![]() If you do you’ll also get a kitchen, a lot more space, an additional half bath or more, and in some cases a wraparound balcony looking down the beach. You’ll need to upgrade to a suite to get a bathtub though. You’ll never crawl around looking for a place to recharge your gadgets here, even if there are three or four of you sharing a room.īaths at Opal Sands have a good array of toiletries and shower with two nozzles that’s easily big enough for sharing. ![]() In-room amenities are extensive, including refrigerators, coffee makers, safes, ample hangers of different types, robes, and a plethora of electrical outlets including USB. All but the lowest category (deluxe king) have a sofa area with a table and all rooms have a furnished balcony. The artistic sensibilities thankfully don’t stop at the rooms, where contemporary furniture and bold art accents depicting sea elements combine with the views through a wall of glass at the end facing the water. Custom light fixtures that are real works of art enhance curvy staircases, bubble inlays, and sea colors carpets that seem to ebb and flow like the waves in the changing natural light. The sea is used as a creative springboard, but the elements are incorporated in ways that go beyond simple seashells and palm trees. Plenty of thought went into the design of Opal Sands Resort and this is a far cry from the cookie cutter beach resorts we’ve all seen over and over again. There’s also a free trolley going up and down the strip. The beach leads to the pier and beyond, while a parallel walkway leads to lots of alternate choices for dining and drinking. The resort itself is situated over a rocky shore next to an inlet, but stairs lead down to the white sand beach. There’s entertainment here in busy times and a corn hole set-up for tossing a bean bag. One level down is a real beach bar where you can sit down for lunch or belly up to the bar to get a rum runner or a Florida craft brew. Pool attendants also take care of towel set-ups and there’s a dispenser with fruit-enhanced ice water to keep the sun bathers hydrated. Poolside service here is more on the ball than at most Clearwater Beach resorts I’ve visited, with cheerful staffers regularly doing the rounds to see if anyone needs a drink or something to eat. There’s plenty of deck space, including an overflow area with artificial grass that has expensive cabanas with TVs you can rent by the day. Through a gate at the far end is a large whirlpool with a view as well. The pool is certainly long enough for laps and has varying depths for different ages. ![]() Opal Sands is easy to navigate, with the lobby, gym, spa, restaurant, bar, and pool all on the same level. The curvy building is striking, set at an angle to look down the beach at one end and offer panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico from the rest of the balconies. This high-rise hotel with water views from all 230 rooms and suites anchors the southern end of this barrier island, with a great pool complex and a fresh sense of contemporary style. This is not a long beach packed with hotels though, so it was a welcome addition when upscale Opal Sands Resort opened. It’s an easy two-hour or less getaway from land-locked Orlando. Pennoni provided structural design, construction administration and threshold inspections.Clearwater Beach in Florida has some of the nicest powdery sand in Florida and is a popular getaway spot not far from the Tampa airport. Any wall that is not a shear wall, stair, or elevator wall was designed to withstand wind forces but must fail or break-away under storm-driven wave action, so the two lower floors of the building are open parking. A wind tunnel test was of the utmost importance as it resulted in overall reduced costs as well as a more accurate design, including adjustments made around the base of the building where pedestrians would be affected. The project had a few challenges to overcome, including exposure to Florida’s high hurricane wind loads, construction in multiple flood zones, and designing a concrete building on a site with loose beach sands. The owner desired a new flagship hotel to add to their portfolio of international resort hotels. The recipient of the 2016 ENR Southeast Regional Best Project Award, the Opal Sands Resort was born from the vision of the owner/developer, Ocean Properties, LTD (OPL). Opal Sands Resort is a 17-story, 380,000-sf premier hotel located directly on the Gulf of Mexico in Clearwater Beach, Florida.
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