6
St. Pete / Clearwater
the World Of Hospitality
2,000 New Hotel Rooms In
St. Pete / Clearwater By 2017!
Opal Sands Resort and Treasure Island Beach Resort
just opened in the sunshine record-holding destination
St. Pete/Clearwater, the sun-drenched peninsula
on Florida’s Gulf Coast, has responded to growing
tourism demands by adding an array of luxury and
boutique hotels to its 35-mile stretch of awardwinning white sandy beaches.
Opal Sands Resort and Treasure Island Beach Resort
(opened in February and March this year) have kicked
off the transformation of the area with four others
already under construction. The developments will
add over 2,000 new hotel rooms to the destination,
visited by around 50,000 Brits every year.
The Opal Sands Resort is the only hotel on Clearwater
Beach that offers panoramic views of the Gulf of
Mexico and spectacular sunsets from every room.
Each of the 230 rooms, curving along the white sandy
coastline, has floor-to-ceiling windows and large
balconies. Positioned on the lively promenade, the
resort is in prime location and is the newest addition
to the well-sought after beach strip.
The hotel offers numerous dining options including a
sandbar, pool bar and a fresh seafood restaurant, and
is in walking distance from the many restaurants and
bars in Clearwater. Guests can enjoy the Gulf-front
outdoor pool and hot tub or take refuge from the sun
in a private cabana.
The resort offers a full service spa with direct access
onto the beach and is within walking distance from the
family-friendly Pier 60, known for its arts and crafts,
fishing, shopping and nightly sunset celebrations.
Clearwater Marina nearby offers sunset sailing cruises,
deep sea fishing expeditions and dolphin encounters.
Treasure Island Beach Resort, opened on 5 March
2016, boasts 77 luxurious rooms and combines
beachfront luxury with the charming ambience of
Treasure Island.
The first property to be built on Treasure Island beach
for almost a decade, it has an outdoor beachfront
pool and sundeck overlooking the three-mile beach
beyond. There are restaurants, shops and bars in
walking distance or the signature BRGR Restaurant
and Bar located on site.
The two new properties are part of a rapidly evolving
accommodation offering in St. Pete/Clearwater. In
February this year, the sister property of the famous
Loews Don CeSar, Beach House Suites, opened on St.
Pete beach after a full remodelling. Another stalwart
of St. Pete Beach, Postcard Inn on the Beach, has also
Website: www.visitstpeteclearwater.com
had a multimillion dollar facelift, finished in the past
month.
When it is completed in 2017, the Wyndham Grand
Resort will become Clearwater’s largest property with
450 rooms, while Allure Suites Hotel-Beachfront
Resort, also opening next year, will offer 66 spacious
condo units on the beach.
When it opened near St. Pete Beach in 2014, the Hotel
Zamora was the first property to be built in the area
in 30 years and has recently been welcomed into the
prominent Kimpton hotel group. The Kimpton Hotel
Zamora will delight guests with its Moroccan-inspired
décor, in-room yoga mats and a hosted evening wine
hour.
With an average of 361 days of sunshine each year and
a Guinness World Record for the most consecutive
days of sunshine (768), St. Pete/Clearwater is far from
the Florida of theme parks and chain brands, instead
bursting with quirkiness and personality.
Aside from boasting the best beaches in America
– voted by TripAdvisor in 2015, there is the largest
collection of Dali artwork outside of Spain at The Dali
Museum and impressive street art and murals. St. Pete
also boasts independent restaurants, boutique shops
and a craft beer trail boasting 20 independent artisanal
breweries.