Review: St. Regis Longboat Key, Florida (Family Friendly Paradise)

Is the coffee service only offered if you’re in a suite or for all rooms?

This is a great review and inspires me to try it out. Once you visit luxury hotels in the Middle East and Asia, you fully understand how bad the service in US "luxury" hotels is and what a ripoff they are. This also, to a great extent, applies to Europe.

Sheeeeeeit. What a fantastic, fantastic review. This shit puts every other travel writer to shame. TripAdvisor needs to shut down, and Yelp should delete all of its user accounts and just run GenAI models trained on OMAAT reviews to “predict” what a place is like.

I only have one small complaint. Everybody with a visible face in these photos should be blurred. Yeah, you don’t “legally” have to do that, but wouldn’t it be a fantastic courtesy to match this fantastic, fantastic review. I’m coming…back for more of this type of content. Oh God, oh God.

Ben, the restaurant menus didn’t look very kid friendly. Do they offer children menus?

@ uldguy — Yep, every venue has a kids menu, coloring books, etc. However, I figured the review was long enough without including pictures of those. My apologies.

Great review (as always). Thanks!

Wow, big money spent designing this spot. Shocking to see this level of luxury in the US.

This invokes memories of an age when Florida family vacations were elegant. A time that didn't require theme parks and massive overcrowded spaces to experience the beauty of Florida. Nicely done Ben.

It appears awesome! Ben, how would you compare this one with the St. Regis at Bal Harbour?

It looks like you had a great stay! I'm certainly not the target demographic for this hotel, but I'm curious where people are coming from. Are people just driving in from around Florida, or are people flying down from New York? If a flight, a car, and $55 daily parking are involved, it seems like flying to the Caribbean would be a better move in nearly every case.

@ Jerry -- I think the demographic is a mix of people. Lots of people from Florida, but also lots of people flying in from further north, at least seasonally.

Regarding the Caribbean, some people just prefer to travel domestically for getaways, especially with families. Flights are also often cheaper, there are more frequencies, etc. Also, while the Caribbean can be beautiful, I'm not sure comparable luxury properties there are a better value.

Just as an example (within the Bonvoy ecosystem), I'd say the St. Regis Longboat Key blows the Ritz-Carlton Turks & Caicos out of the water. They have comparable pricing, but the St. Regis has better service, dining, design, etc. Admittedly Grace Bay is pretty gorgeous, though.

@ KeFg -- I haven't stayed at the St. Regis Bal Harbour in many years, though I'd say they're probably different types of vacations.

Bal Harbour has more access to attractions outside the property, so many people will like proximity to Miami.

I'd say Longboat Key has a nicer beach, better on-property dining, and a much more impressive pool setup. The Longboat Key property is also on a different level when it comes to family friendliness.

@ Coffeequestion -- It's a good question. I believe it's limited to suites at this property, but I'm not 100% sure. I haven't seen the details published anywhere, so I can only share my own experience.

@ E. Jack Youlater -- I appreciate the kind words! Regarding pictures, as you can see, there are very few people in the pictures I posted, by design. Every time I take a picture with a staff member in it, I ask if it's okay if I take a picture, and tell them that it's up to them whether they want to be in it or not.

Jack, you must be a new reader, but I can assure you as a long time fan of Ben’s that I have constructed many trips inspired by his reports, and he is by far the most objective and one of the most adventurous travel writers on the planet! Welcome to the OMAAT community.

This is an excellent hotel experience description that gives you a much better idea about the property that even the hotel's website might!
If the staffing isn't adjusted seasonally, I could see the high season as a more challenging to maintain the good service levels. It looks like quite a labour-consuming operation, at least for American property.
The challenge is also to remain consistent in the future, especially if they wish to charge these prices.
Valet and resort fees are quite eye-watering, especially for what it's included (enhanced wifi?!). I am wondering why there's no option to pay for these with points...

I stayed here for 3 nights in January. It's a wonderful property. Like you I tend to travel internationally where the properties and service are superior. This resort is comparable to properties abroad. St. Regis is my go to property, so I wanted to try out this new resort. On our visit (girlfriend and I), there were only a few families.

Welcome to OMAAT, where the trip reports are the best in the business.

I've stayed at St. Regis Bal Harbour. It's also a wonderful hotel, so elegant and sophisticated. The golden Hall of Mirrors upon entry is awesome. So unique. While the property is adult oriented, there is also a family pool so the property is welcoming to families.

I stayed here last mid-December when there were few children. The service throughout the property could not have been worse particularly at breakfast where for e.g. I waited 45 minutes for an order of oatmeal and finally walked out. The CW prime restaurant prices are hefty enough but $50 for a burger ? I suppose one would say you don't visit that kind of restaurant for a burger but really ? And your picture of it only adds insult to injury. The filet shown looks equally miniscule. Been visiting Longboat Key for years and bottom line I will stick with the old lady, Longboat Key Club.

