Flagler College

Very beautiful campus to walk around on your visit to St. Augustine. We mostly just did the main building and courtyard, which used to be the Ponce de Leon hotel. Not much to say other than check it out.

In the space that was once Flagler Hotel now exists Flagler College — a liberal arts school in St. Augustine, FL. I can’t write a review of the standards or quality of the school itself, but the building is a marvel. In traditional Flagler style, everything is so detailed down to the hand painted border on the ceiling. If you enjoy appreciating architecture, detail and historical landmarks then you need to walk through the public areas of this college. The grand entrance is truly that, grand. I think it’s awesome that they’ve converted the hotel into a residence hall. The idea of going to school here, in these buildings, on the ocean, in a small town where a Vespa would be a prime source of transportation is mind blowing — especially with the perfect coffee shops and eateries that surround the area. A really cool campus in a nice area. The only sad thing dinging my star rating is the fact that you can only see a small portion of the building of you are general public — alas, this is somewhat understandable as it is a residence hall and college is in session.

One of the most beautiful campuses. They do a fabulous job keeping the historical buildings looking incredible. They also have a lot of great lectures to attend, so check them out!

What a beautiful college to attend! This old hotel features many beautiful appointments that are still intact, thankfully.
While Flagler College is not the most intellectually filled students, it certainly is one of the most beautiful in the world.
Definitely take a tour to look up the beautiful murals, Tiffany glass and other appointments.
It is definitely worth a look.

Make sure you go and take the time to at least walk through this amazingly beautiful college campus. Once this was a magnificent hotel and it sure shows it with the amazing architecture. If nothing else go and walk into the main lobby and enjoy the view. We did not take the formal tour which is offered but instead just walked around and enjoyed the place ourselves.

Beautiful school and once an old hotel.

St. Augustine im Norden Floridas ist die älteste Stadt Amerikas und besticht durch ihren spanischen Flair. Leider ist sie — aus meiner Sicht — touristisch zu sehr ausgeschlachtet.
Beeindruckt hat mich besonders das Flagler College — an so einer Universität sollte das Lernen ein Spaß sein! Im spanischen Renaissance Stil gebaut war es im ersten Leben ein Luxushotel. Der Innenhof mit Springbrunnen ist einladend und lauschig und die Lobby mit ihren Holzschnitzereien ist für jedermann zugänglich. Wer mehr Einblick möchte, kann eine Führung buchen.

A nice little tour (emphasis on little). The tour group starts in the rotunda then moves to the courtyard, dining hall, and women’s parlor. The only two areas that are not publicly accessible are the last two (dining hall and parlor). Our student host was on script with some moments of spontaneity and was very gracious in taking photographs at the end of the tour. In St. Augustine, the city of $ 10 experiences, the Flagler College tour wasn’t as disappointing as the parking garage, but was no Villa Zorayda either. The college itself is 5* building in the architecture department. Wandering the grounds sans tour, one can take some very nice photographs of one of Flagler’s crowning cultural contributions. Highly recommend visiting, but the tour is take it or leave it.

This is an absolutely magnificent architecture and so much history behind it. They have a beautiful garden right inside the gate. They also have a tour, which I didn’t do. However they have big paper posts with its history written on them just outside the entrance to the building, which informed me pretty well. A must place to visit in St. Augustine.

