1. The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota
Located just steps away from historic downtown Sarasota – one of the best places to visit on Florida’s Gulf coast for shopping, dining, and entertainment – The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota offers guests great water views over Sarasota Bay.
Accommodations consist of 266 well-appointed and elegantly furnished king or double queen suites with spacious marble bathrooms and comfy bathrobes, balconies, and HDTVs. Also available if your budget will stretch that far is a luxurious penthouse suite with a separate dining area and twin balconies.
There’s also much for guests to do on this attractive 11-acre waterfront property. Features of note include The Ritz-Carlton Spa, a hair salon, a fitness center, along with concierge services. The resort also offers a variety of dining experiences, including private and in-room dining options, as well as al fresco dining at the fine dining restaurant.
2. The Resort at Longboat Key Club
Located just a short distance from Sarasota’s bustling St. Armands Circle, with its many fine boutique shops and great restaurants, the recently renovated Resort at Longboat Key Club sits at the southern end of a magnificent beach that stretches some 13 miles north toward Bradenton. And it’s a beach that’s so long, it takes around four hours to walk its length (you might want to take the bus back).
Undoubtedly the most luxurious resort in the area, the Longboat Key Club covers some 410 acres overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Consisting of a mix of 223 rooms and suites, this sprawling resort boasts eight on-site restaurants and lounges, plenty of great golf (45 holes all told), tennis courts, a fitness center, and a full-service spa.
There are also plenty of things to do on the water. Popular water-based activities include kayaking and boating, with rentals of boats and Jet Skis available from the resort’s marina. Alternatively, bring your own boat, and the bigger the better as the marina is capable of docking yachts of up to 150-feet in length. Swimming and sunbathing (rent a cabana) are other popular activities.
