Ocean Sands Beach Boutique Inn - 1 Acre Private Beach

Watch out for hidden fees. Their website clearly states " free parking" and they charged us 22.00 per day. I demanded a refund and once I provided a picture of their own website, I finally received a refund for the parking charge. Also upon checking in, I was told my credit card was declined. When I booked online, I chose the option to " pay at property ". When I called my bank, I was told a temporary hold was put on my card because Ocean Sands made several attempts to "manually charge" my card earlier that day. Thankfully, the bank suspected something suspicious and put a hold on my card.
We returned to this property because we enjoyed our stay here last year. Unfortunately, we were extremely disappointed this time. The property appears to be run down. The carpet in our room was so dirty with several stains. The heated pool was not heated. Guest laundry was completely out of service. We paid for the upgraded ocean view only to discover major road construction going on. We mentioned that to the front desk and he lied to us saying they just started the construction 2 days ago. Turns out this construction has been and will continue to be long term. They certainly can not control this situation but I would hope that they would reduce the cost by a fraction.
New this year is a virtual front dest staff member. It is uncomfortable knowing that he sits there and listens to all conversations. A couple of times he just started talking to us, interrupting a conversation he had no need to be a part of.
We will not be returning and we will no longer recommend this property to anyone else.

The room was dirty. I paid for an ocean view but there was construction happening the whole time I was there. The view was terrible. The walls are very thin and I could hear everything my neighbors were saying. The couple next to me ended up leaving early because of their experience. I will say the beach access is nice. It was very peaceful and quiet besides when the construction was going on behind me.

Road construction in front of hotel. We purchased a second floor ocean view room at a premium price, no note from hotel that this was happening during our stay.
Also, when I received the invoice at checkout $20.00 per day parking. This hotel is not really located near anything so how else would you get to the hotel. The parking fee I thought was for truck RV and boat towing vehicles.
They do not ask you to acknowledge the parking fee.
Unfortunately the rooms are over advertised. All the goodies mentioned in the ad like robes and chocolates there's a fee for.
The 50 item breakfast is not even close.
There's 30 rooms and they're seating at breakfast for probably 15 people.
A little too much I would never stay at this hotel I don't recommend it. Spend a few dollars more somewhere else and enjoy yourself better.

Perfect Place to be at the Ocean, clean rooms, newly renovated. Nice breakfast and coffee the whole day! Just wondeful.

Truly a mixed bag. Call to check the status of construction on A1A before booking. We arrived to find a beautiful view....of heavy moving equipment. While this is not something in control of hotel management, I have stayed in other places where guests are notified of ongoing construction.

There is no elevator to the second floor. While it's not a problem for some people, I'm sure it is for others.

Private beach is on the other side of A1A. Had we realized this, we would have booked elsewhere. Our fault for not looking more carefully at the pictures.

Welcomed by a remote worker on a kiosk. For the rates they charge, a human being or two might be nice. We were in line behind 2 other parties for quite a while.

Security - We had 2 keys to our room. One was not working. We were able to go down and talk to the man in the kiosk and get 2 new keys with no verification of name or identity.

Room was fine but rates are ridiculous for what you're getting. If you book with Trip Advisor or you leave a 5 star review, you get free parking. I have stayed in another small hotel in Vilano Beach for a fraction of the rate with the beach at the door. I'll not be returning to Ocean Sands.

Very Comfortable Oceanfront Stay at Ocean Sands Resort

We really enjoyed our stay at Ocean Sands Resort in Vilano Beach. This is a small, intimate oceanfront property with a relaxed, beachy feel—perfect for a peaceful getaway by the water.

The complimentary breakfast was a wonderful surprise and a definite highlight. The buffet included waffles, biscuits with sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, and fantastic breakfast potatoes. It was a delicious and convenient way to start each morning.

Our oceanfront room was clean, well maintained, and very comfortable, featuring a modern luxury shower. The water pressure and hot water did not disappoint, which made the shower experience even better. The bed was truly the star of the stay—extremely soft and comfortable. We’ve stayed here twice before under previous management, and the bedding is still just as amazing. It was honestly hard to get out of bed each day. The beds are a bit high, but once you’re in, you won’t want to leave.

Check-in is handled via a kiosk with remote assistance. While everything worked smoothly, I personally prefer in-person interaction at a front desk, as it makes a stay feel more welcoming and personable. That said, the process itself was efficient.

Ocean Sands is just a short drive from historic St Augustine and the GTM Reserves Beach parks where at Middle Beach, you can find all kinds of shells.

There is a $20.00 per day parking fee which makes it feel like " nickled and dimed ", and there is currently road construction directly in front of the resort, with construction equipment parked right in front of the oceanview. While this affected the view, it did not take away from the overall comfort of the stay. I also asked for a late check out and was told it would be 59.95 for the extra 2 hours.

