During the winter season, I got free tickets to partake in a tour exploring the Christmas lights…read morethat were set up all around Old Town St. Augustine, it was a beautiful sight, and I took plenty of pictures. However, since I lived all the way down in the Space Coast, it was best to stay at a hotel for the night instead of taking the three-hour drive back, especially since my dad and stepmom didn't want to drive back so late.
Thankfully, my dad had a membership that let him get a hotel at Best Western. We stayed at the Historical Inn, which was just north of Old Town St. Augustine. Ultimately, we have to say that there was nothing really special about the hotel itself, but it was comfortable, cozy, and served its purpose for one night with no issues. Ergo, a good and overall average stay.
Firstly, I will start with some of the "unique cons" of the Best Western (which I will shorthan to BW for the rest of the review). The parking situation is very unique as there is technically only "one way in" from US1 (North Ponce de Leon Blvd.). You then have to exit out through the Hampton Inn parking lot exits at Perpall St. or San Marco Ave. You can't exit out back to US1 as they are "one way in" for both BW and Hampton Inn.
Next, there is no gym, so if you need to put a workout in like I was, you'll need to either find a 24-hour gym such as Planet Fitness. Fortunately for me, there was one about 5 miles away, 16 minute drive time. BW said you could use the gym at Hampton Inn, but when I tried, they said they did not accommodate such an agreement.
Now for the pros. The rooms were cozy, had complimentary coffee, and were clean. The beds were comfortable, and the A/C was cold if we used it. In the morning time, there is complimentary breakfast in a dedicated dining area. The breakfast is actually really good with Belgium waffles, cereals, fruits, eggs, bacon, and much more. I actually ate there a couple of times. First time when they opened at 6 a.m. and later at around 10 a.m., when they were about to close.
Checkout was smooth and effortless, and the price was not bad at all when you considered how expensive these hotels are now. I miss the days when one night at a Hilton was $99, and that was expensive for most. To be fair, this was during a time when $15 an hour was considered a lot of money, too.
Ultimately, my stay with my dad and stepmom at the BW was very good. Nothing out of the ordinary as in extraordinary, but it served its purpose. If I am in St. Augustine again and need a place to stay, I would consider BW again if need be. But if it was me, I would spend a bit more money for a unique stay at one of the historic inns, if you can afford it.