Growing up, my family took a trip to Disney World almost every year. It seems a rite of passage as a kid in Florida — the wonder, the anticipation and the amazement were mine for the taking once we got through the main gates of such a magical place. What I loved most about those trips was how grandiose everything was. Nothing was average — everything was so magnificent that even my overly curious eyes couldn’t take it all in.
Pulling up to the Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast reminded me of that awestruck feeling. The hotel, situated on the pristine beaches of Palm Coast, rises up from the dunes like Cinderella’s castle in Disney World. With its welcoming palette of bright, cheerful colors, Hammock Beach appears to be the place where vacation dreams are made.
Situated on roughly two miles of coastline, and laying claim to two championship golf courses, the sheer size of Hammock Beach is simply amazing. There are 330 units available to guests — most of which contain more than one bedroom. The majority of the units are spacious, three bedroom condos with fantastic views of either the Intracoastal Waterway or the Atlantic Ocean. For families, these units are perfect, with nicely appointed interiors and full kitchens.
Much like Disney World, every time you turn the corner at this resort, there is something new to greet the eye. There are seven pools, a six and a half acre multilevel water park, two golf courses, a full spa, sushi bar, cigar bar, sports pub, high end Italian restaurant, nine hole miniature golf course and more.
The brightest spot in the whole resort, however, is The Lodge, a 20 room mini hotel as close to the ocean as you can get. The rooms in The Lodge are smaller, and more traditional to a boutique hotel, however each one is luxurious and soothing with beautiful views of the ocean and verandas overlooking both the golf course and the fantastic sunset. With it’s own separate entrance, pool and beach access, The Lodge is a fantastic way to feel a little more pampered while staying at this resort.
The Lodge is situated on top of The Atlantic Grill, the casual dining restaurant at the resort which is officially open to the public for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and there isn’t a bad seat in the restaurant as each table is designed to have a fantastic view of the ocean. Looking out over the dunes, eating macadamia nut french toast and sipping strong coffee certainly makes for an impressive start to any day.
While Hammock Beach is a private facility, the 10,000 square foot spa is open to the public. Featuring an extensive menu of spa services, the spa at Hammock Beach aims to please by incorporating elements of the native environment to many of its treatments. The La Florida Poultice, a hot stone massage which utilizes lavender, ginger, orange peel and white cinnamon, is a fantastic way to de-stress. The signature Hammock Massage combines a few different types of massage therapy to remind you how wonderful it feels to be in a hammock, relaxing by the ocean.
With so much to choose from and so many activities to engage in at Hammock Beach, it’s easy to miss some of the little details that should come standard at a luxury hotel.
The decor, in some of the suites seems dated, despite the fact that the hotel itself is less than 10 years old. If you look away from the grand facade of this resort, you can see certain cracks in its veneer that may leave guests disappointed.
The Atlantic Grill, while a fantastic place for a meal, still seems to be working out the kinks of the "open to the public" deal. Upon entering the establishment, the host greeted each diner with "are you a member?" — a little detail that may be better suited to figure out at the end of the meal, rather than before the meal actually started.
All in all, Hammock Beach is a great place for a family vacation. It’s so close, yet you feel worlds away while your there, making a relaxing trip easy to acquire.