Would we stay here again? Yes—purely because of how comfortable the bed is. I’ll just have to accept interacting with a computer screen instead of a front desk agent and swallow the parking fee.

Rooms are clean, staff is accommodating, location is very close to the beach and st. Augustine. Although it's next to A1A, My family and I we're able to sleep peacefully.

Great location right on the beach. Coolio and Carmen were fantastic. Breakfast is good coffee as well. Will book again

We stumbled across this gem and are so happy with our stay. Clean, comfortable, affordable, excellent breakfast, and great service. The beach and water are across the street so be sure to stay on the second floor for a view. The road noise can get loud but did not take away from our great experience.

The morons on the video desk were and issue from checkin. Peter and his dumb brother couldn’t give me a key card that worked. It took three attempts at checking them the next day it was inactive. Only the local housekeeper is worthwhile and her helper. The idiots on video made it so I will not return.

Bait and switch. Before booking, I specifically asked whether pets were allowed and was told yes. I then asked for the total price for a one-week stay, was quoted around $700 after taxes, and they charged my credit card immediately.

When I arrived, there was no front desk — only a kiosk with a remote operator from India. At that point, I was suddenly told there was an additional $525 “pet fee” that was never disclosed during the phone call and not included in the price I was charged.

I refused to pay an extra $525 for a fee that was never mentioned and asked for a refund since they changed the terms after charging my card. They refused to refund my money and would only give me the room if I paid the additional fee.

This is a classic bait-and-switch tactic: quote a price, take your money, then hold it hostage unless you pay hundreds more at check-in. Completely unethical and likely illegal.

If you’re traveling with a pet — or frankly, even if you’re not — get everything in writing and be prepared to dispute charges. I will be pursuing a chargeback and filing complaints.

Save yourself the stress and stay somewhere honest.

Unfortunately we only stayed for one night to see the St Augustine lights. There were so many fun amenities that we did not get to use:
Fun outdoor seating and hammocks
Fire pit
Checkers and other games
Foosball
Corn hole
Connect 5
Sauna
Ping pong
And directly across from the beach. In addition they had free popcorn (with over 15 toppings) free cookies. Breakfast was wonderful with many options and even cappuccino. They even had a place to shine your shoes and many toiletries!

I wanted to stay a bit outside of St. Augustine as I planned on attending and knew that the city was going to be mobbed. It is about 7 minutes from the city. It was clean and good location for the beach. It has a small pool which I could not see more than one family using it at one time. The hotel was clean and appointed. I stayed on the first floor, which is a mistake. I could hear the people walking across the floor until 10:30 pm and beginning at 6:30 am which woke me up. During my sleep, I could hear someone snoring in the other room. I would not stay there again. Not that it matters, but there was a knob missing on a wardrobe cabinet making it difficult to open. I didn't have to open it as I only stayed there overnight.

This was one of the most unusual hotel experiences we have had: some good, some bad, and some just plain odd.

LOBBY & CHECK-IN: (1) When I entered the lobby to sign in, there was a line and long wait with no employees behind the desk. Instead, there was an impersonal computer (with a person on screen) talking to each visitor and asking several questions. Sometimes it was difficult to understand him due to the accent. 2) The lobby/breakfast area was extremely small; yet, it had some unique breakfast items which appeal to kids (such as gogurts, many sweet toppings for waffles, pudding cups, etc.) as well as a good selection of coffee creamers and additives, and biscuits and sausage gravy (which makes us southerners feel at home--lol). (3) The hotel decor was eclectic with bubble glass/beach theme in different areas mixed with traditional wood furniture and metal furnishings also.

HOTEL LOCATION & AMENITIES: (1) We could see ocean waves from our balcony, but unfortunately you have to run across a very busy highway to reach the beach. (2) A Pac-man game machine plus board games are on 1st floor, and an assortment of outdoor seating was crowded together behind the hotel parking lot. (3) A variety of items were available in the hotel room, but they are costly and we did not touch them. (4) The sauna is surrounded by glass and located in a nook at the end of the hallway next to the microwave and ice machine. How awkward is it to go get ice and see someone next to you sitting half naked in a heated glass box?

