Courtyard by Marriott: Committed to Clean & Community

In 1925, the building we now know as the Courtyard by Marriott in Downtown St. Petersburg went by the name “Pennsylvania Hotel,” owned and operated by a family from Philadelphia. In those days, the rooms were much smaller than what we are used to today, but still people managed to fill the small rooms with their own personal furniture to accompany them on their months-long stay. Almost a hundred years later, the historic building is still accommodating guests, although no longer for months at a time, as they enjoy and explore our Downtown St. Petersburg.

When Courtyard by Marriott took over the building in 2006, they decided to keep the original floors and marble in the hotel lobby and breakfast cafe (See photos below), which earned them a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. They did renovate the rooms to accommodate present-day guests, combining a room and a half to create one modern-day room. If you are interested in learning more about the history of the old “Pennsylvania Hotel,” check out Preserve the ‘Burg’s "Original" Downtown Historic Walking Tour when they resume normal operations. 

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Courtyard by Marriott was a popular hotel for business visitors and tourists alike. The hotel is surrounded by many of St. Petersburg's top organizations, such as the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg campus, Duke Energy, Poynter, and All Children's Hospital/Johns Hopkins Medicine, which makes it the perfect location for business travelers during the week. And for the weekend leisure travelers, the hotel is located near the new St. Pete Pier, Tropicana Field Home of the "Tampa Bay Rays", the Salvador Dali Museum, Mahaffey Theatre, American Stage, Palladium Theater, a multitude of our beautiful downtown parks and plenty of delicious restaurants. With so much to do and so little time, guests are happy to know that the family of seasoned staff has plenty of great recommendations for activities and dining. 

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Courtyard by Marriott knew the importance of working with community partners. Because they recognize that the arts community is what makes St. Pete so special, they are committed to being particularly involved in that community. For the last few years, they have hosted out-of-town artists for the SHINE Mural Festival, which transforms the city into a street art exhibit. They have also continually sponsored the Second Saturday ArtWalk trolley, which takes people to galleries around St. Pete during the event designed to generate more business for artists in the area. When the pandemic hit, Courtyard by Marriott again looked at how they could be most helpful to the community, and partnered with the John Hopkins Foundation to host families that were staying at the local Ronald McDonald House while the location was closed. 

Courtyard by Marriott has done more than just reach out to help the community during this pandemic. They are also finding ways to accommodate their guests as health and safety concerns are at an all-time peak. They have had all their associates go through training on proper disinfection techniques, are utilizing electromatic sprayers to disinfect their communal spaces, and have made masks available for guests and staff, which are mandatory while indoors. While meeting rooms are still available for private events (See meeting rooms below), no more than 18 people are allowed in the room at a time to ensure proper social distancing, and any food served will now be pre-boxed rather than buffet style to limit potential exposure. Additionally, they are willing to work with their guests to find other creative solutions to make them feel safe and comfortable during their stay. 

If you are ready for a change of scenery, or looking for space for your private event, we recommend visiting the Courtyard by Marriott in Downtown St. Pete, not only because of the walkable location and beautiful amenities, but because of their commitment to creating a clean, comfortable environment for you to create home-base while you explore the many offerings of Downtown St. Petersburg. Book a room or event space here.

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