The Luxury Hotel Insider: Exclusive luxury hotel deals, features and special rates from the luxury hotel experts at Five Star Alliance.
Named one of Tripbase's Best Luxury Travel Blogs for 2011, below are Five Star Alliance's newest articles featuring exclusive information on luxury hotels worldwide including special offers and deals at the world's best hotels.
Located in St. Pete Beach, Florida, Don CeSar Beach Resort has everything
from romantic getaways, vacations, and honeymoons to spa and wedding services.
Known as Florida's Legendary Pink Palace since opening in 1928, the luxury resort
is revered internationally for its sprawling, sugar-white beach, unparalleled dining,
rejuvenating Beach Club and Spa, fabulous fishing, children's program, nearby
tennis and golf, and award-winning meeting facilities.
We at Five Star Alliance work tirelessly to ensure we bring you the best luxury hotels selection and information regarding amenities, location, and highlights so you are confident that the hotel you choose will exceed your expectations and serve your needs. Sometimes, however, you are left with a few questions that go unanswered, and that's why we're here. Be sure to explore our blog series Your Questions Answered to find answers to real questions submitted to us by our clients regarding traveling with kids, pets, the best beach hotels, and much more.
QUESTION: We are a family of 4 and looking to stay is St Pete FLA. What resort offers the best accommodations for our family?
Located in St. Pete Beach, Florida, Don CeSar Beach Resort, a Loews Hotel, has everything from romantic getaways, vacations, and honeymoons to spa and wedding services. Known as Florida's Legendary Pink Palace since opening in 1928, the luxury resort is revered internationally for its sprawling, sugar-white beach, unparalleled dining, rejuvenating Beach Club and Spa, fabulous fishing, children's program, nearby tennis and golf, and award-winning meeting facilities. Guests are tickled pink with complimentary enjoyments from sandy strolls and sunset finales to seaside pampering and sweet dream service.
The Don CeSar Beach Resort has a magnificent location. This beach front resort is located on the island of St. Pete Beach, on the Gulf of Mexico. The resort features 277 newly renovated guestrooms including 2 penthouses and 40 suites. 70 one-bedroom condominium style suites are located at The Beach House Suites by The Don CeSar. The Beach House Suites by The Don CeSar is located one half mile north of the Main Resort and complimentary shuttle transportation is provided between the Main Resort and the Beach House Suites.
For Your Family's Needs, We Recommend: Grand King Suite - This suite features a private terrace that brings all the splendor of the Gulf of Mexico right to your door. Suite includes: One King bed with plush linens, Premium Plus Wi-Fi included in Resort Fee, Balcony and direct Beach and Gulf of Mexico views, Conversation area with Queen sleeper sofa. Comfortable work desk in the suite, the bathroom includes a Shower/tub combination. All Grand King Suites are located on 2nd floor, 400 square feet / 37.16 square meters, Occupancy: 4 maximum, Cribs/rollaways available upon request. Charges may apply.
Book a stay at Don CeSar Beach Resort >> All rates are based on double occupancy and extra person charges may apply. Please be advised that the rates, availability, as well as any extra person charges are subject to change depending on the hotel’s policies.
Located in St. Pete Beach, Florida, Don CeSar Beach Resort, a Loews Hotel, has everything from romantic getaways, vacations, and honeymoons to spa and wedding services. Known as Florida's Legendary Pink Palace since opening in 1928, the luxury resort is revered internationally for its sprawling, sugar-white beach, unparalleled dining, rejuvenating Beach Club and Spa, fabulous fishing, children's program, nearby tennis and golf and award-winning meeting facilities.
The hotel is rumored to be haunted. A young bride was tragically killed on her wedding day in a freak accident on the marble staircase at Fairmont Banff. Today the hotel still reports mysterious, chilling breezes on the starircase, and strange sightings of a beautiful woman in a flowing white dress descending the stairs or dancing in the ballroom.
Guests at Sandpearl Resort can enjoy an al fresco evening while still being curled up by the fire. The luxury resort has a stunning location along a 700-foot expanse of the sugary white sands of the pristine Gulf of Mexico beachfront.
In the last month of 2012, Five Star Alliance is counting down the Top 30 Luxury Hotels and Resorts worldwide, as decided by you, our luxury travelers! Be sure to check in with us daily to keep up with our countdown and explore a few of the absolute best and most luxurious hotels in the world for your future travels!
Coming in the #8 spot is the Don CeSar Beach Resort which is a beach front resort that’s located on the island of St. Pete Beach in Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico. Here are a few fun facts about this luxury hotel:
- Features 277 newly renovated guestrooms including 2 penthouses and 40 suites
- Seven-and-a-half miles of beaches
- Two beachside pools
- Kids program with counselors overseeing the activities, allowing parents to rejuvenate at the Pink Palace
- After the sun goes down, romantic lighting sets the ambiance for the new whirlpool accented with a mosaic of tiffany glass, and surrounded by a lush garden and overlooking the Gulf shores
- Famous for their ocean front sunset couples massages in tiki huts on the beach
- 6,349-yard (5,777 m) golf course features narrow, palm-lined fairways, tightly manicured greens and Gulf breezes
Explore photos, availability, and rates at Don CeSar Beach Resort here >>
In the final days of 2011, Five Star Alliance is counting down the Top 20 Luxury Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, as decided by our guests.
