The Don CeSar Resort, a Loews Hotel

Historic and colorful pink "sand castle" amid modern condo developments on a beautiful stretch of St. Pete's beach.

Guest Rooms and Rates:
275 guest rooms, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico or Boca Ciega Bay
Rates range from $209/night for an Indirect Gulf View to $377 for a Deluxe Gulf View King.
Junior Suites, Suites and Penthouse accommodations are also available for up to $1653 per night.
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Dining Options: Three restaurants and three lounges include the award-winning Maritana Grille, plus Uncle Andy's Ice-Cream Parlor

Recreation: Includes water toy rentals (including catamarans, kayaks and aqua bikes), beach volleyball, shopping, golf, tennis, fishing, tropical garden and ghost story tours, snorkeling and scuba diving

Spa: Full-service spa offers massage, sauna, whirlpool and exercise equipment

Weddings and Meetings: The Don hosts over 300 weddings each year. Custom weddings are available. Ballrooms, conference rooms, and business services are available

Update: On December 5, 2003, the Don CeSar Resort became a Loews Hotel. It is now participating in all Loews corporate programs such as Loews Loves Pets, Loews Loves Kids, and the frequent guest program Loews First.

Location of the Don CeSar Resort:
The Don CeSar Resort is located 30 minutes from Tampa International Airport, and one and a half hours from Walt Disney World. Compare Flights

Contact the Don CeSar Resort:
3400 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, Florida 33706
phone: 727.360.1881, 866.728.2206; email: reservations@doncesar.com
web site: Don CeSar Resort

Description: If you're headed down to catch some Florida sun, you have no shortage of options on where to stay. In recent years, much of the coastline has been built up with high-rise condos. They stretch forward alongside the road as far as the eye can see, rising high above the surf with generic names like "Windjammer" and "Sea Breeze."

It was along just such a stretch of overdeveloped highway in St. Pete's Beach, just outside Tampa, where I found myself in an oasis. The Don CeSar Beach Resort stretches out on the other side of a small bridge, a short distance but worlds away from its surroundings.

The Don's colorful history began in 1928, when real estate developer Thomas Rowe, inspired by the Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki Beach, built the property. At its heyday, it was a favorite of notables such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Clarence Darrow and Al Capone. Since then, the hotel property has served as a convalescent center for World War II airmen, housed offices for the Veterans Administration and stood abandoned and neglected for years. In 1973, it was reclaimed as a hotel, and in 1994 it underwent a full renovation, restoring it to its former glory.

The only property on the St. Pete Beach designated as a National Historic Landmark, the Don is also the only resort in the state of Florida to receive the AAA Four Diamond Rating for 22 consecutive years.

The resort itself is flamingo pink and resembles a fairy-tale sand castle, earning its nickname "The Pink Palace." It is surrounded by the sugar-white sands distinctive of Florida beaches. Just past the pool area, the resort's private beach is equipped with complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas. A focal point outside is the clock tower, which can be seen for quite a distance from leisurely strolls down the beach.

My only real complaint was the standard room size; mine was smaller than I prefer. Request a corner room for more space and panoramic views of the surf.