Quick Getaway: Pelican Ground Beach Resort, Fr. Lauderdale
As you bask by the pool, mesmerized by the lapping Atlantic wavy tunes and azure horizons filled with dancing clouds, you are one minute closer to heaven. Lucky Tampa Bay residents can leave their passports home and jet by car to Ft. Lauderdale’s newest beachfront jewel, the 156-room boutique Pelican Grand Beach Resort. This heavenly oasis serves up serene breathtaking views for sun worshippers, who also enjoy meandering down nearby Las Olas Boulevard to explore trendy shops, art galleries and eclectic nightlife. With a world-class spa (PURE), upscale restaurant with seasonal menus (OCEAN 2000), Atlantic Ballroom and Terrace, this Noble House property is a multi-million dollar re-imagination located on 500 feet of pristine, private beachfront coupling old Florida grandeur with coastal chic. When you’re not enjoying a banana split at the 1950’s inspired ice cream shop, you can swim laps in the zero-entry oceanfront pool, work out in the oceanfront fitness center, go paddle boarding or float down the lazy river tubing ride. Rejuvenate Your Senses: Indulge in personalized pampering at the new PURE spa, the only spa in the United States to carry Maria Åkerberg’s organic skin-care products. Based on Scandinavian lifestyle, the 3,000 square foot ocean view spa has three indoor and two outdoor cabana rooms for your massage (hot stone,Swedish, mommy-to-be), facials, reflexology and body treatments. There’s a relaxation room with hanging chairs, manicure/pedicure stations, rooftop yoga and tasty treatments (Maria’s Mystical dark Chocolate Indulgence, Papaya Body Dream) and a Royal Bathing Ritual. Ocean 2000 Restaurant & 02K Lounge: Executive Chef Michael Bloise’s seasonal farm and sea to fork menu is inspired by worldly flavors and locally sourced dishes and bold ingredients. His Chicken and Dumplings celebrates Florida and Caribbean tastes (housemade chicken sausage, macadamia pesto, Jamaican spinners). From the charred cauliflower and red/yellow beet salad to the oysters and seared diver scallops, each dish is a work of art. The oxtail terrine, Berkshire pork belly and braised Florida lamb tease meat lovers as do the filet mignon and savory ribeye, served with your choice of seven sauces (salty shallot caramel and lime-salt chile have our vote). The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch (yummy shrimp salad sliders), decadent desserts (chocolate chunk brownie s’more) and extravagant Sunday brunch and features a full bar and excellent boutique wine list. On Friday, live guitar music in the 02K Lounge beckons as do the weekly specials – happy hour daily 4-6 pm, rum-sipping flights Tuesday and Funky Buddha Beer burger blast Thursday. Bird’s Eye View: Live the South Beach luxe life! Book the gorgeous new 12th floor Sky Suite pristine penthouse, a private sun-splashed paradise with a 1,100 sq. ft. balcony, rooftop shower, aerie Microsilk Tub with Cromatherapy and Light Therapy, elegant dining room for eight, living room, private elevator, marble steam shower, wet bar, Nespresso delights and tropical, white-washed décor with sea-spired accents. Culture & Couture Escape: Sweeten your stay with an exclusive package. Drop your bags in your Sky Suite penthouse for two nights and have your personal driver whisk you and your honey to the NSU Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale. Couture enthusiasts get an exclusive tour of “Bellissima: Italy and High Fashion 1945-1968” an iconic tribute to Italian designer fashions and cinema legends (Valentino, Ferragami, Gucci, Federico Fellini and Michelangelo
Quick Getaway: Opal Sands Resort
A New Gem on Clearwater Beach Walking into a beach resort, guests may not expect to see exquisite and custom-designed works of art all around, but that’s just what they’ll find when visiting Opal Sands Resort. The resort opened last month on Clearwater Beach, recently named the Number One Beach in the U.S. in the TripAdvisor 2016 Travelers’ Choice Awards. Outside, Opal Sands may be called a work of art in its design, overseen by Design Duncan Miller Ullmann: the concave, classically modern 15-story building features floor-to-ceiling windows on each of its levels, affording panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico and Clearwater Bay not only from every one of its 230 guestrooms, but from the lobby, restaurants and meeting spaces as well. Inside, the first piece of custom-designed art that guests encounter is “Ascent,” created by sculptor Mark Aeling and Florida native artist Christopher Still, which floats wave-like from the ceiling over the grand staircase leading up into the lobby. Other pieces of one-of-a-kind art found within Opal Sands’ public spaces include Clear Water, an arrival fountain with egrets seemingly inflight; Sunset on Clearwater Beach, an oil painting behind the front desk by Still; and Gulf Spirit, a nine-foot grouper sculpture that hangs over the entrance to Sea-Guini, the resort’s signature restaurant. The sleek design and inspiring art carries into Opal Sands’ accommodations, too, ranging from sizeable and well-appointed standard guest rooms, to One- and Two-Bedroom Sunset Suites complete with mini-kitchens. All guestrooms feature spacious balconies on which to spread out, and pull-out sofas for more sleeping space. Additionally, each guestroom floor has a “pantry” a complimentary refreshment nook with fresh fruit, cookies and drinks. For even more room, the one-bedroom Opal Sands Suites (575-square-feet, starting at $788 a night) feature a kitchen, bar, living and dining rooms, one-and-a-half bathrooms and an expansive 500-square-foot balcony. The top of the line is the two-bedroom Presidential Suite (1,300-square-feet, starting at $1,538 a night), featuring a full-size kitchen, living areas, two-and-a-half bathrooms and a flowing 1,000-square-foot balcony with 270-degree panoramic views. The Opal Sands Suites and Presidential Suite each also feature outdoor hot tubs in which to relax whilst soaking up the sun during the day, or gazing at the stars at night. Adding to Opal Sands’ appeal are the relaxing, on-site Opal Spa and the resort’s three restaurants overseen by Executive Chef Todd Holender—Sea-Guini, blending Italian cuisine and fresh seafood; Reflections, the poolside bar and eatery; and the Sand Bar, a tiki hut-roofed bar with direct access to the nearby beach. Take a quick getaway to Opal Sands Resort and meet the newest gem on Clearwater Beach Opal Sands Resort | 430 S. Gulfview Blvd. | Clearwater Beach | 855-335-1087 | www.opalsands.com