Hotel Palms
28 Sherry Dr
Atlantic Beach, FL
The beach is three blocks. The bikes are free.
About Hotel Palms
Hotel Palms is a boutique motel in Atlantic Beach, Florida, three blocks from the ocean, operating under a deceptively simple premise: take a 1950s roadside motel and make every part of it better without making it into something it was never meant to be. The owners kept the single-story footprint, the drive-up layout, and the courtyard with fireplace. They added colorful murals across the exterior walls, an in-house coffee shop and beer-and-wine lounge, and complimentary bicycles and beach chairs as standard amenities. Atlantic Beach is the northernmost of Jacksonville's beach communities, quieter than Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach to the south, with Beaches Town Center a half mile away and Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park two miles down the coast.
What Hotel Palms Is Known For
Hotel Palms holds its position as Atlantic Beach's most-noticed independent motel by combining three things that are genuinely hard to get right together: a 1950s motel building renovated with real design intention, an operational philosophy that prioritizes specific guest amenities over standard ones, and a scale small enough that every guest gets the same experience.
Amenities
- WiFi
- Complimentary bicycles for guests
- Complimentary beach chairs
- In-house coffee shop
- Beer and wine lounge
- Courtyard with outdoor fireplace
What Guests Love
- Complimentary loaner bikes and beach chairs make it easy to actually use the three-block proximity to the ocean rather than just appreciate it.
- The exterior murals and courtyard fireplace give the property a visual identity that is immediately recognizable and specific.
- Rooms and suite at a small-motel scale means personal service rather than the anonymity of larger properties.
Worth Knowing
- Book early for summer and holiday weekends. The hotel fills quickly and availability can disappear weeks in advance.
- The hotel is about a half mile from Beaches Town Center, a small commercial district with restaurants and shops. Bikes are available to borrow for the trip.
- Atlantic Beach is quieter than the Jacksonville Beach area to the south. The character is more residential and less resort-oriented, which suits some guests very well and surprises others.
The Room
Rooms and suite with private courtyard. Room categories include Junior Queen, Queen, two-bed room, and King, with the suite providing the most private outdoor space. The design throughout blends what guests describe as a hip California feel with retro motel character: comfortable furnishings, colorful murals visible from the parking area and courtyard, and clean bathrooms in a building that dates to the 1950s. Complimentary beach chairs are provided for all guests, and bicycles are available for loan at no charge for the trip to the beach three blocks away.
The Grounds
The exterior of Hotel Palms is covered in colorful murals that identify it immediately as a place with a point of view. The courtyard is the outdoor center of the property, with an open fireplace, outdoor seating, and the kind of layout that brings the rooms into a shared space without eliminating privacy. An in-house coffee shop and beer-and-wine lounge occupy the lobby level. Free parking is available on-site. The single-story layout means all rooms are on the same level with direct exterior access. The property is three blocks from the Atlantic Ocean and a half mile from the restaurants and shops of Beaches Town Center.
The Experience
A morning at Hotel Palms begins at the coffee shop in the lobby, then typically moves toward the beach three blocks away, most guests choosing to ride one of the loaner bikes with beach chairs loaded in the basket. The ocean at Atlantic Beach is clean and swimmable, and the town's quieter character relative to the busier beach communities to the south means the beach itself is never unreasonably crowded. Evenings bring people back to the courtyard fireplace with a glass of something from the wine lounge. The scale means you run into the same guests twice, which creates the particular atmosphere of a small hotel rather than an anonymous one.
Details
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hotel Palms have EV charging?
No, Hotel Palms does not have EV charging.
Does Hotel Palms have WiFi?
Yes, Hotel Palms has WiFi.
What is there to do near Hotel Palms?
Atlantic Beach oceanfront: 0.2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Beaches Town Center: 0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park: 2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is Hotel Palms from Atlantic Beach oceanfront?
0.2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is Hotel Palms from Beaches Town Center?
0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is Hotel Palms from Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park?
2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is Hotel Palms from the beach?
Hotel Palms is three blocks from the Atlantic Ocean, about a two-minute walk or a quick bike ride on one of the hotel's complimentary loaner bikes.
Does Hotel Palms have bikes to borrow?
Yes, complimentary bicycles are available for guest use throughout the stay. Beach chairs are also provided at no charge.
Does Hotel Palms include breakfast?
Breakfast is not included in the room rate. The hotel has an in-house coffee shop for morning drinks and light items, and several breakfast restaurants are within a short walk or ride.
Is Hotel Palms pet-friendly?
Hotel Palms does not accept pets. Contact the hotel directly to confirm their current policy.
What is the beach scene like in Atlantic Beach?
Atlantic Beach is quieter and more residential than Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach to the south. The beach is wide, uncrowded on most weekdays, and has consistent surf for swimmers and surfers alike.
Does Hotel Palms have a pool?
Hotel Palms does not have a pool. The property has a shared courtyard.
Is parking available at Hotel Palms?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at Hotel Palms.
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Things to Do Near The Jacksonville beaches
Atlantic Beach oceanfront
0.2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
Atlantic Beach offers a quieter stretch of Florida's Atlantic coast, with a wide sandy beach, consistent surf conditions, and a more residential character than the busier beach communities to the south. The town's beach access is a few minutes walk or one pedal on a borrowed bike from the hotel.
Beaches Town Center
0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
Beaches Town Center is the commercial hub of the Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach communities, with independent restaurants, shops, and a walkable streetscape that serves as the primary dining and social destination for the area. Several well-regarded local restaurants are within the same block or two.
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park
2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park is a 450-acre city-managed coastal park on the Atlantic Ocean just south of Atlantic Beach, with a mile-and-a-half of ocean beach, a freshwater lake for kayaking and paddleboarding, and a network of mountain biking trails through coastal maritime forest.