Rooms small, bathrooms even smaller. But...the view was great. The people, employees, were unbelievably fantastic. Over and above. Made a friend in the ice cream parlor, Evan, who usually works 3 to 10 and wants to go into psych, was the greatest. Actually, they all were! Can't say enough for all the employees! I'd go back for the employees if anything. Expensive, but...

I am a current guest and I am not impressed at all. This used to be an amazing luxury resort and it has changed so much since its renovation, specially service wise. It was famous for having staff that made you feel like a star and made the price worth it. First of all, our baggage was somehow grabbed while we were checking in and taken to another room, and they would not listen to me and the bell boy staff kept yelling at me to go check my room until the front desk concierge stepped in and found where it had gone. Then, we found hair and finger nail clippings in our room. It smelled really bad too and it was moldy. No one apologized and they just put us in another room after much effort and gave us a couple of drink coupons and tried to push us to upgrade, as if it had been our fault. The view was also not nice at all. The room we are on now is better but you can hear all the door slamming outside of us and on a busy hallway. Lastly, my experience at the pool dining area was horrible, my server kept rushing me when I was not done and forced the check on me. I think this is extremely rude considering I came here to relax, not to be rushed on someone else’s schedule, specially at a place like this. I am highly disappointed and an having a very bitter stay so far.

Beautiful property. Many really great hospitality folks working there but it doesn't seem like management thinks they need to try very hard. 1. Sun was high so why does your crew need to remove our umbrella at 6pm? Maybe pay someone a few bucks to collect umbrellas when all of your guests are DONE with the umbrellas? Many folks were upset by this. 2. Beverage service on the beach -- 530p our server on the right-half of the beach went home early. Left-half had a great server but we had to beg her to serve us out of her zone. Why not ask the left server to take care of the whole beach if your other goes home early? 3. We were told we had resort access until sunset on check-out day --- but our key stopped working. Went to front desk and staff told me to just knock on the gym door! Well nobody was in the gym so that didn't work -- how about fix your system instead? Such a great place but not 4-star property based on these simple issues that shouldn't happen.

I stayed here last week. For a hotel room in lower Manhattan priced at the same rate, you'll find quality and service that far surpasses that of St. Pete's Don CeSar. A 1 king bed luxury room is small with no view, housekeeping provided only every-other-day -- >$1200 total for a 2 night stay. And, no room service delivery. I've never seen that before. Any hotel guests placing an order to the bar & restaurant downstairs are told to retrieve their orders themselves (unless the guest has a disability). When asked why the hotel doesn't offer traditional room service delivery, the canned response from 3-4 staff members was that there's no room service delivery due to COVID restrictions. Ha. Pros -- staff are *great* people, lobby bar is beautiful, pool area is nice Cons -- food is okay, management is either inexperienced or incompetent or both, hotel is way overpriced, ownership is being cheap on service expenditures I'll try again over the summer. Maybe these were just off-season issues. Could also be a labor shortage + wage increase and inflation issue. If the room was $300/night instead of $550, I'd rate 4 stars instead of 2.

This hotel has been iconic for many years, I have been coming here for close to 30 years. But it is understaffed, the room was tiny and overlooked the parking lot even though it was $800 a night. The elevators work half the time with a bizarre system that is really inconsistent and confusing. The room wasn't clean, no luggage rack, no water bottles, and the shower didn't drain. The attitude of the staff was not helpful at all. I kept being reminded I had booked an "entry level" room. Unbelievable! I will never stay here again. Get a decent hotel and visit for the historical value. There are many beautiful hotels in this area, this one is mediocre at best.

