The Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, Autograph Collection in downtown St. Petersburg, Fla., has completed the first phase of a comprehensive refurbishment. The 354-room resort recently emerged from a renovation and rebrand and has joined the Autograph Collection, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s collection of 30 brands.
The iconic pink hotel, listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and a member of Historic Hotels of America, is the only Autograph Collection-branded property in St. Petersburg.
The resort’s renovation was led by the architecture and design firm Rockwell Group, with Hart Howerton serving as the design architect.
Over the past few years, the hotel underwent several rounds of renovation, including a $50 million redevelopment of one of its towers in 2017. The hotel previously operated under Marriott’s Renaissance brand.
“Every property within Autograph Collection Hotels has a truly unique story, and The Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, Autograph Collection is one of those ‘Exactly Like Nothing Else’ experiences,” said Jennifer Connell, global brand leader, Autograph Collection Hotels, and vice president, Distinctive Premium Brands, Marriott International. “The Vinoy has made its mark over the last 100 years, claiming an iconic status in Florida. With this comprehensive redesign rooted in its historic heritage, we look forward to celebrating a new, exciting chapter for the resort.”
The resort will offer guest experiences that pay homage to its past while welcoming a new era. Its Mark, a point of distinction unique to Autograph Collection Hotels properties, will be a special moment upon check-in. In this, a Vinoy team member will present historic postcards to guests depicting different scenes of The Vinoy while sharing their favorite memory of the property. Each guest will then be invited to tour the property with a docent and visit a recently designed history gallery to see artifacts from The Vinoy’s beginnings, such as original room keys, plate ware, and handwritten postcards highlighting some of the initial guest visits.
REIMAGINED ARRIVAL AREA
Designed by Howerton, the reimagined arrival court highlights the detailed entry gateway while adding original 1920s brick that was re-laid and is surrounded by indigenous foliage. The Vinoy’s iconic Veranda, the front porch, has been enhanced with custom Rockwell Group-designed rocking chairs and a custom-designed bar.
The public spaces and guest rooms celebrate the property’s traditional Mediterranean Revival style and old-world Florida grandeur. The lobby features original ceramic tile flooring and cypress wood beam ceiling from 1925 and now includes the new French patisserie, Lottie, and a luxury fashion boutique, Sunni Spencer.
Above the lobby, a mezzanine floor will house a revitalized history gallery, showcasing The Vinoy’s story and its role as a host to several social events and famed guests.
“Our goal was always to honor The Vinoy’s storied past and history as an architectural icon of St. Petersburg,” says Shawn Sullivan, partner of Rockwell Group. “Rockwell Group’s design concept blends a sophisticated, contemporary language with grand historic features. I think guests will be both surprised and delighted by the ways in which unmistakably 21st-century elements really reinvent the property’s rich legacy.”
The rooms feature commissioned custom art by painter Alicia LaChance. The stone-colored bathrooms, many of which have marble walk-in showers, offer Ortigia Sicilia toiletries. Other in-room amenities include a dressing area and a coffee station.
DINING EXPERIENCES
Lottie, the patisserie in the resort’s lobby, offers house-made pastries and sweets and elevated renditions of classic French lunch fare.
The Veranda, which overlooks Tampa Bay, has launched a new menu of creative takes on classic craft cocktails, along with Mediterranean-inspired shareable plates, light entrees and desserts.
Parasol, the Latin America-inspired, full-service outdoor restaurant, is slated to open this summer. The restaurant offers panoramic views of the Tampa Bay waterfront and overlooks the resort’s new pool deck.
OTHER AMENITIES
The resort also features a new spa with four treatment rooms focusing on coastal-inspired and plant-based therapies, a new fitness center, a tennis complex and an 18-hole championship golf course.
For meetings and events, Rockwell Group has designed two ballrooms. Overall, the resort comprises over 60,000 square feet of event space. The Vinoy’s 22 meeting rooms are named after St. Petersburg parks and contributors who helped create the original Vinoy Park Hotel. The grand ballroom sports modern upgrades, including the restoration of the room’s focal point — the massive, blown glass chandelier Luna created by artist Dale Chihuly.
Currently, Marriott’s Autograph Collection includes more than 270 independent hotels located across over 45 countries. Selected for their craft and individualistic perspectives on design and hospitality, these properties offer immersive moments to guests.