Last Updated on March 20, 2020 by Marybeth
The other best parts are many: firstly, the affordability. St. Augustine is known for offering gorgeous historic lodging options that are often pricey – best for a celebratory trip like an anniversary or birthday. We’re here to prove an anniversary celebration can be just as fun with a “treat yourself” vibe at a mid-century modern motor court motel stay at just $76/night.
Besides being budget-friendly the next best part is the cleverly curated retro-hip design details. Affordable doesn’t have to mean indistinct, or just-a-place-to-rest-my-head-on-my-way-to-somewhere-better, and I think we’ve proven that with our blog. Yes, there are plenty of chain hotels just off your exit as you zip up I-95, but where’s the fun in that? Sift through our recommendations and you’ll see they’re all unique and independently owned. The new owners of The Florida Motel – also known as The Little Pink Motel – had a blast furnishing each room slightly differently, rejuvenating the place and bringing in playful nods to the past with 50s and 60s patterns, colors, art, and vintage-style mini fridges, microwaves, and bright orange Keurig-style coffee makers (coffee included.)
Other bests: sparkling clean. And the fleet of new beach cruiser bicycles for you to use (2 for each reservation; you get a code to unlock the ones specific to your room) including cute new bike helmets. The walkability to many of St. Augustine’s attractions, and a great coffee and wine bar just down the street ( a 4 minute walk.) Bikeability to downtown St. Augustine – 1.5 miles; and to the beach – 2 miles.
A big giant best reason: it’s St. Augustine!
The Little Pink Motel (I prefer this name) is available only through AirBnb, which allows the owners to keep the prices down, not having to pay a staff to man the front desk. They are available for any questions, and while we were there (celebrating our thirteenth wedding anniversary!) the cleaning crew showed up and were friendly and gracious (and gave us some extra towels.) The bike maintenance guy also arrived and spent hours checking out each bike and filling the tires and whatever else they may have needed.
The motel faces a side street that is mostly residential, and only the “office” (I’m thinking that’s where they keep the extra bed linens etc.) faces the somewhat busy San Marco Ave. One parking spot per room.
VIBE: Groovy, quiet, cozy. The rooms are smallish, but offer all you need.
WALK: DOS Coffee & Wine (my favorite combination! Two main staples in life!) is approx. a 50 second bike ride, and The Old Jail and The Fountain of Youth are just 5 minutes away by bike. We rode our bikes to the downtown historic district and it was an easy commute, distance-wise, but make note at the time of our visit there was considerable road work going on along this route. You just need to be extra cautious (or just drive, but research parking before you go.) Dotz Cafe is just next door and I was sad not to have time to visit Fifi’s Fine Resale Apparel a few doors down.
DECOR: Light and fresh, fun and well thought out. You have two Eames-style plastic bucket chairs in your room along with a round table, and the same type set-up outside your door, metal cafe style. The bathroom is the original tile (ours was green and yellow, some are PINK.)
SLEEP: The mattress was very comfortable and the sheets were the best combo of soft and not hot or claustrophobic. (You know the ones, all you who are making that transcendent journey through menopause, along with me.)
EXTRAS: Free WiFi (some reviewers complained it was spotty but it was fine during our visit), microwave, fridge, coffee maker, coffee, organic bath products, free parking, complimentary bicycles and helmets, flat screen TV.
WE LOVE: There was simply nothing not to love! You’ve heard me say that we spend most of our time outside of the room when visiting coastal Florida, and this visit was no different except we WANTED to just chill in our room because it was so welcoming and visually pleasing.
Our blog posts usually include our recommendations for the best beach (free parking? Lifeguard? Can you bring your alcoholic beverages?) and the best beach bar (when is happy hour? Live music?) but this visit didn’t include a beach day. We did write about the best beach close by – Vilano Beach – AGES ago, if you’d like to read that (and see the cringy filters I was applying back then. What was I thinking?) here you go:
Show of hands: How many of you have ever heard of Vilano Beach, Florida?
And back then our choice for the Best Beach Bar was Beaches (perfect name!) and we still highly recommend visiting this cool beach bar/restaurant overlooking the Tolomato River and the high arching bridge. This visit we opted for a more peaceful, shady, moss-covered big-tree kind of place, Aunt Kate’s. Also on the water, just a small drive (10-ish minutes) from The Little Pink.
And some photos of the welcoming coffee/wine bar so close by you could set up your business here and work remotely, with everything you need right at hand:
Next time you’re planning a trip to St. Augustine, stay at the unconventional, remarkably rejuvenated Little Pink Motel/Florida Motel, and that extra money you’ll save can be used for more dinners out, maybe a Haunted Pub Crawl, or just give into your inner tourist and go to Ripley’s Believe it or Not. (Have you been? Let us know. We won’t tell anyone. Promise 😉 )
Also just FYI we don’t mention products so that if you click and buy something we receive a portion or however the language goes. Affiliate links or whatnot. I just enjoy telling you about stuff I really like!
