The Don CeSar Hotel This flamingo-pink hotel is one of the best in the region.
Please note: this article is sponsored by our partners at Visit St. Pete-Clearwater and some links on this page will take you directly to the Visit St. Pete-Clearwater website.
A stunning sweep of sugar-white sands draws holidaymakers to St. Pete-Clearwater, a sun-drenched slice of paradise on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Stretching across 56km (35 miles) of award-winning beaches – including Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island – this region is heaven for beach lovers and sunseekers.
The best hotels here make the most of their prime waterfront locations, whether they overlook yachts bobbing in Tampa Bay or open straight on to emerald Gulf waters. Many are just a stroll from the area’s vibrant arts scene, top-tier restaurants and endless outdoor adventures, from kayaking and parasailing to cycling and boat trips.
Here, we round up nine brilliant places to stay in St. Pete-Clearwater, whether you're travelling with kids, craving spa days or planning a romantic escape.
1. Opal Sol & Opal Sands
Choose one of these Opal properties and you’ll get double the fun – think access to ten dining outlets, four sparkling pools and two lush spas, all within easy reach thanks to a sleek glass sky-bridge that connects the two “sol mate” stays.
Rooms at the four-star hotels range from queen bed suites kitted out with plush furnishings and balconies to spacious multi-bedroom suites with full kitchens.
Can’t decide which one is for you? Pick Opal Sol for its fresh feel (it opened in February 2025) or Opal Sands for direct access to Clearwater Beach via a gently sloping sand ramp.
2. Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach
Fresh, coastal décor and sea-view rooms bring the beach to you at the four-star Wyndham Grand – and with Clearwater Beach just metres from your door, you’re never far away from the real thing too.
Spacious bunk bed rooms mean families can stay together without needing connecting suites, and the buzzy Pier 60 at Clearwater Beach – where you can dine, shop and tackle the giant ‘Hippo’ inflatable slide – is just a five-minute walk away.
Add-on experiences include yoga classes, family photoshoots, cycling tours and private yacht charters that will take you out in search of dolphins and manatees.
3. Sheraton Sand Key
You get the best of both worlds at Sheraton Sand Key. There’s the tranquillity that comes with its 13 acres of private beach and the livelier vibe of Clearwater Beach less than five minutes’ drive away.
All 375 rooms and suites enjoy water views from their private balconies or patios, and free wi-fi and premium cable channels on huge TVs are also included. The resort’s sparkling pool is a two-for-one, offering direct beach access so you can flop on sand or sun-lounger as the mood strikes.
Even better? As a guest of the resort, Clearwater’s iconic yellow-and-red Jolley Trolley will shuttle you across the Gulf to Pier 60 for free.
4. The Don CeSar
An eye-catching vision in pink, The Don CeSar has been an icon of St. Pete Beach for nearly a century.
A lot has changed since Jazz Age glitterati like F. Scott Fitzgerald roamed its halls – including the addition of a rave-reviewed spa – but the ‘Pink Palace’ has stayed true to its 1920s roots with elegant art deco design throughout.
But that’s not to say The Don CeSar is stuck in the past. Amenities such as free wi-fi, cashless payments and a dedicated app bring the resort into the 21st century. Other highlights included free non-motorised watersports between 9am and 12pm and AAA Four Diamond dining at the on-site Maritana restaurant.
5. The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club
Holidays to St. Pete-Clearwater aren’t just about those award-winning beaches, as The Vinoy in Downtown St. Petersburg proves. Another pink-hued icon, this historic hotel instead trades open seas for the calm waters of Tampa Bay.
One for culture cravers, the enviable location puts you close to city highlights like the Dalí Museum and the St. Petersburg History Museum (free entry for guests of the hotel), as well as its best restaurants – though with five on-site eateries, you’ll have more than enough to keep you full without leaving the resort.
Thoughtful touches include complimentary bike rental, workout classes and cocktails on arrival. Keen golfers will love the 18-hole championship course, complete with sweeping bay views.
6. The Hiatus Clearwater Beach
The clue’s in the name at the Hiatus Clearwater Beach, a beachfront bolthole that’s all about taking a break. Rooms are decorated in calming tones of beige and baby blue, and with just 88 in all, common areas are guaranteed to feel equally chilled out.
The rooftop pool is a standout. Lined with plush sunbeds and with views over Clearwater Beach (be there for sunset), it’s the perfect get-away-from-it-all spot away from the busier sands below.
Ocean Seven is Hiatus’s fine dining hangout on the roof. The menu combines Floridian and Caribbean flavours to turn out mouth-watering dishes like baked grouper with sweet plantains and spinach callaloo. It’s another spot to be for sunset – both for the views and the complimentary champagne toast.
7. JW Marriott Clearwater Beach
The JW Marriott Clearwater Beach is a brilliant all-rounder. Located on the southernmost point of Clearwater Beach, it’s managed to nab a private section of sand for guests while still being within touching distance of the beach’s busier areas.
By day, you can nourish mind and body with guided morning meditation and beachside yoga (included). By night, more of the same comes by way of the hotel’s three bars and restaurants, which focus on fresh, local ingredients dressed in delightful flavours.
For families, the kids’ club lets young ones burn off energy, and complimentary bike rental (four hours per day) means you can get to Pier 60 in just five minutes.
8. TradeWinds Resort
There’s so much going on at the two-hotel TradeWinds Resort that you’ll be hard-pressed to squeeze it all into just one holiday.
A huge three-storey waterslide, a floating waterpark and kids’ club activities – as well as spacious rooms with kitchenettes – make the Island Grand a hit with families, while Rumfish Beach Resort keeps things more relaxed with an adults-only pool, plush cabanas and toes-in-the-sand beach bar.
Whichever you choose, you’ll enjoy full access to both properties so you can mix high-energy fun with poolside serenity as the mood takes you.
9. Bilmar Beach Resort
The Bilmar Beach Resort is a little slice of 1960s nostalgia on Treasure Island, an idyllic sandbar sweep just five minutes from St. Pete Beach.
Low-rise buildings with bright blue paint and open-air corridors lend it a retro motel charm, but inside it’s all modern comforts. Most rooms have kitchens and balconies, and all come with mod cons like large TVs and coffee makers – though families might prefer the space of a suite or penthouse.
The location is hard to beat – it’s right on the sand! – and the galleries and restaurants of St. Petersburg are just a 20-minute drive away for the best of all worlds.
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