Recently remodeled, the hotel was everything we were hoping it would be, and we had a great experience. I would have given it 5 stars except the bathrooms are beyond small, and being 6'4" my shoulders were touching the glass door and the wall in the shower at the same time, and the hand shower attachment didn't work. Everything else was top notch and perfect for us celebrating our 34 year anniversary of the day I met my wife, Valentines day. Oh yeah, the elevator system was strange, not a big deal, just ahead of its time, my jury is still out on that one, so not a plus or minus :)

Our party of three only stopped by to have a drink near the pool. It was a nice experience overall. The calamari fry was a pretty good serving and the “fries” were actually pretty large. They were a bit bland, though. Not bad, but not great. The overall experience was unexpected as I didn’t know this hotel even existed. My girlfriend brought me here with her mother and they had visited many times in the past. If it’s a feeling of the 1930 & 1940 era this is an awesome stop to make along any way you might be traveling.

Do not stay here. We reserved a water view suite over 2 months ago for an overdue girls trip. We were put in a room overlooking massive air conditioners. Not to mention the trash wasn’t emptied, dust all over the windows and counters, the pull out bed did not have linens or pillows. When we went to take showers there was no hot water. We called to request a room change and we’re told there were none available. 24 hours later we still do not have hot water. They advised us to use the gym showers and only offered $50 as compensation- meanwhile the room rate was over 1K per night. Highly disappointed in the room and customer service. There are plenty of other options in the area for less of a price.

Great stunning sunset views. Clean ample beach with soft white sand. Rooms are very clean, updated, and comfortable. Great ambiance for weddings and romantic trips. I was on business but traveling with my husband and turned into a great getaway! Live music at night, excellent restaurants serving quality food. I am coming back!

•••Such a great beach at the Don••••• I recently stayed here for a conference and really enjoyed it. The hotel is historic, and a few places show the age. That said, I really liked it. Best of all though, I was impressed with the service of the staff. All the maintenance and housekeeping staff would smile and say hello. It was refreshing to see. Good AC in the room. I only made it to the beach for a few hours but it was sooooo nice. Soft white sand and some great seashells. I’d love to come back!

The king size bed my boyfriend and I had in our room was extremely comfortable, probably the most amazing bed I've ever slept on I wanted to take it home with me lol! The shower was very nice and comfy I love walk-in showers. They have great toiletries in the bathroom! TV was very large and nice I loved that I could connect my phone to the TV. The property itself is beautiful and has a very elegant historic vibe to it. I love the stair drop in the lobby, it's different. Pools are beautiful. The front desk agents at check in were very polite and as well as the valet parking. I can't remember the young man's name but he was very polite when parking my car. It literally looks like a castle to me and it's beautiful. It was a first time for me being there and I loved it. The room was a bit small so next time I will maybe do an upgrade because I'd like a balcony to sit on but overall I have nothing bad to say. I love this place. Will return ☺️

I love the Don Cesar. I have been visiting with my family for about 20 years and we all love the beauty of the site. Unfortunately, in the past few years, the hotel has suffered under (I think) new management. All businesses suffered due to the pandemic, but, IMO the Don has done little to help itself recover. Our (nearly) $1000/night suite was not provided in nice shape nor was it kept up. There were crumbs, cereal, and children's toys in the sofa cushions. Seriously. The one in-room amenity, coffee, was provided in a broken keurig machine and when we could get it to work we used 2 coffee cups that were never replaced. We could not reach anyone (hotel staff) by the in room telephone. We searched every day for restaurants because the food at the in resort restaurants was terrible. In my case, inedible several times. I threw it away. You can go downstairs and stand in a 30 minute line for coffee. Or? Walk down the street. Really? for $1000/night they can't provide a cup of coffee? I must say the beach vendor is awesome and wonderful. Those people work hard and it shows. Unfortunately, the equipment they have to work with is a bit shoddy. The $200/day cabana has old and tired equipment. The management does not follow it's own policies about being dressed within the hotel. On the beach? Fine - I don't care. But they publish a policy of requiring dress, cover, but do not have the staff to enforce. I have seen enough butt cheeks to last for a life time. The Don used to have class. Now? Just about the dollar. They also do not have the staff to keep the place clean. A restroom shared with the pool, beach, and a night time restaurant, was not cleaned even after 9 PM. Full of sand, filth, overflowing garbage, and used beach towels. The reception staff are haughty and not helpful in any way. Never gave me a wrist band (although supposedly required), would not replace my room key when I lost it (even though I provided exact information on who was supposed to be in the room), etc. I could go on. We spend most of our time on the beach and those people are tops!!! Same with the bar tenders at the pool bar. They are friendly, professional and work very hard. I wish their manager would give some advice to the hotel manager.

