CLEARWATER, FLA.—Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club, Clearwater’s first eco-friendly hotel inspired by the resilient star of the Dolphin Tale movies, Winter the Dolphin, announced the addition of all-new family-friendly amenities and on-site educational opportunities through the hotel’s unique partnership with Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA)—Winter’s home sweet home.
Furthering CMA’s mission of marine rescue, rehabilitation, and release, Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club now proudly offers permanent, on-site educational opportunities through a designated interactive Education Room, featuring a Lego table, Dolphin Tale memorabilia, marine-themed books, and reading area, as well as interactive tablet stations with CMA educational content, Kids’ Activity Guides available at the front desk, and a mock sea turtle nest. These amenities complement and expand upon the twice-a-week visits from CMA staff stationed at the hotel to educate guests on marine life and how to become better environmental stewards.
After a long day of fun in the Florida sun, guests can retreat to one of the hotel’s three newly refreshed spacious family suites, featuring two queen beds, two twin beds in a bonus room, and two balconies with partial ocean views. Notable new additions include calming ocean-themed mural installations created by local artist, Hanna Eriksson, and a complimentary custom tv channel airing the Dolphin Tale movies, coming soon. Dolphin Tale, a major motion picture, was released in 2011 and highlights Winter’s story of survival after an injury caused her to lose her tail. The sequel, Dolphin Tale 2, was released in September 2014 and features the story of Hope, a young resident dolphin of CMA.
In addition to the hotel’s new educational offerings and refreshed rooms, guests will soon be able to enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the hotel’s on-site full-service restaurant, Cabanas Coastal Grill, slated to open later this month. Owned by local restauranteur, Crabby Bill’s, Cabana’s menu will feature locally sourced and sustainable ingredients with signature seafood, chicken, and pasta dishes, seasonal specials, and plant-based options with options to dine inside the restaurant, grab a seat at the bar or sit outside on the covered patio in a bright and breezy, casual environment.
Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club came to life last summer after owners, Page Development Group, renovated an existing Choice hotel, incorporating sustainable practices with a focus on environmental protection. The dolphin and marine life-themed hotel is part of the Ascend Hotel Collection portfolio by Choice Hotels and is the first CMA-certified hotel with measures to protect marine life including sea turtle safe lighting, the elimination of single-use plastics, and special window treatments to reduce energy use while minimizing the harmful effects of sun glare off the Gulf. Not only will guests feel good about the sustainability of their stay at Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club, but they will also be directly contributing to Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s nonprofit mission through the hotel’s daily Conservation Resort Fee of $9.95 per guestroom. One hundred percent of this fee goes directly to the aquarium to help fund the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured marine life.
