Hilton Garden Inn St. Augustine Beach

The Hilton Garden Inn St. Augustine Beach is a fine mid-range choice for those seeking a pleasant, clean, and modern stay an easy walk from the beach. Decor is bright and cheerful, with modern white pendant lights dangling from an atrium-style ceiling in the lobby. There are chairs and couches upholstered in teal, lime green, and leopard-print fabric in the lobby and breakfast area, as well as a brown-tiled fireplace with a traditional mantel. Sheer, orange-ombre patterned curtains and white paper lanterns hang from the ceilings. Outside, the small rectangular pool sits in a sunny, palm tree-lined space surrounded by lounge chairs and some tables with umbrellas. A comfy patio area decorated with potted plants has cushioned, brown wicker furniture for guests to relax on. Given its location, families and couples on vacation are frequent guests, though the abundant meeting and event space means business travelers pass through as well.

This hotel sits on Beach Boulevard, which is lined with other hotels and offers a good selection of local restaurants within walking distance. St. Augustine Beach is only a half-block away, while the undeveloped beaches of Anastasia State Park are a five-minute walk away, though they stretch fairly far up the coast from here and some park destinations require a car to reach. St. Augustine's historic district is a 10-minute drive from the hotel and has attractions including Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th-century Spanish fort. The Lightner Museum, holding American Gilded Age antiquities, is also a 10-minute drive from the hotel. Fort Matanzas National Monument is 15 to 20 minutes away by car. It’s a 20- to 25-minute drive to Northeast Florida Regional Airport and about an hour and 10 minutes to Jacksonville International Airport.

Rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn St. Augustine Beach are simple and modern -- in other words, exactly what most travelers have in mind when they bed down in a Hilton property. Crisp white bedding is accented with black-and-white patterned box springs. Walls are painted beige, and there are brown plaid curtains and bright orange armchairs. Dark wood veneer furniture is straightforward and handsome, and there are autumnal landscapes hanging on the wall, which is a curious choice as the beach is just steps away. In fact, there's nothing beachy about these rooms at all, which is odd given the location.Each room has a desk and ergonomic chair, and free Wi-Fi. The flat-screen TVs measure 32 inches, and there are granite-topped cabinets holding microwaves, mini-fridges, and Keurig coffeemakers. Irons are also provided. Bathrooms have a generic look, with long granite vanities, gold-framed mirrors, shower/tub combos, and hairdryers plus Neutrogena products. Suites have whirlpool bathtubs as well as shower stalls in the bathrooms; some have sofa beds, living rooms, and kitchenettes. Interior noise can be bothersome in some rooms. 

The hotel’s Great American Grill serves an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast each morning with cooked-to-order omelets and pancakes, though it's not included in room rates. Free coffee and water are sometimes available in the lobby and an on-site 24-hour convenience store sells snacks, drinks, and frozen foods. There's a small rectangular outdoor pool surrounded by seating as well as a hot tub. The hotel has a mirrored fitness room with a few pieces of cardio equipment and medicine balls, but no weight equipment. The business center has two desktop computers, a printer, and a fax machine, and there's free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. For events and banquets, there's 1,200 square feet (111 square meters) of event space, including two mid-size meeting rooms. A coin-operated washer and dryer are available. There is free self-parking around the hotel and Wi-Fi is free.