Greyfield Inn

The Greyfield Inn sits on beautiful Cumberland Island. The support staff are accommodating. Cristina who guides most of the tours is extremely knowledgeable and interesting. Patrick part-time bartender and “Jack of all trades” is a great mixologist . I would like to point out, however that for the price of my room I would expect an impeccably appointed bathroom without shopworn towels, tiles without major need of repair and a usable shower. Additionally, the lampshades were worn and yellowed. The green velveteen sofa in the library is sitting on wooden blocks. The Inn seems to have deferred much needed maintenance. I would like to stress that the staff was excellent, but the overall condition of the Inn and appointments was below expectations.

We thoroughly enjoyed our two night stay at Greyfield. I wish we had planned for three nights! The weather was a mix between sunny and slightly overcast and the temperatures were in the low 70’s during the day. Staying at Greyfield Inn felt like being a guest in the home of a good friend! There is no “front desk” or even a key to your room. (There is a latch inside). After disembarking from the boat ferrying us from Fernandina Beach a staff member walked us to the Inn while providing a brief history of the home and property. He took us through the home showing us the locations where our breakfast, lunch and dinner would be provided. An honor bar is available throughout the day. It’s a quiet and serene place in general but bikes, kayaks, fishing poles and beach chairs are available if you want to venture out. Each day there were one or two tours hosted by a guide you could sign up for. The island has several interesting examples of the Carnegie family’s time there as well as settlements of other early inhabitants. Our meals were plentiful and delicious. Our room was very comfortable but the one negative would be the claw foot tub/shower that I found a bit claustrophobic! Some of the furniture, chairs mostly, could use some new cushioning and upholstery. Greyfield Inn is a great place to unwind and recharge while meeting a few other people with the same intention. I can’t wait to return next year!

Although a beautiful setting, the cost of the stay does not match the modest quality of the rooms or the food that was not up to reasonable expectations. They really need a reset in order to become either a high end two day stay or a modest hotel in a national park setting.

Overall trip was a disappointment. Upon arrival our staffer was friendly and the history was interesting but a welcome packet with an island map, daily activity flyer and overall information about rooms, food service, etc. would have been helpful - especially since we could not check in to our room until later in the day. The general condition of the Inn and Cottages was worn and tired looking - peeling paint, uncomfortable DR chairs, inoperable fountain in front, and lack of good a/c was not up to standard considering the room rate. Food was particularly disappointing - poorly cooked and unimaginative dinners, and the evening cocktail hour had food that was cheap and unappetizing. There was no seafood at any meal for our entire stay - surprising for a seaside resort - and again disappointing. Lunch and breakfast were more acceptable but not 5 star. Also, the level of staffing was not enough to provide for 5 star service - there was an incoming wedding and it seemed that regular guests were taking a back seat in service and food quality as the entire staff prepared for it. The activities were not planned well enough in advance for an adequate sampling during a 2 day stay and focused more on history and not enough on nature and the natural beauty of the island. The tour truck rides were uncomfortable and could case motion sickness - which should be forewarned. The kayak launching area was dangerous and basically unusable, and there was no help or direction from staff. The high room rate cost comes with a high level of expectation - with attention to detail and quality of services that were lacking. All these issues made our stay disappointing and should be addressed to ensure that future stays meet a 5 star expectation.

Thoroughly enjoyed my visit to this tranquil, unspoiled island. The huge oaks with moss and saw palmetto are everywhere and make for a very romantic setting. The inn itself is beautiful with a large porch complete with daybeds and rocking chairs looking out over the moss draped yard with grazing wild horses. In fact, you see wild horses (and foals in our case) everywhere on the island. Get a bike from the inn and ride to the wide beach with huge dunes seeing deer, armadillos and turkeys along the way. The naturalist, Christina, is excellent, very informative and friendly. We took a 4-5 hour tour of the north end (see church where JFK jr wed and old Gullah settlement) with 6 people on the back of the inn’s truck which proved to be quite an adventure. The other guests were friendly and interesting and some were people I’d like to stay in touch with. We had dinner each night with a group and I would rate the food as very good and the company of other guests great. All in all the most magical few days I’ve had in a long time!!