STEVE REID
Editor & Publisher
sreid@lbknews.com
Three years after breaking ground, the long-anticipated, 18-acre St. Regis Longboat Key Resort is opening on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton says the resort already has temporary certificates of occupancy.
Tipton said the level of landscaping is lessening the impact of the buildings.
“Wait to that stuff grow in, said Tipton. “Two years and it will dramatically soften that hard structure we have all seen.”
The Town Manager is especially cognizant about the revenue the Resort will bring to Town coffers.
“Since it will open this year, as of Jan. 1 the property appraiser will value them at their new level. We will see that in our tax values through the 2025-2026-budget process. It will be a boon to all local governments.”
Public check in…
After it opens, the public can access the St. Regis spa and any one of its seven restaurants and bars. But the pools, which include a winding river, a resort swimming pool, a serenity pool and a fully stocked saltwater lagoon teeming with tropical wildlife are for members only. Access to those amenities will require a $125,000 membership that can be purchased online, unless you’re staying at the hotel.
An ode to Sarasota history
Designed by SB Architects, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), and Dutch East Design, the new resort will be the only St. Regis to open in the U.S. this year.
The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort’s reception area and the hotel’s interiors, crafted by HBA, pull inspiration from the area seascape, as well as circus showman and promoter John Ringling’s imprint on Sarasota’s performing arts culture.
Throughout the property, design elements nod to Ringling and the circus—from rope-like chandeliers to an oval-shaped ballroom that’s reminiscent of a circus tent. In the St. Regis Bar, a lattice cage wraps around a mural by artist William Savarese, which pays homage to the King Cole Bar at St. Regis’ iconic New York flagship.
Contemporary artwork includes a mosaic at the front entry of over 350,000 mosaic pieces, while a second on the rooftop features more than 750,000 hand-laid tiles.
The hotel has a total of 168 guestrooms, including 26 suites with terraces and a four-bedroom presidential suite.
The property boasts 800 feet of beach, a sea lagoon wildlife reserve, multiple swimming pools, cabanas. In addition, a 475-foot winding river with cascading waterfalls leads into the grotto, a private sanctuary complete with Jacuzzi jets and champagne service.
The property also houses the 20,000 square-foot St. Regis Spa.
On the menus…
Upon entering the lobby, the St. Regis Bar forms the resort’s living room. Dining options include signature restaurant CW Prime; the Spirit Room, a private cocktail speakeasy; Riva, coastal Italian dining; Aura, an open-air pool grill; rooftop lounge Oshen; Monkey Bar, an ode to the former Colony’s beloved local destination; and an all-day café — Caroline’s.
