New Hotels and Fresh Renovations

A seductive "sol mate" property to the luxe Opal Sands next door, and part of the esteemed Opal Collection — conveniently connected to its shared amenities, via a glass-encased sky bridge — the Opal Sol boasts a prime location on Clearwater’s Beach Walk Promenade.

Opal Sol offers sol searchers from all over the world a taste of the suite life, with nearly 250 luxury balcony-view suites — each featuring access to two full-service spas, four pools, 10 restaurants and two fitness centers, and all right on the sugary sands of Clearwater Beach. Layouts range from studios to three bedrooms, each decked out in seaside chic decor and offering stunning Gulf views. The hotel also welcomes dogs under 30 pounds for a fee.

Aptly situated on Central Avenue, known as "St. Pete's Coolest Street," the new Moxy St. Petersburg Downtown invites free spirits and fun lovers to explore the city like never before. The lifestyle hotel is known for its chic, welcoming social spaces, perfect for work or play, and the hotel is also home to the neighborhood’s first rooftop bar, Sparrow Rooftop — which transforms the property into an elevated nightlife hub with incredible views.

Upon entering the hotel, guests are greeted by a bright bird of paradise mural by artist Ashley Cassens — the first of many in the hotel to celebrate the city's love for murals. The lobby also features Bar Moxy, the perfect place for a check-in cocktail, as well as live entertainment areas and even a podcast studio. In addition to the rooftop pool, amenities include a gym outfitted with Peloton bikes and Rose’s Coffee Bar, which serves breakfast, lunch and snacks.

With a convenient location near Beach Drive and views of sparkling Tampa Bay, the Galaxy Hotel offers 92 rooms and suites, many facing the bay — and some offering luxury amenities like plush robes and kitchenettes. Guests will enjoy the ease of an on-site cafe/coffee shop and restaurant, a rooftop bar with views of downtown and the water, a fitness center, spa services and 24-hour service at the front desk and business center.

Just steps from the white sands of Clearwater Beach and a 10-minute walk from Pier 60’s celebrated sunsets, the Hiatus Clearwater Beach, Curio Collection by Hilton does indeed provide a much-needed break from it all. 

From the 7th floor, you’ll enjoy unobstructed Gulf views — including a rooftop pool, the stylish Sielo bar and the fine dining restaurant Ocean Seven, offering fresh Florida and Caribbean-style cuisine. Don’t miss the restaurant’s nightly Champagne toast, which offers guests the opportunity to raise a free glass of bubbly to the setting sun.

Looking to wine and dine in a charming small town that's close to the beautiful beaches of Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island? Grant Street Inn is a new luxury boutique inn that's just a stroll away from the shops, restaurants, breweries and events in downtown Dunedin.

Each of the 22 guest rooms and suites offers more than 430 square feet of living space along with amenities like huge showers and private terraces. Other faves include a small gym, a pool and a wellness spa for skincare, massages and even vitamin therapies for a vacation boost.

The hotel is pet-friendly, so bring your pup to explore this area, which is so dog-friendly, it's sometimes called "Dog Eden." Tip: There's a great dog beach at Honeymoon Island State Park.

With a private beachfront spot that overlooks the stunning Skyway Bridge, SkyBeach Resort is at once lush, loose and limitless — a place for dreamers and doers to find their groove. Your eclectic, 113-room oasis includes two sparkling pools, a serene private beach, now doubled in size, with exclusive cabanas and an atmosphere that feels worlds away … yet somehow close to everything you need. 

There’s sumptuous on-site sustenance for every mood — including Paradeco Coffee Roasters for grab-and-go treats, The Salty Pelican food truck for low-key seafood, and SkyBar for artisan cocktails with a twist. And, for active travelers, there’s even a fitness facility and Southside Sports, offering 12 pickleball courts, a tennis court and three volleyball courts.

Inspired by the Mediterranean architecture and ambience of Zamora, Spain, The Hotel Zamora received a $7.5 million renovation completed in January 2025 that transformed the contemporary waterfront hotel into a 4-star luxury property.

Enjoy access to a private marina, complimentary beach cruisers and kayaks, as well as beach access with chairs and umbrellas. Spacious rooms and suites feature inviting Mediterranean-inspired designs, spa showers and high-end air purification systems.

Along with the hotel’s reopening came the debut of Azura Coastal Kitchen & Bar, which serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. Dine indoors or on the terrace overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, or enjoy the rooftop lounge for panoramic views.

Set inside a 100-year-old building with a prime location in downtown St. Pete, The 1888 Hotel recently emerged from an extensive restoration that maintains the building’s charm yet offers all the modern amenities travelers expect.

From the moment you enter the hotel, you feel its historic 1920s character and commitment to its artsy community, thanks to partnerships with local artists such as Sebastian Coolidge, who created a mural and canvases throughout the property. No two rooms are the same, and all of the 16 luxury suites offer kitchenettes and workstations. 

