The owners of the Sirata Beach Resort on St. Pete Beach are in the midst of completing a multimillion-dollar renovation that will eventually lead to it becoming a Tapestry Collection by Hilton flagged property.
The second and final phase will include public spaces and a restaurant, according to a spokesperson for the owner, Kentucky-based Columbia Sussex. It is expected to be complete early next year.
Being part of the Tapestry Collection will put the Sirata in the company of 173 other properties across 22 countries and include it in a network of what Hilton says are properties that offer “authentic experiences that connect you to the destination.”
Each hotel property, the chain says on its website, “has an original story that is woven into the design, décor and artwork seen throughout the hotel. These bold, stylish hotels are each inspired by their locale and designed to exude a unique identity and origin story.”
The Sirata traces its history to 1961 when the Nicklaus of Florida company formed to buy the El Sirata Motel.
According to a history of the property on the Nicklaus website, it had 46 units and the company added 14 others. It then added another 65 units with the purchase of an adjacent vacant lot.
Between 1990 and 1995, it built a new lobby, offices, beach bar and bathrooms at what had been renamed the Sirata Beach Resort.
Nicklaus sold the by-then 382-room Sirata Beach Resort & Conference Center in 2017 for $108.2 million.
Columbia Sussex bought it in 2022 for $207 million.
Today, the resort has 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including nine meeting spaces, two ballrooms, several breakout rooms, beachfront tent pavilion and outdoor decks, according to the statement. And for those needing more space, the adjacent Sirata Beach Hotel offers an additional 125 guest rooms.
The latest updates that are intended to elevate the property to the Tapestry Collection flag follow a $25 million project that included the redesign of all 228 rooms — including 80 suites — with new furniture and furnishings.
Sussex Columbia also renovated the lobby and fitness center.
According to a statement from the hotel’s owner, the design “includes furnishings and soft goods with subdued profiles balanced against the strength of solid forms and bold shapes with impressive beauty, clean lines and understated color contrasts that evoke a relaxed minimalist warmth.”
The touches include:
Large bathrooms with walk-in showers and extra storage.Luxurious bedding with cotton-rich linens and fluffy pillows.55-inch flat-panel TVs with the Hilton Entertainment Package, including premium cable and movie channels.In-room coffee bar“Strategically placed” mirrors, including back-lit vanity mirror and full-length mirrors
The spokesperson would not say what the Phase 2 renovation will cost but said the it would be disclosed as the project nears completion.
Crestview Hills, Kentucky-based Columbia Sussex currently owns 44 hotels under three different brands — Marriott Hotels, Westin and Hilton Hotels and Resorts.