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 award-winning 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 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 decor, 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.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
