An eco-friendly Florida beach club named after a popular family movie series has become part of Choice Hotels International’s Ascend Hotel Collection.
Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club in Florida has joined Ascend Hotel Collection, an international portfolio of resort, boutique and historic hotels. We find out more about this distinctive property and its longstanding association with marine conservation.
Ascend’s new Florida beach club
A marine-themed hotel in Clearwater Beach, Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club is set on an island in the Gulf of Mexico and offers guests beautiful sea views. Its 91 rooms are designed to bring the marine experience to life for those seeking a relaxing getaway by the ocean.
Families can avail themselves of spacious club rooms, bathe in the heated outdoor pool or play in the waves at the nearby beach, while the Cabanas Beachside Bar and Grill offers delicious local cuisine.
“People are dreaming of travel and are eager to start exploring again, and Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club offers everything they’ve come to expect from the Ascend brand,” said Dianne Taylor, head of the brand, Ascend Hotel Collection, Choice Hotels. “We know many travellers want to enjoy the outdoors, including beaches, and the hotel’s location – on an island just off the coast of the Florida peninsula – is the perfect setting for a tropical getaway.”
Bringing eco-friendliness and marine conservation together
Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club is named after one of the characters in the popular Dolphin Tale movies. In the original film, a boy saves Winter the dolphin’s life by bringing her to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which is only five minutes from the beach club.
The property’s name, design and amenities, such as the live video stream of wild dolphins right off the coast, help raise awareness about the beauty and importance of marine life with the goal of encouraging guests to visit and support the aquarium.
To set an example, the hotel donates part of the proceeds from every room night to projects centred around the care, research and conservation of marine mammals. But that’s not all as the club’s facilities are designed with eco-friendliness in mind; they include sea turtle-safe lighting, a ban on single-use plastics and energy-efficient windows.
“The addition of this eco-friendly hotel to Choice’s portfolio reaffirms our commitment to expanding the Ascend Hotel Collection – the largest soft-brand collection in the industry – one unique property at a time,” said Mark Shalala, senior vice president of development, upscale brands, Choice Hotels.
“The strength of the Ascend brand also resonates with guests and franchisees alike as they look for dependable brands, especially in this current environment. For franchisees, Ascend hotels are backed by Choice’s industry-leading technology and robust distribution and reservation channels.”
Ascend Collection is a network of Historic, Boutique and Unique hotels that gives you an authentic, local experience.