Escape to Paradise: Courtyard St. Augustine Beach Awaits!
Escape to Paradise: Courtyard St. Augustine Beach Awaits! - A Review That's Probably Too Honest (But Hopefully Helpful)
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because I just swam out of the Courtyard by Marriott St. Augustine Beach, and let me tell you, I'm still dripping with opinions. This ain't your fluffy, overly positive travel blog; this is the real deal, the raw assessment, flaws and all. So, let's dive in, shall we? And yeah, I'm gonna try to be helpful with those SEO keywords and metadata, but mostly, I'm gonna be me.
Accessibility:
Okay, this is a big one. The Courtyard mostly gets a thumbs up. They've got wheelchair accessibility, which is fantastic. Elevator access is a must, and thankfully, present. There's a genuine effort to cater to everyone. Now, did I personally test everything? No, I could walk just fine. But the impression was good, and that's important.
On-site accessible restaurants / lounges: Hmm… this is where things get a little murky. I didn't see any explicitly labeled accessible lounges, but there's no obvious reason why they wouldn’t be. Gotta investigate further as it is a vital point as it can easily upset somebody! Remember to check for ramp access, clear pathways, and accessible restrooms, etc.
Internet, Oh, the Internet! And Related Annoyances:
Let's be honest, in 2024, Wi-Fi is as essential as air. And the Courtyard promises it! Free Wi-Fi in all rooms? YES! Internet access [LAN]? Probably… I didn't haul out a cable, who does that anymore? Wi-Fi in public areas? Yes. But the speed, my friends, the speed! It was… well, let's just say it wasn’t always blazing. I’m pretty sure my dial-up modem in the 90s was faster at times. Internet services? Theoretically, but actually relying on it for important work? Tread carefully.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax (and My Own Personal Meltdown):
Okay, this is where the Courtyard really shines.
Swimming pool [outdoor]: Absolutely gorgeous. The pool with a view is seriously tempting. It was, well, crowded. But hey, it’s St. Augustine Beach! The pool area had the lovely smell of chlorine and a good amount of sun.
Gym/Fitness: I peeked inside. It was…sufficient. Machines looked clean, reasonably up-to-date, but I'm not a gym rat. So if you’re a gym person, consider scoping it out yourself.
Spa/sauna: Now, I adore a good sauna. But alas, there was no Spa, unfortunately.
Things the Hotel Didn't Offer: No Body scrub, Body wrap, Foot bath. I suppose you can't have everything.
My Personal "Relaxation" Moment: One evening, I decided I needed a solid unwind. I’d seen several pics in the hotel gallery with photos of the terrace, so I grabbed a book and my coffee. The view was sublime. And then… the Seagulls. Honestly, maybe this is a St. Augustine thing in general but some seagulls really didn't like my reading material, and they screeched, they dive-bombed, it was honestly like a Hitchcock film… except they wanted my coffee more than my eyes. I think this is an anecdotal thing, but it truly had me laughing, I’d expected a little bit more from the hotel to make it feel relaxing, but I guess I just needed a pair of earplugs.
Cleanliness and Safety (aka: Did I Catch Anything?):
The Courtyard earns high marks here. Anti-viral cleaning products are on the menu. They really pushed those precautions. Everywhere you turn were spots where you could get your hands sanitized and the staff were fully trained in the protocol, so it really felt like they took it seriously. I could opt out of room sanitization if I had wanted to but I was happy with it.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Yes, and they were thorough.
- Cashless payment service: Definitely.
- Hand sanitizer: Abundant!
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Visible and frequent.
- First aid kit: Present, just in case.
- Doctor/nurse on call: Good to know, but thankfully, didn't need it.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: (aka: The Food Rundown):
Let’s be honest, food is life. The Courtyard tries.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Buffet was okay. Standard hotel fare. Western breakfast, yes. Asian breakfast? Not so much, but this is America, after all. Breakfast takeaway service – a plus for busy travelers.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Always a win.
- Restaurants: There's an a la carte option, in the restaurant. Didn't try them though.
- Poolside bar: A must-have! Drinks were cold, and the atmosphere was chill and it has that happy hour too.
- Snack bar: Limited but convenient for those midday cravings.
- Room service [24-hour]: Praise be! Especially important if you get a case of the night-time munchies.
Services and Conveniences (aka: The Little Things That Matter):
- Concierge: Helpful.
- Air conditioning in public area: Crucial.
- Concierge: Helpful.
- Daily housekeeping: Excellent.
- Laundry service, dry cleaning, Ironing service: All available.
- Gift/souvenir shop: Basic, convenient, but nothing mind-blowing.
- Car park [free of charge]: Score!
- Elevator: A necessity.
For the Kids (aka: Family-Friendly or Frowny Face?):
- Family/child-friendly: Absolutely.
