What to Expect at TradeWinds Island Resorts: TradeWinds Islands Resorts is a blanket name for two hotels, Island Grand and Sandpiper Hotel & Suites, on the island of St. Pete Beach, 30 minutes from Tampa on the Gulf of Mexico. Side by side, Island Grand and Sandpiper span 20 acres of wide, white sand beaches that are strikingly beautiful.
The Island Grand is a larger property that attracts families; the Sandpiper is smaller and more intimate and more suited to couples. Guests at each resort share amenities and charging privileges.
Guest Rooms at TradeWinds Islands Resorts: Sandpiper has six Romance Rooms with king-size beds and whirlpool tubs among its 159 rooms. They overlook the Gulf and beachfront pool. Honeymoon suites at 585-room Island Grand offer the same features as the Romance Rooms at Sandpiper, with the addition of plasma TVs.
A FamilyMoon package is available for couples who bring kids. Rooms include cable TV, minibar, microwave and refrigerator (there are plenty of grocery stores close by) and wi-fi for a fee. Both resorts are non-smoking.
Dining at TradeWinds Island Resort: The property has several restaurants and snack bars. If you just want to grab a drink and watch the sunset, go to the Flying Bridge beachside café. It has a great selection of salads, burgers and fish sandwiches. Otherwise we weren’t wowed by the on-site spots.
Off-property alternatives include Hurricane Restaurant at St. Pete’s Beach, known for sunset watching at the rooftop bar; and Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, with gothic chandeliers, red wallpaper and private dining dens.
Activities at TradeWinds Islands Resorts: Guests can relax under individual beach cabanas facing the ocean, engage in water sports, or swim at one of seven pools at the two properties. A 9-hole mini-golf course is lit for night playing and there are four Har-Tru tennis courts, a fitness facility/ spa and golf privileges at nearby clubs. A loop of tropical waterways runs through the property, inhabited by white swans, Japanese koi and native Florida waterfowl. Guests may cruise the waterways in a paddleboat at no charge.
Weddings at TradeWinds Island Resorts: Since the resorts are intertwined, it is possible to have a wedding that makes use of facilities at both properties. A couple can take wedding vows on the beach, enjoy a garden courtyard reception, and have dancing and dinner in the ballroom. Wedding coordinators can make arrangements for all events and accommodations at the resorts, as well as recommend specialists for flowers, music, wedding cakes and photographers.
Nearby TradeWinds Island Resorts: St. Petersburg has BayWalk for dining, shopping and entertainment downtown. St. Pete Beach is home to
Don CeSar Beach Resort, playground of 1920s glitterati such as F. Scott Fitzgerald. Here vacationers can catch a boat to local un-bridged islands for a day of snorkeling and beach picnicking.
The Clearwater area has bays, ocean, lakes and prize-winning stretches of creamy white beaches. Clearwater Beach is headquarters for beach volleyball competitions and sunset celebrations on Pier 60.
Biking Around TradeWinds Island Resorts: Bikers will love the 47-mile Pinellas Trail, which begins in St. Petersburg and winds through Dunedin and into Tarpon Springs. The Scottish town of Dunedin is known for antiquing and Honeymoon and Caladesi island state parks, praised for their pristine beauty. In Tarpon Springs cyclists can sample authentic baklava and feta cheese and visit the sponge docks, where natural sea sponges are bought and sold.
What is the Guest Experience Like at TradeWinds Island Resorts?: Couples looking for an intimate getaway — no kids, no cars, total quiet — won’t get it here. Because the Tradewinds are intertwined, one doesn’t get the feeling of solitude at either resort. The beachfront area is lively with kids, waterslides, volleyball, and more. In other words, if you want a small and intimate, private island all-inclusive feeling, this is not the place.
What's Special About the Location of TradeWinds Island Resorts? : This part of Florida has some of the most renowned beaches in the United States, glorious stretches of powdery white sand with wonderful shelling and birding opportunities and watersports of all kinds. The Tampa Airport is a hub for many airlines and one of my favorites because it is so user friendly. As far as entertainment beyond the resort, there are sufficient restaurants, stores, malls and movie theaters in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
Where to Find More Information on TradeWinds Island Resorts: Sandpiper Hotel & Suites
6000 Gulf Blvd
St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
United States
Phone: (727) 360-5551
Island Grand Beach Resort
5500 Gulf Blvd
St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
United States
Phone: (727) 367-6461
Hotel Web Site
