On a recent visit to Longboat Key, I was lazing in the in the warm, calm turquoise Gulf of Mexico when I saw a large black shadow drifting towards me. A kayaker called out, "manatee!" Wearing goggles, I floated face down, watching as it swam directly beneath me. I could have sworn it winked at me.
Later the same day, after a thunderstorm had cleared the beach, I stood on my sixth-floor balcony at the new Zota Beach Resort and spotted yet another "sea cow," its dark form clearly defined against the clear water and white sand floor. A family walking on the beach noticed it, too, and their excitement rose up to meet me.
My manatee moment was merely one of many memorable experiences during my hosted visit to the Zota Beach Resort. One of the Opal Collection's 42 Florida properties, it opened June 23 with its newly built 84-room, six-story tower and all guest amenities and services, including the full-service Viento Kitchen + Bar, in full operation. An additional 103 rooms from a former Hilton will be completed by late fall.
Though coastal resorts are plentiful in Florida, there are few that feel as intimate and integrated with the beach. At Zota, a short boardwalk connects the courtyard pool area with a peaceful beach where I never heard the whir of a JetSki or saw a sign fluttering behind an airplane trying to convince me to come and eat a local restaurant's shrimp platter.
The proximity makes for an easy flow back and forth between the creature comforts of the hotel, where attendants tend to every need as guests lounge on cushioned chaises in a stylish modern setting, and the inherent coastal beauty that reveals one surprise after another for those who pay attention.
On my first evening, I went for a stroll at sunset. It looked as though someone had dumped bottles of red, orange and pink watercolors across the horizon, and I couldn't resist a quick dip. Afterwards, I counted 22 turtle nests, each marked off with four wooden stakes and bright pink plastic tape. A sign indicated the GPS coordinates and the date each nest was discovered by the volunteers of Longboat Key Turtle Watch who patrol the beach most mornings during nesting season (May 1 through Oct. 31).
Longboat Key is a narrow barrier island separating Sarasota Bay from the Gulf of Mexico. I could see both from the balcony of each of the two sixth-floor rooms I stayed in (an air-conditioning malfunction in my first room prompted the move to Room 613, a spacious, corner unit whose balcony overlooks both the beach and the pool).
Guestrooms have a quiet decor that takes their inspiration from nature. The walls and accent pillows on the oversize loveseat match the blue and green shades of the Gulf. The neutral-colored, patterned carpet mimics the lines in the sand as the tide goes out. The design on the wood facade of the bureau drawers reminded me of the surface of a sea sponge or fan.
A guestroom at the Zota Beach Resort.
Every room has a balcony with a glass wall and metal railings and at least a partial water view. A desk allows for two to work on laptops face to face. Other features include a Keurig coffeemaker, an oversize minifridge, a room safe and bathrobes. Bottled water is included in the daily $39 resort fee, which also includes self-parking and access to the 24-hour fitness room.
Water and wood are the themes in the resort's overall design. For instance, water cascades down walls and through rivulets between boardwalks that serve as pathways around the pool deck.
The hotel is still finding its vibe and identity, but its pleasant staff is eager to please and quick to tend to any small repair or adjustment that are inevitable with a property so new.
Nearby are a number of worthy attractions. Manatees and sea turtles share an enclosure at the Mote Marine Aquarium, where every square foot of exhibit space is well designed and informative. The restorative quality of being immersed in a garden can't be overstated, making a visit to the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens a must. And the Ringling Estate is fittingly a three-ring attraction: a museum is dedicated to the recently retired circus, another houses a spectacular art collection and a tour takes visitors into Ca' d'Zan, the historical home of circus founder and entrepreneur John Ringling and wife Mable. Not far from there is St. Armand's Circle, dense with upscale shopping and dining.