Villas by the Sea Resort and Conference Center

Megan Hurley

2024-04

We booked another hotel originally at the Hampton Inn down the street. After the worst service and bugs in the room, we found Villa by the Sea. The staff here was amazing and helped my family right away to make sure we had a place to stay. They were very helpful and accommodated with extra blankets and such. I give this place an A+. The rooms are spacious and very clean. You can sleep a family of 6 here with no issues. Great prices too. I will definitely be back.Rooms: We got the two bedroom and two queen size beds. The rooms are very spacious with a big closet. The bathroom is bright with mirrors and nice shower.

Tahira

2024-03

I have been traveling to Villas By the Sea for over 30 years. I spent my for Christmas here last year and it was wonderful. This is one of the most coziest places I have ever resided in for vacation. The staff and the local restaurant is top tier! I am coming back in May to not only enjoy my stay at the Villas but to have some fun with my daughter at Summer Waves!

Belinda Thompson

2024-04

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Merissa Scott

2024-03

We stayed the weekend here for our 10th anniversary. The service was nice. Check in abd check out was easy.Our villa was clean and comfy. We could walk out of our backdoor and go to the beach...we are also 5 minutes from driftwood beach. The bistro was nice. Packed which was to be expected but our food was good and came out in a timely manner. We will definitely be back.

Pamela Jambeck

2024-04

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Amanda Owens

2024-04

The units could use a little updating. I cannot believe the pool isn't heated, especially considering there's no hot tub.The location is great though.And they're not joking when they say there's no beach at high tide. 🤣

Win Strickland

2023-12

We quite enjoyed our first time stay with family. While a bit dated, our villa was clean and quiet and had a great view. Family along in another villa, also quite nice and a bit more updated.One issue we could have had without the excellent help of Marcus at checkin time was our first villa was up a flight of external stairs, and then two floors itself with the only bathroom on the second floor.We weren’t prepared for stairs often, especially on entry and called the front desk to see if any other ground floor villa was available. Marcus moved us and frankly saved the day and our visit!

Randy Sybel

2024-04

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Yvea Thomas

2023-11

We came down for a wedding at great dunes park / beach and I must say the stay at the villas was absolutely incredible. Nice clean room fully equipped kitchen and nice furniture and comfy bed . Even the couch was a pull out bed so my daughter actually had a bed to sleep in . Nice view we was by the playground and it was easily accessible to the beach and not too far from driftwood beach we had a great stay and the pool was nice even tho we only got in for a few mins before they closed . We definitely will be booking a room for our anniversary next year . They even had good lotion from bath and body works . And the shampoo and conditioner smelled amazing . Even had mouth wash . Called whispers mint . Which is my daughters name whisper . And they even had dish soap and so much more it was definitely an amazing room and as I said in this review earlier we will be staying here again , this will be our go to spot for sure . Oh and let’s not forget they even had the foot prints on the wall in our bedroom . I LOVED THAT SO MUCH !!!!

Awesome April

2023-08

Villas is beautiful and in a great location! However, some of the facilities have seen better days. It is somewhat rundown, especially the bathrooms, laundry facilities, etc. However, you can’t beat the beautiful ocean views and trees, etc. I would overall recommend this for families! Just be aware that the restaurant does not have great service and it has limited hours. The pool is very nice and mostly clean! Also, there is an ocean view but you can’t actually access the beach right there. You will need to get in your car and drive down the road about 5 minutes to get to the beach access. But it is beautiful there and your family should give it a try!

Missy G

2023-11

My sister and I rented a 2 bedroom ocean view to stay in while attending our nephews wedding on the island. Was a very busy, hectic 3 days so we just wanted a nice CLEAN place to stay and this place was where our family picked. Extremely disappointed with this place. For the cost, one would expect clean rooms, clean bathrooms etc....The rooms were updated and looked nice but very dirty. Could not walk on floors barefoot because of the dirt ( they were nice enough to leave a broom and dust pan in room for us) bathrooms had last visitors hair left behind, living room had some of their cereal and chips left under the coffee table with Pepsi bottles and goldfish cheese crackers left under the couch. Even the bedrooms the floors were dirty and you could not walk barefoot on. 2 of the 4 lamps had burnt out bulbs, ceiling fan over the dining room table lights just flickered as well as kitchen lights minus the burnt out bulbs. Food crumbs were in the silverware drawer with supposedly clean utensils. 2 of the coffee cups had not been washed from prior use and they had dried coffee in them but put in cabinets. We didn't start noticing alot of these items until the next morning seeings how we checked in after 7pm and a long drive there. However the beds were noticed immediately...pulled blankets back to find long stands of black hair on the beds ( my sister and I are both light brown haired) pillow cases on 2 pillows had dirt and smudge spots on them...so needless to say we slept with our own blankets onto of the blankets on the bed and used our own pillows (thanks God we decided to take our own or would have been making a target run into Brunswick for pillows and blankets). Feed back from front desk " Theres nothing I can do for you, you will need to contact reservations. You should have said something when you checked in." We will not go back to this place again. VERY POOR HOUSE KEEPING AND RUDE EMPLOYEES.