Flagler College’s building and grounds is the site of the former Ponce de León Hotel, an exclusive hotel in St. Augustine, Florida, that was built by millionaire Henry M. Flagler and completed in 1888. The Hotel Ponce de Leon was designed in the Spanish Renaissance Revival style by the New York architects John Carrère and Thomas Hastings. It was built with poured concrete and coquina and built on land that was a former orange grove. It was the nation’s first major poured-​in-​place concrete structure and one of the first buildings in the nation to have electricity. Tiffany stained glass can be found throughout, as well as beautiful, impressive murals and elaborate carvings. Noted personalities including Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, and Babe Ruth stayed at the hotel.
The Hotel Ponce de Leon was one of the few Flagler Hotels to survive the Great Depression. During World War II the Hotel was used as a Coast Guard Training Center. It was also a site that was later involved in the civil rights movement. According to Wikipedia, «Then Vice President Lyndon Johnson was invited to attend a banquet to launch the celebration of St. Augustine’s upcoming 400^th birthday as the nation’s oldest permanent European settlement. Dr. Robert Hayling and other civil rights activists protested the exclusion of blacks from the event, and after negotiations, two tables were set aside for local black residents.»
Eventually, due to declining tourism, the hotel was closed in 1967, having its last dinner dance in April of 1967. It was gifted to Flagler College in 1968 and became the site of its campus. Money was poured to restore the building and transform it into a college. The female dorms, which were the former hotel guest and employee rooms, can be found inside, as well as the dining hall and other rooms. Unfortunately, no one was allowed beyond the rotunda as it is closed off to tourists, and security is very tight and not very friendly, which is why I deducted a star. I hear the dining hall and every other room is stunning though, and that one can get a high quality-​education here. What I did see was elegant and beautiful. I loved the red Spanish tile throughout the roofs and towers, the beautiful grounds, fountain, imposing entryway arch, and I can only imagine going to college here must be quite an indescribable experience, like something out of a historical movie set.
As is the case with most historical buildings in Saint Augustine, Flagler College is reputed to be haunted. It is believed the owner, Henry Morrison Flagler, loved his hotel so much that he has stayed behind. Rumor says that his second wife, who became mentally ill, was attached to the place and can be seen roaming the female dorms, especially becoming attached to any students who resemble her and her strawberry blonde hair. Because Flagler supposedly had a mistress staying at the hotel that had to be locked away when his second wife was around, it Is believed out of depression and frustration, she hung herself. She is upset about her suicide and still hangs around, walking in black clothing, looking for Henry.

I am rating Flagler College as both a college and tourist destination. First off, Flagler is a great college. The central and beautiful location is a huge plus. Also the academics are great! The professors truly care and challenge you. Have a question? Feel free to ask anyone. There are many activities to do, clubs to be in, de-​stress days and fun events. The female dorms in the Ponce Hotel are nothing immaculate but they are historical.
The tourist part, the tours are good and very informational. You learn a lot! The buildings architecture is amazing and magnificent! The grounds of the college are well kept. Just try and stay out of the ways of the students as they run to class!
***Also the dining hall and upstairs ponce hotel are off-​limits to tourists***

Such a beautiful campus to visit while in downtown St. Augustine. The buildings are gorgeous and had I not gone to University of Florida, I would have liked to come to school here. Great place to visit while you are already doing the tourist thing…

The architecture here is fabulous. Very handsome building and for me, along with the Castillo de San Marcos and the lighthouse, one of the true landmarks of Saint Augustine.
Given the many activities in town, I didn’t feel it was worth it to pay for the tour, but we certainly enjoyed strolling around the outskirts of the college after a visit to the fabulous Lightner Museum.

This campus is so beautiful and it has been recognized as one of the better colleges in the Southeast and in the whole nation by the US News and World Report! Of course, it originally was not a college campus. Long ago, it was the opulent Ponce de Leon Hotel, which was built in 1888. It was renamed Flagler College after a rich visionary that had much to do with the construction of such landmarks in St. Augustine. There are tons of great photo opportunities here! The campus is a beautiful addition to the St. Augustine skyline. You will be able to see it from the Castillo de San Marcos. It’s not far from the central plaza. What you get to see after you pass by the courtyard is what used to be the lobby and it is gorgeous. There is a beautiful dome above you!
Just don’t get carried away by its beauty when you are taking snapshots because you may accidentally venture into the FORBIDDEN ZONE haha! Yes, parts of the campus are closed off to visitors! They have small signposts with warnings. I noticed them but my BF didn’t and he wanted a picture just a little ways up the stairs which lead to dormitories I think. He was already there so I was about to take the picture when a security guard kind of rudely told us we couldn’t be there. Relax little watchdog, we meant no harm haha! He was doing his job, I know, but good manners never hurt. It’s their job to be professional. Besides, it was clear my BF had no intention to go up further into the dorms. I really do not see why they can’t just let people take pictures. There is a little student store in this «lobby» area in case you want a cool memento of your visit to Flagler College.