I think the weakest part of your blog is ignoring fantastic domestic lodging options like this one. There are truly so many you are missing out on!

When is now the Waldorf Astoria Dana Point (up the hill from the Ritz) used to be a St. Regis. I stayed there a few times in the 2010s and always found the service to be impeccable. Same with the Four Seasons Maui (pre-Covid). As for concierges, I think a lot of it depends on who is working. What Ben described, as the concierge not just answering questions but proactively making suggestions, I've experienced at the Hyatt Mission Bay in San Diego - the gentleman at the desk the last time I visited went above and beyond to take care of me and my family.

Very nice review! I do have to be that person today though: I wish you would use "kids friendly" instead of "family friendly". It's not because you don't have kids that you aren't a family. I know everyone knows they mean the same thing, but still.

Hey champ, the address is actually 1601 Gulf of AMERICA Drive.

I noticed the burger price and the photo. Major disconnect between the two, and candidly the fact that the author didn’t point that out makes me think this may have been a PR piece. No way you pay $50 for that burger and don’t mention the disconnect — either you’re asleep at the wheel or you’re on the take.

It’s amazing that to this day Marriott keeps charging a resort fee on award stays. Esp to its most value customers.

One of best uses of the amex bonvoy brilliant 85k annual certificates within the continental us if can find redemption at or under 100k points rate for a night

Also if willing to drive or uber 5 minutes away out of the resort highly recommend the dry dock seafood restaurant for a meal which made some of the best grouper preparations I ever had!

It’s Arps.

I don't understand off-white/cream/light tan color furniture and cushions. That's going to stain so easily. Also, I think the in-room decor looks more like a really nice Marriott or Westin, not a 5-star luxury St. Regis.

The lobby also feels very generic international upscale hotel.

What's even more funny is the agreement that Marriott signs with hotel owners expressly says that resort fees may be waived for elites. But Marriott has never implemented this.

Is there a kids club at the hotel? This is so that in case a couple would like to go to lunch alone, there would be a place to leave the child for a while.

I have learned that Lucky, with or without hubby and child, will not step foot outside of the hotel property to experience local eating establishments - of which in 99.9% of the cases would be better, and cheaper. I've always thought this is where his reviews come up short. You never get a sense of the destination from his reports - only the hotel. Yeah, I get that he books through special programs which give you hotel food credits, blah, blah, blah and yes, I get that he's primarily reviewing the hotel property. However, for a true trip review, you gotta get outside the confines of the hotel.

The all time best though, and I go back many years, when Lucky was in New Orleans with a special trip with his mom, I believe. If I remeber correctly, they were staying at the Hyatt Centric in the Quarter. They ate at the lobby hotel restaurant of the Hyatt Centric - IN NEW ORLEANS!!!! Uggghhhhh. There are SO MANY wonderful restaurants in New Orleans and he eats at the Hyatt Centric restaurant. Oh well..................................... 🙁

Thank you for the great review! So much better than the hotel’s website. Question regarding the beach conditions (sand texture, water color, swimmable) and if they offer any beach rentals for the ocean (if it’s swimmable). Traveling with my 14 year old twins and looking for a luxury resort with an overall amazing beach!

The resort looks wonderful and for that room and that view the price is not over-the-top. But, for me, the valet-only parking and the parking charge would prevent me from ever staying there. When I'm in Florida, I might take my car out 3-5 times a day. There are quick errands like Cuban take-out food or longer journeys like an excursion to a different beach or dive shop. Dealing with a person to retrieve and drop off my car 10 times a day would totally kill the vacation vibe.

I am thoroughly unimpressed with this property and the entire St Regis brand. I find the interior designs of their new builds and renovations (Chicago, Bermuda, ATL, Singapore, etc.) completely uninspired and bland. That cheap white marble tile bathroom in these pics, for instance. Ugh, hardly luxurious or inspired finishes. I also find severe lack of value with service quality vs cost. It's brand for people who think they are staying in a true "5 star" but are really just suckers to another soulless, corporate brand that are essentially more expensive Marriotts. There are much better independent and non-loyalty brands that offer true 5 star luxury experiences for the same cost.

If you have "low expectations of service in the United States", it's because you only stay with watered-down, corporate "luxury" brands that do not staff, train or pay their employees well enough to maintain five star standards. The service culture at true five star properties with Auberge, Peninsula, Four Seasons, Relais & Chateaux, etc. are head and shoulders above the corporate loyalty brands you review and promote in America.