The owners of Atlantic Beach’s Hotel Palms announced March 10 they have purchased the adjacent Salt Air Inn and Suites with plans to create an integrated hospitality property.
Hotel Palms, a renovated motor court hotel, is at 28 Sherry Drive, abutting the Salt Air property at 425 Atlantic Blvd. Both hotels were built in 1946, according to Duval County Property Appraiser records.
In a news release, Hotel Palms said the expansion “thoughtfully links the two properties through a cohesive design” and will include shared hardscaping, landscaping, wayfinding and breeze block accents that will “visually unify the properties.”
The release said the expanded Hotel Palms footprint will span about three-quarters of an acre, encompassing the original 11 courtyard-facing rooms and 15 additional ground-level rooms overlooking the pool next to the current property.
Plans call for renovation of the Salt Air’s rooms to include four double king and four single queen rooms, six king suites and an ADA-accessible king room.
All rooms will have access to a courtyard space, poolside sundeck, pool, outdoor shower, outdoor fireplace, lounge and an ACE Coffee shop open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, the release said. Some poolside rooms will include kitchenettes.
The combined property will carry the Hotel Palms name, with rooms in the renovated Salt Air portion marketed as Hotel Palms Poolside. The Hotel Palms rooms will be known as the Hotel Palms Courtyard.
Hotel Palms Poolside will include an indoor event space that can accommodate private parties.
The purchase price of the Salt Air was not disclosed.
Together, the properties comprise 8,000 square feet of interior space, according to the release.
In 2019, Curt DeWitt and Kyle Stucki purchased what was then named the Salt Air Motel. Three years later, after renovating the 15-unit property, they reopened it as the Sat Air Inn and Suites.
The release said Hotel Palms will continue to operate as renovations take place.