ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — USA Today made a top 10 list, and a St. Augustine inn placed first!
The Local - St. Augustine won the Best Roadside Motel category in the 2022 USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest.
Out of 20 motels around the country, from Arizona to Maine, The Local - St. Augustine earned the number one spot.
The top 10 winners were decided by popular vote after "a panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees," according to 10Best.
Adam and Leila Bedoian opened The Local – St. Augustine last October.
Since then, the husband-and-wife duo have gained a social media presence of over 10,000 followers, assembled a viral viewership and now have topped the must-see list for travelers.
“It’s amazing to see our passion and commitment to this project be recognized and appreciated on a national level,” co-owner Leila Bedoian said in a press release. “We are so excited to be able to bring attention to our local community, which has welcomed us so warmly, and we want to pass that hospitality on to our guests!”
The pet-friendly motel has 21 rooms at the boutique-style inn.
The inn is also a digital property that features a digital check-in-and-out process that acts as the front desk. Verifying identities through contactless technology allows guests to use their phone as a key to their room, according to The Local - St. Augustine.
Visitors get to experience this modern traveling experience with a concierge app that helps guests plan their stay in the nation's oldest city.
The roadside motel was originally built in the 1940s, when they were the standard inns offered in Florida. It offers "a retro in-ground pool, flamingo pink façade, kitschy palm frond wallpaper, and seaside artwork as well as the new 'Florida Room,' which functions as a hospitality suite, offering up complimentary coffee and tea services," according to the inn.
“In less than a year, we have learned a lot about what the modern guest is looking for while also making fun improvements to the property such as revamped rooms, all new landscaping and pool upgrades," Leila said in a press release.
The owners mentioned upgrades are underway, including a deck and more outdoor improvements.
The Local - St. Augustine is located just south of the Bridge of Lions on Anastasia Island at 512 Anastasia Boulevard. Visit its website for more information.
