Starwood dips into Fort Lauderdale

FORT LAUDERDALE -- The 124-room Atlantic, a top-of-the-line boutique hotel and member of Starwoods Luxury Collection, opened here this summer.

Situated steps from the ocean, it is drawing kudos from guests who are lured by the hotels promise of high-end amenities.

Attracting considerable guest interest is the European-style Spa Atlantic, a 7,000-square-foot facility specializing in massages and offering a diverse menu of body treatments.

An 80-minute hot-stone massage, followed by a cool dip in the pool and a tropical drink from the poolside bar, can be the ticket to a relaxing afternoon.

The spa is situated on the fifth floor, adjacent to an expansive rooftop swimming pool and Jacuzzi plus a fitness center.

Dining is another selling point.

Trina, the Atlantics signature restaurant, is generating a lot of buzz with its New York connection (it is managed by restaurateurs formerly associated with Manhattans celebrated Tribeca Grill and the Gramercy Tavern) and is filling up nightly with both locals and guests.

Trina serves Mediterranean cuisine and offers indoor and outdoor seating overlooking Fort Lauderdale beach.

All accommodations from the deluxe rooms to the 58 suites are spacious, with the smallest room measuring an ample 575 square feet; suites range in size from 785 to 1,200 square feet. Many rooms and suites face the ocean.

The opening of the Atlantic marks the first stage in an ambitious expansion for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which is currently constructing two more deluxe properties in Fort Lauderdale that are slated to open within the next two years.

The $135 million, 23-story St. Regis Resort, Spa and Residences, which will provide 14,000 square feet of meetings space and exclusive access to the St. Regis Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, is scheduled to be completed in August.

Slated to open in December 2006 is the first Starwood W hotel to be built in Florida, the $220 million W Fort Lauderdale Hotel and Residences.

Consisting of two 23-story towers, it is being constructed on a five-acre site offering views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway.

Through March 31, rates at the Atlantic start at $429 per night (single or double) for a deluxe room and range to $4,999 for a three-bedroom, penthouse suite.

The Atlantic offers the following packages, which include accommodations, daily breakfast, taxes and resort fee:

For reservations or more information, contact the hotel at (954) 567-8020 or call the Luxury Collection Reservations Service at (800) 325-3589.

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