I’ve always enjoyed visiting Margaritaville when in Jax Beach to see family, but this trip was a very different experience.
Check-in started off rough. While the front desk staff was pleasant and accommodating, I had to change rooms twice before settling in. The first room had a broken toilet seat. When I went back down, they quickly switched me to another room — but that door wouldn’t lock at all. A receptionist personally came upstairs to confirm, and after searching, finally escorted me to a third room that had no issues. She did try to make up for the inconvenience by gifting me a bottle of champagne, which I appreciated.
Unfortunately, the challenges didn’t stop there. The next day at the pool, I ordered a salad and fries. When I realized my card was missing after paying, I mentioned it to the waiter. He insisted it was in the card presenter — but it wasn’t. Another server stepped in to help, and eventually the first waiter returned with my card, saying it was “on the floor.” No apology, and he seemed more annoyed than concerned, which left me uncomfortable.
On top of this, the new wristband system is frustrating — it takes too long to register and slows down getting to your room.
I truly hope Margaritaville can get things back on track, because the property itself is beautiful and has always been a great place to stay in the past.