Staying at the Jekyll Island Club Resort: Beautiful Hotel, Disappointing Dining
We loved almost everything about our stay at this historic Georgia resort. Unfortunately, almost everything we ate was another story.
There are hotels you choose because they're convenient, hotels you choose because they're luxurious, and hotels you choose because staying there is part of the experience.
For us, the Jekyll Island Club Resort fell squarely into that third category.
In October 2019, Gina and I booked a suite for a couple of nights to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. We live about 45 minutes away, but we'd always enjoyed historic buildings, and the Jekyll Island Club seemed like the perfect setting for a weekend together.
The building, the grounds, the suite, and the staff exceeded our expectations.
The food? Well, that was a very different story.
A Hotel With a History Worth Exploring
The Jekyll Island Club began life in the late 19th century as an exclusive private retreat for some of America's wealthiest families.
Names associated with the club included the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Morgans, and other prominent industrial-era families. What had once been a playground for America's elite eventually became a historic resort open to the public.
The architecture was one of the main reasons we chose to stay there.
We love historic buildings, especially those that retain the character of their original construction rather than trying to recreate it with modern decorative touches.
The Jekyll Island Club has that character in abundance.
The long hallways, expansive porches, high ceilings, beautiful grounds, and distinctive architecture made it feel like we were staying somewhere with a story.
We spent time simply wandering the property and admiring the buildings. That was part of the enjoyment.
Our Suite and the Staff: The Highlights of Our Stay
We booked a suite for our anniversary weekend, and we couldn't have been happier with the accommodations.
The room was comfortable, the surroundings were beautiful, and we enjoyed having a view over the historic grounds.
One of the pleasures of staying in a place like this is that you don't necessarily need to leave the property to enjoy yourself.
We could wander the courtyard, relax on the porches, enjoy the views, or simply spend time together.
The staff were equally impressive.
Everyone we dealt with was welcoming and helpful, and the service was one of the strongest parts of our experience.
In fact, the staff helped me arrange a special surprise for Gina at our anniversary dinner. More on that shortly.
If we were reviewing the hotel strictly on its accommodations, atmosphere, and hospitality, it would have been an easy recommendation.
A Beautiful Anniversary Dinner Setting. A Terrible Meal.
We'd made reservations in the hotel's dining room for our anniversary dinner.
We dressed up for the occasion, and I'd arranged with the hotel staff to have our table decorated with rose petals, seashells, and a heart-shaped arrangement.
They did a beautiful job.
The table looked wonderful, the atmosphere was lovely, and we were looking forward to a special evening.
Then the food arrived.
I ordered a steak. It came out raw and cold in the center.
Gina ordered sea bass. Her assessment was that it tasted like largemouth bass caught in a golf course retention pond.
That pretty much summed up the evening's culinary achievements.
It wasn't simply that the meal didn't meet our expectations for an upscale restaurant. It was genuinely one of the worst meals I've ever been served.
And considering the setting, the occasion, and the reputation of the property, that was particularly disappointing.
To the staff's credit, the atmosphere and service were lovely. But even wonderful service can't rescue a badly prepared meal.
Fortunately, we had good drinks at the bar, and the evening was still special because of why we were there.
Breakfast Didn't Improve Matters
We might have written off the anniversary dinner as an unfortunate exception if the rest of our dining experiences had been better.
They weren't.
One morning, we stopped at the resort's pastry shop for coffee and a cinnamon roll.
The cinnamon roll was dry, bland, and had barely any cinnamon flavor. Not exactly what you'd hope for from something with cinnamon in its name.
We also tried the hotel's Sunday brunch.
That was disappointing, too.
By that point, we were beginning to wonder how a property that did so many other things well could struggle so consistently with its food.
The contrast was striking.
Beautiful historic setting? Absolutely.
Wonderful accommodations? Yes.
Excellent staff? Without question.
Food worth returning for? Not during our visit.
The Waterfront Restaurant Was the Exception
Thankfully, not every meal was a disappointment.
We had lunch at The Wharf, the waterfront restaurant on the resort property, and enjoyed it.
The setting overlooking the water was lovely, and the food was good.
After our experiences in the main dining room, at brunch, and at the pastry shop, it was a welcome change.
We also enjoyed the drinks at the hotel's bar.
So it wasn't that everything associated with the resort's food and beverage operations fell short. But the inconsistency was difficult to ignore.
Would We Stay at the Jekyll Island Club Again?
Yes, we'd certainly consider it.
And that might sound surprising after everything we've said about the food.
But the Jekyll Island Club Resort offered something we genuinely appreciated: an opportunity to stay in a beautiful historic property, enjoy wonderful accommodations, and experience excellent hospitality.
The atmosphere was special, and we loved exploring the grounds.
We also appreciated the relaxed pace of the resort and its location on Jekyll Island.
Would we make the same dining reservations again?
Based on our October 2019 experience, absolutely not.
We'd be happy to return for the history, architecture, accommodations, and service. We'd simply make different plans for our meals.
It's also important to remember that our visit was in 2019. Restaurants, menus, chefs, and management can change. Our experience is a firsthand account of that particular weekend, not a claim about the resort's current dining quality.
Our Curated Upgrades Verdict
🟢 The historic property: Absolutely worth experiencing if you appreciate old architecture, beautiful grounds, and places with a story.
🟢 Our suite and the staff: Both were excellent during our stay.
🟢 The Wharf and hotel bar: We enjoyed both.
🟡 Staying again: We'd consider it, but we'd research current room rates and dining options before booking.
🔴 The main dining room, pastry shop, and Sunday brunch: Based on our October 2019 experiences, we wouldn't repeat them without good reason to believe things had improved.
The Jekyll Island Club was a wonderful place to stay.
We just wish the food had been as memorable for the right reasons.
For the story of why we chose Jekyll Island for our anniversary, read Our Jekyll Island Anniversary: Sometimes the Best Getaways Are Close to Home.