Review: The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort

What we loved: The stunning resort won us over with its personable staff, perfect balance of peaceful beach and pool areas yet lively evening atmosphere, fantastic dining, and thoughtful family-friendly touches—from the attentive kids’ club staff to unique activities like sand sculpting and a lagoon experience ideal for families.

What we didn’t love: While the residential location ensures a peaceful atmosphere, the lack of immediate attractions just outside the resort could be seen as a minor drawback but dining and shopping options are just a 10-minute drive away.

How to book on points: This hotel is part of the Marriott Bonvoy program with standard room redemptions costing 84,000–128,000 points per night.  

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort – About the Property

Nestled within a quiet residential area, the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort opened its doors in August 2024 and stands as the newest luxury addition to Florida’s Gulf Coast, transforming the former site of the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort into an elegant beachfront sanctuary. It features 142 rooms, 26 suites, and also a number of privately owned residential apartments.

Location

The St. Regis Longboat Key enjoys a prime location along Florida’s Gulf Coast, situated approximately 15 minutes from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ). Conveniently, Air Canada does offer direct flights from Toronto to SRQ. 

For those looking to explore the area’s attractions, St. Armands Circle’s upscale shopping and dining district is just a 10-minute drive south, while the vibrant cultural attractions of downtown Sarasota are roughly 20 minutes away.

For nature lovers, you can head over to Ted Sperling Park Nature Trail, just south of St. Armands Circle, where you can kayak or paddle board through mangrove tunnels.

Orlando’s theme parks are approximately a 2.5 hour drive away, making it an ideal destination to combine with your theme park vacation (which is what we did).

Rideshare services like Uber are the most convenient transportation options. The resort does offer a free private shuttle service within Longboat Key for up to 4 passengers from 11am to 7pm daily.

If you opt to drive, valet parking will cost $55 (USD) per night with several electric vehicle charging stations available.

Booking

We visited for a few nights in January with the kids, just prior to heading to Orlando. It was the perfect setting for some refined relaxation before the hectic pace of Disney World. 

We experienced this property on an industry rate, but normal rates for a standard Superior Guest Room with one king or two queen beds range between $770–$1,500 (USD), or 84,000–128,000 Bonvoy points per night.

If you can find a redemption on the lower range, it could make for an excellent use of an 85K Free Night Certificate from the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Brilliant Card or the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card from Chase.

At Prince of Travel, we generally value Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents per point (CAD) or 0.6 cents per point (USD), so this could prove to be a good value for your points.

I charged incidentals for my stay onto my Brilliant Card to earn 6 points per US dollar spent.

For Canadian travelers without US credit cards, both the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card earn 5 Bonvoy points per Canadian dollar spent at Marriott hotels.

If you’re interested in getting a US credit card to open up new Miles & Points opportunities, check out our in-depth guide about getting US credit cards for Canadians to learn more.

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort participates in Marriott STARS, a preferred partner program that you can access through our in-house travel agency, Prince Collection.

By booking through us, you’ll pay exactly what you’d otherwise pay (and sometimes even less), plus you’ll get access to exclusive benefits, such as a $100 (USD) property credit, complimentary breakfast for two in the hotel’s restaurant, one-category room upgrade, early check-in, and late check-out (subject to availability), plus a welcome gift and letter.

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort – The Check-In Experience

From the moment our Uber arrived, the St. Regis’s signature service was evident, with attentive bellmen immediately assisting with our luggage. The grand lobby welcomed us with the property’s striking coastal elegance, where staff promptly greeted us and escorted us to the check-in desk, thoughtfully offering a choice of water or prosecco during the check-in process.

We were provided comprehensive information about the resort’s weekly activities, including special programming for our children.

As a Titanium member, we received a warm recognition of status and were presented with following elite perks:

• Upgrade: The hotel proactively upgraded our accommodation to a Grand Deluxe Oceanview Room with two queen beds prior to our check-in.
• Welcome amenity: We were given a choice between 1,000 Bonvoy points or a $100 (USD) breakfast credit as our welcome amenity.
• Late check-out: We were asked whether we would require a late check-out, however, we didn’t need to as we would be heading out early to the Disney parks on our day of departure.
• Breakfast: The breakfast credit could be used towards the à la carte menu or the buffet option that’s offered on the weekends.

The experience concluded with a particularly memorable touch: before our butler escorted us to the room, we were invited to visit the resort’s treasure chest, which contained a thoughtfully curated collection of family amenities including stuffed animals, activity books, card and board games, kites, sunglasses, and juice boxes.

This warm welcome perfectly set the tone for our family’s stay at the property.

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort – Grand Deluxe Oceanview Room with Two Queen Beds

The room welcomes guests with a foyer entrance, leading to a spacious interior finished in gray and brown tones that reflect the coastal setting. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors open to a spacious balcony offering views of the pools and Gulf of Mexico, while flooding the space with natural light.

While technically configured for four guests with the two queen beds, the room comfortably accommodated our family of five through some creative use of space—we repurposed the padded footboard benches of each bed to create a sleeping arrangement for our youngest child.

Room amenities include a minibar and Nespresso machine, though tea amenities are not provided. The room also features a small dinette set as well.

The bathroom featured floor-to-ceiling stone tiles, dual vanities, a generously sized shower enclosure, and a standalone soaking tub. A separate toileting area adds to the overall functionality for families.

We especially appreciated the housekeeping staff’s attention to detail; notably their thoughtful gesture of providing eyeglass cleaning supplies upon noticing our glasses in the room.

The signature St. Regis Butler Service elevates the experience with unique offerings including packing and unpacking assistance, morning beverage service, and an innovative swimsuit refreshment service exclusive to this property. Just contact your butler to arrange.

