For Ben’s birthday this year we decided to take a mini staycation smack dab on Clearwater Beach. I won’t deny it. I suffer from the Floridian bug of taking our gorgeous beaches for granted. Out of towners travel near and far to Florida for spring break, family reunions, heck even permanent vacays for retirement. And it’s all in the name of enjoying our beaches. So why can’t we? I’m glad we decided to stay local for one of our vacations this year to take advantage of what visitors come for.
Our staycation on Clearwater Beach was one of my favorite vacations this year! Minimal travel, beautiful views, and getting to act like a tourist in our own city made for a great weekend. We were no further than a 15 minute Uber ride away from our condo – yet it felt like we were states away. Our hotel of choice to get our ‘cation on at? The Opal Sands Resort.
You guys. This hotel is just a beaut.
The Opal opened its doors just last year in 2016. It’s one of the newer hotels to hit the strip on Clearwater Beach. This is one of the reasons why we picked it for our staycation. The Opal’s rooms come equipped with can’t miss views of the Gulf. Their gym is stocked nicely with machines and weights. The lobby that welcomes you at the Opal is grand and stunning. If you’re looking for an onsite date night during your stay, the Opal offers its own restaurant – Sea Guini.
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| Tuna Tartare from Sea Guini |
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| Antipasto Board from Sea Guini |
Our guestroom had a cushy modern flare to it. There were brown and blue tones that gave off a calming, beachy vibe. Natural light came through the large, sliding glass doors each morning and our comfy bed welcomingly met us each night. No complaints from this gal over here. Turning over and facing the Gulf one way and Ben the other was not a bad view-sandwich to wake up to. With the water views outside our window, it honestly felt like we had left port and set sail on a cruise ship.
If you put Ben and I in separate rooms and asked each of us what our favorite part of the Opal was – we’d likely both say the pool without hesitation. The Opal has one of those zero-entry pools that slopes in deeper as you get in further. SO COOL. Also, who do I talk to about getting one of those for our future home?
The Opal has two bars outside near the pool: Reflections and the beachfront Sandbar. Drinks from both bars were delicious. I switched it up from my usual vodka club to give the Beachside Bloody Mary a try and it did NOT disappoint! It stands as one of the Opal’s house drink specialties and comes complete with a colossal shrimp. Neither of these bar restaurants were lacking in the food department. I loved the Spice Seared Tuna Salad from Sandbar. The Lobster Roll from Reflections was another favorite.
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| Beachside Bloody Mary from Reflections |
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| Spice Seared Tuna Salad from Sandbar |
I would 10/10 recommend the Opal Sands Resort to any friends looking to do a Clearwater Beach staycation. The resort was beautiful and had everything that we needed to have a perfect long weekend. We will definitely be back to visit sometime soon.
The Opal Sands Resort website can be found here.
Have you stayed at the Opal Sands Resort before? How did you like it?