The Lodge & Club
Who knew there was this hidden gem near Jacksonville Florida? On our way to the Caribbean, we did a stop over in Florida and stayed at the The Lodge and Club, a nice little escape on the water in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
THE PROPERTY
The property is also a club so you will find a mix of vacationers and “regulars” as people from the neighborhood can be a part of the club and enjoy the facilities. I think this may also be why the property is a bit spread out. There is the main building with the lobby and rooms, adult pool, restaurants, and grassy lounge area with a fire pit. It is also nestled right on the beach. The kids/family pool is across the street and that building also houses the gym, rec room, craft/play room for kids, and locker rooms. They offer a free car service that can take you to their other building including the spa which is a little ways down the road. The building where you can rent equipment for water activities is also down the road as well. They have a sister property, Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, nearby where you are able to enjoy their facilities with an easy shuttle ride. The property is spread out between these gorgeous neighborhood homes and all I kept thinking was how lovely it must be to live in these beautiful homes while also being able to use the hotels’ facilities.
THE ROOM
We stayed in a beautiful cozy suite with a king size bed, pull out couch, fireplace, large kitchenette, and bathroom with a soaker tub. We had a back door that led to a little seating area and we were only steps away from the beach. We really loved how spacious the bedroom was, it did not take long for us to feel right at home. They welcomed us with some treats when we checked in and the service was impeccable, so attentive and quick.
THE FOOD
We ate at Sea View Grille the first night and the food was good but it wasn’t our favorite of the places we ate during our stay. I had the Mahi Mahi special and I ordered the same for the girls. It was a bit hard to find anything without dairy as I do not eat dairy or meat so I had to limit my options. I did have a tiny piece of the bread they serve in a skillet and it was delicious but definitely full of cheese. The girls loved it though! The service was great as they made sure we had everything we needed. The restaurant looks out over the ocean which was nice to view as we ate. They also have another restaurant on their property, The Oasis, which was more of a casual vibe but the menu did look delicious. Something cute we also stumbled across in the lobby was a little s’mores making station for kids to make their own s’mores. This was a nice little treat for the kids that they enjoyed as dessert.
Our favorite place we ate during our stay was at the sister property, Ponte Vedra Inn & Club. We tried The Inn Dining Room and everything was impeccable. First of all, the decor of the restaurant was stunning, it reminded me of our time in Cuba. This restaurant is more upscale, white tablecloth with a dress code of collard shirts. The food was thoughtfully prepared with many intriguing options. We ordered a few different dishes because they all sounded so amazing we wanted to try so many. The dishes we tried included the short Rib Brioche Taco, Lobster Brioche Taco, Seared Grouper, Tuna Tartare, Lobster Bisque, Classic Caesar, Florida Waldorf Salad, the Rib Eye Steak and some sides. My favorite of the dishes was the Florida Waldorf Salad, it was so fresh and the plating was absolutely stunning. Everything we ordered was great though. However, the dessert definitely stole the show. We got the Bananas Foster which they make table side which making for a little show. This was an extra treat for the girls as they light a little fire while making it so it’s a bit dazzling. But the show wasn’t the best part, the dessert was absolutely delicious. I only tried a little because you know…dairy, but man oh man I wish I could have eaten the whole thing. My girls and Danny gobbled it right up.
After being turned away the last night for dinner at The Inn Dining Room, (they have a super strict dress code so I would check with the restaurant before you visit), we ended up ordering room service and honestly I’m glad we were able to do so because it was delicious and nice to eat dinner in our pj’s. Room service is always a good idea.
THE BEACH + POOL
There are two pools on the property. An adult pool in the main building and a kids/family pool in the building across the street. We visited in early March and it wasn’t quite warm enough in Northern Florida so it was nice that the pool was heated. The girls loved hanging in the little kiddie area and the slide looked so fun. My girls aren’t 100 in the water yet so we didn’t try it out. If it were a bit warmer when we visited, I would have definitely tried it out.
The property is right on the beach so it’s an easy walk. All we had to do was walk down some steps behind our room and we were right on the sandy shore. You can rent umbrellas and chairs from a stand for a small fee and they will set it all up for you. Even though it was too chilly to swim, we still enjoyed hanging out and letting the girls play and explore. There were many jelly fish washed up on shore which I learned was normal for that time of year and I personally was fascinated by it. I had never seen a jelly fish in the wild so it was cool to see them up close. I even decided to give the girls a little science lesson on them. Things you do when you’ra a traveling home school mom.
THE SPA
The spa oh the spa! This one actually caught me off guard. I took their car service to the Spa and I was oh so pleasantly surprised. It’s beautiful and the facility offers so many things that my one massage turned into a full Spa morning (no regrets!). There is a large waiting area with calming fountain where you wait for your massage. There’s an area to have lunch indoors in the back of the waiting area. When you check in, they give you a robe and slippers to change in their locker room. Inside the locker room is a sauna, steam room, and jacuzzi. When you walk out to the back, there is a pool with hydrotherapy and lounge chairs all around as well as chairs and tables with umbrellas. After my Signature Massage, which was so relaxing, I took some time in the sauna which was just what I needed. I absolutely love a good suana. Then I decided to relax on the lounge chairs by the pool and have lunch. I LOVE that they serve lunch at the spa and the menu was so delicious and fresh. I got the guacamole, and a Spinach and Arugula salad. I relaxed with my book and really took some much needed me time. It was glorious. My favorite part was that if you needed anything from the staff, (food, towels, a hug, you name it), all you had to do was raise a flag on the back of your chair and they would come to you. Talk about service! If I were a nearby resident I would opt for a membership just to enjoy this spa whenever I wanted. I could tell many of the people around me were members and regulars of the spa. Lots of girlfriends kiki’ing all around.
What a gem this place is. If you find yourself in the area, even if you don’t stay it’s worth a pop in to the spa or one of the restaurants (I recommend The Inn Dining Club). This hotel would not normally be on my radar but these are times I’m thankful for what I do and that I can find and share little gems like this. Not everyone can afford to leave the country so it’s always nice to find places to travel domestically. Let me know if you end up staying here, I would love to hear about your experience! xx