OUR ROOM: (1) It was difficult to lock our hotel room door from the hallway so I worried someone might enter the room while we were away. (2) The bathroom door/sliding barndoor did not close well and there was no lock. (3) A sunscreen dispenser was on the bathroom wall (nice surprise). (4) The central H/A unit in our room would sometimes randomly click on/off very quickly, and the temperature felt colder than the temperature on the digital display. (5) The smell of the room was pleasant although it seemed like too much cleaner or aerosol had been used (an attempt to mask an odor?), the bedding was comfortable, and the room was small but clean. (6) Inside the nightstand drawer was an expected copy of a Gideon Bible. Two other books which were unexpected were also in the drawer: Bhagavad Gita and The Teaching of Buddha

UNDISCLOSED FEE: The hotel charged our credit card before we arrived, and the charge was more than the "total amount to pay" (which included taxes and fees) on the email quote they sent. Upon inquiry, we were told it was for a parking fee. (No parking fee was disclosed on the website or at check-in, but they claimed it was on the website when I inquired about it. The only fee published in regards to the parking lot is an EV charge if applicable, but we do NOT own an electric vehicle.) As if that extra charge wasn't enough, I just noticed there is an additional pending $50 charge on our card! We did not use any phone in the hotel or any of the toiletries or extras (except soap) in the room so we fully expect the hotel to refund this additional charge.

If you do not mind crossing a busy highway to the beach and do not mind a somewhat quirky experience, you might find this place amusing--just beware of extra fees.

I would give them a 12 out of 10. This place is fabulous. Great breakfast. Super clean. Comfortable beds and pillows. Quiet. There's nothing bad about it and right on the ocean. Its was a great experience. Thanks to them.

We had a strange experience with the management. We were in town visiting family for Christmas. We checked into our room, then went to dinner. While we were out, they sent us a text asking us to rate our room. My wife noted that there was trash left in the bathroom from the previous occupants. We were then contacted by management telling us to leave and that the police have been called. The management was very hostile and tried to refuse us a refund. Overall can’t say it was a good experience at all.

Bad business. do not book with them. I booked two rooms - stayed on 12/10 and 12/11 at the Ocean Sands Hotel for the Saint Augustine light festivities. I was charged an extra $458. I've spoken with three different people to get my security deposit back as well. First person couldn't find my reservation because of a language barrier, second person found the reservation but said one of our rooms had an undisclosed pet (we did not have a pet - nor do I own a pet). I asked for the manager both times and was told they would call me back. No call back. Sent an email - no response. Called again for the 3rd time and was told that the $458 was a charge for the undisclosed pet - the maid said there was a pet in the room and poop on the bed. WTH. what kind of establishment is this. I asked for my folio several times for the breakdown of all the costs - no luck. I asked for the manager again and his name and number. they would not disclose this and said manager would call when he comes in. Of course no call back. they should be ashamed of themselves they way they handled their guests. I would never every recommend this place. they have no live person at their front desk to talk to. they use a call center in India - which is fine - but how do you reach a manager?

The advertisement, the photos, are misleading. It is a clean kitschy, heavy on the oddness property this is true. There is no person at reception to welcome you. Instead there is a giant like ATM machine thing, that operates like a huge Facebook call.
So weird. This machine has some guy in India on the large screen who takes all your
information just to check-in. It's bizarre and off putting and the few employees I spoke to made clear they cannot assist. The decor is kind of beachy, yes, but in the rooms
there are oddities like toiletries of soaps, shampoo with brand names from other
hotels, and even the TV is low resolution. There is no elevator to the second story.
The hotel boosts there are 40 different free breakfast items but most are the 6 bottle of coffee syrups, and a Cappuccino machine that had been out of service for some
time, as well as the soda machine, some other snack machine, and the washers & dryers that the hotel guests could use, all out of service. The salt water pool was
very nice if your by yourself, but way too small when several groups of 5 people or
more took over. To access the beach you cross the A1A, pretty dangerous. Traffic
constantly and at over the speed limit. And bring your ear plugs we experienced
a drunken argument right about 3:00 in the morning that went on for hours, as well
as the paper thin walls between the rooms. Don't stay here.

Stayed for two nights for a little getaway to see St. Augustine. Pretty windy, and a little chilly so we didn’t spend a ton of time on the private beach but we didn’t spend walk over and walk the beach a few times. Very nice and super convenient.

Hotel is nice, a little dated-except for the virtual checkin which is new to me, but very friendly service. Nice rooms with great toiletries, really good breaky spread. Coffee all day, cookies and popcorn in the afternoon is a nice touch.

So many options, I feel good about our choice. About 8-10 mins to town, but a few shops and a Publix close by. I’d stay again

Friendly and helpful staff. Check in was a bit unusual for me because the person was on a monitor, and it looked like an atm machine with an ad on it. Then the person waved and spoke, and that's when I realized it was a live person on the screen,..welcome to the future! Other tan that initial awkwardness, the check in ran smoothly. The room was comfortable and spacious. It was very clean and stocked with sop, shower gel, shampoo, etc. There was a very nice self serve breakfast in the morning, great selection of coffee and tasty food. There's a cute out door area, with games and lounge chairs. I didn't go in the pool, noy my thing. But the beach and sand dunes were beautiful. Its close to historic St Augustine, like a 5-10 minute drive. I love that its on a beach that is not over developed, very natural and peaceful stay.