Ronnies Mommie

2023-09

Villas by the Sea is reminiscent of the lodge in Dirty Dancing. It felt as if it was a top-rated long term summer vacation spot many years ago, but it has not been updated recently. The two-bedroom town homes are spacious and comfy. Both balconies are peaceful and convenient to the beach. The kitchen is adequate and the amenities sufficient. However, the humid region causes sensitive groups to be a little uncomfortable with allergens, possible mold and mildew. The dock is beautiful, but Jekyll Island does not have white sand beaches with crystal blue water. We chose to look, but not enter. Otherwise, we had a relaxing time on the quiet, cozy island.Nearby activities: A perfect place to bike and learn a bit of Georgia history.

Kim Sutton

2023-11

My sister that stayed with me wrote a review and you responded. The reservation is in my name so I'm reaching out to you.Reservation #541945 room #358On dates 10/12 to 10/15, The room was super cute the way it was decorated but the place was dirty, had not been cleaned in who knows how long. Light bulbs out and some were just strobing. Hair left in the bathroom and beds. Silverware was dirty. Had to wash glasses before using. Upstairs slider wouldn’t close properly. Safety lock on front door was broken. I have videos of the strobing lights and of the broken door lock but this review won’t let me post them. I have tried to email you but for whatever reason it’s not going through. We were busy with a wedding and I don’t want anyone in my room with my stuff when I am not there. When we checked out the black lady with really long fingernails that said she had just become a manager told me there was nothing she could do but to put in a work order. She gave me a card with the name of Crystal Douzart to get ahold of but I didn't trust that she would steer me in the right direction. She told me that we shouldn’t have waited until the end of our stay to say anything. In which I replied to her that we were busy with the wedding and didn’t have time to be moving around to another room that was possibly just as dirty.For the money I paid for this room this is unacceptable.Thanks for checking into this for me,Kim SuttonRooms: Dirty, see comments above

Robert Dowling

2023-12

Management and staff were very rude to me in there interactions, often cutting me off when trying to ask questions related to my stay and not being accomodating of people on the reservation with mental health needs. Staff began yelling at me and degraded the person with mental health issues in their comments. Location is not pet friendly, does not recognize ESA and believe that is a made up thing even with correct medical documentation from a doctor.

Danielle

2023-08

We stayed in Room 479. For the amount we paid (over $1,500 for 3 nights), we were very disappointed. There was limited space in the main living areas. There were 4 of us but only enough seating in the living room for 3 people (a loveseat and a recliner) and the condo sleeps 6. I can't imagine 6 people packed into that tiny living room and dining area. The dining table and chairs were extremely uncomfortable to sit in as they are made of hard knotted wicker. We had to put a folded towel or pillow on the dining chairs. The beds were also very uncomfortable. Prior to our arrival, I informed the property that we were coming in for a wedding and would be doing bridal photos in our place and would appreciate a room that offered a good view (especially since we booked and paid for an ocean view room). We got the exact opposite. Of all the rooms with an ocean view, we were assigned the one building with larger trees blocking more than 75% of the ocean view. The building is sold as ocean view but instead only offers partial ocean view (and that's being generous). The attached photo was taken on the upper (private room) balcony with the phone held above the head. Imagine being on the lower balcony and looking straight out. We were looking at trees, not an ocean. The place was very clean and the bathrooms were well stocked. Overall we did not get what we paid for with this stay, though.

john walden

2023-09

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Lauren Saluta

2023-10

I recently stayed here for a work conference. My coworkers and myself stayed in a 3 bdr villa in the Justin Building, Rm312. The location was great. We have oceanfront view. Right near the pool if we wanted to use it. It was convenient to the boardwalk and beach pavilion. The restaurant on the property was nice. However, one of my biggest complaints was how outdated the villa was. The mattresses on the beds were worn out, most of the doorknobs either had issues (not turning or not locking). This day and age rentals should really have a Keurig as an option but this one had a coffee pot. The AC worked GREAT! If I was the owner, I would take the time to renovate the villa to accommodate better amenities.

