The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort Review: A Luxury Escape on Florida’s Gulf Coast

^{The author stayed as an invited guest of The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort. All opinions are the author’s own, and neither The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort nor its parent company, Marriott International, had input in any part of this article.}

I’ve wanted to visit The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort since it opened in August 2024, and finally visited in early October 2026. I was impressed by the saltwater stingray lagoon, sprawling beachfront pool, and excellent restaurants that make this a standout luxury resort on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

But with rooms going for nearly $1,600 or 130,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night during my visit, I wondered whether it’s worth paying that much.

Booking The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort

The lowest rates I found year-round for The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort were $799 per night before taxes and fees or 102,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

For the first weekend of October, when I visited, the nightly rate started at $1,583 before taxes and fees or 130,000 points per night.

Hot Tip:

Keep an eye out for lower award rates, especially if you have an 85,000-point free night award, such as the annual award from the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. Marriott lets you add up to 25,000 points, so you could use one here if a standard room is available for 110,000 points or less. Don’t forget Marriott’s fifth-night-free benefit, where you can book a 5-night stay with points and only pay for 4 nights.

Resort Fee

The $65 nightly resort fee includes:

• Beach chairs and an umbrella for up to 2 guests
• Daily bicycle use for 2 guests for 2 hours
• A pool and beach bag per guest room
• Daily fitness and wellness classes for 2 guests
• Enhanced Wi-Fi
• $5 daily voucher for Caroline’s Coffee Bar for elite members

Valet parking is $55 per day, even when redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for an award night.

Is It Worth Your Marriott Points?

Rooms at The St. Regis Longboat Key aren’t cheap, but can be a good redemption. I found rates around $1,300 or 130,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night through September 2027. That’s about 1 cent per point, a good value given our 0.7-cent-per-point valuation of Marriott Bonvoy points.

The resort participates in the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program, which offers perks such as complimentary breakfast, property credits, and potential upgrades. For comparison, the nearby The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota has FHR rates starting around $600 per night.

Would I redeem points here? Absolutely, especially when cash rates top $1,000. It’s a lot of points for 1 night, but I’d rather save my cash.

Hot Tip:

A Marriott Bonvoy credit card can help you earn points faster through welcome offers and everyday spending. Marriott co-branded cards can also earn additional points on paid stays at participating Marriott hotels.

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort Location

The beachfront resort is located on Longboat Key, a barrier island west of Sarasota. My drive from my home near Fort Lauderdale took approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) is the closest airport, just 20 to 25 minutes away by car, with nonstop flights from major cities including New York, Atlanta, Miami, and Chicago. Tampa International Airport (TPA) offers more flight options but is about 1 hour and 20 minutes away in light traffic.

A rental car is useful if you want to explore Longboat Key and the Sarasota area, but not needed if you plan to spend most of your time at the resort.

Lobby and Check-In

I was immediately impressed as I drove up to the resort’s entrance. The lobby was much larger than I expected, with soaring ceilings, plenty of natural light, and fall decorations welcoming guests during my early October visit.

I arrived around 3 p.m. and was greeted almost immediately. My room was ready, so I headed straight upstairs after a quick check-in.

Caroline Astor Suite

I stayed in a Caroline Astor Suite, a 2-bedroom setup with a king bedroom on 1 side, a bedroom with 2 queen beds on the other, and a separate living room in between.

I spent most of my time in the king bedroom, which is the equivalent of a 545-square-foot Grand Deluxe King Ocean View room.

The second bedroom, a 2-queen room, was similarly sized. It has an official occupancy limit of 4 guests, but it felt spacious enough that I could easily picture staying in one with my family of 5 if occupancy rules allowed.

King Bedroom

My room had a king bed facing a large wall-mounted TV, a spacious closet near the entrance, and plenty of room to move around. Touch-screen controls next to the bed handled the lighting and curtains.

There was also a Nespresso machine with plenty of pods, glass bottles of water, a minibar, and additional drinks and snacks available for purchase.

Bathroom

My bathroom was accessible, so its layout was different from that of other rooms. It was especially spacious, with a large walk-in shower and plenty of open space around the vanity.

