St. James Bay Golf Club

The villas were spacious, clean, and comfortable, and the whole resort was wonderfully quiet. It’s tucked into nature, so it felt like a peaceful place to unplug for a few days. Staff were welcoming and helpful, and the restaurant turned out to be really good and handy after a day out. The golf course is beautiful and well kept, and we had fun using the pickleball courts too. You can walk around the property to the pool, restaurant, and fitness center, so there’s no need to drive between amenities. St. George Island and Carrabelle are close enough for a beach day, then you can come back to a quiet evening. I’d definitely return for a laid-back Florida getaway.

The spacious villa and beautiful golf course were highlights of our February 2026 weekend. Then I saw a $60 credit card charge for a pet fee. We don’t own a pet, and our community doesn’t allow them. I contacted resort manager Sabrina right away and pointed out that a dog in the neighboring villa barked constantly, so housekeeping may have mixed up the room numbers. Sabrina still wouldn’t remove the charge. I disputed it with my credit card company. I understand mistakes happen, but insisting that a guest without a pet pay the fee after being told about the error is ridiculous and bad business. I asked them to check the cameras because we had no pet with us. I even told Sabrina that I couldn’t think of another way to prove it: I haven’t bought anything for a pet in 15 years, and I didn’t bring one. I expect a refund and an apology for the time spent dealing with what I consider a fraudulent charge, and I plan to file a complaint with the appropriate consumer reporting agencies. I wonder how many other guests have been charged a bogus pet fee. Follow-up: there’s been no refund or apology. I also find it interesting that the owner only responded to positive reviews.

The room was clean, attractive, and roomy, but the couch and chairs were really uncomfortable. We also didn’t have enough coffee and tea for the whole stay, and having to take the trash bags to the dumpster at checkout felt totally inappropriate. The golf course was in good shape and made for a challenging game. Coach and the rest of the staff were exceptionally friendly and informative, and made us feel comfortable. We enjoyed the stay despite those minor inconveniences.

My husband made the most of the golf while we were there, playing as many rounds as he could over two days and squeezing in one more before we left. The stay-and-play package seemed like a great value for a group of golfers, and the price for the stay and golf was very reasonable. We stayed in a villa because we travel with our pet, and everything was as it should be, so we didn’t need any service. St. James Bay feels quite isolated. We also spent time on St. George Island and enjoyed it. I like browsing shops, but Carrebelle is an older small town, and during the off season some places seemed closed. I took a drive to Panama City Beach to pass the time while my husband played golf. It’s a bit of a drive, but that worked out fine.