Club Continental — Hotel in Orange Park

I've put a lot of thought into this review because this hotel had its pros and cons, for sure. I will say upfront, I'd stay again, but read on...|First impression? The Overlook Hotel. (If you don't get the reference, it's ok). The hotel is hidden behind a neighborhood which made it tricky to find exactly where I was going. I guess once you've been the first time, it all makes sense, but that first time can be a bit tricky. They could also mention to not bother lugging your luggage with you do check in, just leave it in your car until you are told where your room is. ||The grounds in the front give a first impression of a very hotel venue (which, in fairness it is). You might not appreciate that it's actually and old timey Florida/Caribbean feel until you see more of the grounds (or possibly not even until the next day, after you think on it overnight, as I did.) It's not the the grounds aren't well kept- they actually are clean and well manicured. But the front, what you see first, is a bit overgrown. The ceramic ornaments are a little more antiqued looking than they maybe should be. But let's move on. ||Check in lady was super pleasant. I checked in on a Wednesday and unknown to me, their restaurant was closed on Wednesdays. (Side note- I went to OP Fish House, right down the street- highly recommend.) They have what's called "Riverside Pub" on the property (more on that later, but spoiler alert- no food available, ever. Just drinks and atmosphere.) ||I was staying here because I was working in the area. A co-worker had recommended the place, and I thought I might like a chance from the name brand hotels I always stay in. It took me a bit to warm up, but in the ned, I was glad I stayed (keep reading...)||My room's first impression was the carpet. Not a fan of carpets in hotels on a good day, and if they must have carpets, this one needs to be replaced. Obvious and multiple stains. Just not nice to look at and know you're walking on (bring slippers.) |The furniture: some would say it's outdated, some would say it's charming, and some would say it looks like the furniture that comes alive in Beauty and the Beast. I say it's a combination of all of those things, and final assessment is I liked it. The bed was one of the most comfortable beds I've slept on in my travels. The desk was quaint, old timey, pretty. The TV was on the small side and it was housed in Madame de la Grande Bouche. Plenty of drier space if you need that. A small fridge, microwave, and coffee maker are supplied in the mini kitchen area (always a plus.) Bathroom was clean and well stocked with the usual amenities. ||But what you've been waiting for, and what you are paying for- the view. This River Front rooms are on the St Johns River, and my room had a private balcony facing the river. Actually it was pretty much ON the river. Beautiful. |2 Adirondack chairs and a small table and all the sunrise you could stand (black out curtains in case you don't like the sun waking you up.) (When it's raining, your balcony will be rained on from above) ||They include a continental breakfast (from 8am-9am) and I have to admit- the food pleasantly surprised me. On the first morning, the chef was offering tomatoe/bacon/cheese omelets (made to order) and this was absolutely the best omelet I have ever had. It came with potatoes and a side of bacon. (Toast, juice, coffee etc also available, as well as oatmeals, cereals, bagels, etc). The second morning was a buffet (there was also a Rotary Club meeting that morning). I'm not a fan of buffet style but again- wonderful food. All fresh: scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy. I would never had called any of this a continental breakfast. It was beyond fabulous. |I didn't eat in the restaurant at night. One of the odd things is this hotel is also a "private club" and although hotel guests can use the restaurant, it just didn't feel overly welcoming. Maybe next time. ||As for the Riverhouse Pub (mentioned previously) I did want to have a drink on the water there. It's located literally right next to the River House Suites (where my room was), could not have been any closer. The second night, after a dinner out, my husband and I went over there (about 7pm). It was raining but the outdoor bar area is completely covered, so nothing there was getting wet. There were about 6 people at the bar area, still plenty of seats available. We sat at the bar and the surly barkeep just glared at us and said "I just closed up because of the rain." My first thought was "Rain? In Florida? You must never be open." But the unfriendliness of her demeanor just made us say "Oh. Ok." We scanned the bar and the people who were appeared to be enjoying their beverages... and left. That was a very uncomfortable experience and for a place that is "members only" and relies on people paying to be there, I was in awe of what I had just experienced. ||At check out the last did ask if I enjoyed my stay. I mentioned the carpeting and the surly bartender shooing us away. Her reply made it clear they have heard that before and she stated they don't have control over the pub (so I don't know if they don't actually own it, or if it's different management or what). I think if they have heard this story before, they might want to get together with the pub and work on a solution. I guess I was just happy to know it wasn't just me who was treated like that. ||Big shout out to Bridgett in the breakfast area. She was lovely and helpful, and just so friendly. ||Final assessment: this hotel might not be for everyone, but I would go back. Sometimes you just want that Old Florida feel for a couple days, and this place certainly offers that. It's like a warm hug...

