Bellwether Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach, Fla., opened Aug. 13. 

The property is the first independent beachside hotel in the Gulf Coast destination to open in more than a decade, according to a statement from the resort, and is housed in a renovated building that dates to the 1970s. 

Bellwether offers 156 guestrooms and suites with private balconies decorated in vibrant colors such as tangerine orange and lime green. The lobby features midcentury furnishings, vintage artworks, terrazzo tiles and views of the Gulf of Mexico. The common areas include indoor and outdoor lounge areas, a beachfront pool and beachside cabanas with hotel attendants offering food and beverage service.

Signature restaurant Spinner Rooftop Grille sits on the 12th floor and rotates, giving diners a 360-degree view of the beach below. A floor below is an open-air bar and lounge that will feature cocktails, music, small dishes and desserts in the evenings. Bongo’s Beach Bar and Grill sits on the sand, regularly features live music and serves up bar fare with mixed drinks, including frozen concoctions. 

Bellwether Beach Resort is owned by affiliates of Miami-based Gencom and is operated by Texas-based Benchmark.

“The initial vision for Bellwether Beach Resort began more than three years ago when the hotel’s current owners purchased the property,” said Jay Rocha, the vice president of operations for Bellwether Beach Resort said in a statement. “The awe-inspiring beachfront location, the unique placement of the dining venues and the tower’s long-standing history in this exceptional city all became key elements of inspiration for what we knew this property could become.”

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