After reading some of the reviews, we didn't know what to expect. Our stay was wonderful! While the rooms are small, especially the bathroom, it was comfortable. We looked at parking lot/bay/neighborhoods...and sunrise! As for the food... everything we ate was amazingly yummy - try the goat cheese fritters and egg white omelet. The prices are what you would expect for a resort but not much more than the area restaurants. The staff is ever so friendly and helpful. The bar has a ginormous selection of beverages. The resort is cashless, but it's helpful to have some cash on you for tips (valet, bellhops, pool people). If you are a walker/runner, you can easily leave the resort, turn right, and head down to Pass-a-Grille. Glad we had the opportunity to stay here.

I am here for a convention and stayed an extra few days. Originally it was booked with a discounted rate but I shortened my trip so it knocked me out of the system. Therefore my room is $565/n… $3000 trip PLUS the $800 event fee PLUS every meal at roughly $20 and mixed drinks are $16 each. I’ve had to check with front desk 4x since I got here because they keep telling me it won’t be a problem to correct it but just was told they won’t change the price for the room block. I HIGHLY DO NOT RECOMMEND STAYING HERE. Not at all worth the money.

I went to the Don Cesar for lunch. We wanted to try their beachside restaurant. The only place I found to park nearby was in their lot! They told us we could get our ticket validated and “only” pay $20! So I asked our server at the society restaurant if he could do that for me. He said unfortunately he could not do that and offered me another ticket to use to save a few bucks. When we left and tried the ticket I received it didn’t work! I was so angry! The parking cost me $37.45!!!!! WTH!! Who does that? I’ll never return. Would’ve been a 5 star had my parking experience been different! DO BETTER DON CESAR!!!

Easter buffet, very disappointed. Only beef Wellington and lamb which were were bloody rare and ? Fried chicken?? Really at -$80 per person. Truly awful. Grouper literally stank, duck a gamey mess. No turkey or baked chicken, green beans for those not wishing red, bloody, raw meat. So disappointed. Been a regular guest for many years, had my wedding in the Grand Ballroom for 100 people, stayed in the penthouse. Thank God family being together made the day as the food certainly did not.

Our family had a great time at the Don Caesar. All of the staff was very friendly and attentive. The amenities are some of the best I have seen at a hotel. The rooms are on the smaller side and dated for the amount it cost to stay here if not for that this would have been a 5 star review.

In our opinion, it was an expensive hotel for what you get. We tried to do the advertised beach yoga only to be told the instructor did not show up. Also, the housekeeper came into our room at 545 pm one night to change the sheets while we were there. Awkward! In our opinion, the bathroom was tiny (and we were told the room was an upgrade when we arrived). So tiny you could not put both seat covers up without one falling down. There was also long term bathroom grime. Everything appeared old. In our opinion, the beach chairs were pretty old and bare bones, and for such a fancy place they could invest in better outdoor furniture. Cigarettes burns on the patio area loungers. Bar food was ok. The outdoor wait staff team on the beach was awesome. Kirsten was terrific and Brandon was great as well...Positive points. For one day there was an awful sewer smell in the elevators. Very unpleasant. Not something we would have expected. Previous room occupant trash was left outside the room when we arrived. It was there for one day. Only one bathrobe was available for a couple in a room for two. If you understand the value of your money then you might be disappointed. We expected better.

