8 Coolest Hotels in Sarasota For Foodies and Wellness Travelers

Rising up like a contemporary vision in white just across the street from the Sarasota Opera House, Art Ovation Hotel features a different artist-in-residence weekly, art and artisan classes for guests and musical instrument rental from the front desk.

The lobby’s modern décor creates a gallery-like backdrop for the artwork, which changes every four months and also hangs throughout the hotel. Ensconce yourself in the lobby to take an art class or chill out to live music like cool jazz.

At Art Ovation’s Overture restaurant, you can dig into a hearty breakfast like the Belgian waffle with sweetened mascarpone cheese, coconut, and blackberry-strawberry-mango salsa. Or savor a dinner of sumptuous seafood dishes like the crab-crusted grouper with tomatoes, bacon, avocado butter, and Boursin grits.

At poolside rooftop bar Perspective, get your world spice groove on and share a box of crispy cauliflower Manchurian, loaded with fried paneer cheese with spicy masala, cashews, and blistered shishito peppers with miso butter. Then savor a cleverly crafted cocktail, such as the Flowers on the Wall, concocted with St. Petersburg Banyan vodka, Small Hands Orgeat, caramelized pineapple, and Crème de Violette.

At Aloft Sarasota‘s art-bedecked WXYZ Bar, a bright orange pool table beckons guests to play, and you can mellow out sipping a specialty cocktail and listening to live acoustic sets in the evening.

The rooftop pool and Splash Pool Bar invite serious lounging during the day. Have a soak in the outdoor hot tub, then gather around the fire pit and watch the sun go down in the evening.

Guest rooms are airy, with nine-foot-high ceilings, big windows, and streamlined design and are decked out in soothing hues of blue and grey with pops of orange.

Stock up on snacks and light fare from Re:fuel by Aloft before heading out to explore intriguing Sarasota attractions like the Ringling Museum of Art, where you’ll also find the whimsical exhibits of the Circus Museum and the sprawling former mansion of John Ringling, the Venetian Gothic Ca’d’Zan.

Tiny House Siesta‘s individually themed tiny houses pack a lot of personality and perks into small spaces and can sleep anywhere from two to six people. The houses have evocative names like Yellow Lifeguard Stand and Tiny Aqua Oasis that they more than live up to in style.

Vibes run the gamut from the rustic woodsy chic of the Hummingbird tiny house to the laid-back color-splashed tropical feel of the Margarita tiny house. Stock up at the organic grocer around the corner and whip up your own meals in your tiny house’s kitchen. Rent a tiny house that’s pet-friendly and bring your furry friend to join in the fun.

Make your way to the sparkling sands of Siesta Key Beach, about a 10-minute drive away across the South Bridge to sunbathe, swim or take in one of the stunning sunsets. When you want to ramp up the action, head to Downtown Sarasota and Siesta Key Village to hit the hopping nightclubs, restaurants, and boutiques.

Looking for a Sarasota stay that makes the most of the outdoors, and comes complete with two outdoor pools, a big airy yoga deck with a tiki hut roof, hammocks, complimentary barbecue grills, and outdoor showers? Then the Siesta Key Palms is your go-to getaway, its grounds landscaped with meandering stone pathways, lush foliage, palm trees, and soft white sand.

All guest rooms have sleeper sofas, so you can bring a pal or two, and suites have full kitchens if you want to make your own culinary magic. The powdery sands of Siesta Key and Crescent Beaches are just over the bridge, and when you’ve worked up an appetite, you can make a beeline for area eateries that offer everything from sushi and tacos to schnitzel and French cuisine.

At night, you can wind down dozing in one of the hotel’s hammocks beneath the palm trees and lights strung around the pool, surrounded by tropical flora like colorful bird of paradise plants and fragrant magnolia trees.

Fans of mid-century modern architecture will find bliss at Siesta Key Beach Side Villas. Book a low-slung canary yellow or robin’s egg blue “Mad Men” era villa with a heated pool and give Don Draper a run for his money when it comes to pumping up the cool factor. Villas range in size from studios to two-bedroom suites and come with amenities like kitchens and flat-screen TVs.

Siesta Key Beach is close to the villas with direct access a two-minute walk away, as are funky boutiques, buzzing nightclubs and enticing restaurants. Grab one of the bikes and explore the area, or head off to the beach with complimentary beach chairs and towels in tow.

After your beach adventures, nature buffs should also spend some time checking out Sarasota’s green oases like the vast wetlands of Myakka State Park, about a 35-minute drive away and the 15-acre Marie Shelby Botanical Gardens, about a 20-minute drive away.

In the heart of Downtown Sarasota’s Arts District, on the palm tree-lined Boulevard of the Arts, Hotel Indigo is a soothing Sarasota getaway, complete with hot and cold wading pools and comfy, pet-friendly rooms.

The artsy modern interior design is a cheery blend of colorful murals that tell the story of the neighborhood, mosaic tile walls and hardwood floors in sweeping curving patterns. Guest rooms sport upbeat décor in lime and sea-foam greens and navy blues.

Sarasota’s creative culinary culture is in full bloom at Hotel Indigo’s H2O Bistro, where Chef Solomon Shenker puts an inventive spin on classic dishes, like shrimp-cocktail with house-made citrus-infused cocktail sauce.

If you’re keen to fuel the local economy with some serious shopping, St. Armand’s Circle, just three miles away over the John Ringling Causeway is packed with more than 130 shops and restaurants. Stop for lunch at Columbia Spanish restaurant, a local favorite for 60 years and order the tasty signature 1905 salad, made for you tableside.

This waterfront hotel sits prettily on the Boulevard of the Arts in Sarasota’s Rosemary District, close to hip boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops, and bars. Guest rooms are brightly decorated with vibrant splashes of colors like pink and green and plush furnishings.

Enjoy a decadent dinner with views of Sarasota Bay at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota‘s two-level Currents restaurant. Carnivores can opt for the bacon-wrapped filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and truffle Madeira sauce, while pescatarians can dig into local seafood dishes like locally caught grouper with sweet corn grits, French beans, and herb butter.

Not that hungry? You can nosh on a lobster roll poolside at the Hurricane Hut or settle in at Currents Bar to enjoy the cool artwork and health-conscious cocktails like the Lite Cosmopolitan concocted with Ketel One vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice, and fresh lime and orange juices.

The Westin Sarasota‘s façade is a sleek, modern one of gleaming white walls and glass. Guest rooms are light-filled, with floor-to-ceiling windows, streamlined modern décor, and artwork in beachy aquamarine hues.

At the Westin Sarasota’s Roof Bar & Eats, guests gather around fire pits to soak in the 19th-floor views of the Gulf of Mexico, sip creative craft cocktails like the elderflower grapefruit martini and enjoy DJs spinning or live jazz.

Indulge in a treatment at the Westin Spa and Salon, like the couple’s massage, then have a float in the rooftop pool. Afterward, sink into a seat at The Roof Bar and Eats to take in the views of the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota.

Don’t miss dinner at Chef Craig MacAvoy’s EVOQ restaurant and the chance to pair dishes like beef tenderloin with crispy Brussels sprouts, parsnip cream and candied shallots with selections from the stellar wine list, like Turnbull’s cabernet sauvignon.