In the #2 spot we have the Don Cesar Beach Resort, a beach front resort located on the island of St. Pete Beach, on the Gulf of Mexico.
Quick (or in this case, not so quick) facts about The Don CeSar:
- Known as Florida's Legendary Pink Palace since 1928, the owner named it after Don Caesar DeBazan, the hero of William Vincent Wallace's opera Maritana.
- The hotel quickly became a favorite romping ground for the rich and famous of the Jazz Age including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Clarence Darrow, Al Capone, Lou Gehrig, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Pink Palace continued to attract the rich and famous throughout the Great Depression, thanks in part to a deal made with New York Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert to house his team during spring training for three years.
- After the sudden death of Rowe without a will, "The Don" was left to his estranged wife and began to fall into desrepair until the United States entered into World War II and the hotel was bought out by the Army for $450,000. It was converted into a military hospital and reopened in December 1942. In February 1944 the Don Ce-Sar became a U.S. Air Force convalescent center. In June 1945 it was ordered closed and was vacant by September. It was converted into a Veterans Administration Regional Office by the end of 1945.
- In November 1967 the Veterans Administration began moving out of the Don Ce-Sar. By spring 1969, the once grand hotel was vacant. The General Services Administration planned to raze the graffiti-covered hotel, but this was met with fierce opposition from local residents. In March 1972 the Don Ce-Sar was sold to Holiday Inn. The Don CeSar (now spelled without the hyphen) reopened on November 23, 1973. Multiple renovations from 1985 to 2001 have updated and added on to the hotel, including a 4,000-square-foot (370 m2) spa, a signature restaurant, and a second outdoor swimming pool. After the addition of the full-service beach club and spa, the official name of the hotel was changed to The Don CeSar Beach Resort and Spa.
- References in popular culture include: The Don Cesar is featured in a full-color two-page spread in a 1982 issue of National Geographic. Parts of the 1984 crime film Once Upon a Time in America are filmed at the Don Cesar. Comedian Ron White talks about his stay at the Don Cesar in the movie Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One for the Road. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers filmed a music video at the Don Cesar in 1985. Robert Altman's film Health was largely filmed in the hotel.
- The second, fifth and sixth floors of the hotel are said to be haunted by the ghost of Thomas Rowe. His apparition has been spotted overseeing the daily operations in the hotel, smiling at incoming guests and then disappearing, and walking along the beach front, dressed in a white suit. You can read more here >>
- Lowes Loves Kids and Loews Loves Teens programs offering unique and extensive services dedicated to the principle: "the family that stays together plays together".
- Lowes Loves Pets program featuring: Gourmet room service menus for cats and dogs, prepared by an award-winning Master Chef. Creature comforts like specialized bedding, leashes, collars, litter boxes (and litter), pooper scoopers and more. Tail-wagging amenities such as dog-walking routes, pet placemats, water bowls, treats, doggie poop bags and more. Purr-fect indulgences like rawhide bones, catnip and scratch poles. Pet-walking and pet-sitting services. Dog massages by a professional canine massage therapist, who works closely with you in the comfort of your room to design personalized treatment for your special "family member."
- The Don CeSar was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and became a founding member of the National Trust Historic Hotels of America in 1989.
It’s a common misconception that traveling with kids means you cannot stay in 5-star, luxury hotels. While it is true that the industry standard is double occupancy, many luxury hotels are willing to make adjustments and modifications to best accommodate you and your travel companions. In order to choose the best room(s) at the best rate(s), we’ve come up with 5 tips to help you plan your next travel excursion, and ensure an enjoyable trip with kids.
#1: Provide the hotel with details including the number of kids traveling with you as well as their ages. This is to make sure the hotel is prepared for your arrival and has time to make the necessary adjustments to your room. Providing this information will also ensure that the appropriate adjustments are made, and that a crib is not added for the 13-year-old teenager traveling with you.
#2: Many hotels will be able to provide extra bedding for one child, but it is unlikely that they will be able to provide bedding for two or more children in one room. If you’re traveling with another adult and two or more kids, consider booking a suite, but be sure to double check with the hotel to find out how many people the suite sleeps, and make your travel plans from there.
#3: If you are traveling with children that are older, and the hotel of your choice does not have suites that suit your needs, consider reserving 2 rooms and requesting that they be adjacent, adjoining, or connecting rooms.
#4: If you are traveling with children that are younger and two adults, we advise that you book two rooms, request that they be adjacent, adjoining, or connecting rooms, and have one adult stay in each room.
#5: Be flexible, open, and willing to take advice and make adjustments as need be. Please be aware that all requests are simply requests only, and cannot be guaranteed until confirmed with the hotel.
We hope these tips ease the stress of planning your next trip with kids, and we wish you happy travels and a truly memorable experience!
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