Marriott Renovations Of The Former Omni Jacksonville Hotel Are Ongoing
- Charles I. Guarria
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
(Updated 12/31/2025)
It took some time, but the place that Marriott Downtown Jacksonville finds itself in right now is shaping up.
The time involved can be measured in years.
It was February 25, 2021, when the Omni Jacksonville Hotel was purchased by LR JAX LLC for $35.1 million. On the day of sale, the 16-story hotel had yet to be rebranded.
On April 6, 2022, Marriott International Inc. gave the hotel its new name. That being, Marriott Jacksonville Downtown.
On November 5, 2025, I was happy to report that Marriott personnel confirmed room renovations were 98% complete.
Which meant it was time for Donna and me to head back to 245 Water Street—a place of fond memories.
Herewith are our observations of what Marriott International has done and what’s to come.
The Room
We found the rooms to be incredibly comfortable. This includes the bed, linens, and pillows. In our two most recent stays, November and December, we booked the newly renovated city-view, river-view corner king room, complete with a sitting area, work desk, and mini fridge.
The room pictured below checks in at 450 square feet yet feels larger. In part, because corner rooms have more windows. Which is why we frequently try to score such lodging.
We arrived early for the December stay and were offered a high-floor room, as the room that we had requested had yet to be cleaned.
Correct that, it wasn't a high-floor room. It was the highest-16th-floor room.
Though not a corner room with multiple windows, the single window was oversized, providing a great view of Jacksonville. This room is 362 square feet and, similar to the corner room, felt bigger.
The motion-sensored built-in nightlights, placed under the bed, are a great touch. Having a nightlight in the bathroom would have been a good add.
Speaking of the bathroom, there should be more hooks to hang towels on.
A room of a different sort, the gym, isn't available as it too is being renovated. Guests may use the Hyatt Regency’s gym, less than a half-mile away, or a private gym that is just as close.
Food
The restaurant and bar names remain the same as when it was under the stewardship of Omni Hotels & Resorts, Juliette’s Bistro and J Bar, respectively.
Juliette’s Bistro was not open for lunch, though on the November visit, we were told by a front desk worker that it was, and, as of this writing, the hotel's website lists it as open for lunch.
Nevertheless, the restaurant’s full menu was available at J Bar. The lunch menu could be more extensive. In November, I found the chicken to be on the dry side. Donna made the better choice. She said that her salmon was perfect.
When we came back in December, we flipped proteins. I had the salmon and concur with Donna, it was very good. She ordered the chicken and liked it more than I had.
The morning buffet at Juliette's Bistro was as enjoyable as it was back in the Omni days.
Marriott provided many high points, such as a good fruit selection that was consistently replenished. A nice-sized hot water carafe for tea was provided. Individual carafes are served for each tea drinker.
Other food choices on the plus side of the ledger include the Chobani yogurt, eggs, bacon, and sausage.
The grits were a 50/50 thing. Donna liked them better than I. The banana muffin also falls into this category, as I thought it to be fair, whilst Donna said that it tasted good.
Some aspects of the breakfast buffet that could be better: the Danish did not stand out in taste. Though there are many toppings to enhance the yogurt, on the December stay, most of them were practically empty by 8:30 a.m. Not the case for our November overnight.
Julliette’s is indoor seating only. However, one section is built with the feel of sitting outdoors. That section of the restaurant has a patio design that is enhanced by glass walls, a glass roof and plenty of vegetation, creating a nice dining experience.
I was not able to confirm if the patio-style seating would survive the renovations.
The prices are reasonable at Juliette’s Bistro and J-Bar. four lunches, two adult beverages, two buffet breakfasts and four teas totaled $179.98.
The grab-n-go, also temporary, is lacking in the depth of products and food offered. However, a coffee shoppe that is expected to provide a deeper line of goods is coming as part of phase two renovations in 2026.
General Thoughts
The next phase of renovations, which will include restaurant upgrades, the aforementioned coffee shoppe, and the gym-wellness center, is expected to be completed in 2026, per front desk employees.
The staff were pleasant to gregarious. This Marriott is definitely hiring a certain personality type that goes beyond professionalism and into friendliness.
One friendly employee had worked at the hotel dating back to its Omni days. There are a multitude of reasons that could have influenced his decision to stay when Marriott took over. I walked away from the conversation thinking that he stayed because he liked what he saw in Marriott’s plans.
What’s next
Current renovations are taking place mostly in the public areas, such as the fitness center, lobby, and second-floor meeting spaces.
The meeting spaces will be outfitted with enhanced lighting and technology-forward features. Total cost for renovations to the public spaces is $2.5 million.
Our most recent stay was on 12/29. At that time, the new café-grab-n-go station was in the process of being built. It will be located on the left-hand side of the lobby as one enters. Signs boast that the café will have sandwiches, decadent snacks and signature, handcrafted coffee. It is expected to be open by the end of June 2026.
Restaurant renovations will begin once the café is completed. The opening of the new restaurant will be accompanied by a new, seasonal menu. Marriott is promising a locally inspired restaurant, stylish bar, and “open-concept lounge designed,” as stated on the company’s website.
The front desk is in line for renovations after the restaurant is opened.
A front desk employee informed that the current round of renovations occur between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. That they won’t be heard in guest rooms, but in other parts of the hotel, you may hear the work being done.
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Photo Credit: Marriott International, Inc. Me
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