- Babysitting service: I didn't use it, so I can't vouch for it, but it's there.
- Kids meal: Probably available somewhere.
Available in all rooms (aka: The Essentials):
- Air conditioning: Required.
- Alarm clock: Standard.
- Coffee/tea maker: Necessary!
- Hair dryer: Always a plus.
- In-room safe box: Safe.
- Wi-Fi [free]: Good to have.
- Free bottled water: A nice touch.
- Refrigerator: Good.
- Bathroom phone: Just in case you get stranded in the tub.
- Smoke detector: Essential.
- Additional toilet: Can be extremely welcome.
Getting Around:
- Car park [free of charge]: Yay!
- Taxi service: Available.
- Airport transfer: Available.
My Verdict:
The Courtyard St. Augustine Beach is a solid choice. It's clean, family-friendly, and the location is fantastic. It's not perfect – the internet could be better, a bit more personality wouldn't hurt – but on the whole, it delivers a good experience. Would I go back? Probably, yes. Especially if I can arm myself against those darn seagulls!
Metadata & SEO Optimization (Because I love being helpful):
Keywords:
- Courtyard St. Augustine Beach
- St. Augustine Beach Hotels
- Accessibility Hotel
- Wheelchair Accessible Hotel
- Free Wi-Fi Hotel
- Family-friendly hotel
- Pool with a view hotel
- St. Augustine Beach vacation
- Hotel Review
- Florida Hotel
Category: Travel, Hotels, Reviews
Meta Description: A brutally honest review of the Courtyard St. Augustine Beach! Read about accessibility, amenities, food, and my epic battle with the seagulls. Find out if this beachfront hotel is worth your vacation!
Tags: Hotel Review, St. Augustine, Florida, Beach, Accessibility, Family Travel, Free Wi-Fi, Pool, Courtyard, Marriott
URL Structure: [yourdomain.com/courtyard-st-augustine-beach-review] (or something similar!)
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Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's neatly typed travel brochure. We're diving headfirst into the glorious, slightly chaotic, and wonderfully human experience of a long weekend at that Courtyard St. Augustine Beach. Let's get messy.
Courtyard St. Augustine Beach – My Brain on Vacation (and Caffeine)
Day 1: Arrival, Awkward Introductions, and Sand Between Everything
1:00 PM - Arrival & Hotel Tango: Okay, so the drive from… well, let's just say "away" was brutal. Traffic. Toddlers. The usual. Finally, the Courtyard. The lobby is… nice. Surprisingly nice. Okay, maybe too nice. Like, I'm expecting a snooty concierge to judge my travel-worn clothes. Thankfully, no. Smiling faces, efficient check-in. Score one for the hotel. The room? Clean, standard, and a little under-equipped for my level of clutter, but hey, I'm on vacation, right?
2:00 PM - Beach Blitzkreig: Time to hit the sand! Armed with my trusty beach bag (filled with a novel I promise to read, sunscreen that's seen better decades, and a questionable amount of snacks) and a borrowed towel, I charged towards the ocean. The sand is heavenly. The waves? Not as gentle as advertised. I got walloped by a sneaky one, and now my hair looks like a wet poodle. But you know what? I'm laughing. That's the whole point, isn't it?
4:00 PM - The Discovery of Taco-topia: I'm not even going to pretend I remember the name of the place, but it was that tiny, colorful taco shack a few blocks down. Divine. Seriously, the best damn fish tacos I've had in ages. And the margaritas? Don't ask. Let's just say they contributed to the general happy haze of the afternoon. This is where I ran into a family from Ohio, and we bonded over the shared love for tacos and the kids' obsession with building sandcastles.
7:00 PM - Sunset Shenanigans (or, My Attempt at Romanticism): The sunset over the ocean was… meh. Okay, maybe the clouds were playing a prank on me, but it wasn't the epic, Instagram-worthy moment I'd envisioned. I tried to be poetic, but my inner monologue was more like, "Ugh, the mosquitos are awful!" Still, the beach, the sand, the salty air, and the fact that I wasn't at work made it pretty darn good.
8:00 PM - Dinner Disaster (Sort of): Went to a highly rated seafood restaurant. Beautiful location, terrible service. My server clearly hated her job. The food? Overpriced and underwhelming, I think I could make a better fish at home. Luckily, I had a great conversation with the couple next to me and we spend a hour talking about the woes of raising teenagers.
9:30 PM - Room Service & Book Guilt: Back in the room. Room service was ordered. The book remained untouched—I'm a failure at vacation reading. Instead, Netflix and bed. Don't judge me. We all have our vices.
Day 2: History, Headaches, and a Whole Lotta History
9:00 AM - Morning Meltdown (or, Coffee is Life): The hotel coffee situation is… questionable. Okay, it's bad. Horribly bad. I venture out in search of real coffee. Found a hole-in-the-wall place with the best iced latte I've had in my life. The rest of the morning was spent nursing my caffeine addiction, feeling refreshed.
