WHERE HIP MEETS HISTORIC

APP PROVIDES MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR

As you meander the ornate halls of The Vinoy, do you wonder about the history made here and the people who walked these same steps in the past? Well, as they say, there’s an app for that! Downloadable from Google Play by looking up Vinoy Renaissance, the multimedia tour lets you experience history in the making.

It all began with a bet over 90 years ago. The rest, as they say, is history. From the grand opening on New Year’s Eve in 1925 through today, The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club has a rich and storied past.

Enhance your stay with our Navigator’s recommendations, restaurant specials and resort map. Take a peek into our archives with our multi-media history tour experience for exclusive looks at our intriguing artifacts and exhibits. You’ll learn about The Vinoy’s amazing heritage and be enchanted by the tales of the rich and famous who preceded your footsteps down its historic halls.

Grab your smart phone and use the app during your next walk through the hotel and appreciate the alluring blend of 1920s art-deco architecture and modern convenience. A FEW KEY POINTS TO OBSERVE: The Vinoy’s original 1925 color—a pinkish coral hue—was created by the Gutta Percha Paint Company exclusively for the hotel and was named “Vinoy.” Its octagonal Observation Tower, built to resemble a Renaissance-style bell tower though it never held a bell, provided a lofty perch for guests to enjoy the view, just as they might at an Italian seaside villa.

The hotel’s Moorish influence is evident in its decorative archways, especially the ornately carved stone treatment of the main entrance door and the great arched window in the south wall of the dining room wing. The veranda, running the full length of the lobby, provided a cool and breezy respite from the hot Florida sun, much like a palazzo. Back in the day, barrel ceilings, archways and ornate plaster moldings highlighted The Vinoy’s Grand Ballroom in a display of absolute symmetry. The Vinoy’s History Gallery encompasses two walls and spans the period 1901-2010, linking the resort with the history of St. Petersburg. Intriguing artifacts and exhibits—original room keys and floor tiles, pieces of china and silver, postcards and photos—are displayed in a chronological diorama.

Search "Vinoy" in the App Store, visit TheVinoyRenaissance.oncell.com or scan the QR code to download.

When it comes to choosing names for restaurants, meeting rooms, and spaces at The Vinoy, we do our best to remember the incredible history that surrounds this special place.

The inspiration behind the name of the newest restaurant at The Vinoy, Paul’s Landing, for instance, honors the man who originally planted an orange grove there more than 150 years ago. William Paul, an early settler in the region, arrived on the land where the Vinoy is now located.

The snack bar next to the swimming pool at the Vinoy Golf Club is named after D.L. Clark, founder of the candy bar company after the same name. Clark purchased the land in 1932 and renamed it Clark’s Sunset Golf Course, which it remained until 1948.

Not all that historic, but interesting to note is how Marchand’s was chosen as the restaurant name when the resort opened in 1992. As the story goes, a charismatic and memorable man named Pierre Marchand worked at the restaurant long ago as a maître d'. The name captured the imagination of everyone, and so it remained, long after Pierre left.

Fred Guest, with family roots that included such names as Woolworth and Churchill, took an interest in the resurgence happening in St. Petersburg in the late 1980s and committed funds to not only reinvent downtown, but to create his vision for a spectacular hotel at the heart of the city – today that hotel is The Vinoy Renaissance Resort & Golf Club.

STEP BACK IN TIME

Honored with an Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Preservation Education/Media by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, The Vinoy’s History Gallery encompasses two walls and spans the period 1901-2010, linking the resort with the history of St. Petersburg. Intriguing artifacts and exhibits— original room keys and floor tiles, pieces of china and silver, postcards and photos—are displayed in a chronological diorama. 1880s: The Vinoy’s bayside property is purchased for $35. 1923: Aymer Vinoy Laughner and his friends, Gene Eliot and Walter Hagen, a famous golfer, conceive the idea for The Vinoy. 1925: The Vinoy Park Hotel opens on December 31. 1920s-1930s: Celebrities, presidents and the wealthy flock to the grande dame, and St. Petersburg’s residents depend upon The Vinoy as an elegant venue for important social occasions. 1940s: WWII army cooks and bakers train at the resort, which later closes briefly for post-war repairs. 1950s: During the post-war boom, The Vinoy is a favored winter destination. 1960s: Guest numbers decline, due to lack of air conditioning and repairs. 1974: After several years of deterioration, The Vinoy finally closes. 1978: St. Petersburg citizens are instrumental in securing The Vinoy’s place on the National Register of Historic Places. 1980s: A voter referendum spares The Vinoy from the wrecking ball. 1992: After a painstaking two-year renovation, The Vinoy re-opens, restored to its original grandeur and its place as the epicenter of St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront. The National Trust for Historic Preservation names it one of the Historic Hotels of America. 2000: The Vinoy celebrates its 75th birthday, more opulent than ever, and the Palm Court Ballroom is added. 2009: A multi-million-dollar renovation includes a Dale Chihuly chandelier in the Grand Ballroom. 2011: The lobby and veranda are transformed, creating a lively waterfront vibe. 2012: To commemorate the resort’s 20th anniversary since its grand reopening in 1992, The Vinoy restored four original murals in Marchand’s Bar & Grill. 2015: The Vinoy® Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club celebrates 90 years. 2016: A $50 million redevelopment project commences. 2017: The Esplanade deck opens, offering casual dining with both indoor and outdoor seating and spectacular views of Tampa Bay. 2019: Renovations to the resort meeting space and The Vinoy Golf Club are completed. Paul’s Landing opens. 2021: The Vinoy Magazine adds a digital format at TheVinoyMagazine.com.