Trish Sanders

2023-09

Do NOT get a room here. I am a mom with 3 kids. We booked a 3 BR townhome for 2 nights. At check-in, the outdated lobby with its musky smell started making me nervous. Then we got our room key and the place smelled like smoke, was outdated, dirty, and gross. I couldnt let my family stay there. Although we had driven 8 hours there and had no where else, I asked for the front desk to refund me. The one positive about this place is they did give me a full refund, and I am very thankful for the woman at the checkout and her understanding demeanor. We ended up finding joining rooms at a nice hotel locally and had a great time in Jekyll. You are better off staying at a hotel with the amenities. You are are thinking that the room in this place will be worth it - trust me, just do the hotel and you will be happy.

Chris Tejeda

2023-08

The room was in need of updating. The bathroom had two different kinds of doors..I guess it was a quick fix and was left that way. Dishwasher was old and had lots of rust on the racks. The one bedroom we rented needed to be cleaned. I lifted up a sofa cushion and there was food, dirt, and hair. No one bothered to vacuum under the cushions. All of the pictures on the wall hung crooked. The knives need to be replaced. Only thing to bake something in was a muffin pan and cookie sheet. Ocean front but no ocean view was accurate. The staff was friendly. As I said in the beginning our rental 286 definitely needs to be updated. The dog in 284 woke us up at 0730 on Saturday am and barked constantly til 10am. I called the desk and complained. The dog barked again from 12noon til 1 pm and never heard again. We will return to Jekyll Island again but will stay at the Westin which is beachfront and clear access to the beach.

Shirlene Barker

2023-10

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Emily Mushrush

2023-06

Definitely not a resort more of a condo/apartment type. The bed was awful and small. The photos of the Villa was very very deceiving. The room was so small you can’t even walk around the bed which is crazy since the bed was so small. Probably would have better sleep on the floor. The staff are great!! Very helpful and nice. The location is amazing can walk to multiple beaches. The restaurant here is fantastic with reasonable prices. It’s a little bit of an odd menu but it really is good. Fitness center is small. Pool looks nice! There’s no pool or beach towels. The Villa is also pretty dated. If you are planning to use the pull out couch for kids keep in mind that it is twin size the couch is more like the size of the chair. However the villas are different because some are privately owned which is kinda confusing. Probably won’t stay again in the future unless we get a different villa with a better bed. Quiet and peaceful place

Jesse Williams

2023-08

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Matthew Greiner

2024-01

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Randy Knockeart

2023-11

Very nice place. Condo was spotless. Grounds well kept. Staff was friendly. Didn’t get a 5th star because screen from doorwall was leaning against doorwall (not installed) and were assigned a Oceanside room with bushes obstructing the Ocean view (there were 4 or 5 empty rooms right next to ours with no obstructions)

Rudegalaxy LLC

2023-06

My family of 6 and I stayed here about a week ago and really enjoyed our stay. It was like a home away from home! Having a full kitchen is very important for us because eating out isn’t always possible due to our vegan diet. Our condo was equipped with pots pans utensils etc.the condo was very clean and the staff was very accommodating to our needs. Having an on-site pool was great !We’ve decided to make this a yearly family trip and will continue to stay with villas by the sea !My only cons are: 1- the 2 hour check in time estimate was hard on us considering we have small children and traveling was already very taxing on us, and the weather was bad that day. I’d love an early check in time next time I’d be willing to pay extra. Or even an exact time rather than a 2 hour window.2- the refrigerator was turned off for some reason at time of our arrival. Luckily I noticed or all of the food we bought would have went bad.

Lauren Donahue

2023-05

I would personally not describe this as a resort. It's more like a condo rental near the ocean.Pros:1)The staff was very friendly.2)It is very quiet and peaceful.3)you can walk to a couple of different beaches.4)Our room was very clean and so were the surrounding grounds.5)The pool looked nice, although we didn't have the weather to use it.Cons:1)Other than the pool and a very small gym, there are basically no amenities included. No complimentary coffee, no breakfast, and if you need extra things like TP you have to buy it yourself.2)Our bed was pretty uncomfortable and probably old. We had a king that had a massive lump in the middle.3) We had a TV in the room that wouldn't connect to any channels, so it was useless.Main point: We will most likely not return. It's not worth the cost in our opinion, and we are from California. I have personally stayed on ocean front locations that offer much more that cost less if not the same price.

