The full-service Lexington Hotel & Conference Center in Jacksonville, Florida, recently completed a $30 million renovation of the 322 guestrooms, lobby, restaurant, bar and 35,000 square feet of meeting space.

Arriving on a Friday night, we were greeted by a friendly employee at check-in. She provided us with a handy list of local restaurants. Twenty-five dining establishments are within a half-mile radius of the hotel.  Live music was playing in the bar and lounge — Southbank Johnnies. The enormous hotel lobby decorated in a modern nautical theme gives a nod to the nearby Atlantic Ocean and St. Johns River.

Our fifth-floor, wheelchair-accessible guestroom felt fresh with a striped blue carpet and white queen-sized bed.  A large stuffed chair and ottoman made a snug reading nook. The built-in furniture gave the room a contemporary feel.  Amenities we appreciate included free WiFi, coffeemaker, mini fridge and a safe. For guests who want to exercise, the hotel provides a 24-hour fitness center and an outdoor pool. A real treat is the outdoor jogging path along the riverfront.

We spent Saturday exploring Jacksonville, beginning with the Riverside Arts Market held under the Fuller Warren Bridge. More than 100 artists, farmers, bakers and makers set up booths. We sampled homemade cinnamon rolls and bought a pair of earrings from the designer. Musicians performed while hundreds of people shopped at the event with river views. Beside the bridge is the Cummer Art Museum & Gardens where we saw the works of Andy Warhol, a nearly 200-year-old oak tree and a timeline of art history. In the afternoon, we strolled historic San Marco Square.  Everything we experienced was less than a 15-minute drive from our hotel.

A water taxi is just a few steps from the hotel, as well as a complimentary skyway, which runs Monday through Friday. Nestled along Southbank at the St. Johns River, the Lexington Hotel is centrally located amid commercial and newly constructed waterfront residential properties and is convenient to many attractions and restaurants.

The Lexington Hotel & Conference Center

1515 Prudential Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32207
tel 904 396 5100