Marker 8 Hotel & Marina

Gina and her team took great care of us. They serve fresh breakfast in the morning and complimentary hors d’oeuvres at happy hour in the evening. The rooms were comfortable and had private balconies. We had a perfect anniversary weekend and got to see the Nights of lights. Marker 8 sits on a beautiful marina facing the bridge of Lions, and downtown St. Augustine is a five minute walk away.

All the rooms have a balcony or patio on the water, and we’ve seen dolphins each time we’ve visited. It’s fun to watch the boats go by, and we can’t wait to return. This is one of our favorite spots for a quick weekend away. Parking, cooked to order breakfast, and happy hour food are included. Belinda at breakfast and Ellen at the front desk are among the wonderful staff.

The location is a real plus. It’s walkable across the bridge to town, though I wouldn’t do it in heels. We liked the cute nautical theme and the balcony view of the marina and Lion's Bridge. We skipped the social hour because we had dinner reservations at The Columbia, which was excellent as always. We also passed on the free breakfast and went to the Cuban Café across from The Columbia instead. It was delicious. This second stay was a big letdown after our wonderful five star visit in 2019. The floors were so dirty that my socks were filthy after just walking to the bathroom and back. The fridge didn’t seem very cold, and the old, loud AC didn’t work well, making for a warm and sleepless night. The pillows were too flat even folded in half. Water sprayed from the top of the shower head as much as from the bottom, though luckily there was a removable spray attachment. The treated water is soft, so soap and shampoo take longer to rinse off. The towels weren’t soft, which was especially unfortunate since we weren’t sunburned. There was a night light in the room but none in the bathroom. The ironing board needed a new cover, and the elevator was sluggish. At checkout I mentioned the dirty floor, AC, and shower to the woman at the desk, and got an indifferent “Sorry.” We’d booked just one night, but the room was charged to our card three days ahead with no notice, and nobody mentioned it at check-in. We’d been excited to come back for our anniversary, so this was really sad. I’m not sure we’ll risk a third stay when we return next month.

The view is fantastic, and it’s an easy walk over the bridge to the historic district. We stayed two nights and really enjoyed it. The hotel is cute, with lots of thought put into guest comfort. Gina was very friendly when she checked us in. Krissy was so sweet and attentive when she helped with the firepit that evening. Breakfast was great, and the staff were wonderful. I’d gladly stay again.