While I love the celebrity-charged glitz and Art Basel glam of Miami, there are times when I want to get away — to the other side of Florida, as it were.
For decades, Florida's Gulf Coast beaches have landed in the top 10 rankings of America's best, with Clearwater Beach often taking the No. 1 spot. Notable for its turquoise water and white sugar sand, powder soft between the toes, Clearwater Beach has a new claim to fame with the recent opening of the Opal Sands Resort, a member of the Opal Collection of North American luxury properties.
Situated at the southern tip of Beach Walk along Clearwater Beach, the waterfront resort was designed by NBWW with a nod to the Miami modernism architecture of Morris Lapidus. However, the primary attribute of the hotel's spectacular 15-story, curved exterior is to ensure that every guest at the 230-room resort receives panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico (and its frolicking dolphins).
In keeping with the resort's modernist aesthetic, the expansive rooms feature contemporary, coastal-inspired decor by Design Duncan Miller Ullmann with floor- to-ceiling windows and spacious balconies. The breathtaking vistas are particularly mesmerizing during Clearwater's resplendent sunsets, although equally alluring is the last hour before sunrise.
Clearwater's natural beauty is reflected in the resort's extensive art collection of commissioned sculptures and paintings curated by Florida artist Christopher Still. An arrival fountain conjoins the hotel's porte cochere, which leads to a massive sand sculpture tucked beneath the circular staircase in the middle of an impressive lobby. An illuminated grouper sculpture hangs above the entrance to Sea-Guini, the resort's coastal-inspired Italian restaurant helmed by chef Todd Holender.
At the Sea-Guini Lounge, a Smokey Old Fashioned cocktail is a fitting complement to a hypnotizing bubble wall sculpture. Sip and savor the views of the resort's walk-in pool and evergreen event lawn.
Dining options at the Opal Sands include the beachfront Sandbar with its tiki hut or the more upscale Sea-Guini, which features a brick pizza oven, a pasta-making station and a private, 14-person dining room (where the chef's signature hogfish is a popular favorite). Should the late-night munchies hit, each floor offers a guest pantry with complimentary fruit, beverages, ice and cookies.
Beyond the resort, Clearwater beckons with a variety of entertainment options, such as Gulf Coast excursions aboard the Little Toot, the 40-foot tugboat that guarantees dolphin sightings. Each evening, Pier 60 is home to a sunset festival with buskers and artists, while the Marina Cantina is a rooftop tequila bar and grill with cuisine as exemplary as the views.
In nearby St. Petersburg, the Dali Museum houses North America's largest collection of Dali's works. Located in St. Pete's Central Arts District, the Morean Arts Center offers classes in glass blowing in its Hot Shop. The neighborhood's latest gourmet sensation is celebrity chef Michael Mina's Locale Market, a gourmet food hall supplemented by FarmTable Kitchen, which features lick-your-plate Gulf-to-table fare and classic cocktails with a twist.
Back at the Opal Sands, you can work off your gluttony at the hotel's fitness center, which overlooks the Gulf, or book a treatment at the Opal Spa, where the Signature Body Renewal is a 90-minute restorative escape that includes exfoliation followed by a full-body massage.
In short, a sojourn at the Opal Sands Resort all but guarantees relaxation on one of the nation's most beautiful beaches.
Rates for the Opal Sands Resort begin at $269, double, for a Gulf Front Deluxe King Room. Visit www.opalsands.com.