Hotel Cala is set to open in January on Tampa’s Riverwalk, at 200 N Ashley Drive. It will house an Italian restaurant called LAVO and a waterfront bar called BarOnda. The 281-room hotel replaces the old Sheraton at that address.
Hilton backs the property, and it is billed as an “urban resort.” Rockwell Group, a design firm, is finishing a renovation of the building. An announcement said the design “draws architectural and aesthetic inspiration from Tampa’s waterfront setting, tropical character, and multicultural heritage, including its Italian and Cuban roots.”
LAVO will be the main restaurant inside the hotel. It will serve coastal Italian food. Tao Group Hospitality will run both LAVO and BarOnda, and LAVO already has spots in Las Vegas and Singapore.
The menu centers on pastas made in house and whole-grain pizzas made with single-source flour. One signature dish, The Meatball, blends Wagyu, Italian sausage, and veal, then gets a topping of whipped ricotta. The team also promises a cocktail program and a hand-picked wine collection.
BarOnda will give guests an outdoor space with a view over the water. The team says it will provide “a more casual, vibrant waterfront setting,” focused on cocktails and shareable bites, “creating a natural complement to LAVO and Hotel Cala’s connection to the Riverwalk.”
Guests can also relax at a resort-style pool deck with cabanas, lounge seating, and plants. A fitness center, open all day and night, will overlook the pool. Event space totals 10,000 square feet, both indoors and outdoors.
Neil Luthra, founding partner of Newbond Holdings, spoke about the site’s past and the goals for the project, according to That’s So Tampa.
“For more than half a century, this site has been part of the fabric of downtown Tampa, and Hotel Cala gives us the opportunity to reimagine it for a new generation,” Luthra said. “We wanted to create something that feels distinctly Tampa. A new destination along The Riverwalk that brings together hospitality, dining, and culture in a way that will give both visitors and locals a new reason to experience this part of the city.”