I loved the look of the bathroom with marble throughout and soft white lighting that gave it a sleek, modern feel.

Balcony

The balcony was one of my favorite parts of the room. It was huge, with several places to sit or stretch out with wide-open views over the pools, beach, and Gulf beyond. I spent plenty of time out there just taking in the view.

The ocean view and the balcony’s size made this one of my favorite places to relax.

Amenities

Pools and Beach

The main pool was lively and family-friendly, and the adults-only pool was quieter. I also enjoyed floating along the lazy river.

Pool service impressed me, with servers taking orders right in the water and even handing out mochi.

Cabanas were available for an extra charge, and quite a few were occupied during my stay.

The white-sand beach and small pier overlooking the Gulf were beautiful. Cloudy skies kept things quiet, but I’d love to return on a sunny day.

Under the Sea Lagoon

The 500,000-gallon saltwater lagoon was easily my favorite experience at the resort. The guided snorkeling session costs $199 per person and lasts about an hour. It’s not cheap, but after doing it myself, I’d absolutely pay for it again.

The lagoon is filled with tropical fish, southern stingrays, and smaller cownose rays. Feeding the rays was especially memorable — they swam right up and suctioned the food straight from my hand.

I’ve snorkeled in Hawaii, Belize, and South Florida plenty of times, but having this much marine life at my fingertips felt like a treat. Snorkeling is for ages 8 and older, but younger kids can enjoy the stingrays. Two giant Aldabra tortoises live nearby, too.

St. Regis Spa and Fitness Center

I’ve visited plenty of resort spas, and this was one of the best. My massage was excellent, but what really impressed me was everything surrounding the treatment.

The spa has indoor and outdoor vitality waters, steam and sauna facilities, and an outdoor hydrotherapy pool overlooking the Gulf. I took advantage of the cold plunge, hot tub, and showers inside.

The 24/7 fitness center was also well-equipped, with free weights, strength machines, and plenty of cardio equipment for a full workout.

Reef Rangers Children’s Club

Reef Rangers is the resort’s kids club, offering supervised, paid drop-off activities for children 5 to 12. Activities include feeding the giant tortoises, checking out the fish in the lagoon, and playing beach games.

My daughters weren’t with me on this trip, so I didn’t try it firsthand. But for parents traveling with kids in that age range, it’s a nice way to enjoy a few kid-free hours.

On-Site Food and Drinks

Riva

Riva serves breakfast and dinner throughout the week, plus lunch on weekends.

I sampled everything from omelets to bread pudding and homemade yogurt, but the fresh avocado toast was my favorite.

Oshen

On my first evening, I had dinner at Oshen, the rooftop lounge overlooking the Gulf. The menu blends Japanese and Peruvian flavors, which immediately caught my attention as a big sushi fan.

I thought the food was excellent, and the cocktails were just as good. Sitting outside with the beach and the Gulf in the background made this one of my favorite meals of the stay.

CW Prime

I saved CW Prime for my final dinner, splurging on Japanese A5 Wagyu and ribeye. Both were excellent, but the Wagyu blew me away.

The sides, dessert, and service were impressive, too. Between CW Prime and Oshen, I ate well.

Aura

Aura is the resort’s casual, open-air restaurant near the beach, serving burgers, tacos, sandwiches, salads, and other Latin American-inspired dishes.

Caroline’s Coffee Bar

Caroline’s is a popular grab-and-go spot for coffee, pastries, and gelato. I stopped in for a quick coffee before hitting the pool.

Service

Service was excellent throughout my stay and matched the resort’s luxury. From valet and check-in to dining at the restaurants, the staff was consistently attentive and friendly. When you’re paying St. Regis prices, you expect exceptional service, and the resort delivered during my 2-night stay.

Final Thoughts

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort impressed me most with its restaurants, spa, and lagoon. Next time, I’d love to bring my family. I know they’d have a blast here.

It’s an expensive getaway, though, so I’d look for lower rates or a chance to use an 85,000-point certificate with a points top-off. At the right price, it’s well worth another stay.