Bethesda, Maryland-based Marriott International has opened its 9,000th hotel property with the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort in Florida.
The 18-acre property is on Longboat Key, off the coast of Sarasota. The 168-room property includes 26 suites with terraces, as well as 69 residences, all of which sold out in less than a year, according to Marriott.
The resort, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, has nightly room rates that average $1,200.
For that price, guests get a lot of resort. It sits on 800 feet of white sand beach, and has multiple swimming pools with cabanas. There is a 475-foot long winding river with waterfalls, and an “under the sea” lagoon wildlife reserve. The 350,000-gallon lagoon has stingrays, plus 2,800 local reef fish and tortoises. A Reef Rangers Children’s Club has educational events for kids.
There are seven dining venues, including the signature steak and seafood restaurant CW Prime, an Italian restaurant, an open-air pool grill and a tiki bar. There’s also a 21,000-square-foot oceanfront spa and fitness center, as well as 34,000-square-feet of meeting and event space.
“This is not just another hotel opening; it represents a new era in luxury travel to the Gulf Coast,” said Winfred van Workum, general manager at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort. “Longboat Key is a rare beach locale that boasts an understated elegance, unparalleled natural beauty and rich cultural heritage all in one place.”
The resort is a 20-minute drive from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
The resort was developed by Florida-based Unicorp National Developments and is the largest development on the island in more than 50 years.
