Fresh Paint - New and Remodeled Hotels and Resorts
Few things are better than staying in a Florida hotel or resort — except staying in a BRAND NEW Florida hotel or resort! Each year, a set of accommodations really steps things up with a makeover, or a ground is broken on a groundbreaking new resort. New designs, new furniture, new features, new amenities, new specials — here’s everything new you need to know about.
Grand Gem
A gem of a resort on the Emerald Coast, Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard is a new, 84-room select service hotel designed by Howard Hospitality and HVS Design. This resort just opened last year, and the modern thinking shows! Features of Hyatt Place include daily hot breakfast featuring cage-free eggs, whole fruit, Greek yogurt, and more. Enjoy coffee and cocktail bars, a 1,600 sq. ft. meeting space, and 24-hour fitness center. Room decor includes sleek lines combined with soft lighting and natural accents to offer a modern take on rustic. Suites with sofa beds offer a semi-separate sitting space for more room to spread out. This new hotel is located within walking distance of the bustling Grand Boulevard Town Center, packed with first-class shopping, dining, and entertainment.
hyatt.com
Trade Twins
Both of the TradeWinds Island Resorts on St. Pete Beach have just undergone a more than $13 million renovation to their rooms. At both the Island Grand and Guy Harvey Outpost properties, the renovation included a refreshment of interiors that includes new furniture, sofa beds, carpeting, fresh paint and upgraded bathroom mirrors and lighting, as well as new soft goods like bedding and curtains. The Island Grand room renovation included 288 rooms in the Jacaranda building, with renovations done at the beginning of this year. All 211 rooms at Guy Harvey Outpost have just been opened last year. Perks of the TradeWinds Island Resorts include their Gulf-front locations on St. Pete Beach’s famous sugary white sands, fantastic restaurants and bars, resort-style pools, lots of resort activities in which to take part, and so much more.
tradewindsresort.com
Resort Renovations
The Anna Maria Beach Resort on beautiful Anna Maria Island combines luxury with the island’s tranquil location to bring you a uniquely Anna Maria resort experience. Once the Blue Water Beach Resort, it has been fully renovated just about a year ago to offer a combination of 31 suites and deluxe and standard rooms, all completely modernized. Rooms on the second level feature 10 ft. ceilings and private balconies, and ground-level rooms provide private patios. The resort pool has gotten a face-lift as well, and now features a zero-entry area and sitting shelves, surrounded by lush tropical foliage and a hot tub to cozy into in the evenings.
annamaria.com
Margarita Magic
One of our newest resorts has just opened this January: Margaritaville will come to life at the first ever Jimmy Buffett-themed Compass Anna Maria Sound by Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts property on Anna Maria Sound in Bradenton, brought to you by singer and businessman Jimmy Buffett and his clever hospitality partners. The six-story, 123-room hotel will feature a free-standing Floridays Restaurant and Grill, modern, nature-inspired room designs with Margaritaville’s signature bedding, oversized bathrooms with rainfall showers, smart television and luxury onsite amenities. It is located at the destination’s newest marina at One Particular Harbour, overlooking Anna Maria Sound.
compasshotel.com
Hot Hotel
Originally opened in 1927, the Hacienda Hotel in New Port Richey will once again open its doors to guests for the first time in over 90 years starting this fall! The 40 room hotel, located on Florida’s Sports Coast, will transport guests back in time with detailed restorations to its traditional Spanish style architecture, done solely by referencing photographs from the 1920s. Playing off its surroundings, the in-house restaurant will feature a mix of Florida and Mediterranean cuisine best enjoyed on the sweeping outdoor patio or private dining room. Adjacent to the Cotee River, the hotel will offer a traditional Florida setting for weddings and other event opportunities.
flsportscoast.com
Suite Set
The beautiful area of Ocala is lucky to introduce two new hotels this year! The first, having just opened at the end of 2019, is SpringHill Suites Ocala. This seven-story hotel with 102 all-suite rooms, with advanced technological touches throughout the hotel creating an interactive experience for visitors. Each suite has West Elm furniture, a large work desk, and new TVs that allow you to watch your own content on the screen. The lobby sports an 80 inch digital board with a touchscreen, so guests can easily find area activities and attractions. Outdoors is a cozy fire pit area for social gatherings, and indoors is a refreshing mineral pool. Indulge in a free deluxe continental breakfast each morning to fuel your explorations of the area. The other new addition is Hilton Garden Inn Ocala Downtown, a 107 room hotel is conveniently located near shopping and restaurants. Construction has been underway for this year, and the hotel is set to open this fall.
