Vinoy Hotel

Posted by Barbara (Florida, United States) on 17 March 2008 in Cityscape & Urban.

The Vinoy Hotel is a Mediterranean Revival styled hotel located in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, USA. It was built by Aymer Vinoy Laughner. Construction began on February 5, 1925 and took 10 months to complete. The hotel was originally called the Vinoy Park and was a seasonal hotel open from around December to March. Rates were $20.00 a night, the highest in the area at that time. The hotel was a popular destination for celebrities ranging from Babe Ruth, Herbert Hoover, Calvin Coolidge and Jimmy Stewart.

During World War II the hotel was taken over by the U.S. Army and used for a training school. The hotel was sold to Charles Alberding after the war for $700,000.00. The hotel continued to prosper for the next couple decades. In 1974 the Vinoy closed its doors and sold most of its contents. The hotel became a haven for vagrants until the early 1990's when it was bought by a partnership between Renaissance Hotels and Resorts and the Vinoy Development Corporation. A $93,000,000.00 renovation was undertaken and in 2 years the Vinoy reopened as an almost perfect replica of its former self. For 12 years running, the Vinoy has earned AAA Four-Diamond status. It also has a place on the National Historic Register.

It is wonderful to see places like this restored. The St. Petersburg skyline would not be the same without the Vinoy.

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