The Don CeSar facts for kids
| Don CeSar Hotel | |
Quick facts for kids  |
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| Hotel facts and statistics | |
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| Location | St. Pete Beach, Pinellas County, Florida |
| Opening date | January 16, 1928 |
| Developer | Thomas Rowe |
| Architect | Henry H. Dupont |
| Management | Host Hotels & Resorts |
| No. of restaurants | 3 |
| No. of rooms | 277 |
| of which suites | 40 |
| Total floor area | 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2) |
| Footnotes | |
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Don CeSar Hotel
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Built | 1925-28 |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000563 |
| Added to NRHP | April 3, 1975 |
The Don CeSar is a famous hotel located in St. Pete Beach, Florida, in the United States. It was built by Thomas Rowe and first opened its doors in 1928.
In the 1920s, during the exciting time known as the Jazz Age, it became a popular vacation spot for wealthy people. Even today, it's a favorite place for famous and rich guests to stay. The hotel was designed by Henry H. Dupont. The Don CeSar is also part of Historic Hotels of America, which means it's a very important historic building.
Contents
Building the Pink Castle
In 1924, a man named Thomas Rowe bought a large piece of land in St. Petersburg, Florida. He paid $100,000 for it. His dream was to build a "pink castle" by the sea.
He hired an architect named Henry Dupont to design the hotel. Carlton Beard was the builder. To make sure the hotel was strong on the sandy ground, they used a special concrete base. This helped the building stay stable and saved money. Even now, the hotel shows no signs of sinking!
Hotel Design and Style
The hotel's design mixes two styles: Mediterranean and Moorish. These styles were inspired by other buildings Rowe and Beard saw in Florida. They used features like arched doorways, red tile roofs, balconies, and tower-like upper floors.
The first plan was for a six-story hotel with 110 rooms. It was supposed to cost $450,000. But the plan grew bigger! They decided to build 220 rooms, and the cost went up to $1.25 million. That was much more than they first expected. Rowe named the hotel Don Ce-Sar after a hero from an opera called Maritana.
Grand Opening and Famous Guests
Rowe's "Pink Lady" hotel opened on January 16, 1928. There was a huge party with important people from nearby cities like Tampa and St. Petersburg.
The hotel quickly became a popular place for the rich and famous during the Jazz Age. Many well-known people stayed there, including writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, lawyer Clarence Darrow, and baseball legend Lou Gehrig. Even President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited.
The Don CeSar continued to attract famous guests even during the Great Depression. This was partly because the New York Yankees baseball team stayed there for their spring training for three years.
A Change of Purpose
After Thomas Rowe died suddenly, the hotel was left to his wife. It started to fall apart. But when the United States entered World War II, the Army bought the hotel in 1942.
It was turned into a military hospital in December 1942. Later, in 1944, it became a place where soldiers could recover. By 1945, the military left, and the hotel was empty. It then became an office for the Veterans Administration.
The Hotel's Rebirth
In 1967, the Veterans Administration moved out of the Don Ce-Sar. By 1969, the once grand hotel was empty and covered in graffiti. The government planned to tear it down. But local people strongly disagreed and fought to save it.
In March 1972, the Don Ce-Sar was sold to new owners, C.L. Pyatt and William Bowman Jr. They were Holiday Inn owners. The hotel, now spelled "Don CeSar" (without the hyphen), reopened on November 23, 1973.
Modern Updates
From 1985 to 2001, the hotel went through many updates. They added a large spa and a new restaurant. They also built a second outdoor swimming pool. After these additions, the hotel's official name became The Don CeSar Beach Resort and Spa.
The Don CeSar was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. This means it's a very important historic site. In 1989, it became a founding member of the National Trust Historic Hotels of America.
See also
In Spanish: The Don CeSar para niños
