“The answer is yes…now what’s your question?” That’s the motto at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club and The Lodge and Club at Ponte Vedra Beach, sister properties less then two miles apart in an unincorporated seaside community in St. Johns County, Florida.
It’s a tall order and quite a way to start off a press trip of journalists just waiting to test the theory, but the resorts did a splendid job of ensuring every need was met, and then exceeded, during our visit.
Welcoming me on the kitchen counter of my spacious, vibrant, oceanfront suite at the 66-room Lodge & Club were three custom-decorated cookies alongside sweetened “cereal milk.” Fresh flowers graced the counter and coffee table, and an electric fireplace crackled and popped just steps from a cushioned nook that overlooked the beach. The vibe was upscale, yet homey.
At the welcoming cocktail hour reception, newly appointed chef Christopher Pickren described his cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. His passion for delivering locally sourced, seasonal food from neighboring farms and the vast ocean just steps away was expressed on nearly every plate. A unique, pasta-wrapped deviled egg followed by a chia-crusted Atlantic golden tilefish set the stage for what would be a one-of-a-kind culinary experience.
After touring some of the 250 character-filled guest rooms at the Inn & Club, we viewed the 17 meeting rooms, ballroom and terrace room, boasting floor-to-ceiling Atlantic Ocean views (25,000 total sq. ft.). The group was then invited to explore the expansive spa, where we hand-selected aromatic oils before indulging in massages.
Showcasing its corporate team-building options, the hosts invited the group to the Tavern, a bar and local hot spot for club members, where the bartender gave a mixology lesson before stepping aside and letting amateurs give it a try. The group was then led outside to the first-hole tee box of Ocean golf course, where we each tried our hand at Shoot for the Pin, a fun competition where each person aimed for the resort’s famed island ninth hole.
Between events, everything from fitness classes to bike and kayak rentals, golf and tennis were at our disposal. The staff never had the opportunity to tell us “yes.” It provided everything before we had the chance to ask for it.
