St. Augustine's most luxurious stays include centuries-old inns and an elegant Spanish-style landmark.
Dating to the 18th century, this cheery waterfront bed-and-breakfast offers an elegant Old World experience. Its 15 rooms are high-ceilinged and individually decorated: some have four-poster beds, French armoires, and marble-topped tables, while others go lighter on the antique furniture. A handful of rooms have lovely views of the bay and access to the house's two-story wraparound porch. The Caribbean-inspired Lagoon Cottage has a private pool, and the Saltwater Suite has a private garden and plunge pool. Each morning, the property serves a full, free Southern breakfast, with such entrees as banana pancakes and bacon stratas, and in the early evenings, it hosts a happy hour with homemade appetizers, sangria, wine, beer, and sweets. The historic sights and quaint streets of St. Augustine are a 10-minute walk inland.
The 138-room Casa Monica Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection resides in a gorgeous landmarked building from 1888, located near many of St. Augustine's top attractions. Rooms have Spanish-inspired decor and luxe amenities like pillow-top beds with down duvets and pillows, plush robes, and coffeemakers with Starbucks coffee. The hotel is not beachfront, but it offers access to a private strip of Ponte Vedra Beach with free chairs and umbrellas, as well as an on-site outdoor pool with large surrounding patio. For food, there is an upscale Spanish restaurant that serves all three meals daily, as well as a grab-and-go cafe and a cocktail lounge with live flamenco guitar or jazz.
This 16-room upscale bed-and-breakfast was originally built in the 1880s and is one of a handful of historic properties in St. Augustine's Old City. The antiques-filled bed-and-breakfast has beautiful views of the Mantanzas River, and is within walking distance of restaurants and attractions. The rates, which put this bed-and-breakfast in the splurge category, include a full hot breakfast and an evening social hour with wine, beer, and hors d’oeuvres, and occasionally performances by a local storyteller. Note Bayfront Westcott does not allow children younger than 12.