We just finished our week stay at the Don. I’ve vacationed here several times as a kid and my husband and I stayed here in 2020 during COVID. The good: The Don is a historical landmark with some awesome history. You’re paying to stay at the “Pink Palace”. The service here should get a 10/5. From the beach attendants to wait staff at the Rowe bar and bartenders at the pool bar, we had amazing service everyday we were here. They really go above and beyond to ensure you are comfortable and have your needs met. The 2 pools were our favorite. Included in your resort fees are chairs and umbrellas at both the pool and beach. Fair warning, get to the pool early (no later than 9) to ensure you get an umbrella/chairs as they fill up quick. We ate dinner at the Rowe Bar on our first night here and it was delicious. I had the crab risotto and it was the best meal I had during our entire stay! The pool attendants were SO nice! Room for improvements: While the interior common areas are beautiful the rooms left some room for improvements. Our room and bathroom were small. That didn’t bother me considering the age of the hotel. Our sheets had stains on them but housekeeping came promptly to change them. Housekeeping on other days was a hit or miss. They either come super early or super late in the afternoon. The room appeared clean but lots of paint was chipping and needed sprucing up. For what you pay I just feel like rooms should be kept up better. They redid the rooms from our last stay and they are nice. Parking and resort fees are a bit steep but that comes with a historical and well known hotel. Overall the Don is a great place to stay. It’s got something for everyone! Lots of kid activities and lots of opportunities for adults. We will be back for sure.

This place is exquisite. It is so beautiful from the outside and when you pull up to it, it’s like you’re in a fairytale. Highest level of service and all the amenities you could ask for. The beach area and pool are absolutely beautiful. The restaurants are some of the best around. They have really nice beach chairs and you can even sit back in a hammock and chill for a quick nap. The area around is OK. It has some nightlife. It’s not the best beach in southwest Florida but it’s very nice.

The Don Cesar is incredible! The pink palace hotel is gorgeous and the pristine white beaches and beautiful blue gulf are stunning. The staff here is unsurpassed! Thomas Fraher the GM made sure our stay was perfect as did an array of staff including Andrea, Nick, Priscilla, Curt, Cam, Eleni, and Heidi to name just a few! The food and drinks are outstanding. Every experience we had at The Don Cesar was excellent and we have put it at the top of our favorite places to be!! Bravo to everyone at the Don Cesar who made our stay so impressive and unforgettable! We will be back soon and can't wait!

We had never heard of the Don CeSar, but so glad we stumbled upon it. The beach is lovely, the sand soft and the water is clear. The room and hotel are super clean and up to date. The food was good, and the drinks were strong. What made the Don CeSar stand out was the service. Everyone we encountered couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful. The beachside and poolside service were amazing. I especially have to shout out Shim at the poolside service! Shim was amazing and always went above and beyond to make sure we were having a great time. I would definitely come back, especially for a mother/daughter trip.

I have been looking forward to staying here for years. I had unpleasant experience - I had an issue with my booking and was delayed in travel and was late making my reservation. the manager on staff told me I had lost my entire reservation that I had already paid for in full. He told me that “usually people make their reservations on time when they book at a hotel” even though I had already explained the circumstances on why I wasn’t there on time to the staff the night before (to be clear I wasn’t asking that they give me another day at the hotel- my travel was delayed so I lost the first night which was fine… they told me I couldn’t have my second night that again I had already paid for). They ended up “making it work” and giving me my room i had already paid for for the following night. I travel a lot for my job as an elopement photographer and my experience at the Don was weird and disappointing especially to be such an Expensive resort. It was overpriced for what it was in my opinion anyway even without the negative and odd encounter with the staff. If you’re thinking of staying I would stay at the Hilton Garden Inn down the street the back of the hotel is stunning with hammocks, saw grass, live music, Coconut Charlies… it’s cute. Then go to the Don for dinner at the Maritana and drinks at the bar next to the lobby. That’s the best part about the entire hotel in my opinion.

