CASA MARINA HOTEL AND RESTAURANT

By  Mike Miller April 23, 2025

The Casa Marina Hotel and Restaurant, perched on the dunes of Jacksonville Beach, is a historic gem exuding 1920s glamour.

Opened in 1925, this Spanish Mediterranean-style boutique hotel blends classic elegance with modern sophistication.

With uniquely decorated guestrooms, a rooftop penthouse lounge, and a beachfront courtyard, it’s a romantic retreat perfect for weddings and special events.

Its acclaimed brunches feature "New Beach Cuisine," highlighting local seafood and international flavors. 

The rooftop bar offers stunning Atlantic Ocean views, making it a cherished landmark of Northeast Florida’s coast. 

Casa Marina Hotel and Restaurant

Built during Florida’s 1920s land boom, Casa Marina was the first fireproof building in Jacksonville Beach, featuring stucco, concrete, and an automatic sprinkler system - a marvel at the time.

Designed by architects William Mulford Marsh and Harold Saxelbye for hoteliers Gene Zapf and Francis E. Spinner, it welcomed luminaries like John D. Rockefeller, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jean Harlow, and reportedly Al Capone.

During World War II, the U.S. government used it for military housing.

Over decades, it transformed into a tea room, clothing store, and 37-room apartment building, closing in the 1980s until a 1991 renovation restored its grandeur.

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993, it remains a symbol of Jacksonville’s vibrant past. 

Located at 691 1st Street North, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250, Casa Marina is steps from the Jacksonville Beach Pier and a 40-minute drive from Jacksonville International Airport via I-95 and A1A.

The hotel operates 24/7, with check-in at 3 pm and check-out at 11 am. Contact the hotel for room rates. Reservations are recommended, especially for summer or holiday weekends.

The Penthouse Lounge (904-270-0025) is open Monday-Thursday 3 pm to 11 pm, Friday-Saturday 10 am – 2 am, and Sunday 10 am to 10 pm.

A Penthouse Lounge Brunch is offered Friday-Sunday. Cocktails are available, including many specialty martinis.

A special menu Sunday Brunch is offered from 9 am to 1 pm with Mimosas and other cocktails available. Book rooftop dining early for sunset views.

Parking is free but limited; street parking may cost $7 overnight.

• Casa Marina is rumored to be haunted, with guests reporting apparitions of 1920s mobsters, a man in striped pajamas, and ghostly children in hallways.  

• Its rooftop lounge is famed for creative cocktails and tapas, like Blue Cheese Kettle Chips and Shrimp & Grits.  

• The hotel’s vintage decor includes wrought iron beds and exposed sprinkler pipes, preserving its 1920s charm.  

• As the only surviving 1920s hotel in the area, it hosts over 150 weddings annually, cementing its legacy as the “Grand Lady of the Beach.” 

CASA MARINA HOTEL AND RESTAURANT WEBSITE