We felt as if it we were an inconvenience to the front desk by staying here. Upon our arrival, we were welcomed by all of the signs on the lobby door..."No Visitors, No Guests, No Pets, No Smoking," and " No early check in, check in is 4:00pm." The woman at the front desk was rude and curt. Her husband, tried to be nice, but was shot a dirty look by his rude wife every time he tried to make small talk. Make sure you include ALL of the people staying in your room, upon booking your reservation, because if you don't, you will be charged $25 for the "extra" person. My brother booked the room and included himself and his wife. I ended up tagging along and they charged us an extra $25 because I was not included on the reservation at time of booking even though the room sleeps 4 people! There is limited parking, and the spaces are really close the eachother. If you have a 4x4 truck, forget it. There's no spot for you!
This is the definition of a "no frills" hotel. The lobby is empty and uninviting, like the people running it. The amenities are few and far between. The shampoo/conditioner come in packets, similar to the ketchup you get at a fast food restaurant. They are good for 1 person, 1 time. Nothing is accommodated for more than 1 person. The soap looks like a very thin poker chip. Again, one use and done. The room was clean, I will give it that.
The mini fridge and microwave were unplugged when we got there. We plugged in the fridge but it never got cold enough to cool down our water or soda. They were colder coming from my cooler than the fridge. Being unplugged is just another way to deter anyone from using it.
The hotel, as a whole, is outdated. The carpeting is disgusting. No bedspread on the beds, just paper thin blankets and sheets. The towels are thread bare and cheap.
Our balcony was shared with 3 other rooms, so whomever got to the balcony first, won! No privacy! There were people on our shared balcony from 1:30 - 3:30 am.
The pool area is meant to look at and not use. There are no chaise lounge chairs so forget about laying out. There is one table with two chairs and that's it. If you do try to use the pool, be aware that you are being watched. Every so often, the front desk gentleman will come out and give you dirty looks as if you are doing something wrong by using the pool you paid for. The handicap lift was broken so if you need assistance, for get it.
If you have children, don't stay here. We were told that there were elderly people staying here as we checked in, as if being told to keep your 4 kids quiet. So, put families on one floor and elderly on another. Not rocket science. The hotel was NOT booked.
If you have friends/family that want to come visit you because you are in town, forget it! They are "not allowed on the premises."
The only good thing about this hotel is the proximity to St. Augustine Beach. No...the hotel is NOT ON THE BEACH, nor does it have its own beach access. You have to walk, about 8 minutes, to the nearest beach access. That was the only plus this hotel had.
My recommendation... go 3 blocks down to the Hampton Inn or Embassy Suites. You'll get free breakfast, beach access, early check in/late check out, amenities galore, and a friendly front desk staff.
Read the other reviews, out of 37, there are only 5 5-star reviews! That says something!! read more