We came for lunch on a Friday. It was our 31st anniversary. Self-parked in their lot across the street from the hotel, $28.89 for an hour! The hotel looks nice from the outside. Inside was a bit grubby. Dirty carpets in the stairwell. Doors had chipped paint and were generally dirty around the handles. Was seated outside at the Society Table & Rowe Bar. Our filthy chair cushions looked like countless patrons had previously dropped food and beverages on them. Maybe a few boogers as well. Our server. J. MONTOYA, was superb. Very friendly and attentive. Zero complains about service. Ordered a bottle of Argyle sparkling wine, shrimp cocktail $18, goat cheese fritters $13, followed by a blackened grouper sandwich $23, for myself and a grilled chicken sandwich $18, for my wife. Shrimp cocktail was barely acceptable as were the fritters. Both of the sandwiches were very small and served on what could only be low- priced bargain-basement hamburger buns. Very disappointing. To be honest. We would have gotten much better food for far less money almost anywhere on Gulf Boulevard. Skidder's, Rick's Reef, Ricky Tee's, Dockside Dave's....anywhere. The food was only fit for a high school cafeteria or maybe a hospital. So sad. Mr. Montoya deserves a classier place to work.

This place is not just awesome, it is a historical landmark. Walking through the hotel looking at the architecture and the craftsmanship is very exciting and fulfilling. You can almost imagine yourself back in time with a modern twist. Reagan at the front desk, Katie and Dan at the pool bar, Jack and Becky in the dining area all of these people are top notch for the services provided. I highly recommend visiting here.

My experience at the Don was lovely. Staff were very friendly, especially Brittany on the beach. A beach where you can witness sunrise and sunset is truly amazing. The hotel overall was very clean and historical. My only 2 complaints are the “ocean view” room that we had which overlooked loud air conditioners. I felt as though it is deceiving to charge more for that room and call it an “ocean view.” Secondly, the fact that you couldn’t sit in the beach chairs until 9AM. Seeing as I am an early bird waiting around until 9Am for a beach chair was frustrating.

Great architecture. A true gem amongst typical Florida 70s90 architecture. Standing in the water the hotel transports you to a more exotic place and time. A wonderful addition to Florida's sunset viewing hobbyists. Pay and play. There's little reason to leave the beach with world class service bringing Great drinks and great food.

Stood here for 2-days for a getaway in February - awesome experience. Historic establishment at an unbelievably gorgeous location. Beach was a dream to wake up to! Breakfast restaurant was amazing. Room was pretty small but when you in such a beautiful location - who wants to stay in the room anyway? Highly recommend! Great music in the lobby during the evening.

Service was a bit lacking. We were a party of four, but constantly had to ask for more. More towels. More coffee. More creamer. The exception being the valet service. They were always on point. Friendly, responsive and professional. Poolside service was also pretty good. Not quite the luxury experience we were thinking we'd have, but not horrible either.

I highly recommend the Don CeSar!!! Starting off with the location - it is perfect! It was easy to find and is situated on a pristine white sand beach. The facilities were very well maintained. There are two large heated pools only steps away from the beach. My only complaint with the facilities was the lack of a hot tub - please put one in!! The sunsets here are phenomenal. There is also a rooftop terrace on the pool deck that is a perfect place to watch the sunset if you don't want to get sandy. The Maritana restaurant onsite is INCREDIBLE!! The food was unbelievable and our server Rocco was fantastic. It is definitely a must-visit if you enjoy luxury dining. Our room looked like it was recently renovated and we loved all the details. The beds and pillows were very comfortable. The only downside to the room was the bathroom was on the small side - not an issue for me but could pose a problem for others. We also required maintenance on our bathroom during our stay and they were able to resolve the issue very quickly. Again, I highly recommend staying here!

