Review: St. Augustine Beachfront Resort, St Augustine, FL

We had a convention at Daytona Beach from Wednesday 16th June through to Sunday 20th. We decided to go to St. Augustine Beach for a couple of night beforehand. I contacted R.C.I., and they told me that they could only put us in a good quality hotel, and we could prepay with points. This we did.

We looked at the St. Augustine Beachfront Resort web page and it looked fine. However, I didn't go into a site that had reviews about it. Even so, it had already been booked.

We arrived on the Monday around 2.00 p.m. We parked in the front and went into the lobby. It looked homey, and not inviting. We stood in line, while one lady sat in the office, and the other lady took her time, with customers.

When we did get to the front, we found out that we only had a room with a tiny fridge and microwave. We asked about an upgrade and for $22 including tax, we would have a fully furnished efficiency.

We were given 2 keys for our room and told that it was on the second floor. Len asked if there was an elevator, and she said 'No'. He asked for a cart, and they don't have any.

We drove to the side of the building, and parked up. We took our laptops, and small bags up the concrete stairs, to our room. My key wouldn't work, and neither would Len's. As Len is insulin dependent diabetic, 6 heart surgeries including quintuple bypass surgery, kidney problems, etc., I told him to wait, and I would walk back to the lobby.

When I spoke to the lady she told me that we had probably put it in too slow, or too quick. I told her that we travel all the time, and know how to use keys. I had to wait 15 minutes for an employee to come to the desk, have new keys made, and escort me to Len, who was dying of the heat.

These keys didn't work either. She let us in with her key, and told us that the guy would be up to fix it between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

I told Len I was going for a swim in the ocean to cool down, and left him to rest in the room. St. Augustine beach is amazing and I had a great time.

When I got back I had to knock on the door to get in. Len had put all the food away, but told me that the room was dirty.

I then looked around, and was disgusted with it.

The paper was peeling off the walls in the bathroom, and the rest of the rooms that were painted, had cracks and dirt on them. The carpet looked black, as if it had never been cleaned.

The bed had a skirting around it that was falling off, the sheets were stained.

The front door looked as if it had been forced on many occasions, and some of the wood was shaved off of it.

The kitchenette, had a fridge/freezer that looked as if it had never been cleaned. The efficiency had 1 cup, 1 glass, paper plates, scratched saucepans, and a frying pan that had egg on it from months ago.

The tiled floor looked as if it hadn't been cleaned all year. There were 2 towels that were not bath towels, much smaller, were gray, and hard.

The ironing board had holes it in, and was stained all over. This is just part of a really long list. I take about 100 photographs, and did a video of inside the room, and outside the building. While I was doing this a lady talked to me, and told me that she had dog sh..t on the floor of her room, dog and cat pee on the bed. She had already gone down to complain, as no one would pick up the phone in the lobby.

Finally we closed the door knowing we couldn't get back in. We went to the lobby, and saw another lady, who did seem concerned. She was an employee, not the owner. She told us to go to dinner, and it would be sorted out, by the time we came back.

We arrived back at 6.30 p.m. and the owner told us that the guy would be fixing our lock shortly. I told her that we didn't want that room, and I refused to sleep in it. She told me that they had renovated a few rooms, and we could take a look at one of them. However, they were rooms, and not efficiencies. I told her that there was nothing in the efficiency. The only reason we wanted it was for Len's insulin, and snacks.

We waited another long time for the same employee to come to reception and show us the room. It was better, but still only a Motel 8 quality. We had paid the equivalent of $116 a night + a $32 fee to R.C.I. for this dump.

When we had finally settled in this room, Len came outside with me. We tried to get ice, as the mini fridge only took drinks, insulin, and fruit. All the other items I was going to put in our large icebox and keep them cool with ice. The ice machine was for the whole side of the building, and I never found any ice in it.

There was more dog poop on the walkways, as this is a pet friendly resort. Cigarette ends were everywhere, the garbage was overflowing all the time. They had one bin, and then people put bags next to it. There were flies around it. The railings were rusty, the stairs to the second floor were chipped, and broken. An accident waiting to happen.

We went on the beach and walked it. It was the only descent thing about this stay. They have the best view around.

I had to walk through the outside swimming pool when going to the lobby, and the kids were having fun. They have a water slide for them. The indoor pool is old, and the teenagers were always in this one, away from prying eyes. The whirlpool was not in use.

In the evening we wanted to watch the old television, but it kept going off. I phoned down to the lobby and it was picked up this time. I was told that they didn't have a maintenance man on, in the evening, so they suggested we move rooms. I said "NO".

The following morning I phoned down. We finally had a guy come in the afternoon to 'fix it'. He looked at it, and it went off several times, but came back on again. He told us that they don't fix them there, but send them up to Gainesville. All the televisions were there right now, so he didn't have a spare one. These are older than ones we have given to charity.

I had to ask the question, 'Why did he work for a dump like this?'. He told us that everyone complains, and they never come back a second time. They are always being reported to the health department. That is why the whirlpool is closed right now. They come and close the pools, and the restaurant, when people complain about them.

He said that because they are on the beach, look good on the Internet, and from the road, they will always have visitors. They do not need repeat business. The owners don't care, and the staff are used to all the complaints.
We did stay for the 2 nights because we paid the equivalent of $116 a night. I would have preferred a Motel 8, and paid far less.

I cleaned the bathtub, the bathroom tiled floor, before I would use it. I used my beach towel to dry myself.
They don't have any entertainment. They have breakfast at the weekends, but I wouldn't suggest anyone eat there.

I have over 100 photographs, a video, and these are going to the health department. We only got back from Daytona yesterday, but Len has already put them on a disk for me.

When we checked out I made sure that the $22 upgrade was taken off. I had a bill with a 0 balance.

When we got home yesterday, on my credit card was a charge for $174.24 from them. I think because we told them how we felt, and took photos and video, this was how the owner got back at us. It took me 90 minutes, with phone calls to them, that they didn't answer, calls to R.C.I., and my visa card, to get it removed. R.C.I. have taken them off the list until the end of the year.

In your worst nightmare you would not want to go to this resort.

St. Augustine Beachfront Resort,
300 A1A Beach Blvd Street,
St. Augustine.
Fl 32080.

Telephone 904-471-2575