Casa Marina Hotel

There’s a real nostalgic feel here, especially in the old photos and woodwork. The hotel was being renovated while I was there, so the elevator was out and I had to use the stairs. My room was a little small, but comfortable, and I was there for the beach and atmosphere more than time indoors. The bed was very comfortable, the shower was nice though I’d suggest newer showerheads, and I slept fine despite more light coming in around the door than I liked. Breakfast had lots of choices and was nicely done. It was an enjoyable getaway.

The rooftop bar has incredible views, and there’s a full-service kitchen. Casa Marina also has a lot of charm: it’s a beautiful historic hotel right on the oceanfront, with large, comfortable rooms. Its distinctive Spanish style stands out against the mostly modern, flimsy-looking buildings around it. I found it a real hidden gem.

I booked one night recently and was excited about the stay, but the experience drove me to leave that night. Parking was a hassle, and I hadn’t been told in advance about an event with music that was supposed to run until 10 p.m. The bass was unbelievably loud. Before heading to my own event, I nearly slipped in the tub, and the towels were thin and rough, as if they might be original. The sink wouldn’t stop running, so I had to shut the water off underneath it. Around 9:30, I returned to find people screaming and swearing in the second-floor hall and police downstairs. I was told some kids on that floor had been caught “blowing coke.” Between that, the noise, and everything else, I packed up to go. I waited for the drunk young people to leave the event and for four police cars to clear out before bringing my car around to load it. It was sometime after 10 when I drove home. I’m really disappointed with this location. Call ahead to see if there’s an event with every loud teen in Jax. Never again.

We liked the location, and the old Jax Beach photos were nice to see, but the room was only okay for a getaway night. The hotel is older. Neither TV setup worked properly: there was no remote for the bedroom TV, the available one didn’t work, and the second TV had no sound and faulty cable. We also found a used washcloth in the tub, grime around the sink faucet, and gritty floors that didn’t seem well cleaned.