Weekend Getaway: Amelia Island’s Ritz-Carlton is Pampered Perfection
Sometimes we need a break, but don’t have time for weeks-long vacations from the daily grind. But ignoring your mental
Ivy Griffith
Sometimes we need a break, but don’t have time for weeks-long vacations from the daily grind. But ignoring your mental and emotional needs isn’t healthy, so there has to be a compromise. A short weekend getaway, anyone? With Weekend Getaway, CELEB explores places that are just outside of cities we know and love – close enough for that weekend escape.
Whether you’re a local or need to fly in, these destinations are close enough to be convenient but far enough away to make it a true vacation. On this week’s Weekend Getaway, CELEB is headed to the East Coast and one of the region’s finest gems – Amelia Island, just off the coast of Northeast Florida. On Amelia Island, one resort is the place to go if you want to be pampered in a cradle of elegance and comfort: Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island.
The Ritz-Carlton’s Premiere Promise
The first impression upon approaching the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island is that it’s a surprisingly unassuming building set against the stunning backdrop of Florida’s Atlantic coast. With simple lines, a gray-and-white exterior palette, and palm trees galore, the exterior is a low-key welcome to the elegance inside. The exterior embraces the hotel’s atmosphere: simplicity, but make it amazing.
Guests staying at this Ritz-Carlton property have a number of accommodations to choose from. Rooms and suites are decorated in a soothing sand, cream, gray and blue palette, with clean lines and nothing too ostentatious – with touches of design elegance throughout to make guests feel special without feeling awkwardly out of place.
Even the smallest accommodation is generously-sized at 410sqft, so guests have plenty of room to stretch out and relax. With breathtaking views of the ocean, the rooms offer the Ritz-Carlton quality bed, linens, and furniture – while embracing the unique vacation vibes of Amelia Island. Guests looking for a bit more from their accommodations may want to book one of several suite options. The suites start at 840sqft but the biggest one – the Ritz-Carlton Suite- sprawls across 2,401sqft. Each suite offers a private terrace or balcony, oversized soaking tubs and more.
This is the kind of hotel you could find yourself enjoying even if you never left your room. Between the warm breezes off the Atlantic, the view, the in-room comfort, convenience, and elegance – you may never need to set foot outside of your room if you’re hoping to relax and get away from it all for a few days.
Amenities Inside and Out
But if you do want to get out and explore, the property is chock-full of things to do and places to be. The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island is the perfect destination for a farm-or-sea-to-table-loving foodie. Here are the dining options for the guest with a hankering for some good food:
- Salt: This restaurant blends seafood and land food for some delightful dishes. And as the name implies, seasoning is at the heart of their menu. More than 60 salts from around the world provide a fascinating and delicious flavor palette to sample.
- Coast: This one is a seafood-lover’s paradise. With a seasonal menu that rotates and local flavor, guests can dine indoors or outside on the terrace.
- Coquina: An oceanfront restaurant near Fernandina, Coquina offers seafood and coastal dishes inspired by Eight Flags heritage.
- Tidewater Grill: Tidewater offers a low-key atmosphere with coastal favorites to choose from, blending classic and creative with a Lowcountry flair.
- First Drop: This grab-and-go deli/bakery gives guests a chance to start the day right or snag a pastry on your way to a day of fun in the sun.
And if you’re looking to wet your lips, the Lobby Bar celebrates the island’s First Call daily bourbon tradition and offers a curated list of small-batch spirits, infusions, classic cocktails and more brought to life by the best mixologists.
The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island offers a spa experience like no other, either nestled up against the beach – or right on the sands. With a variety of massage, service, and wellness options, guests can wash away their worries to the sound of the ocean’s whispering tides.
The hotel offers a variety of local experiences that you can plan with their concierge experts or strike out on your own and see what the barrier island life has to offer you.
Amelia Island – East Coast Treasure
Amelia Island is a little-known treasure just off the coast of Florida. Just 30 minutes from Jacksonville, FL and just under 2 hours from Savannah, GA, it’s close enough to several travel options to make it convenient – but far enough away to be a true escape.
The Ritz-Carlton website shares the wonder that is Amelia Island; “Steeped in history and natural beauty, Amelia Island is not just home to museums, forts, nature paths, eco-tours, golf courses and more, but to one of the most exquisite Florida resorts – The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. Guests of this gorgeous barrier island resort will discover a treasure trove of attractions and activities to keep visitors enthralled from one gorgeous sunrise to the next.
Situated along 13 miles of pristine, picturesque Atlantic coastline, Amelia Island is the southernmost of the Sea Islands, a chain of barrier islands along the eastern U.S. seaboard. Once a vibrant Victorian village by the sea, Amelia Island also owns the unique distinction of being the only U.S. city to have been under the domain of eight different nations, and is still known as the Isle of 8 Flags.”
Locals know it as the high-class place to go, and visitors quickly fall in love with the coastal charm and understated elegance. For a weekend away, Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island is hard to beat.