I have vacationed at many 5 Star Resrts and decided to try out the Sand Pearl and I am glad we did. It exceeded all of my expectations. Hotel was immaculate, not your typical sandy-beach hotel. Service was excellent, even around the pool and the bea

I give the Sandpearl 4 out of 5 stars only because it just doesn't quite live up to a 5 star resort standard in my opinion. They try very hard but I believe the only ingredients preventing it from being a 5 star is its location in Clearwater Beach. The area is nice and trying to bring itself out of a 1950s past but to truly be a 5 star I believe you need the ambiance of a 5 star hotel which Sandpearl has but also the 5 star boutique shops and restaurants that are included in and around a nice resort. The shops are there outside the resort but they are the old beach shops like you might see in Myrtle Beach or Ocean City, Maryland or NJ. In other words the area is dragging down the potential of the Sandpearl but I believe Clearwater Beach is trying to correct that too as the area seems to have been spruced up recently with more work being done. Don’t get me wrong. We dined at “Frenchy’s” which is an old beach dive a block north from the Sandpearl and the food was wonderful with the ambiance of the sand covered floors, scantily clad people partying after a day at the beach and generally a place where many of the locals go to hang out. If Clearwater cleans up its act on this end of the beach like it is doing south of the pier I think the Sandpearl can truly be a 5 star resort.

However, my wife and I had a wonderful stay. We were there to relax and generally do nothing for the week. We usually go to Hilton Head Island, SC, or Savannah, Ga for our R&R but decided to venture out a little further this time. We were greeted at check-in with cold towels to wipe away the long trip and a glass of Champaign to wash down any bad taste we may have encountered on our trip. A nice touch! When confirming my reservations earlier in the week I found that I was given a room with two queen size beds and I requested a king. At check in they told me I had the room with the queens but they gladly moved me in to a room with a king. I think the rooms with the queens were bigger though. But the room with the king was very nice with very nice furnishings, flat screen TV, working desk w/chair and a wing chair for relaxing. There was a refrigerator for your beverages and there was the stocked mini bar with several beverages plus coffee maker with coffees and teas. The bathroom was tiled floor with nice cabinets and sink and tub/shower. We did have a problem with the water being luke warm on two evenings but it was hot most of the time.

The pool and beach were outstanding. We didn’t have to play the towel game as there were not that many people staying at the resort. The lounge chairs had nice cushions for your comfort and they had a canopy you could use for shade when you needed a break from the sun. There was a pool/beach services counter that had all the towels you needed and you could schedule excursions sponsored by the resort. All the activities you see on the Sandpearl web site are available. Ask for them at the pool services desk or the Concierge desk. If you wanted to sit on the beach you could rent an umbrella or beach cabana from the hotel. We chose to stay on the cheap and use the pool loungers for free. Tate Island Grill was right by the pool. Waiters and Waitresses would make rounds of the pool and bring you food and drink while you bathed in the sun. You didn’t have to lift a finger. You could eat lunch and/or dinner by the pool or enjoy the beach atmosphere of the Tate Island Grill. Oh yeah! Beach/Caribbean music played all day long by the pool putting in the beach/island mood. OH YEAH! Did you know Clearwater beaches are rated 2nd best in the country?

Tate Island Grill was great as well as “The Marketplace” inside the hotel for your morning muffin and coffee if that’s what you preferred. If you wanted the buffet or full breakfast you could enjoy it seaside at Caretta on the Gulf. Caretta on the Gulf is as close to 5 star dining as you can get. Not quite there but very close. We had dinner and breakfast at Caretta while breakfast was as casual as you wanted dinner could be as formal as you wanted.

I haven’t talked about the Spa. We didn’t partake in the Spa but I’m sure it would have been nice.

And finally the staff and customer service were in fact 5 star. Everyone was very accommodating and catered to your every need. If they didn’t have it, they could get it. We chose the Sandpearl over the Ginn Hammock Beach resort because of the surrounding activities when in fact we hardly left the resort. As one reviewer put it, “the Gulf doesn’t have waves”. Sometimes it is fun to frolic in the waves. But you don’t need to leave the Sandpearl. Everything you need is there. My wife and I will be back.

I was disappointed in our recent stay at the Sandpearl. I used the shower cap one morning only to have it disappear and they never replaced it. Same with the bath salts.... Didn't realize you were only allowed one per stay good thing I was only there 4 nights. The kicker though was when I came back to the room on the last night to shower, only to discover no hot water. And when I say no hot water that's what I mean. I must say the hotel was prompt in looking into the matter, but by the time my husband & daughter came back to the room they at least had lukewarm water... ugh!!!

When I was checking out they asked how thing went - when I mentioned all of the above they were like oh well too bad....

so definitely not worth the money the Hilton right down the road is much better.