorgeous Matanzas Bay, old Victorian homes, Spanish Villas, and exquisite buildings that are dripping with fascinating histories. It is reminiscent of New Orleans, but still has a flavor all its own. The historic Downtown district is the hub of all activity, and is a vibrant mix of locals, college kids and tourists, but most of all, it’s a perfect place for couples. It’s a great place to fall in love with, and to fall in love again. At least that’s how it makes me feel.
Because of my passion for St. Augustine, I talk about it a lot. Not just in daily conversation, but on Twitter and Facebook, too. And because of that, I get a lot of questions from people asking for my recommendations. To keep it simple, I’ve elected to blog about it, so that anyone who’s interested can benefit from my advice (or toss it if they think it’s rubbish). These recommendations are, of course, based on my preferences and tastes. I love St. Augustine, and I hope that my suggestions will help others feel the same.
If you want to fully enjoy what St. Augustine has to offer, here are some links with detailed advice on getting the most out of your visit.
