Atlanta Journal Constitution - June 2008 - Casa Marina Hotel
Jacksonville Beach's 'Casa Marina' hotel mixes old, new -
Perk includes $24.95, 30-yard-long gourmet buffet includes fresh seafood, desserts
By EVE SAMPLES - The Palm Beach Post
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FLA. — South Florida's neon-lined beaches eclipse Jacksonville's coast as a tourist destination — but it wasn't always that way.
Jacksonville Beach was a hot spot in the 1920s, and the historic Casa Marina Hotel is an enduring reminder of the era. Completed in 1925 at the height of Florida's early land rush, the oceanfront hotel is a Spanish Mediterranean tribute to Jacksonville Beach's railroad-fueled boom.
Its rich history is evident as soon as you step through the portico and into the small lobby. Photos from Jacksonville Beach's heyday line the walls (think Model T Fords on the hard-packed sand), and Louis Armstrong is occasionally piped into the stone courtyard beyond the front desk.
Casa Marina also offers two very modern perks: It is home to arguably the hippest hotel bar on Jacksonville Beach, and its gourmet restaurant is an attraction unto itself.
The third-story bar — one of two bars at Casa Marina — is more of a lounge, with a broad patio overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. On a cool night when the salty breeze is pushing a bit too hard, it's best to settle into a dimly lit indoor table and order an impeccably shaken dirty martini and the raspberry-stuffed baked brie, which is on the tapas menu.
The Casa Marina Restaurant is worth a separate trip, preferably for Sunday brunch. Its $24.95-a-head price is a splurge, but the 30-yard-long gourmet buffet includes fresh seafood, desserts and, yes, breakfast fare – including made-to-order omelets and the creamiest grits we've ever had. Plus, the price includes two mimosas or glasses of champagne.
Traveler tip: Get a little dolled up for brunch here. The locals do when they stroll in with their families, and you'll feel slovenly if you roll in wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Reservations also are a good idea.
What of the rooms at Casa Marina?
The one we boarded in was tiny and had no closet — just a small clothing rack mounted on the wall. And the occasional stray hair littered the bathroom floor. Those minor imperfections didn't matter, however, after we opened the window and saw the blue-gray ocean about 100 yards away.
Jacksonville Beach is no South Beach, and that's part of its charm. The wide stretch of sugary sand is best enjoyed at sunrise, when you can tiptoe out of your hotel room and onto the shore.
Several hotels were built on what's now Jacksonville Beach in the late 1800s — Murray Hall and Adams House among them — but those burned in fires.
Casa Marina is one of the few places where you can still go back in time at Jacksonville Beach, at least for a weekend. www.casamarinahotel.com
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