Dripping in Luxury Sarasota Resorts Offer a
Taste of the Good Life
By Mary Haban
Photography by Dale Sanders
Is this a dream? I would pinch myself to find out but at the moment my hands
are a little busy floating in the shallow end of one of the most magnificent bodies
of water I’ve ever dipped in. No, it’s not the beach, or even one of those fancy
showers with ten thousand jets. This, friends, is the mac daddy of architectural
feats in terms of pools. A subtle, soft, sand-like entrance that envelops my soul
and tempts me to linger in the shallow end way longer than I thought I’d be there.
And, I don’t care if anyone is looking. So there!
Welcome to my mini-escape into the lap of luxury. My story begins in the pool of the Hyatt Regency
Sarasota. I feel almost guilty calling it just a “pool” because this is so much more than that. It’s amazing,
really amazing. Earlier in the afternoon I set eyes on it from my 9th floor balcony and exclaimed, “Yes,
this is it. I am officially in love!” As I tore down the hall, hopped the elevator and exited the floral, oversized pillowed, comfy couch lobby that one of my most favorite icons, Lilly Pulitzer, designed, I became a
giddy teenager. I actually skipped and clapped my hands as I approached the crystal clear water that
overlooked the 32-slip marina. I could go on and on about this, however, this resort demands my full
appreciation, because the recent renovation is in a word: stunning.
Want to live
large?
You can
in the
resort's
Bi-Level
Suite.
Let’s start with the rooms. All 294 of them are bright and airy and colorful and modern. Lilly Pulitzer
was here too. With her burst of cranberry and lime green and bright yellow and hot pink, and her designs
speak to me with a whisper “come hither.” Flat screen TV’s and white tiles complete the look, as does the
view from my balcony which I mentioned showcases the expansive marina, OMG pool, and the
intercostal waterway where I just spotted a mother and baby manatee.
Want to live large? You can in the resort's Bi-Level Suite. Take off your shoes and run barefoot through
1,090 feet of sheer elegance. Floor to ceiling windows, breezy white drapes, an open floor plan that
shows off the second level. One moment I’m reading some fancy magazine downstairs. Wait. Now I’m
upstairs looking out those huge windows at the glorious tops of trees, which reveal the Van Wezel
Performing Arts Hall. I like this place. It’s got mojo.
Now that I’m hungry, I venture back down to the lobby, where I’m greeted by the culinary team
responsible for putting together a creative and colorful meal that included Ahi Tuna that’s coriander
crusted, with orange wasabi vinaigrette, and house-made kohlrabi kimchee. I swear, I didn’t plan it, the
shirt I wore matched the décor at my table, the candles reminded me of bright green candy canes, even
the napkin was checkered with all kinds of florescent colors.
The resort's prime location, in the heart of the cultural district, makes things really easy as I plan my night
out on the town and realize I’m way closer than imagined to some of the areas best dining and
nightlife. So off I go. The night is calling. The pool will have to hang out with the rest of the guests
while I’m gone.
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MARCH 2014 •LUXE BEAT MAGAZINE