The Vinoy St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club has launched the initial phase of a comprehensive transformation that will reflect the resort’s rich history through a refined yet sophisticated lens. Designed by world-renowned firms Rockwell Group and Hart Howerton, the elegant redesign will include the resort’s legendary veranda, porte cochère, main lobby, guestrooms, spa, ballrooms, restaurants and more, with an anticipated completion in 2022.
“We were inspired by The Vinoy’s iconic role in the St. Petersburg community as well as the resort’s glamorous past, which dates back to the Roaring 20s,” said Francesco Bartolozzi, associate principal/director, Rockwell Group. “We wanted to preserve The Vinoy’s original design details, including the famed pink facade, Mediterranean Revival style and pecky cypress wood beams on the Grand Lobby ceiling, while adding graceful touches that showcase these important historic elements to reintroduce the resort as an elevated yet welcoming space.”
With nods to the urban resort’s glamorous past, the revamp incorporates elegant design elements while celebrating The Vinoy’s traditional Mediterranean Revival design and old-Florida grandeur. The reimagined arrival court, veranda, and lobby, which will feature a patisserie, will showcase beautiful design highlights and custom, lantern-like chandeliers, introducing visitors to the resort’s renewed image. Timeless architectural details like the lobby’s original cypress wood beams and ceramic flooring will be honored and restored within the new interiors. The Vinoy’s refined veranda, with its iconic front porch, will continue to celebrate the Florida sunshine and the resort’s location on the Tampa Bay, with custom rocking chairs—a Vinoy tradition—and indigenous Floridian foliage.
“With the reimagined veranda, pool terrace and Paul’s Landing outdoor dining area, we are creating a welcoming space for visitors and locals alike to celebrate St. Petersburg and the iconic resort for years to come,” Bartolozzi said.
The fully renovated Historic Tower guestrooms will be inspired by Florida’s coastal topography and will feature the hotel’s signature polished palette, streamlined crown molding, wood flooring and dramatic fixtures that create a sense of relaxed luxury, and most rooms will now have walk-in marble showers. Upgrades to The Vinoy’s Grand Ballroom include aesthetic upgrades such as a new, lush walled garden outside the dramatic arched windows and a restoration of the iconic Chihuly chandelier.
“We looked for opportunities in the public spaces to dematerialize walls and windows to embrace the al fresco experience,” Bartolozzi said. “By opening two previously closed archways, the lobby is now a continuous space that spills out to the veranda via a residential and library-like garden lounge, giving guests more commanding views of the water. A generous outdoor lounge and dining area adjacent to Marchand’s creates a welcome environment right in the front of the property.”
The revamped Vinoy pool terrace will exude old Florida glamour, with stylish cabanas, bespoke sun loungers and a new pool restaurant and bar adding to the existing Paul’s Landing, making it an enticing area within the resort.
“Guests and locals, especially those who grew up visiting The Vinoy, will be excited to see that some of its most prized design details, including the historic veranda’s rocking chairs and the breathtaking Chihuly chandelier in the Grand Ballroom, will remain at the resort,” Bartolozzi said. “These thoughtful touches, paired with modern and refined updates, will reintroduce The Vinoy as an elevated, inviting experience that is welcoming, warm and luxurious, with laid-back yet sophisticated services that exude St. Petersburg’s unique charisma and Floridian hospitality.”
Throughout the evolution, The Vinoy will offer guests and members an elevated and welcoming experience that exudes St. Petersburg’s unique charisma and the resort’s unforgettable hospitality, further defining it an icon of the St. Petersburg skyline.
