Sandpearl Resort
The first new resort built on Clearwater beach in a quarter of a century, the Sandpearl Resort sits on the land once occupied by the beloved Clearwater Beach Hotel. Although built from the ground up, the condo-hotel has the feel of a classic resort, with high ceilings and wood molding details along the walls. The resort has a total of 253 guest rooms and suites. The LEED-certified Silver hotel sits in 700 feet of white sandy Gulf coast beach.
Sandpearl Resort: Guest Rooms and Suites
I checked in to a double queen junior suite. The spacious room also had a small sofa, a desk, and two flat-screen TVs. My balcony overlooked the beach, the Gulf and the pool. In the bathroom, the kids loved the huge bathtub, which opened out via a picture window to the rest of the suite. I appreciated the large separate stone shower. Gilchrist & Soames amenities, including body lotion and bath salts, were a nice luxurious touch. One nitpick: the toilet was as open to the room as the bathtub, unless you locked the picture window.
Even the standard guest rooms are large and luxurious, with nightly turn-down service, marble vanities and daily newspaper delivery. Ceilings are high; on the third floor, where the ballroom is located, room ceilings are two feet higher.
Had I stayed longer, a week perhaps, I would have booked one of the beautifully decorated one- or two-bedroom condo suites, equipped beautifully as well with a full modern kitchen, washer/dryer and Roman bathtub.
There are only 50 of these and the book up fast, so call ahead for popular dates like Spring Break.
The Gulfside Suite, a free-standing building right on the beach, is popular with wedding parties (think brides and bridesmaids getting ready for the big day). This two-story suite doubles as a Honeymoon Suite.
Sandpearl Resort: Dining
The AAA Four Diamond restaurant, Caretta on the Gulf, is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. It offers views of the beach as well as outdoor patio seating overlooking the pool. Breakfast is a buffet with an omelet and waffle station. We ordered a la carte one morning, and although I had heard mouth-watering reports of the Crab Cakes Benedict; it was missing from the menu, but they made it for me anyway. An 11:30 Sunday brunch was worth waiting for; we noshed on raw oysters, rack of lamb, sushi, and sausages bigger around than my thumb. Sadly, we missed Monday night's weekly Sunset Sushi Buffet, which is a popular bargain at $25.
Dinner at Caretta was outstanding. I ordered from the tasting menu, which started strong with seared scallops and a twin soup sampler (one was a savory Thai curry shrimp bisque); I reluctantly surrendered halfway through the peppercorn-encrusted beef tenderloin with potato and aged white cheddar souffle.
On the beach, we settled into the complimentary beach chairs. Servers from Tate Island Grill, next to the Sandpearl Resort's swimming pool, canvass the beach, and orders for drinks, appetizers and sandwiches came out quickly - just watch out for those brave seagulls.
The frozen sweet Blue Pearl is the signature drink at Tate Island Grill, where Adirondack chairs surround a fire pit in every season and a bell from the original hotel signals sunset. Quality was hit or miss, with standouts being the Grouper Nuggets, Tandori Tenderloin Skewers, and the Florida Boiled Shrimp with Absolut Peppar cocktail sauce.
Sandpearl Resort: Activities In and Near the Resort
I stopped in to the small but full-service spa for a bliss-inducing massage. Shrinking violets, take note: the jacuzzi is co-ed, although there is a separate steam room in the ladies' locker room.
If you're looking for an active getaway, the resort also offers a 24-hour fitness center, guided beach walks, family beach scavenger hunts, and kayaking tours through the Sutherland Bayou. Through the spa, you can also join fitness classes indoors and out.
In Caretta on the Gulf, the chef gives wine demonstrations in the intimate private wine room, and organic cooking lessons (with samples) in front of the wood-burning fireplace in the main dining room.
The resort also offers day trips to nearby Caladesi Island, named the #1 best beach in America by Dr. Beach in 2008. The weather being iffy, we opted instead for the short drive to the open-air Clearwater Marine Aquarium, home to a very unique dolphin. Winter lost her tail in a crab line in 2005. She has since learned to adapt without it. A special prosthetic tail was created for her to use in rehabilitation; the technology developed for her went on to help humans with prosthetic limbs as well. When she saw us, she hopped up on her pool float and kicked her way over to us, whistling and squeaking the whole time. The aquarium has other rescued dolphins, sea turtles and otters, plus a stingray touch tank.
(Reviewed 2/25/2010:00)
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Sandpearl Resort is located: on the north side of Clearwater Beach, near Tampa, Florida
500 Mandalay Avenue, Clearwater Beach, Florida 33767 USA
Phone: (727) 441-2425; Reservations: (877) 726-3111
Web site: Sandpearl Resort
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodations for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.