A Hidden World of Enchantment: The Magic Hideaway at Casa Monica Resort & Spa
St. Augustine’s Nights of Lights season has always carried a shimmer of the surreal—millions of tiny white bulbs casting their glow across the ancient city. But inside the legendary Casa Monica Resort & Spa, a different kind of illumination awaits: the warm, impossibly close magic conjured by internationally acclaimed magician Bill Abbott at The Magic Hideaway, an upscale, two-hour boutique illusion experience that feels plucked from another era.
Tucked inside the hotel’s richly appointed Cordova Lounge, The Magic Hideaway invites no more than 22 guests at a time into a world styled after an intimate vintage jazz club. Crystal balls glow softly. A Moroccan chandelier hangs suspended like a captured spell. Guests choose from an exclusive menu of complimentary, magic-themed welcome cocktails—creations designed in partnership with Casa Monica’s culinary team—before Abbott greets them with close-up sleight-of-hand performed only inches away.
When the house lights fade, Abbott draws on more than 5,000 performances across 11 countries to deliver a show that blends sleight-of-hand with psychological mentalism, time-bending narratives, and the kind of warm, witty improv that makes each performance entirely its own. Recently named Canadian Magician of the Year, Abbott has created illusions for America’s Got Talent, The Steve Harvey Show, and networks including Disney, FOX, and Netflix—yet here, at this small and sumptuous hideaway, his work becomes something richer: a shared secret between performer and guest.
His signature illusions are both elegant and disarming. One moment, Abbott is casually shuffling a deck of cards; the next, a guest discovers a chosen card impossibly sealed inside a glass or tucked into their own pocket—placed there, it seems, by a hand that moved faster than thought. In another moment that regularly draws audible gasps, Abbott borrows a dollar bill from an unsuspecting audience member, vanishes it cleanly, and later reveals it folded inside a locked antique box across the room or, impossibly, imbedded within a lime. The effect is not merely the trick itself, but the timing, the charm, and the effortless suspense he builds before the revelation.
Perhaps the most astonishing piece is his delicate manipulation of time and memory. Abbott invites a volunteer to think of a private moment from their past—a date, a person, a word. With no physical contact and no clues offered aloud, he reveals the thought with uncanny precision, leaving both the participant and the room suspended between disbelief and wonder. These effects never feel flashy or overstated; instead, they unfold like whispered secrets, tailored to the intimacy of the 22-seat showroom. It is magic made not to overwhelm, but to invite connection.
What truly sets The Magic Hideaway apart, however, is intimacy. Guests sit close enough to feel part of the performance, forging a shared sense of discovery as Abbott bends time, perception, and expectation. It’s no surprise the show has earned a devoted following, drawing audiences from across the country who return again and again to experience Abbott’s newest creations.
Abbott and his wife, Rebecca, moved to St. Augustine because they believed the Oldest City held the right alchemy of history, charm, and mystique to bring this dream to life. They were right. During Nights of Lights, the experience becomes even more extraordinary. Stepping from the glittering historic streets into Casa Monica’s Moorish-inspired lobby—its vaulted archways, gilded décor, and hand-selected art from the Kessler Collection—feels as though the night itself is ushering you into the story.
Built in 1888 by railroad magnate Henry Flagler, Casa Monica remains one of St. Augustine’s crown jewels: stunning, storied, and effortlessly opulent. Guests often pair their Magic Hideaway evening with dinner at Cordova, the hotel’s signature restaurant, known for Mediterranean-inspired dishes and a warm, Spanish-revival aesthetic. Many linger afterward in the Cobalt Lounge, where live piano music drifts through the arches and handcrafted cocktails evoke Old World glamour.
For those wishing to make a true holiday escape of it, Casa Monica’s guest rooms and suites offer handcrafted mahogany furniture, plush bedding, and views that capture the glowing tapestry of the city below.
HOW TO EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC
Tickets to The Magic Hideaway
Performances currently run on select evenings at 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $125 per person, including the welcome cocktail, VIP lounge access, pre-show sleight-of-hand, the full showroom performance, and a post-show social for photos and autographs. Purchase tickets directly at MagicHideaway.com.
To Stay at Casa Monica Resort & Spa
Visit kesslercollection.com/casa-monica to reserve a room or suite, explore spa offerings, or view packages tailored to the Nights of Lights season.
Dining at Cordova
Reservations for the Cordova restaurant—and for the Cobalt Lounge’s curated cocktail experience—can be made through the Casa Monica website or via OpenTable.
