Hampton Inn and Suites Amelia Island Historic Harbor Front

We had a spacious 2 queen suite and found the hotel quiet, even with a wedding party staying there. We used points and night awards for the stay, and the employees were great. The location worked well for exploring the historic downtown: it’s beside the welcome center and just a couple of blocks from Centre Street’s shops and restaurants. If you arrive around check-in, park once, and walk around, it’s a perfect base. Parking was the main drawback. We got lucky finding a spot at 9 p.m.; there’s also some less obvious parking on the stones under the back of the building, plus an overflow lot across the street. Most spaces were full, though, and we worried we’d have to find street parking if we drove away. With nearby restaurants being pretty small, the lack of an onsite restaurant would be a plus to address, especially since coming and going by car can be a hassle. The amenities were good, including fresh coffee. Breakfast is the usual free spread, with fruit and cereal as well as what I call fake eggs and waffle machines. There’s a cafe on the second floor. The Christmas market starts next week, so I imagine parking will get harder through the rest of the year.

Breakfast was packed, with no tables left. There must have been an event or a cruise leaving from here. The staff at check-in were great and accommodating, though, and everything in town is within walking distance, so parking and staying put was easy. The hotel felt clean, welcoming, and homely. I liked that it didn’t feel like a hotel lobby.

Breakfast was free, but I found the selection and quality a bit lacking compared with other Hampton Inn stays. I also thought it was tacky that the breakfast staff put out a tip basket. I’ve never seen that before, and there are already enough places asking for tips. I don’t want to think about it while getting my included hotel breakfast. The rest of the stay was a quality experience, as usual. The room was beautiful and probably one of the largest I’ve had. Everything was clean, working, and the amenities were top notch. No issues.

A train came by around 6:30 in the morning, but it didn’t bother us, and the view made it worthwhile. The room was spacious and clean, the front desk staff were awesome, and the location was fantastic. Salty Pelican is a five-minute walk away, with great food and spectacular sunset views. We’ll definitely return.