Postcard Inn On the Beach

I have to say I was not expecting this newly renovated inn at St Pete Beach. It is a far cry from the regular hotels and beach inns on Gulf Boulevard. The exterior has been overhauled from the old Travelodge that it once was, and the rooms are hip and refreshing compared to the majority reviewed so far. I feel like I’m in another town.Apparently the locals protested vehemently when this former motel was going to be torn down and replaced by a new and nifty hotel, so the new owner went with the flow and found a designer to give this place a renovated facelift. They have added a unique style of retro and vintage furnishings, and oh joy, out with the matching drapes and bedspreads, and in with crisp linens, down duvets, and usable but pleasing décor. The kitchenettes have been removed, which is either a boon or a blessing depending on your situation, and a restaurant from Manhattan has duplicated itself in a revised clone and can seat 200. Apparently the barbequed meals are incredible. If that doesn’t suit, you can head to the beach bar or the snack shack for an extremely popular hamburger. As Gulf Boulevard is on or across from the beach, you are steps from your room.

Amenities: Wifi, continental breakfast served each morning including hot and cold items, a video arcade, a library with the emphasis on art, live music on specific nights, two gyms, volleyball, a tire swing, a very large outdoor pool, beautiful courtyard and deck area, vintage photo booth and more.

Rates: If you had the good fortune to go at Christmas, you would have saved anywhere from 70 to 90.00 per night. As it is, during the Easter break in April, the rates go up drastically, so a custom king room will be 177.00, or if you prefer two queen beds in a larger room, it will be 194.00 at the time of this writing. There are other rooms, with higher rates, but this gives you an idea. The poolside cabana king has a private patio. Many rooms have an in-room safe, so ask if this is important to you.

Reviews: very good with a few glitches. The window unit air conditioners on the pool side can be very noisy, so inquire about this. They may have fixed the situation. This hotel is new and already has rave reviews. The bad reviews are prior to the renovations and facelift of this under new ownership. The lovely Molly Simms was there for the opening and tried out the Wildwood Barbeque and Burger Restaurant with family. The staff have consistently been wonderful which makes any vacation a lot more enjoyable.

Address: 6300 Gulf Boulevard, St Pete Beach

727-367-2711 or toll free (800) 237-8918