Beautiful college! Enjoyed the historic tour and got some great pictures.

This review is for the tourist attraction and not the academic institution (which does sound like it could stand to loosen up a bit). The old Ponce de Leon hotel, as another reviewer put it, is a wonderful mash-​up of architectural styles. Yeah, it’s a bit gaudy and a bit over-​the-​top, but it’s also incredibly beautiful and fascinating. The tour is well worth the fee. Our guide did a nice job of explaining the building, and the fee grants access to some great rooms that you can’t see without being part of the tour. Well worth it.

I can’t speak to the college (although a plaque outside describes it as «accredited»), but the building is incredible. An old hotel, apparently, built by a railroad baron named Flagler. He clearly spared no expense and built the most absurd, kitschy hodgepodge of architectural elements to ever grace this bizarrely self-​absorbed town. Truly, it is amazing. Italian marble, Tiffany stained glass, Chinese-​inspired dragons, New World adobe and Old World stonework.
But it is an opulent and beautiful mess. You won’t see anything else like it in the whole world, and I don’t think a trip to Saint Augustine would be complete without a visit to this unique building

One of AMERICA’s greatest architectural masterpieces, let alone Florida’s. It’s jaw-​dropping. Used to be the Ponce De Leon hotel. Don’t just walk by and admire from the outside – go in and see the courtyard and rotunda! One of the most memorable places in all of Florida!
[ps If you meet Dan B. (another reviewer) seems like someone from whom you should run away.]

As a preface to my review… I graduated from Flagler in 2008, played NCAA volleyball for the school all 4 years, and majored in Business Administration with a minor in Graphic Design and a minor in Fine Art.
First of all, and obviously, the school is beautiful. I heard many a friend’s jaw drop as they visited from big, traditional state universities and said «THIS is where you go to school???» From inside out, the history and spanish architecture is pretty breathtaking. The dining hall has huge, hand-​painted domed ceilings and is surrounded by what used to be the world’s large collection of tiffany stained glass. All of the dorms are different in shape and size and bathrooms, as the whole building used to be Henry Flagler’s famous hotel. The tour’s are really cool — from talking about the history and Henry Flagler’s many mistresses to the hauntings and odd details about the architecture.
The teacher’s are wonderful — many of them ex-executive’s in the classes they are actually teaching, so you’re getting taught by someone who has actually been-​there and done-​that. And most of them also live right around the corner (I used to pass my accounting teacher walking over the bridge to school every day).
It is a small college, so you can’t expect the luxuries and traits that come with huge universities. However, it being a small college in such an extraordinarily unique city provided me with a pretty amazing experience. Not to mention, it’s on the beautiful bay, and about 7 minutes from the beach.
Looking back, I wouldn’t trade it for anything! Definitely worth a look if your a tourist or a potential student!

I dont get why anyone wouldn’t want to go to school here. This college is absolutely beautiful. It’s so big and the architecture is breathtaking.
My husband and I were able to go around the school, saw the cathedral that’s close by and loved everything about it.
We couldn’t go inside since we had our dog with us, but I felt like becoming a student all over again.
This building reminded a lot of Europe.

OK I also am reviewing the building and tour. Not the College.
This amazing structure was built by Henry Flagler and for anyone who lives in Florida that name is virtually inescapable, he was a visionary and helped create the Florida we know today (anyone heard of Flaglers Folly.)
It was originally a very exclusive hotel and resort. It was built in 1887 in Spanish Renaissance style, sure its what we would consider gaudy but it was the bees knees of luxury in the day. It truly is a gorgeous example of the architectural style.
Now its a college so of course you don’t get to see everything but what you do see is absolutely gorgeous.
A nice tour to add to the others in town.