I recently got married at the club continental. My husband and I did the elopment package, but had a small guest count of 6 people. We reserved a private room for dinner after the ceramony and stayed the night in the river suites. I also had 2 family members, my sister and mother-in-law that stayed overnight in the river suites as well. I have to say that all the employees there were super nice and accommodating. They event coordinator Carla was super nice and prompt when responding to questions. The schedulers Bonnie and Terry were also very nice and accommodating, when scheduling the rooms. The grounds are beautiful and the staff is lovely. My only concern and the reason I am giving them 3 stars is because of our stay in the river suites. I understand this place is old, but old does not have to mean falling apart. The rooms are large and the view is impeccable, but the condition of the rooms was not good to say the least. It did not seem as though any quality checks were done. My room, which was also my honeymoon suite was dirty. I found Cob webbs kn the clieling, dirt and hair in the bathroom, trash behind the bed. Not to mention my screen leading out onto the balcony was broken. They have signs that say you can't put the air below 72, or the compressor will freeze. The rooms was musty and humid. My sisters room was dirty as well, and right before we were leaving the ceiling in the bathroom started leaking water. Her room was an animal friendly room and smelled terrible upon arrival. My mother in-laws suite was okay for the most part. My bed was a canopy style and was loose and crickety. They did send mainline and cleaning people up upon request, but my screen was broken and they had to order a new screen a nd it couldn't be fixed on the spot. It was as if these rooms were not checked properly or had not been stayed in, in a long time. Overall my wedding night was very uncomfortable and my stay was not relaxing at all. I made a formal complaint with the front desk lady Bonnie and she said she would speak to the owner and contact me via call or email. It has been a week now and I have not heard anything back. These rooms are not cheap to say the least, between all the taxes and fees it was over $550 for 3 rooms for 1 night. They don't have turn down service or any other amenities. We got the rooms at a discount for the wedding. For the price what we got was sub par to saybthe least. I would 100% recommend this place as a venue, but would not recommend that you stay the night in the...

I was extremely excited to stay at the Club Continental for a relaxing birthday getaway with my friend, as the grounds are breathtaking and I’d read the rave reviews. I called and booked Suite 104 a month before only to be told that my reservation had been switched to Suite 105 upon arrival. Bonny in Guest Services was wonderful and courteous; she reassured us that the room would be just as beautiful and showed us around the grounds. The room was moderately clean, but spacious with a quaint riverfront view. The following day, I took pictures on the property to commemorate my birthday. At the end of the shoot, a woman (who did not introduce herself, but I later learned was the owner) came out and informed us that they typically charged a fee for photography and that she was watching us but didn’t expect us to be there that long. I told her that we completely understood her concerns and would leave immediately. We turned to leave, and she proceeded to berate us stating that the brides would be upset if we were taking pictures during their special day (there were no active weddings on the premises as we are in the midst of a pandemic and there is construction throughout the day). I removed myself to avoid further escalating the situation, and the woman sped off in her vehicle. My photographer went into the office to inquire if she was an employee and where we could access the photography policies. They informed him that she was the owner and admitted that the policies are not explicitly advertised. I would have definitely paid the fee had I been asked to do so or told how much it was (if you intend to take pictures as a non-event guest, ask about the fee upon booking your room or at check-in). Although this was the same Guest Services office we checked into, the office staff stated that we were not guests on the premises because it was private property. Bottom Line: I agree that the owner has the right to dictate who can be on her property. However, I was not treated as a valued guest and thus will not be further...