St. George Inn

Pedestrian-only St. George Street runs through the so-called Ancient City’s compact historic core, so this eponymous inn—positioned at the fort end of it—puts vacationers in the thick of things. Centuries-old attractions are only steps away; however, the fact that the picturesque buildings the inn occupies are clustered around City Gate Plaza means guests can enjoy a relaxing respite from the peak season crowds that pack the street itself; the quaint room-level balconies provide an even more privileged vantage point, letting them soak up the scenery from above. Note that, like the city as a whole, The St. George Inn appeals to history buffs and hopeless romantics, yet it differs from some of its competitors in that it does accept children: for an added fee, you can bring a small dog along as well.  

It's hard to compete with this inn’s Old Town setting. After all, it sits at the north end of atmospheric St. George Street, right across from the 17th-century Castillo de San Marcos (America's oldest masonry fort). The historic City Gates are so close that guests in some rooms can practically reach out to touch them, and other top attractions—including the Lightner Museum and Flagler College—are nearby, too; even the outlying Fountain of Youth Archeological Park is only 15 minutes away on foot. Guests who don’t feel like walking around town can buy tickets for one of St. Augustine’s hop-on-hop-off tourist trolleys. But you’ll need a car if you want to hit either the beaches of Anastasia Park or the two closest airports (in Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, both just over an hour away).   

• Two-minute walk to the Colonial Quarter
• Two-minute walk to the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum
• Four-minute walk to Castillo de San Marcos
• Nine-minute walk to the Lightner Museum
• 10-minute walk to Flagler College
• 15-minute walk to the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park 
• Six-minute drive to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park
• Eight-minute drive to the St Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
• Nine-minute drive to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre
• 13-minute drive to Anastasia State Park
• 62-minute drive to Jacksonville International Airport
• 65-minute drive to Daytona Beach International Airport

Anywhere else in Florida the sort of decorating scheme found here might seem stuffy—standard rooms, for instance, feature dark wood armoires and faux-antique accent pieces. But given the surroundings, such furnishings seem fitting. The rather somber color palette is historically appropriate, while the tiled floors, vintage-look ceiling fans and subtropical accents (a wicker truck here, a palm-emblazoned pillow there) serve to enhance the traditional southern tone. That said, modern conveniences have not been overlooked. All rooms include in-room climate control, on-request ironing equipment, coffeemakers with Starbuck supplies, mini-fridges, 32- to 40-inch flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and shared porches or balconies outfitted with old-school rocking chairs. Suites add living rooms with sleeper sofas and wet bars, upgraded bathrooms with spa tubs and separate showers, plus wraparound balconies with improved views. The caveat is that accommodations are situated on the second and third floors of three distinct buildings—only one of which has an elevator. 

Although long on charm, this inn is short on actual features. There are no fitness or business facilities, nor is there a pool (always a welcome perk in the Sunshine State). Because it fronts on pedestrian-only St. George Street, on-site parking isn’t an option either: instead staffers help guests unload at a designated spot, then direct them to paid parking a few blocks away. While an in-house restaurant is also noticeably absent, there are related freebies including a comprehensive buffet breakfast and all-day coffee in the lobby. Moreover, the inn has a little boutique wine bar, Bin 39, which offers 50-odd wines by the bottle, glass or tasting flight; additional seating is available in the quaint arcaded courtyard, where a variety of other shops and services await.