Visitors returning to the Opal Grand will notice changes before they even set foot in the door. You feel comfortable walking in wearing shorts and a T-shirt and you feel comfortable all dressed up.” “This new look, this new feel - it’s what people are looking for now,” he said. The vision, he says, was “to make it the best hotel on the beach you’ll find in South Florida.” The Opal Grand, one of about 20 eclectic luxury resorts in Ocean Properties’ Opal Collection, has a concept that was in the works for several years, according to Walsh, although work on the complete renovation didn’t start until last year. The 8,000-square-foot ballroom, which can accommodate more than 500 people, received a significant upgrade during the transformation. “The hotel is a destination.”Īs Delray lures more visitors and more hotels spring up to meet the demand, the Opal Grand stands out: It’s part location and part event capacity. “We’ve become a world-class destination and the Opal Grand has been a reflection of that,” says Stephanie Immelman, president and CEO of the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce. The Opal Grand certainly fills that role as Delray strives to remain a magnet for leisure and business travelers from around the world. “This location is Main and Main, it’s where you want something significant to the community.” “For almost 100 years there has been a hotel on this corner and it has played a significant role in this city,” says Mark Walsh, vice president of Delray Beach Ocean Properties Hotels & Resorts, which has owned a hotel on the Opal Grand site since the late 1970s.ĭelray Beach’s renaissance from “Dull Ray” in the 1980s to the vital community of today influenced the evolution of the hotel. With finishing touches being added to the multimillion-dollar transformation of the former Delray Beach Marriott into a 277-room, full-service luxury resort, one of the oldest and most sought-after hospitality corners - on both the beach and Atlantic Avenue - has come full circle. Yet as Delray Beach evolved, a series of hotels would rise from the rubble, first as a Holiday Inn, then as a Marriott and now as the new Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort & Spa - each reflecting the community of its time and each taking the quality of the hotel up a notch. By 1982 its decrepit condition was unrepairable and the Seacrest succumbed to the bite of the bulldozers. Once a luxurious gathering place for wealthy Northerners who shunned the glitz of Palm Beach for the more relaxed ambience of Delray Beach, the 1925 hotel suffered from old age. Image providedĪfter 57 years as a steady landmark at the corner of State Road A1A and Atlantic Avenue, the Seacrest Hotel found its time had run out in the early 1980s. RIGHT: The newly refurbished Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort & Spa. Photo provided by Delray Beach Historical Society. LEFT: The Seacrest Hotel, circa 1925, which stood for 57 years. For a chance to spot a variety of wildlife - from armadillos to pelicans - head to Caladesi Island for a kayak through the mangroves or a walk through the forest.Posted by Mary Kate Leming on Februat 11:15Ī look, then and now, at the Delray Beach hotel site at the northwest corner of State Road A1A and Atlantic Avenue. The aquarium focuses on rescue and rehabilitation, as well as providing visitors with plenty of fun, interaction and learning about its fascinating inhabitants. The warm waters off the coast of Clearwater make it a wonderful place for spotting friendly Bottlenose dolphins dancing in the waves, whilst the glorious Clearwater Aquarium is home to the famous dolphin, Winter, star of the family-favourite blockbuster Dolphin Tale. Beyond your luxurious therapy, continue your journey of wellness in the refreshing hydrotherapy area, the state-of-the-art fitness centre - with energising group classes - or simply relax on a picturesque patio overlooking the shimmering Gulf of Mexico. The extensive spa menu offers a variety of indulgent massages, hydrating facials, revitalising body scrubs and pampering beauty treatments, each personalised to your needs by the expert therapists. For a true taste of Florida, the waterfront Sandbar serves succulent burgers, fresh salads and delicious signature cocktails.Ī tranquil sanctuary with striking ocean views, the Opal Spa is an unrivalled destination for rejuvenation and relaxation. Showcasing fresh and locally-sourced cuisine, the elegant Sea-Guini restaurant - inspired by Italy and the Mediterranean - boasts an authentic menu of meticulously prepared seafood specialties, aged all-natural steaks, hearth oven-baked pizzas and signature house-made pastas from scratch, using simple, natural and whole ingredients - all served alongside a breathtaking view of the Gulf of Mexico. Enjoy a truly exceptional dining experience at Opal Sands.
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