For those considering different room categories, Superior rooms offer limited views but provide value, while Deluxe rooms feature partial ocean views and tend to offer a quieter experience. If you prefer a better view, then choose the Grand Deluxe category which provides views of both the resort grounds and ocean.

Families should note that connecting rooms are available, while those seeking additional space might consider the oceanfront suites, available in both one-bedroom (with queen pullout sofa) and two-bedroom configurations.

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort – Food and Drink

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort offers seven distinctive dining and beverage venues, each bringing its own culinary perspective to the property.

Breakfast is served at Riva, the resort’s coastal Italian restaurant. The venue has a relaxed, warm ambiance.

During the week, breakfast is served a la carte, while on weekends, there is an option for a breakfast buffet with a delightful selection of continental items, including wellness shots, parfaits, and energy balls, as well as traditional omelette and hot food stations.

The restaurant proved to be an excellent choice for family dining; the children raved about the handmade pasta offerings—their collective assessment of the bolognese as “the finest they’ve experienced” speaking volumes about the kitchen’s mastery of Italian classics—while we savored their thoughtfully prepared seafood dishes.

Aura, the resort’s poolside venue, offers a casual Latin American-inspired menu that perfectly suits its setting.

After enjoying time at the pool, we enjoyed a lighter fare like burgers, salads, and tacos, without needing to change out of our swimwear. The service remained attentive despite the casual setting.

My husband and I enjoyed a special evening out at CW Prime, the resort’s signature steakhouse. Aside from perfectly prepared steaks, it was the dessert that truly impressed, featuring stunning creations that rivalled professional patisseries, all crafted by the resort’s talented in-house pastry chef.

A valuable benefit is an exclusive dining window for resort guests from 6:15 PM to 8:00 PM daily at both Riva and CW Prime, when these restaurants are reserved solely for hotel guests to enjoy.

The St. Regis Bar serves as the resort’s elegant social hub, where soaring ceilings and coastal-inspired design create an inviting setting for both afternoon relaxation and evening entertainment.

The space comes alive nightly with live music, as guests gather in comfortable seating areas to enjoy crafted cocktails, while the traditional St. Regis champagne sabrage ritual at 6 PM every evening adds a theatrical element to the sophisticated yet convivial atmosphere.

Other venues include the exclusive rooftop lounge Oshen, the heritage-inspired Monkey Bar by the pool and beach, and Café Caroline, the resort’s delectable bakery cafe.

St. Regis Longboat Key Resort – Other Facilities

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort has thoughtfully designed amenities and activities that create the perfect balance between relaxation and entertainment.

The resort’s three heated pools ensure there’s something for everyone. Families can splash in the main pool or float along the lazy river.

Adults seeking tranquility can retreat to the adult-only pool and hot tub.

Attentive pool staff elevate the experience by offering complimentary treats throughout the day (my kids particularly enjoyed the mochi and refreshing lemonade shots), while practical amenities such as sunblock and swim tubes are provided poolside.

The beachfront location offers direct access to a serene stretch of coastline that is notably more peaceful than busier beaches like Miami. Kids and adults alike will also love spotting the resident dolphins that frequent the shoreline.

Beyond the pools and beach, the resort excels in providing engaging family-friendly experiences. Strategically placed seating areas and intimate fire pits dot the property, creating spaces for friends or family to gather and converse, or just catch the sunset.

Lawn games including Jenga, Connect Four, and cornhole offer casual entertainment throughout the day. Daily programming includes both complimentary offerings, like morning yoga or stretching class, and specialty activities available for a fee.

A highlight of our stay was the professional sand sculpting workshop. Working with a professional, we picked up some cool tricks for building amazing sandcastles and it turned into this awesome bonding time with the kids. It was definitely one of those perfect vacation moments where you’re both learning something new and having a blast as a family.

Another unique standout feature of the resort is their custom-built lagoon that’s perfect for junior snorkelers! If your kids aren’t quite ready to tackle the open ocean, the resort offers a Lagoon Tour experience that will be a game-changer for them. They can get up close with fish, rays, and even lobsters in a safe, supervised environment. It’s like having your own private aquarium to swim in!

The kids club was another highlight. Operated by qualified childcare professionals who are phenomenal with kids, children aged 5 to 12 can drop in for several scheduled activities throughout the day, ranging from crafting sand jars to video game tournaments.

The space itself is super well-thought-out, with cozy corners for the little ones to play pretend and chill spots where older kids can dive into books or video games. A special shoutout has to go to Nicholas, whose magic show had everyone (yes, even us parents!) completely hooked.

If you’re looking for some adult time, they offer a solid two-hour drop-off program for $75 (USD) – the perfect amount of time for enjoying spa treatment or a kid-free dinner!

The St. Regis Spa offers a sanctuary for relaxation and rejuvenation, featuring an array of massages, body treatments, nail services, and salon offerings. A well-equipped gym is also available for guests wanting to engage in active wellness while on vacation.

Conclusion

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort masterfully balances refined coastal elegance with laid-back beachfront luxury, creating an exceptional sanctuary for guests of all ages. 

The resort effortlessly transitions from relaxed daytime pool and beach activities to sophisticated evening ambiance, ensuring both families and couples find their perfect rhythm – whether that’s snorkelling in the lagoon with the kids or savouring craft cocktails during the evening.

Unique experiences combined with signature dining venues, thoughtful family amenities, and a gracious service culture that permeates every interaction, establish the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort as a standout new addition to Florida’s luxury resort landscape.

For the best value, consider booking with Bonvoy points or using your 85K free night certificates. If booking on cash, be sure to reach out to Prince Collection to unlock additional perks for your stay.