At Journey's End

I booked a room on Airbnb after one became available on Thursday, November 13, for a last-minute family trip to St. Augustine. We had to help my daughter move out of her college dorm on Saturday, November 15, and the seasonal festival meant there wasn't much else available. The location, right across from her new dorm, was ideal, and the nightly rate seemed reasonable, so I contacted the host and booked right away. The host kept in touch on Friday, November 14, with property details and check-in instructions, and messages continued Saturday morning before my 4pm check-in. I'd driven four hours and spent the morning helping my daughter move. Around 3pm, while checking the instructions on my phone at the property, I saw a message sent at 11am saying the host had canceled because of a booking error and suggesting I find somewhere else. I hadn't responded because I was driving and busy with the move. They didn't follow up, and I think they should at least have called to make sure I'd seen it. I asked to speak by phone, and a man who introduced himself as Andrew called. He blamed the owner for overbooking and said they'd found out Friday night. He offered another property, but it was farther away and less convenient, so I declined and asked for a full refund. When I asked why nobody called directly, he said, 'That's why we sent you a message 4 hrs ago.' If they knew Friday night, why send check-in details Saturday morning and wait until 11am to tell me? A call was warranted when I hadn't replied. He seemed indifferent. The management was horrible. With nowhere nearby available, or places that were overpriced, I had to drive home the same day with my wife and small kid in tow. It was the start of a string of misfortunes that evening. A few hours later, the reservation still showed as active in the Airbnb app, though I saw that a refund had been issued. I had to contact customer service to sort it out. There's a lot of room for improvement.

We only stopped for lunch and a wine tasting during a bus tour to Monserrat, so I can't speak to staying there. The location seemed quite remote. The hotel served us a mediocre chicken lunch, then we went to the winery. Its grounds are beautiful, with a 1000 year history and a mix of very old and very modern areas. The wines were disappointing to us, quite acidic and tannic compared with USA wine.

The one thing that would have made our stay even better was a B&B setup. We loved the Harry Carter room, especially the shower, and having a private front porch to relax on was a real bonus. Debbie looked after the place wonderfully and was very kind to my wife and me. The house is well placed for getting around, and parking was handy. The owner sent plenty of useful information on time, so everything was easy. We loved At Journey’s End so much that we hated leaving, and we'd definitely recommend it.

On-site parking was the best part, and the city center is only about a 5min walk away. The place felt safe for walking around at any time. We had a wonderful stay at Journey's End and would highly recommend it to couples visiting St. Augustine. The house was very clean, with comfortable beds and a pleasant temperature. Debbie, the on-site manager, was kind and helpful, and check-in was seamless. Towels and small toiletries were provided. There's no breakfast, but with so many options in town, we didn't miss it. Coffee, tea, and filtered water were always available. We'd stay again, 10/10.