marriott.com
hilton.com
Pretty Plaza
What’s better than a hotel with a waterfall and free breakfast? Crowne Plaza Orlando - Lake Buena Vista has everything you’ll need for a relaxing getaway! This hotel has just been converted to an upscale IHG hotel; it was previously Comfort Inn - Lake Buena Vista. Renovations included a complete overhaul of all 200 guest rooms, which were remodeled one floor at a time. Other improvements included adding a splash pad and enhancing the pool area. The new design will be very spacious and tech-friendly, accommodating modern and business travelers. Families staying here will appreciate being so close to the Disney Parks, and singular travelers will enjoy the hustle and bustle of downtown Orlando.
ihg.com
LEGO Luxury
Aaaargh you ready for an adventure? LEGOLAND Resort Florida has just added a new, pirate-themed hotel! Join the crew for a story filled with adventure, pirates and a whole hotel filled with LEGO treasure. Start your voyage in immersive, themed crews quarters (or rooms, for you landlubbers) with a boat-load of entertainment options including a LEGO treasure hunt! Feed your crew (or wet your whistle) at the new Shipwreck Restaurant and Smuggler’s Bar.
legoland.com/florida
Beachfront Beauty
Enjoy everything that St. Augustine Beach has to offer at the new Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort. Situated on the sunny Atlantic shores of Northeastern Florida, the resort is surrounded by Anastasia State Park to the north and St. Johns County Ocean Pier to the south, with stunning views of the soft sand beaches and sapphire blue waves. The resort’s interiors reflect the ocean view surroundings, featuring whitewashed wood grains, coquina stone, weathered driftwood, and coastal hues of white and teal. For a little extra room to stretch, select a two-room suite. Start your day off with a hearty breakfast, then hit the beach or pool. Only 10 minutes from historic downtown St. Augustine, you can choose to enjoy the serenity of the beach, or go exploring in the iconic city.
embassysuites3.hilton.com
Happy Holiday
In Cape Canaveral, Holiday Inn Club Vacations Cape Canaveral Beach Resort is adding a five-story, 42-villa Signature Collection Reserve building and pool. This resort creates a home-away-from-home setting with spacious accommodations that include in-room washer/dryers, full kitchens, and private bedrooms. The 10 acre resort features a waterpark with four-story water slide, lazy river, splash zones, and kiddie pool. Guests can also enjoy an arcade, movie theater, mini golf course, plus basketball, tennis and shuffleboard courts, fitness center, spa, and more.
ihg.com
Cay Creativity
It’s not every day you can relax in the casual elegance of a luxury hotel complete with spa, restaurants, unique pool and a golf course, located on over 250 acres in center of West Palm Beach at the Banyan Cay Resort. The pièce de résistance of the resort is the 130-acre Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, a new par-72 design to feature five sets of tees to accommodate all skill levels. The 150-room hotel offers rooms that imbue a sense of the Palm Beach lifestyle, including fresh, bright colors and decor put together with a touch of elegance. Guests of the resort have access to the full-service clubhouse, resort dining, a 5,000-square-foot signature spa and fitness center, tennis pavilion, pool, and more than 15,000 square feet of meeting facilities.
banyancay.com
Historic Hotel
The Biltmore is bringing back the ‘20s! Established in 1926, the historic landmark Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables is being totally redesigned. As a member of the Leading Hotels of the world, it makes sense that this iconic luxury hotel would want to stay at the top of its game. The hotel’s accommodations and corridors are being renovated, and there are plans to restore its 18-hole/par-71 golf course to the original grandeur envisioned by designer Donald Ross in 1925. The Biltmore is more than a hotel — it is an experience. The 271-room resort includes 133 suites and features spectacular Mediterranean architecture sitting on 150 acres of tropical landscape, with sparkling pools, bubbling fountains, and world-class dining options - all just a short drive from the excitement of Miami.
biltmorehotel.com
Curious Curio
The only Curio Collection hotel by Hilton in the Florida Keys (so far) the new Baker’s Cay Resort in Key Largo has only just opened at the beginning of last year. The 13-acre, 200-room resort nestled beside the bay offers the relaxed island vibe of the Keys while maintaining the luxurious style and modern accents for which the Hilton’s Curio Collection is known. Guest rooms are spacious and relaxing, taking in the warm tropical sunlight with suites sporting a living area with sofa bed, a master bedroom with king bed, a second bedroom with trundle bed, a kitchenette and wrap-around terrace. A beachside tequila and taco venue is to include house-made hot sauces crafted from peppers grown right on the property. There are two swimming pools with a waterfall grotto, boat dock, and paths to the beach. Pet owners and their furry friends are more than welcome, and the resort offers dog Tiki huts and cooled water bowls.
curiocollection3.hilton.com