10:30 AM - Fortress Frenzy: St. Augustine is steeped in history, and it's time to dive in. The Castillo de San Marcos is impressive, to be sure. Massive stone walls, cannons… it was all very intimidating. I actually got quite emotional wandering through the fort, imagining the soldiers who once lived there.
12:30 PM - Lunch Lapses: Found a cute little cafe (of course, I forgot the name—blame the caffeine) where I ordered a sandwich. The sandwich was ok, but, I was distracted by the couple next to me who were clearly on the rocks and having a very public, and very loud, discussion over lunch.
2:00 PM - The Ghost Tour Gauntlet (or, Embrace the Spookiness): Okay, so I'm a total skeptic. Ghosts? Pfft. But, as I walked through St. Augustine in the dark, listening to the tour guide talk with eerie voice, I kinda got a little spooked. The old gaol… the tales of pirates… it was surprisingly entertaining. I may also have jumped a bit at a particularly loud creak. Don't tell anyone.
4:00 PM - Retail Therapy (or, My Wallet's Regret): The shops on St. George Street are a temptation. I'm not typically a shopper, but the little art and craft shops are irresistible. I bought a silly souvenir. (It's a secret). I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff.
7:00 PM - Dinner Debacle (Round 2): Tonight, I tried a different restaurant, with a different food. The food was ok, the staff was nice. I feel a bit let down, perhaps the expectations were too high.
9:00 PM - Early Night… or, The Promise of Tomorrow: Netflix again. I am exhausted.
Day 3: Culture, Calories, and the Bitter Sweetness of Departure
9:00 AM - Breakfast Bliss: The hotel breakfast buffet is decent. I load up on the waffle topping.
10:00 AM - The Light Show (or, The Power of the Lighthouse): Took a stroll through the St. Augustine Lighthouse. Such a beautiful, peaceful place. The views were breathtaking from up top. I felt a sudden urge to become a lighthouse keeper. For about five minutes. Then, I remembered my fear of heights and the endless upkeep.
12:00 PM - The Chocolate Craving: This chocolate shop was magical. I bought a whole bunch of chocolates. It was a mistake, I went into a sugar coma.
2:00 PM - Poolside Pondering: The hotel pool is nice. Perfect weather. It's time to contemplate life. I almost forget about packing, but the sad truth had to be faced.
4:00 PM - Gift shopping: This is the time to spend on the last minute gifts to those who couldn't make it.
6:00 PM - Farewell Feast (of Sorts): Trying a final seafood restaurant. It was decent, I enjoyed the local beer.
8:00 PM - Packing Panic & The End Is Near: The inevitable task of packing. Dread, mixed with a touch of sadness. I don't want to leave this little slice of heaven.
9:00 PM - Final Thoughts and a promise to return: I lay awake in bed, thinking about all the fun I've had. I would, without a doubt, return.
Day 4: Departure (Or, Back to Reality)
- 8:00 AM - Last Bite: Another hotel breakfast. One last cup of terrible coffee.
- 9:00 AM - Checkout & Goodbyes: Leaving, sad. But happy too.
- 10:00 AM - The Drive: Headed to the traffic, work, and everyday.
Reflections and Random Musings:
So, there you have it. My messy little adventure. It was amazing. It was frustrating. It was everything a vacation should be. Was everything perfect? Absolutely not. But that's the point, isn't it? It's the imperfections, the unexpected moments, and the sheer messiness of life that make it so damn interesting. And hey, I think I might need to book another trip to St. Augustine. Maybe, next time, I'll actually finish that book. Maybe.
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Escape to Paradise: Courtyard St. Augustine Beach Awaits! (or, How I Survived a Florida Vacation) - FAQs, My Way!
Okay, Seriously, Is This Place *Really* Paradise? The Hype is Real?
Paradise? Look, let's not get carried away. I've seen paradise, you know? Like, I once ate a perfectly ripe mango smuggled back from... well, never you mind. But Courtyard St. Augustine Beach? It’s... good. Really good. Honestly, after the existential dread of the drive down (Florida traffic is a *beast*, let me tell you – I saw a minivan doing something I can't even describe), seeing the *actual* ocean? Bliss. The courtyard itself? Pretty. Picturesque, even. The pool? Clean. The free continental breakfast? Crucial. But paradise? Nah. More like "Really Nice, Needed This, And the Coffee Is Surprisingly Drinkable-dise." I’d give it an 8 out of 10 – minus points for the screaming seagulls at 5 AM. They sound like they're auditioning for a horror movie.
The Beach – Is It Actually *Walkable*? And Is the Sand Really...Sandy?
