Vacationing is so much better when you have options. It allows you to breathe easier and, as they say, “sail smoother.” The Ocean Gallery provides an unparalleled experience so you can enjoy all that St. Augustine has to offer in the best way.
Over the years, we have discussed with guests their experiences, and most seem to echo a feeling we had for a long time- vacation rentals are the preferred choice for accommodations.
While hotels are good in a pinch, we find them limiting- and our guests do too.
Our Ocean Gallery vacation rentals provide the best entry point for experiencing the magical draw of the city. We want to explore exactly why we think choosing a hotel means missing out on some impactful ways to make your experience as amazing as possible. What makes a vacation rental in St. Augustine better than a hotel?
1. The Uniqueness of Rental Living
In some regards, a hotel is like a basic package. Hotels often include some standard amenities, like a pool or lobby lounge. Yet there isn’t often something unique and additionally compelling about many hotels. They act as an “all in one” package if all you wanted was the bare basics of a regular hotel chain.
Vacation rentals are incredibly varied, often offering a slew of bonus luxury amenities. Our condos for rent in St. Augustine, FL offer wonderful extra amenities in spades, like racquetball, tennis, basketball court, pools and hot tubs, and more. Vacation rentals provide that ultimate experience of uniqueness you can’t easily get from a hotel. Everything experience is different and impressive in its own way.
2. The Feeling of Home
Home vacation rentals are not named that by coincidence. They are homes away from homes.
A hotel doesn’t look like your home. It looks like a hotel! But if you want the experience and joy of a real lived-in space, with separate rooms, a front and backyard, and other homely amenities, you need to book St. Augustine lodging at The Ocean Gallery. Our rentals are truly homes away from homes, without the structural features and design choices of your base standard hotel.
3. Extra Space to Stretch Out
Hotels have the unfortunate issue of space. Having to fit many rooms in a single building, hotels can be confined and insular. This certainly doesn’t bode well for privacy, and it is intensified when you have kids along for the trip.
Our St. Augustine condo rentals offer separate rooms and, ultimately, space to stretch out your legs. With a kitchen area, living room, multiple rooms of different sizes, and more, you have all the space you need to enjoy the experience at your pace. It is ideal for the whole group, as you can get close or spread out as you all see fit. This is much better than a cramped and often single-room hotel.
4. Guests at All Sides
A vacation rental is self-contained. With that, you have yourself and the group you are traveling with. Hotels don’t have that luxury. If you step outside on your patio, you may have a neighbor wave hello. If you step out the door to see the area attractions, you have hotel guests crowded in the hallway.
Hotels strive to keep bookings high. Not only is this bad for people who just want some peace and quiet, it is not necessarily conducive for the current pandemic concerns. Vacation rentals are private and quiet, and any neighbors you may have are more than a single wall or door away from you.
5. More Affordable Than a Hotel
The hotel industry is in a tough spot right now. This has further ballooned hotel prices beyond what many families can afford. The bottom line is that vacation rental homes are more varied in the rates and often comparably more affordable.
6. Extra Luxury Amenities
A good vacation rental will pack the property with amenities and additional things to do that go above and beyond your standard fare hotel. Tennis courts, racquetball, pools and spas, and more line up the area, giving you all sorts of places to have a good time without ever stepping far from your home away from home.
Our Villages at The Ocean Gallery Resort include two saunas, shuffleboard, a fitness room, a clubhouse, outdoor village pool, and four total tennis courts- and that’s all outside! Inside, you will find flat screen television, a full kitchen space, stack of games, and other activities to keep you and your vacationing crew satisfied.
If you want to venture on down to the beach, we also offer additional amenities. You have free access to chairs and umbrellas for the duration of your stay.
7. Location and the City Blocks Around You
Hotels are almost universally confined to a few specific locations in any given city. They group together to benefit business and keep things somewhat self-contained. While this may be nice for a little stroll, it doesn’t add a lot of “character” to the surrounding community. You don’t necessarily want to look out the window and see another giant hotel to your left and a mega-chain hotel to your right. It isn’t appealing to be surrounded by hotels (not to mention hotel guests) when all you really wanted was a bit of quiet.
8. Near Local Attractions
With a great location, you are close to the excitement, including the top attractions as well as the quieter locales and landmarks. With our St. Augustine beach rentals, you are near some top places to see and things to do. You are right by the beach, the ideal place to swim, boogyboard, and surf the days away. You have walking-distance access to the water. You can skip on over to the most famous surf shop in the city, The Surf Station, and even request special lessons. It’s only a few miles away. The St. Augustine Lighthouse is nearby as is the iconic (and maybe even scary!) Alligator Farm. See rare albino gators up close.
Nightlife is brimming with excitement, and it is right in the area. This includes the San Sebastian Winery, a treasured local spot, or the exciting Salt Life Grill. St. Augustine Beach has an assortment of lovely places to hang out, and you never have to stray far from our vacation rentals by the beach.
We also want to add that we have a fantastic grocery store right in the area. Publix is about one mile away and open to around 8 p.m. The Publix plaza also has some boutique shops and a Starbucks. Our neighborhood is quiet, so you aren’t surrounded by noise and excitement as you lounge on the patio or at the beach. But it doesn’t take long for you to get to the best of the area if you want to see the nightlife and shops.
9. Special Accommodations
A typical hotel may offer one basic accommodation- do you want to be on the bottom floor or the top floor?
For anyone striving for special accommodations or want a more customized experience, this isn’t going to cut it. Fortunately, most vacation rentals offer a variety of special accommodations to meet the unique needs of you and your group. This could include specific items in the refrigerator, bikes, transportation, and views of the beach. When you really sit back and scan it all, there’s a lot a vacation rental can offer to make your experience unique that a hotel, by its design, simply can’t.
10. Insurance and Protection
While “insurance” may not be the most exciting thing to think about while planning a trip, it is definitely something to keep in mind. Fortunately, we do the heavy lifting. We are a facilitator for the Generali Insurance Company, with damage protection and travel insurance in every booking. Travel safely and securely knowing you have someone that has your back in case an issue arises.
We want nothing more than for you to have a grand and epic getaway to St. Augustine. This historical city shines throughout the year with special events and gatherings. The Nights of Lights celebration in the winter is a must-see while ghost tours, trolley trips, and historical attractions remain open- and exciting!
Plan Your Visit
Come see the city and see what kind of adventures you can find. Book your dream vacation rental with The Ocean Gallery and experience St. Augustine!