Jaron Loggins

2023-10

Old, but comfortable. Very close to Driftwood. The most ideal place to stay if that's your destination.edit: In reply to the reply to my 'review'. That unexpected response seemed really passive aggressive. I stayed there with some people as a guest. Imagine that possibility. I'm well aware of my surroundings and where I sleep at. Given that I don't believe I will.

Bill and Cathy Kristler

2024-01

2023 Update. We just had are annual visit to Jekyll Island and Villas by the Sea, and I really needed to update my review. Both my wife and I said multiple times that Villas by the Sea was in the absolute best shape we have ever seen it (nearly 20 years). I can’t say enough about how great the place is looking. We sincerely hope the landscaping, maintenance and house keep up the quality they are now showing. It would be great if they even turn it up that last notch or 2 and become a 5 star facility.Our only real negative this trip is still the age of the mattresses and some of the furniture. Again these are individually owned units, but I’d encourage the Villa owners and management to push for the replace with new, better quality soft goods.All in all great improvement. A solid 4.5 stars.Original Review:We have stayed at the Villas By The Sea many times over the last 10 years. Really we like the place, but there are some issues that are slowly growing worse. I think the best way to sum it up is “good enough”. The Villas have some hard things to deal with being so close to the ocean and being around 40 years old. That said, the units were built well (concrete and steel frame) and are far enough back from the shore (for now) that they have survived much better than the new development next door. The front office staff is very friendly and helpful. The problems stem mainly from maintenance. That is where the good enough issue really is at. First there’s the fact that each Villa is individually owned and therefore your experience can and will vary. That said there needs to be better upheld standards. The beds and furniture in all the recent Villas we have stayed in have been worn out. The management needs to enforce better quality standards in the units that are rented out. The next issue is the Villas general maintenance. There are way too many things that are really half done. Lots of fixtures that are broken or missing. Lots of old plumbing and wiring projects that were replaced but just left (cables and pipes sticking out all over). Laundry rooms with machines and exhaust fans in disrepair, etc. Right now they are in their slow season as well as hurricane recovery, which is making the next issue even worse. That issue is outside maintenance workers who just don’t care about how they affect guests or even the rest of the property. They drive their trucks and equipment up and down the lawn and dunes that are supposed to be in the process of being repaired. They park trailers and equipment were ever they want (not near projects) and don’t care about what mess they make or what mess they leave. I know this is a rough patch for the Villas as all the new construction must certainly be hurting their sales and rentals. All this on top of 2 hurricanes causing damage in the last 2 years. Still the way to recover is to shine and not be a “good enough” place. I don’t want to be all negative on the Villas. They have done some good improvements: repaving the parking lots, improved their Internet to were its very, very good and they have one of the best restaurants on the island (Driftwood Bistro). My family and I sincerely hope the Villas make it through this rough time and improve. It really is a great place overall to enjoy a stay at Jekyll with.Update: I am adding a star because the Villas just announced they are started the rebuild on their boardwalk with the dune restoration work complete in their area. I think that they are moving forward with the rebuild is a very positive step. We will be back for a month this winter and I have high hopes for the Villas. We really love this place and hope they continue to improve.Rooms: Each villa is individually owned, and therefore varies. There are some standards, but a lot of variations. Most are good quality and improving, but not all.Nearby activities: Driftwood beach right next door. Great trails, historical sites, food and shopping on the island.Walkability: Very walkable area of a very walkable island.Food & drinks: On site restaurant (Driftwood Bistro) is one the local favorites. Most everyone enjoys their food.

Earlis Slack

2023-07

We had a one bedroom unit in the Hadley building 276. The living room furniture was wicker, outdated and coming apart from aging and wear. The tile on the floor was grungy especially the grout. The patio was small and pieces of the tile floor broken. Two small plastic chairs on the patio. The bathroom was very small with blistered paint on the frame of the door. Black mold around the tub. Shower head old with buildup all around the shower head. Other single bedroom units in the Hadley building were not like this at all when I visited other family members in the same building. We would not recommend staying there because it’s a possibility of getting a unit like ours.

Lacey Herrington

2023-08

This is the first time I have stayed at the Villas in about 15 years. We stayed in a 2 bedroom oceanside. The queen bed was comfortable but the 2 twin beds in the second room were extremely hard. In years before the beach access didn't have the rocks on the shore line. These rocks make it extremely hard to get down to the beach and I was disappointed in that. If you are looking for true beach access this place is not it at all. Also the check in times are from 4pm-6pm. We checked in around 5pm and our room wasn't ready til almost 7pm. I was disappointed in this also because we had a long drive to get there with our kids and was super tired.