Walkable? Oh, absolutely. I walked it. Like, a lot. (Needed to walk off the aforementioned minivan-induced stress). You can literally stumble out of the hotel (after a quick coffee refill) and be on the sand in like, five minutes. The sand? Oh, the sand! It's... sand-like! It's the kind you dig your toes into and forget about all your responsibilities. Except, you know, the sunburn you *will* get if you forget the sunscreen. I forgot once. It was a mistake. A red, painful, "why did I think I was invincible?" mistake. Learned my lesson. Sunscreen is your friend. And the sand? Oh yeah, it's sandy. Really, really sandy. Prepare for it to infiltrate everything. Your shoes, your hair, your… everything. Embrace it. It's part of the charm.
That Courtyard… What's the Vibe? Pictures Look Lovely, But Is It *Crowded*?!
The courtyard! Okay, this is where things get tricky. The pictures? They lie *slightly.* (Don't they always?) It's beautiful, sure. But. Expect people. Lots of people. Loud people. People with screaming children. People who hog the good chairs. I'm not saying it was a free-for-all, Hunger Games-style, chair grab, but... there were definitely some power moves happening. I witnessed a brazen towel placement at dawn. A true feat of strategic planning. My advice? Snag a chair early. And stake your claim. And maybe bring earplugs. Just in case. (And also, the fountain is *really* pretty, especially at sunset. Ignore the screaming children. Focus on the fountain.)
Food, Glorious Food! Anything Worth Eating Around There? (Besides the Free Breakfast, Which is, Let's Be Honest, a Little… Meh.)
The free breakfast! Oh boy. Let's just say I lived off of questionable scrambled eggs, lukewarm coffee, and the *occasional* sad-looking pastry. DON'T get me started on the stale bagels. *Shudders* Okay, okay. Moving on. FOOD. Yes! There's good food. SO good! A quick drive away (because walking in Florida heat? Nope.) is [Insert Actual Restaurant Names Here - *Seriously, find some good places, I'm talking from my own personal experience, like 10-15 suggestions*]. I went to [Restaurant Name], and oh my *goodness*. The seafood? Fresh. The cocktails? Strong. The ambience? Slightly less chaotic than the courtyard. (Highly recommend checking out sunset views from [Another Restaurant Name], but book ahead – they know what they’re doing!). Also, find a place that sells proper key lime pie. It's a Florida requirement. (And if you *really* want the true hidden gem, go to a local market and find a crab boil! AMAZING!).
Okay, Fine, But What *Specifically* Did You Do? Like, What's There To *Actually* Do Besides Sit on the Beach and Eat Greasy Food?
Right! Aside from the aforementioned beach-sitting and greasy food consumption (hey, it's vacation!), There's *stuff*. The historic district is a MUST. I wandered the cobblestone streets, and was utterly *charmed*. The fort? Cool. The shops? Dangerous for my credit card. (I bought a ridiculous souvenir that is now sitting on my desk. No regrets). Don't be like me and get stuck on the ghost tour. It was interesting, but a bit much. (I'm easily spooked). Also, I took a sunset cruise! (Romantic? Maybe. Bumpy? Absolutely. I spilled my wine everywhere). I think there are also dolphin-watching tours, kayaking... but I mostly just enjoyed the beach. The sand. The ocean. The general lack of doing anything remotely productive. You know, *vacation*.
The Rooms - Are They Decent/Clean? And, like, *Safe*?
Rooms? Yeah, the rooms were… fine. Clean, which is my main criterion. Safe, even. I didn't find any secret passages or hidden cameras - always a plus, in my book. (Though, if anyone *did* find a secret passage… I’d be a little jealous. Where does it lead?). The beds were comfortable enough (important for nap time!), and the AC worked, which is a non-negotiable in Florida. The bathroom? Standard hotel bathroom. Functioning. Slightly cramped. But, you know, got the job done. No complaints, no raves, just… adequate. Which, frankly, is what I was hoping for. (And the lack of hotel room drama is always a win!).
Okay, Spill the Tea: Any *Real* Downsides? The Nitty Gritty!
Downsides? OH, where do I BEGIN? First, the seagulls. They are EVIL. They will steal your fries. They will judge you. They will wake you up at 5 AM with their screeching. Prepare yourself. Then, the crowds. Did I mention the crowds? Especially during peak season? Expect lines, expect noise, expect a general feeling of being slightly overwhelmed. The elevators were slow. And the "free" internet was… patchy. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. (Which, let's face it, is both a blessing and a curse. I should have turned it off and just enjoyed the peace and quiet of the beach, away from emails) The parking situation also took longer than it should have, some days. Oh! And the mosquitoes! THEY WERE *VICIOUS*! I forgot the bug spray once. *Once*. It was a massacre. Bring bug spray. Seriously. And earplugs. And extra towels. AndTrending Hotels Now
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