Clean, Sharp, Smart.

I read about Hotel St Augustine here on Tripadvisor, so I feel compelled to review it after my trip (Spring 2005). I've stayed in South Beach a couple times prior to this (from New York City), and found that from all the places I've stayed in or seen, Hotel St Augustine was great. I was looking for - and found - a hotel that was smartly designed, modern, and CLEAN (both bed area and bathroom), and not right on the main 'party' streets... and at in the $200 price range. Hotel St Augustine was all these things. In the 'Small $200 Art Deco Hotel' class of lodgings, I suspect strongly that this is the best. The place is well-renovated, and the shower really is as exceptional as their website describes it - four shower jets, stone (not tile), and steam, all built into a large corner with a glass door (along with towels and good samples of body products like mud masque). Bedding and towels were of good quality, and clean (again, clean was important!). Good A/C. Good lighting in multiple places in the room with dimmer switches. CD player was a nice touch. The hotel offered towels for visits to the beach (two blocks away), and there's a Starbucks en route to the beach for those who are into that. Can walk or taxi into the main part of South Beach. Staff was minimal and friendly - usually one or two folks running both the front desk and the tiny bar (not really frequented by anyone but guests, I presume). Really nothing bad to say. You'll find that the only major amentity not found here is a pool, but in South Beach, be warned... most hotel pools are crummy (small, dirty, overrun), unless you're looking the more expensive class of hotels ($400 and up). St Augustine is great. Honestly.

Hidden Treasure

What a welcome suprise, this streamline hotel has all the making of the 4 and 5 star hotels of the world. A kind and helpful staff that knows your name before you even walk in the door. The rooms were impressive with custom made furnishings and the steam room in the shower. Well let me jjust say that even should have one of those. Amazing. I would definitly stay again.

Great boutique hotel

My husband and I stayed there Dec 04 for 4 nights so it was peak season. The staff was very helpful which was surprising since I was told that SOBE hotel staff can be rude at many other hotels it's size. The rooms were just like in the pictures. The bathrooms were immacculate! Shower was way better than at home and I have a very nice high-end shower. It was pretty quiet which was great since we brought our 8 week old baby. The other negative is that it does not have beach access or a nice view from the window...but the price is right! Definitely would come back.

What fun!!

Where do i begin? Okay, i'll start with my check-in. Billy at the front desk was charming and very helpful.

i checked in quickly and found myself in the coolest room i have ever seen.

first, the rooms are tiny but genius with its use of space. Each room has a steamer in the bath. And who can argue with that? after going to the beach which is just two blocks away in what is the most hippest part of south miami beach, also known as south of fifth. i hit the steamer. wow, what a perk!

Before heading off to dinner, which incidentally, Billy helped with the reservations, i had a drink at the bar. This hotel is so cool it's just amazing what they do in there. Billy was my bartender i swear he practically runs the place. To make a long story short i decided to order food to the bar i was having such a fun time. Apparently, the bar is a local watering hole for some of the most interesting character on South Beach.

Before i lay it on too thick i just want to say i reccommend this hotel to anyone who wants to have a chic fun time in Miami.

Disappointed

Just got back from staying 3 nights at Hotel St. Augustine. The location was good (on the southern end of South Beach) with nice proximity to the beach (2 blocks from Lummus Park) and within walking distance of shopping and restaurants. The website made the hotel seem luxurious and modern, but we didn't find that to be the case. Pros included proximity to major highways, parking, and the exquisite spa shower. However the room felt cramped, old, and musty, the linens were not what I would have expected for the price, the air conditioner was noisy, we found a cockroach scurrying around, and the walls were not sound-proof. Soap and shampoo were not replenished on a daily basis, and the front-desk staff was not all that helpful. Probably would not stay here again if going back to South Beach.

Get a room away from the street and you'll be fine

Stayed one night at this semi-off-the-beaten-path property. The room was very modern, appointed with a great little entertainment center. The steam shower was also very nice. My only complaint was that, since my room faced the street, I was kept awake most of the night by rowdy party-goers exiting nearby clubs. Ask for a room well away from the street, and you'll probably have a lovely stay.

Nothing but problems with surly staff

Surly staff, malfunctioning equipment, undersized rooms make this hotel a troublesome travesty. From the moment my husband and I checked in for our first anniversay celebration we had nothing but problems from the wrong room size to a smoking room when requesting a non-smoking to a malfunctioning steam shower...the hotel's selling point. Each request for remedy was met with a cold and snide response. In addition, the hotel is age-worn and not at-all immaculately clean as billed. And don't count on your complimentary morning coffee or juice, if they run out you're on your own. Perk... nice location. Wouldn't stay again if you paid me.

A pretty impressive place

Small, very clean, quiet, nice decor, and in a good area. The shower/steam bath is excellent. Room is small but sufficient for two people and is just a bit short on storage. I used my laptop 24/7 with DSL in the room. Excellent service and very well run. La Locanda, Italian restaurant just up the street is superb!

A Great find in South Beach

We started staying at the hotel a few months ago because a friend recommended it. Since then, it has been our favorite place to stay while in South Beach or Miami. It's a true great find. Each room has its own private steam / sauna shower. This is an amazing amenity. The rooms are very clean and have a nice feel. The lobby has a nice bar area and on the weekends a nice mature crowd seems to enjoy. I would recommend this hotel over the bigger more flashy places to stay. It's a great find..

Clean & Decent Location

OVERALL: This was a good place to stay while in the South Beach area. It was clean and in walking distance to most everything in South Beach. THE GOOD: The owner was very nice and accommodating (though the staff could use more enthusiasm for serving the guests). The room was a little small, but from the reviews on other area hotels, that is expected for South Beach -- they made good use of the space. The bed was comfortable, there was a TV/stereo tower separating the bedroom area from the bath, and the large steam shower with bench was nice with an overhead shower as well as 3 additional body showerheads. Everyone was very nice about our having our 15lb dog with us -- no additional charges or fusses over her. THE NOT SO GOOD: There is not much storage space, but it was ok for our 3 nights. They charge $12 per day for parking which was never mentioned over the phone nor at check-in (the charges just showed up on our bill -- tacky, but really a minor complaint since you have to pay for parking somewhere). Also, the parking lot leaves much to be desired -- extremely narrow entrance, broken sidewalks which are difficult to drive over, and very limited turn-around area. It is 2 blocks from the beach, so no oceanviews (or really any view). There are stray cats that they feed, and they make the parking area smell a bit. SUGGESTION: Try Big Pink diner a couple of blocks away for a decent, low-cost meal (especially try the outside dining with your dog!).