If you have ever vacationed to Florida’s St. Peach Beach, you’ve probably been curious about the massive pink castle-like palace perched upon the shore. That my friends, is the historically famous Don CeSar hotel which has been highly talked about since its grand opening in 1928, for its rich history of development, possible hauntings, rescue from demolition and famous pop-culture.
In the beginning, developer Thomas Rowe envisioned an elegant luxury hotel to be enjoyed by those who wanted to experience the vast beauty and sugar sands of Florida’s Golf Coast beaches, especially St. Pete Beach. The hotel indeed was grander then anticipated and attracted high society celebrities when it first opened, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Al Capone, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Lou Gehrig and Clarence Darrow.
Due to a heart attack, Rowe passed away in the Don CeSar’s lobby in 1940, leaving the hotel to be sold shortly afterwards to the U.S Army which was used as a sub hospital and housing to ease distressed soldiers during WWII. Many visitors to this day have reported stories of apparition sightings including soldier patients, Thomas Rowe himself and his past lover, Lucinda roaming around the premises.
After the war, the Don CeSar became the Veterans Affairs headquarters until it became vacant and in shambles in 1969. Thanks to the “Save the Don Committee” and William Bowman who bought the Don CeSar in 1972, the graffitied palace was given a new life with a complete 3.5 million dollar restoration and reopened its doors to the public in 1973.
Today, the Don CeSar stands beautifully at around 40,000 square feet, 8 stories tall and occupies 277 rooms and suites. It also features a spa, shops and award winning restaurants. Since the reopening, the Pink Palace has been a hot spot for movies, films and more including Once Upon a Time in America, The Infiltrator, Pitbull’s Sexy Beaches music video, Deadly Excursion, and most recently plays a huge role in Nicholas Sparks' new book, Dreamland.
Want to see the Don CeSar for yourself even if you haven’t booked a room? While they used to give in person tours, this year the hotel rolled out free QR code self guided tours with the first stop starting near the concierge desk. Roam around the premises to learn more about the history, fun facts, and beauty of the Don CeSar for yourself!
References:
The Don CeSar. (n.d.). Www.doncesar.com. https://www.doncesar.com
The Haunted Don CeSar Hotel - Tampa Terrors. (2021, June 5). https://tampaterrors.com/the-haunted-don-cesar-hotel/
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