It's five o'clock somewhere — and in the tiny, famously free-spirited town of Gulfport, it’s almost always happy hour. As unique as the waterfront community in which it's located, The Peninsula Bed & Cocktails is a one-a-kind hotel with 16 ultra-chic rooms with iconic cocktail themes. A historic boutique hotel under new ownership, this charming property exudes Old Florida charm.

Instead of a front desk, the heart of the hotel is a bar where mixologists are ready to welcome guests with a craft cocktail. Rooms are decked out in cocktail décor, such as the Negroni Room, Mojito Suite and Espresso Martini Suite for bigger parties. Every room comes with a cocktail bar and framed art that provides that specific cocktail’s history as well as a recipe.

St. Pete’s most historic property — and arguably among its most stately — is undergoing an extravagant expansion. The renovation will take the century-old hotel to 94 elegant rooms, adding ADA accessibility as well as six stories, a new restaurant and a rooftop bar. Many of the new rooms will offer claw-foot tubs, and three posh penthouse rooms on the addition’s top floor will elevate accommodations for events and wedding parties.

While the 72-room expansion is underway, the original historic inn continues to welcome guests. Its inviting, renovated lobby beckons with a boutique bar, The Scott, serving coffee and wine as well as complimentary breakfast.

This popular St. Pete’s staple was just treated to a $25 million renovation to welcome it into the Tapestry Collection by Hilton family. The 228 renovated guest rooms, including 80 suites with Gulf or Bay views, now boast sleek, modern furniture and contemporary coastal design.

Guests can step directly from their spacious redesigned suites — featuring plush bedding, large walk-in showers, 55-inch flat-screen TVs and in-room coffee bars — onto the resort's private beach. Amenities include beachfront dining, a poolside bar, water sports, volleyball courts and daily activities for guests of all ages. The renovation is part of a larger vision for the resort that also includes a 290-room luxury JW Marriott hotel and a 130-room Hampton Inn on the property — bringing the total offering to nearly 650 rooms.

Fresh off a recent round of renovations that revamped the resort’s lobby, meeting spaces and Caladesi Island area, Island Grand at TradeWinds is adding to the growing list of dining options, with several new openings and more to come — including Pete’s Gulf Bistro, Playa Taco Taqueria, Coastal Pizza, Kahwa Coffee, Yoder’s Ice Cream, and more. 

The 25-acre beachfront resort also has a $500 million expansion on its horizon, set to take place in four phases over the next 20 years. When complete, the coming renovation will add 629 new rooms and 68,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space across three new towers.

Along with its 50th anniversary, there’s much to celebrate at the newly renovated Sheraton Sand Key Resort. The resort completely transformed its guest rooms with hardwood flooring, brand-new furniture and upgraded bathrooms — plus the addition of spacious new suites. 

Rusty’s Island Grill (the primary on-site restaurant), the Sand Key Room (its largest conference space) and the Fitness Center, were also treated to extensive updates. There’s even a new 10,000-square-foot event lawn for weddings, parties and corporate events. And of course, the hotel continues to enjoy its enviable location on a 13-acre private white-sand beach.

White sand. Azure seas. Yellow umbrellas. Silver dolphins. There are so many brilliant reasons to choose Sandpearl Resort, an Opal Collection Resort — not the least of which is its central Clearwater Beach location, offering a zero-entry lagoon-style pool plus 700 feet of pristine shoreline with beach chairs, cabana rentals and attentive food and beverage service. 

But thanks to a recent renovation, there’s now even more to love. The hotel’s comprehensive guest room refresh, which touched all 253 rooms, shifted the vibes from Old-World Caribbean to Modern Coastal — with soothing, beachy neutrals and luxurious appointments at every turn. 

In addition to blonde wood, white marble and iridescent Capiz details, the rooms include new features like walk-in showers and deep soaking tubs as well as updated cabinetry and fresh flooring, furniture and paint — plus tech updates like USB outlets and under-counter nightlights. The suites now offer family dining areas and separate coffee nooks, too.

Known for its blushing pink façade, the historic Don CeSar is arguably the most iconic building in St. Pete; think Gatsby-era glamor steeped in Old Florida style, with a storied past to match. Now, thanks to phased renovations over the past year, there’s even more grandeur to gape at.

Guest quarters, including 277 rooms and 36 luxury suites, have received a variety of elegant updates; likewise for the luxurious Spa Oceana and Society Table indoor-outdoor restaurant. Entirely new are the Beacon Pool Bar & Lookout, a rooftop enclave with panoramic views, and a 10,000 square-foot ballroom dripping with chandeliers — worthy of Gatsby himself.

With 102 rooms overlooking the pool, St. Pete’s Beach or meticulously landscaped tropical gardens, The Beachcomber has long been an intimate slice of oceanfront paradise. Updates to the 6-acre resort include a fully reimagined first floor — including the lobby, meeting spaces and guest rooms — as well as improvements to the main pool and beloved beach bar, Jimmy B’s.