The Don CeSar

Overview

Opened in the heyday of the Gatsby Era in 1928, The Don CeSar has been welcoming travelers on St. Pete Beach for nearly a century. Known as the Pink Palace, the hotel has been high society's playground, a movie backdrop, and a Gulf Coast icon. It is a founding member of the National Trust's Historic Hotels of America and was designated the only historic resort on Florida's Gulf Coast.

A Tribute to a Lost Love

Real estate scion Thomas Rowe opened The Don CeSar in 1928, building it as a tribute to his lost love. His opulent resort soon became a destination for some of the most famous — and notorious — figures of the day. Rowe died suddenly of a heart attack in 1940, and his estranged wife, Mary, inherited the hotel.

War Years and Rescue

In 1942 the U.S. Army purchased the hotel for use as a sub-base hospital and then as a convalescent center for airmen returning from their World War II tours. After the war it served as a VA headquarters, gradually falling into disrepair until the federal government vacated it in 1969. With demolition looming, a group of citizens led by June Hurley-Young formed the "Save The Don" Committee in 1971. The next year William Bowman became the owner and began a $3.5 million restoration, and in 1973 The Don CeSar reopened as a full-service resort. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

On Screen

The Pink Palace appears in *Once Upon a Time in America* (1982), starring Robert De Niro, James Woods and Tuesday Weld. In 1985, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers performed on the hotel's rooftop while filming their MTV documentary *Southern Accents*; in 1993 Hulk Hogan filmed scenes here for the pilot of *Thunder in Paradise*; and in 1999 the hotel was the backdrop for *Forever Mine* with Ray Liotta and Gretchen Mol.

The Don Today

Spa Oceana opened in 2008, the year of the hotel's 80th anniversary, and in 2015 The Don CeSar was named Best Historic Hotel by Historic Hotels of America. A multi-year transformation began in 2018: the event spaces were revitalized; in 2019 the lobby, Lobby Bar and Maritana were reimagined; in 2020 all 241 rooms and suites were renovated and Society Table opened; and in 2021 the Beacon Pool Bar & Lookout, Uncle Andy's Market and the Rowe Bar were added. Resiliency upgrades followed in 2024–2025, and the new Royal Ballroom opened on January 1, 2026.

Visiting The Don

You do not need to be a hotel guest to visit; the restaurants and shops are open to the public. The hotel is cashless and accepts credit cards only. Parking is limited: valet parking is $38 per day and self-parking $28 per day, plus tax, with no complimentary parking; trailers, RVs and specialty vehicles need off-site public parking. The minimum check-in age is 21, and check-out is at 11 a.m. A daily resort fee of $40 plus tax per room covers premium Wi-Fi, bicycle and beach lounger rentals, fitness center access, daily yoga and aerobic classes, and morning non-motorized watersport rentals. Pets are welcome in first-floor rooms, up to two per room, for $75 per night. The property is smoke-free except for designated areas.