Wasn't quite sure what to expect but pleasantly surprised once I arrived. If you would rather be close to the beach than in downtown St. Augustine, this is the place to stay. Quick walk to the beach, courteous and helpful staff, beautiful rooms. Definitely for couples or just a get-away weekend. Hadn't sleep that good in a long time.

We stayed at this hotel in august 08 and we came back in september. Both stays are consistent with a good rating.
We had a room on 3rd floor with balcony, ocean view. For the view, there are a couple small buildings between the hotel and the beach, so it's a scam to claim it's ocean view, on their website. Other than that , the room was large with a huge jacuzzi, a separate bathroom with a nice shower. All was clean and nicely decorated.
Expect a microwave, a fridge in your room, as well as central AC which is a lot less noisy than individual units you find in other hotels such as Hampton Inn.
More: there is a very decent restaurant down in the lobby: La Cocina. And if you want to go out, Sunset Grill is nearby, at walking distance.
Definitely, we will go back.

I've stayed at Castillo Real in the past, and generally have found it be pleasurable. It's location is it's main draw - on the beach and within easy driving distance of Old St. Augustine. That said, I can no longer recommend this hotel. Upon returning home last week, after one night at their hotel, I checked my bank balance online and noticed that they had charged me $12. My room was prepaid through Orbitz, and I had given them my debit card for incidentals (at their insistance), but had absolutely NOT charged anything to the room. I called and was told that they had no record of charging me for anything - and basically said that was all there was to it. Well, they did charge me for SOMETHING, and it has been deducted from my account. Beware of this scam!!!! They have your credit card or debit card "for incidentals" and apparently feel free to charge you for nothing and then say they didn't. They seem not to keep good records at the desk because the first time I called they said I had cancelled the reservation - that never happened. I don't trust them, and can get no satisfaction from them. Also, the elevator is very hot, and there is no coffee in the mornings to take on your walk on the beach (when do they think you might want coffee in the lobby - at night?). Buyer beware on this one.

This is a lovely boutique hotel that we stayed one night on our way back from Orlando. The rooms were large with two queen beds, microwave and fridge and a good-sized flat screen LCD TV. The bathroom was divided with a vanity and sink on the outside. My daughter loved the shower, as there was no tub. The room was lush in Mediterranean décor with deep wood tones and rich colors of blue and burgundy. The lobby was exquisite with a beautiful chandelier and fresh flowers. The onsite restaurant La Cocina was closed on out arrival for dinner but open for breakfast. We did not attend as we had to be on the road early the next morning, but from what we could see there were many patrons enjoying their meals. The beds were comfortable and we had a quiet nights sleep. The St. Augustine Light House and Museum is just down the road and were we able to visit between storms from good old Fay. The beach is a short walking distance but with the unpredictable weather, we passed on this. There are plenty of restaurants not far from the Castillo Real if La Cocina is closed. I would return here, maybe during better climate.