Gracious greens, softly undulating fairways, tranquil waters… it’s no secret that Sarasota’s resorts boast some of the lushest links in the country. Longboat Key Club and Resort and The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota offer gorgeous championship courses that challenge golfers from novice to pro.
But what if your idea of “tee time” instead involves scones and Darjeeling? Is your only caddie a bath accessory that accommodates loofah and body wash? Do the terms “bogey” and “birdie” bring Maltese Falcon to mind? If so, you are not alone. Plenty of guests find the grass more verdant off the greens, and as such are sans golf-loving spouses for hours. Happily, the aforementioned properties provide plenty of alternate activities to please and pamper.
The Club’s the Key
Perched on the sun swept shores of the Gulf, Longboat Key Club and Resort has long offered something for everyone. Besides championship golf and competitive tennis, the Club’s many amenities have delighted members and guests for decades. In fact, they just received their 27th consecutive AAA Four-Diamond Award, and are the only beachfront resort in Sarasota to hold this designation. The Club also offers three levels of membership: Full (golf), Tennis and Social.
Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. You’re about to be transported to the land of “ahhs.” The Club’s new Island House Spa was designed with indulgence in mind. Healing Cocoon. Body Pina Colada. Bikini Island Body Prep. Just the names of the seaweed-related body treatments are enough to evoke a smile and a sigh.
The full-service spa is housed in a 9,000 square-foot building, a short walk or a minute’s drive from the lobby of the resort. Services encompass a wide range of rejuvenating body treatments and facial enhancements. The Double Chocolate Body Sundae — a couple’s cocoa sugar scrub finished with sweet coconut — is a wonderful way to link up at the end of the day.
Fitness and well-being classes not only round out spa offerings but also complement workouts, classes and personal training sessions at the Fitness Centre. Mind & Motion Studio offers classes such as Yoga, Spinning, Step, Body Sculpting, Meditation, Pilates, Tai Chi, BOSU, Aquacise, Beach Boot Camp and Dance.
Of course, you can simply splash in the surf, swim in the heated pool, or luxuriate in the Jacuzzi. Barefoot’s Bar & Grille is located poolside overlooking the Gulf; enjoy tropical cocktails, casual dining daily and live entertainment on weekends. Sands Pointe restaurant is indoors yet shares the same sweeping views. For lighter bites, specialty drinks, dessert and evening entertainment, slip over to The Pointe Lounge adjacent to the restaurant.
Tennis anyone? Choose your court. The Club’s brand new Tennis Gardens, already a USTA Outstanding Facility Award winner, offers 20 state-of-the-art Har-Tru courts and clubhouse with pro shop, restaurant and locker rooms. There are an additional four courts at Islandside, and one at their 291-slip deep water marina, where yacht charters and fishing excursions present yet another alternative to golf. Those interested in more cultural pursuits will enjoy a dynamic calendar of art exhibitions, literary discussions, writing classes, interactive cooking demos, wine tastings and more.
“Putting” on the Ritz
Cascading waterfalls, fragrant magnolias, blue plumbago, lilies, Mexican bluebell, it’s a veritable arboretum. No, it’s not the flower festival at Epcot. This floral fantasy is instead Zen-like. Visiting and photographing the Sarasota Ritz-Carlton’s 325-acre golf course/garden is a favorite pastime of non-golfers.
If you’re passionate about plants, you’ll love discovering all 96 varieties. It’s easy with the handy printed “Landscape Plants” guide The Members Golf Club provides. Watch as cormorants poke their snake-like necks above the surface of sparkling lakes, alligators languish, armadillos scamper, and bobcat, panther, wild boar and deer make cameo appearances.
Attend a golf shop trunk show to see the latest fashions by the likes of Burberry, Adidas and Lilly Pulitzer, and have refreshments in the clubhouse. Meet your match at one of two tennis courts here or three back at the hotel downtown. From opening as a “city hotel” in 2001, The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota has been reclassified as a full-fledged resort destination.
Pets of 20 pounds or less have always been welcomed at the resort, and now can enjoy an in-room massage. The “Privileged Pup” package includes a therapeutic massage by one of six licensed pet massage practitioners, Evian water, a gourmet meal, treats and an invigorating walk across the Ringling Bridge. Their human counterparts will find nirvana at The Members Spa Club, one of the top-rated spas in the country.
Focused on regeneration and well being of body, mind and spirit, spa and salon services include everything you would expect and more. Detoxify, increase circulation and lose four to ten inches in a single Ionithermie session, a natural algae clay wrap combined with electrodes for accelerated results. By the time your golfer returns from the greens, you’ll feel peaceful, look younger and will fit into the slinky new outfit you bought at the boutique.
In keeping with your new state of inner and outer beauty, have dinner at the Vernona. The award-winning restaurant offers elegant, fine dining that “feeds the soul.” Afterwards, enjoy live entertainment and dancing at the Ca d’Zan, a favorite local haunt.
While the restaurant, bars, beauty salon, retail shops and special events are open to the public, golf, tennis, spa services and the Lido beach club are reserved for members and guests of the resort. Complimentary shuttles whisk you off to the beach for a day in the sun, a sunset cocktail or a night of glow-in-the-dark volleyball.
This five-diamond AAA-rated resort invites you to come for a visit and stay for a lifestyle. Each of the three levels of club membership includes spa, tennis, beach… and oh yes, golf.
