Victoria S.
Yelp
I love historic hotels, and the Jekyll Island Club does not disappoint. Please don't come here and complain that the original wood floors are noisy when people walk on them, or that the doors don't close perfectly. These homes were built in the 1800s, for goodness sake. The last home in the club was built in 1928!
The grounds are absolutely gorgeous. We spent hours simply walking, but we certainly could have biked, as well. Our room, in Crane Cottage, was lovely and spacious. I would have liked to have a sofa, instead of two chairs placed in front of a small television. Awkward, and in no way romantic. The patio was a nice size, but could have used loungers in addition to two chairs.
Food was, unfortunately, rather terrible. At breakfast we had an hour and 15 minute wait. Why??? My breakfast egg white omelet was cooked in so much butter and oil that I had to send it back. Our shrimp and grits were so salty, I had to abandon the idea. The food at the Wharf, which I remember as a fantastic oyster bar, was barely bar food. My caesar salad had parmesan from a shake can! Gross. The formal dining room at the clubhouse is currently not serving dinner, so you'll have to find another option, and there aren't many on the island. We ate at the Jekyll Ocean Club, where the shimp came out frozen.
The bar is lively, but beware it closes relatively early, at 10 or 11pm, depending on the night. Thank goodness, as the last time I stayed here, nothing was open past 9pm. Patrons can get loud, and the wood echoes, so beware if you like peace and quiet. The bartenter had a great selection of whiskey. She was rather testy at the end of the evenings, which I suppose is normal, considering weddings, drunk patrons, etc.
All in all, I find the Jekyll Island Club to be a good value for the $230 a night that we paid. We originally only booked one night on the way back from Amelia Island, but extended when reservations called and offered us 30% off of the regular rate, plus a room upgrade. Would I spend $500 a night to stay there? No. But it appeared priced well, especially considering how much renovations much cost.