Along the sandy gulf shores of St. Pete Beach, Florida is a little hidden gem. Tucked between larger resorts you might be inclined to drive by this boutique hotel in search of a big brand name hotel. It’s a shame because the Plaza Beach Resort provides quality accommodations, great amenities, beautiful sunsets and is just steps from the warm, crystal clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
St. Pete Beach, ideally located just southeast of Tampa, is an easy drive to a number of attractions and beaches. During our stay we made the short drive to Caspersen Beach in Venice to search for sharks teeth and Sand Key Park in Clearwater to search for shells. Life with 4 Boys, my partner in crime on this trip, headed to Fort de Soto park for shell hunting and they were very successful. Although the side trips were nice the highlight of our stay was kicking back and enjoying the amenities provided by the resort.
ACCOMMODATIONS
I found the front desk staff to be friendly and quick to help with any questions we had. Since the resort is small, with under 40 rooms, it was easy to meet other guests who all seemed pleasant and easy going. Of course, I stayed in November at the start of the snow-bird season so many of the guests were staying for the duration of the winter. Lucky, lucky them. Plaza Beach Resort really is the perfect snowbird destination.
Our room at Plaza Beach Resort included a sitting area, kitchen, full bath and 2 queen beds. The kitchen had a full size fridge (great for keeping leftovers and wine), 2-burner stove top, microwave, sink, dishes and seating for 3. {The cake and balloons on the table are compliments of Lifewith4Boys. Her and the boys surprised me for my birthday.}
Large comfy beds gave as a good nights sleep each night.
The sitting area is perfect for kicking back after a full day of fun in the sun.
The kitchen is fully stocked with plates, cups, silverware, and pots/pans. There is also a coffee maker and toaster.
AMENITIES
The list of amenities at the resort is impressive and includes the following:
- Heated pool overlooking the beach
- Para-sailing
- Jet skiing
- Beach cabanas
- Colorful beach chairs
- Kayaks
- Paddle boards
- Aqua-bikes
- Shuffleboard
- Mini-golf
- Human-size chess
- Corn-hole toss
- Foosball table
- Beachside BBQ area
- Business center
- Free wireless internet
- Free coffee
- Laundry facility
- HAPPY HOUR!!!!
Let’s get to the most important amenity first. During my stay they offered happy hour from 4p-5p. Free beer and wine was provided in the common meeting area. This was a great time to meet other guests while enjoying a beverage. The days and time happy hour is offered may change so you’ll want to check with the front desk about availability during your stay.
There is also a tiki bar located near the pool so you can have a drink while enjoying ocean views.
There are a number of beach activities available at the resort, but our favorite thing to do was either beachcombing or kicking back in one of the provided beach chairs while watching the world go by.
I have to say being able to go for a swim in November is a treat.
The provided hammocks are the perfect place to take a siesta.
The sunsets were amazing. They provided the perfect ending to beautiful days.
We were lucky enough to have a visit from the shell fairy during our visit. We woke one morning to find a number of beautiful shells outside our door.
Are you planning a visit to St. Pete Beach? If so, I highly recommend a stay at Plaza Beach Resort, a Superior Small Lodging resort. You can learn more about them here:
A NOTE ABOUT FLORIDA’S SUPERIOR SMALL LODGING
Finding clean, comfortable lodging anywhere you travel can be a challenge. I prefer to stay at independent, boutique hotels, but it’s hard to separate the good ones from the bad ones. Fortunately, Florida’s Superior Small Lodging association makes the task a lot easier. It is my new favorite go-to site for finding and booking boutique stays that meet my expectations and the high standards set forth by the association without breaking my bank account. My first experience was at Tuckaway Resort and now Plaza Beach. Both of them exceeded my expectations. Check them out the next time you are booking lodging in Florida for an authentic Florida stay.
disclaimer: My stay was provided by Plaza Beach Resort. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love going to Florida and staying at different hotels. Looks like this hotel has a fantastic spot on the beach and a great view of the ocean.
You definitely look like you had a blast. I love the spacious room and HAPPY HOUR!!!
My husband and I stayed at the Plaza Beach Resort for 4 days in December and we would definitely go again. The resort is clean and the staff is very helpful and polite. The view is amazing and it is withing walking distance of many restaurants, stores and several attractions. It is also very affordable. I definitely recommend The Plaza Beach Resort and look forward to our next stay.
St Pete Beach is a gem! Plaza Beach is a great little resort and with access to the other two little properties on the bay side of the street, it’s a deal too good to pass up! I encourage everyone to give it a try for your next family vacation.
What a nice little getaway. I love the colorful adirondack chairs on the beach.
We spent our week in Florida a couple of years ago exploring smaller, less known places like this and loved it – it just felt a little more authentic than the more famous places.
Oh, I need a vacation. The beach sounds delightful at the moment. It is SO cold in Baltimore!
Looks amazing. I love independent businesses. They usually have character and charm that corporate misses out on.
Very nice clean place. A lot of great people there. Salt water pool is the best. No chlorine. If your hands and feet are dry, go to this place for a week and you will be all better.
Looks like a great place to stay. I am within an hours drive from St. Pete so I will keep this place in mind.
Wow everything about this screams at me! This is exactly where I need to go and relax! It looks incredible and just so soothing and relaxing!
Looks like a great destination! We just moved down to Marco Island, FL, love the area!
That looks like a really homey place to stay. I love your photo of the sky. So pretty!
This looks like an amazing place. I will mark it if I get there.
What a cute little place. I like the size of that kitchen. Those kitchens can end up saving you lots of money. We can’t wait to get to Florida again.
Oh my. That looks like a relaxing yet fun place. I would love to be on a beach right now!
I totally recommend folks from the FL Superior Small Lodging too! What a lovely place to stay at St. Pete!
That looks like an amazing place to stay. Oh how I love palm trees……