smal l b u s i n e s s o f t h e mon t h
BRUCE DUNBAR
THE TERRACE HOTEL
329 E MAIN ST
LAKELAND, FL 33801
(863) 688-0800
The Terrace Hotel,
a full service boutique
hotel located in the
heart of Downtown
Lakeland on Main
Street, is a perfect
combination of up to
the minute modern
day hotel amenities
and a trip back to
1920’s Florida boom
time. Guests at the
Terrace enjoy free
valet parking and wi-fi.
Other services available
include a business
center, dry cleaning,
private dining room
and a large events room
for business meetings
or social receptions.
The Terrace Grille is
recognized as one of
the best restaurants
in Central Florida
and offers fine dining
for breakfast, lunch,
and dinner as well as
offering room service
for guests. There is also
a full service bar, and it
would be remiss not to
mention the excellent
desserts – if you order
the Oreo Ice Cream
Sandwich you will be
back for another at your
next opportunity.
In addition to the
excellent food, another
high point of the
dining experience at
the Terrace Grille or
a stay at the hotel is
the setting. There are
soaring pecky cypress
ceilings, an original
checkerboard slate
floor, an outsize mural
depicting Downtown’s
historic Lake Mirror
Promenade, and views
through elegant floor
to ceiling arched
windows of Downtown’s
vibrant street life. All
of these amenities
were preserved by the
present ownership
when they brought the
hotel back from the
brink of demolition
in 1998 saving an
historic landmark
which first opened its
doors in 1924.Since
re-opening in 1998, the
Terrace’s goal has been
to provide each and
every guest with a truly
unforgettable, equally
restful, experience.
The management aims
to provide each guest
with an exceptional,
comfortable experience
unlike any other to
be found in Lakeland.
There are 73 spacious
guest rooms and 15
guest suites, all of
which offer extensive,
unobstructed views,
luxury linens, and
elegant furnishings.
The Terrace Hotel
is a member of the
Historic Hotels of
America, a group of
over 200 luxury hotels
that have faithfully
maintained their
historic architecture
and ambience. To
be selected for this
program a hotel must
be at least 50 years
old and listed in the
National Register of
Historic Places. The
Terrace Hotel is only
the third hotel to be
designated both a
Preferred Boutique
Hotel and a Historic
Hotel of America.
Perhaps more
important to our
local population, the
Terrace Hotel is a
contributing member
of the community. If
you are at a fund raising
event for a local nonprofit, you are sure to
find an opportunity
to bid on a fine dining
experience, a room for
two, or combination
basket donated by The
Terrace. A highlight of
each year’s Lake Mirror
Classic Car Show in
October is the Parade
of Waiters. Visitors
line the route to watch
wait staff in tuxes, led
by a bagpiper in full
kilt, parade from the
Terrace to the Frances
Langford Promenade
to deliver on silver trays
held high lunches for
the participants in the
car show’s Concours
d’Elegance. Lunches
and wait staff are
provided each year by
The Terrace. And no
Christmas Holiday is
complete without a trip
to the Terrace Lobby
to pose in front of the
elaborately decorated
two story Christmas
tree for a photo while
listening to local high
school choirs caroling.
In fact the Terrace
is such a great place
to visit, it has also
become a great place
to work. Unlike most
hotels and restaurants
which experience high
turnover of employees,
the highly trained staff
at the Terrace has less
than a 10% annual
turnover rate. Many
of the staff have been
at the hotel for over
ten years. All of these
attributes combined
make the Terrace a local
gem for both visitors
and local citizens to
savor and enjoy. Come
visit and enjoy a brief
stay, a meal, or just a
dessert. You’ll be glad
you did, and the staff
will make every effort to
make sure
you return.
P AT R I C I A H E N D L E R ,
For more information on
the requirements for the
Small Business Award
and to view previous
recipients, please visit
LakelandChamber.com/
BusinessResource.
PATRICIA HENDLER
PRESENTS THE AWARD
TO GENERAL MANAGER,
BRUCE DUNBAR AND
STAFF.
10 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S
CITY OF LAKELAND