I’m busy, you’re busy, we’re all busy. So when I decided to take a “chill weekend” to recharge, I decided to try someplace new: Jacksonville Beach – a relatively small beach community on Florida’s northeast coast. And we were not disappointed.
The Hotel
Hands down, the best place to stay is at the utterly charming Casa Marina Hotel. Opened during the 1920’s and celebrating nearly a century of romance, the boutique hotel is Jacksonville’s only historic hotel with a designation from the Historic Hotels of America. The hotel has hosted a multitude of famous – and infamous – celebrities such as Charlie Chaplin, Al Capone, Katherine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, and Jerry Lewis.
The hotel seamlessly combines its Spanish/Mediterranean exterior with 23 spacious ocean-view bedrooms and parlor suites that have been renovated and decorated in keeping with its glamorous history. The hotel also hosted an assortment of businesses…a tearoom, clothing store, an apartment building, and restaurant.
Mark Vandeloo, the hotel’s friendly General Manager, was frequently seen around the premises, insuring that guests were well taken care of. Vandaloo, one of the youngest in the U.S. to run a historic property, first came to the Casa Marina as young bartender and worked his way up.
“I took a huge interest in the Hotel as I met people who walked in the door,” said Vandaloo. “They had fond memories or a story of its history and what it meant to them.”
“I took a huge interest in the Hotel as I met people who walked in the door,” said Vandaloo. “They had fond memories or a story of its history and what it meant to them.”
Under Vandaloo’s supervision, the penthouse bar and restaurant were created. My favorite spot at the Casa Marina was the rooftop which provides the best panoramic view of this stretch of Florida coastline.