Last updated: 9/21/2022 Amelia Island is one of my favorite islands on the Atlantic coast of Florida.  This beautiful 13 mile long island is located about 30 miles Northeast of Jacksonville.  The proximity to Jacksonville International Airport makes it really easy to find Amelia Island flights.  The island was once a pirate hideout, and is full of rich history worth looking in to.  We asked a panel of our contributors to pick their favorite Amelia Island hotels.  We decided have separate categories for the best value and best overall hotel, since it isn’t really fair to compare the Ritz Carlton to a value pick like Omni. If you are looking for the the best Amelia Island vacation rentals instead, check out our list: The 6 Best Amelia Island Vacation Rentals. This is one of the few islands in Florida that has both excellent hotels and vacation rentals. Most tend to be really good at one or the other but not both. Without further ado, here’s our picks:

Top Amelia Island Luxury Hotels:

The Ritz Carlton Amelia Island

Ritz Carlton hotels have a reputation of excellence, and this property is no exception.  We actually rate the Amelia Island Ritz Carlton and the #2 Ritz in the entire United States, second only to their Lake Tahoe property.  The grounds are immaculate, the beach is beautiful and in a great location, and the rooms are unparalleled anywhere in Florida.  This hotel is designed in a horseshoe shape, giving beautiful ocean views to almost all of the 450+ guest rooms.

There are 5 different restaurants on the property, including the highest rated restaurant on Amelia Island, Salt.  Both TripAdvisor and Yelp give the restaurants here nearly perfect scores.  As for the hotel itself, here’s how it fares on our favorite review sites:

TripAdvisor User Review Score: 4.8 out of 5.0 with 2600+ reviews (A whopping 65% of users give it a perfect 5.0/5.0)

Google User Review Score: 4.7 out of 5.0 with 1100+ reviews

Facebook User Review Score: 4.7 out of 5.0 with 3800+ reviews

Without question, this was our panel’s top Amelia Island Florida hotel.  It isn’t cheap (will usually run around $400 a night), but the experience here is unmatched.  Not only is this the top property on Amelia Island, it’s one of the top hotels in the entire United States.   We recommend booking via Hotels.com because of their free cancellation and no change fee policies.  You can check out their availability and current pricing here: Ritz Carlton Amelia Island-Hotels.com Availability and Rate Calendar

Runner Up: The Elizabeth Pointe Lodge

This is a really unique hotel, especially for the area.  It’s a little bit of a cross between a bed and breakfast and a hotel.  It’s small enough it doesn’t seem like a hotel but the room structure is like a traditional hotel.  There are only 25 rooms at this gorgeous property, which can make it difficult to find a room during high season.  You won’t find any Amelia Island Florida hotels that are closer to the beach than Elizabeth Pointe.  It is important to note that we wouldn’t consider this a family hotel, it’s adults only.

There aren’t any spas or pools here, just a beach view to die for.  They were awarded the 2017 Conde Nast Best Service award, just to name one.  Elizabeth Pointe is regularly featured in publications like Southern Living earning praise for its charm and overall dedication to excellence.  This is a great choice for a couple looking for a super laid back beach hotel.  This is a place that you really need to book far in advance, and if you manage to find a room, book it.  Using Hotels.com you can cancel for free if you make other plans.  Check their availability and rates here: Elizabeth Pointe Lodge Amelia Island Availability Calendar

Top Value Amelia Island Hotels:

Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort

The Omni Amelia Island is the best value of any hotel in this area of Florida.  Rooms here are regularly under $200 a night, and the amenities can’t be matched for the price.  There’s 3.5 miles of beautiful Northwest Florida beachfront on this resort, a long with the best pools in the area.  From the huge kids waterpark and splash pad to the adults only infinity pool overlooking the ocean, there’s a pool for everyone.  If you like to golf there’s 36 holes of golf on the property, or if you just want to rent a golf cart to explore the area you can do that too!

The Omni actually has NINE restaurants, and most overlook the ocean.  From the fancy Bob’s Chop House to the affordable Falcons Nest Pub (dinner meals around $10 with an awesome happy hour), you can be as fancy or casual as you want.  This is one of those resorts where there’s really no reason to leave the property.  Taking an Uber or taxi to the resort from the Jacksonville airport means you don’t need the hassle of a rental car.  We can’t recommend this Amelia Island Florida Hotel enough, you can check current prices and availability here: Omni Amelia Island Resort Rates and Availability

Runner Up:  Seaside Amelia Inn

While not as luxurious as some of the previous picks, there aren’t any other Amelia Island Florida hotels on the beach where you can stay for $150 a night.  If you are someone who is planning on spending most of your time on the beach this is a great value pick.  Located right down the road from Elizabeth Pointe, the location and beach here are top notch for a great price.

While there isn’t a full restaurant at the hotel, there are several awesome spots like The Sandbar Kitchen and Beach Bar (check the tripadvisor reviews here The Sandbar-Tripadvisor.com) which sits right next door.  The pool here is pretty small, but clean and right off the beach.  One cool feature of this hotel is the rooftop observation deck, which is a fantastic place to watch the sunset with a glass of wine.  The Seaside Amelia Inn is a great pick for for beachgoers looking for a great price on a no frills, clean and well maintained beachfront hotel.

Check out our other articles and guides other areas of Florida, and leave a comment if you have any questions or need any recommendations!

Happy Islanding!