We are members of the Don Cesar. Most weekends we head to Beacon Poolside bar. The reason why we go there so often is because of the staff at the bar and poolside. Andrea, Jake, Natalia, Mike, John, Jackie, Chase and Mario always greet us with a smile, provide the best drinks and service. Schim, Steve, and Chase always try to find us our favorite chairs and umbrella poolside and of course a smile and sometimes a hug. Its just so nice to go an establishment with servers who are kind and truly genuine. We can't say enough about each and everyone one of them and how much we truly appreciate what they all do for us.

The Don is a great place to eat , relax and pamper yourself and your loved ones. Two great restaurants, two pools, steps onto the beach, great service, nice rooms. A great experience. Yes, it is pricey, but you get what you pay for.

We stayed one night in late June and from the moment we pulled in, until walking out to leave, the service was top notch. The staff greet you right away and are very friendly. Walking through the hotel if there is a staff member around they greet you and ask/tell you to have a great day. It’s an older hotel but went through a renovation a few years back so the rooms are clean, bright and comfortable. The bathrooms are smaller but they are clean and don’t give you that older, renovated gross feel. The beach was awesome. The sand was clean and pure white. The water was warm and had some waves but it was great and both our kids and ourselves loved it. They had a staff member that does kids activities so between hula hoop contests on the beach to Trivia in the pool, the kids were entertained and got prizes. The pools are both nice. One small hiccup was a water aerobics class one morning so they took the whole shallow end of the pool up and it was difficult for the kids to swim. Once they were done we had a good time. The pool bar was great, the food was perfect along with very attentive wait staff. We ordered room service at night and breakfast the next morning and both were there within 20 minutes with a nice display. We used the market in the basement to get some room supplies and ice cream. The kids loved it. We will definitely be visiting again.

Wonderful service from the valet to walking the grounds to the restaurants. Beautiful spaces. Delicious food. I’ve been there when friends have stayed and for weddings. It’s beautiful and a true resort on the beach. I love how it is run too. I went to my cousin’s room and it was cute. There are photo ops around every corner! The grounds are gorgeous.

I stayed here last month with my husband for our honeymoon and we had a wonderful time. There is so much to do that I wish we had planned to stay more than 2 nights! Our favorite parts were renting bikes from the hotel to explore the area, spending time relaxing at the pool, and enjoying the beautiful views on the beach. Thanks to Paxton at the front desk for helping us out with dinner and other recommendations. The service here in general is amazing and deserves some recognition. The gift shops are also nice; we got a Don CeSar Tervis because my husband collects them. I hope to be back one day to stay at this amazing resort once again.

The Don CeSar was such a cool experience! The experience really begins with driving up with the hotel, it feels so regal and picturesque! The staff was very nice. The hotel was gorgeous, they updated their rooms which was beautiful. The aesthetic of the entire place was so beautiful! And we got to go kayaking in the morning which the hotel provides complimentary. And the bar had really great drinks and live music. Overall, amazing experience! Will definitely come back!

Beautiful resort hotel right on the ocean with beach access. We had our wedding reception there many years ago, and this is a superb venue for that occasion. Rooms are comfortable and luxurious, with spectacular views available. We recently went there for lunch on the patio outside and it was wonderful.

I spent a few days last week at this hotel and my experience came close to amazing. Most of the staff are so kind and helpful, the hotel itself is in a very safe place and I didn't feel any reason to be concerned, it was a luxurious and elegant, classy hotel right on Saint Pete Beach with so much to offer. The only reason I'm not giving this a 5 star review is because when I was by the poolside, I asked a waitress for a menu which I had never received and she never came to check on me or ask if I needed anything after waiting for almost an hour which I found to be a little unprofessional. But, other than that minor incident, it was a great time in a very safe and clean hotel that I would recommend to anyone in need of a memorable stay on Saint Pete Beach!

What a cool historical resort! Stayed at Don Cesar for a work conference and couldn’t ask for better accommodations. The rooms were clean and very comfortable and the service was very attentive. The food at the hotel restaurants was delicious. And of course, the beach and afternoon sunsets were absolutely beautiful. Definitely would recommend this resort.