Southern Oaks Inn

Rooms at Southern Oaks Inn are housed in long, two-story buildings with outdoor hallways that face a parking lot -- it's a motel-style set-up that won't please everyone, but light-toned bricks and pastel-blue paint make for an attractive-enough facade. This is a simple spot that's a bit of a hike from St. Augustine's Old Town, but it ticks all of the boxes for a comfortable budget stay. There’s a dog run on the property made up of a grassy lawn underneath a large oak tree with stone benches enclosed by a white picket fence, and the pool on-site has a bit of a residential backyard feel, with a stone deck surrounded by bushes and some trees. Inside, the spacious lobby has brown leather couches and a rack holding area attraction brochures. Breakfast is served in a large room with ceiling fans and a peaked roof. The large majority of guests are leisure travelers, many of whom stay here because of the hotel’s dog-friendly policy.  

This property sits a bit outside of what many visitors to St. Augustine think of when they come to the area, but for those with a car or who don't mind public transport, the setting is fine. Southern Oaks
Inn is located is located across the street from a stop on Ripley’s Red Train Tours,
and there’s a free shuttle available to take guests to the Old Time Trolley.
Both trolleys stop at the city’s main attractions, and guests recommend using them as parking in the historic district can be a challenge. Castillo de
San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the U.S., and Markland House, a historic mansion, can both be reached by under trolley in under 30 minutes. Alternatively, it's 10 minutes by car to the city's historic center. St. Augustine's Old Town is filled with beautiful architecture, and some buildings date back to the 1600s. There are plenty of bars and restaurants in the historic center as well, including
several popular seafood joints lining the riverfront. It’s around a 16-minute drive to
St. Augustine Beach, with a fishing pier, playground, and splash park. The beach also hosts craft fairs, concerts, and farmer’s markets.
Both Daytona Beach International Airport and Jacksonville International Airport
are around an hour’s drive away.

Rooms at Southern Oaks Inn are clean and modern, but simple. The look is defined by wood laminate or tile floors, wine-colored accent walls, and basic furniture with dark wood veneers. There's no wall art, so the ambience is straight-forward to the point of seeming austere. Standard amenities include mini-fridges, microwaves,
and coffeemakers, as well as wall-mounted flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi.
Bathrooms have walk-in curtain showers and pump dispensers with shampoo,
shower gel, and hand soap. Makeup remover towelettes are
a nice touch. There can be some noise issues in rooms, though, both from neighboring rooms and exterior hallways.

The Southern Oaks Inn has a large outdoor
pool with a stone deck and some lounge chairs. The hotel provides a free
breakfast with bagels and hot items including bacon and eggs and biscuits and gravy. Despite fees, the hotel goes out of its way for guests with pets, and offers a welcome doggy
treat and a list of pet-friendly restaurants and attractions in the area plus a grassy dog run. There’s
an Internet corner with one computer and a printer in the lobby, and laundry
facilities are available for guests to use. The property has an outdoor vending machine, and parking is free.