Margaritaville-themed Compass Hotel set to open, promising a place to escape, relax
The Jimmy Buffett-inspired Compass Hotel Anna Maria Sound opens Wednesday on Bradenton’s Perico Island.
The opening of the six-story, 123-room hotel comes one year and four months after the groundbreaking.
“The team at Compass Hotel Anna Maria Sound could not be more thrilled to open our doors to guests from this lively community and beyond,” France Langan, general manager, said in a press release.
“Our 90-plus team members from the local area are certain this highly-anticipated, new Margaritaville concept will quickly become an island staple thanks to the no-worries oasis we’ve carefully curated,” Langan said.
Compass Hotel Anna Maria Sound, the first of its kind to open in the United States, is designed to offer guests a fresh way to relax, rejuvenate and escape the everyday in casual hotel luxury. Future Compass properties are under development in Beaufort, N.C., and Louisville, Ky.
“As a global lifestyle brand, it’s of utmost importance to our team that we’re constantly innovating to meet the ever-changing needs of our guests,” Rick Cunningham, vice president of hotel development at Margaritaville Hospitality Group, said.
Guests have water views from every room, with balconies overlooking the sound, a spacious back deck, an outdoor pool and daily cocktail hour. Visitors can get a taste of the island’s local cuisines at Floridays Woodfire Grill & Bar and the Compass Bar and Chill near the outdoor pool.
Compass Hotel Anna Maria Sound was developed by Floridays Development Company and is managed by Hostmark Hospitality Group.
Compass Hotel features Margaritaville bedding, oversized bathrooms with rainfall showers, smart TVs, complimentary breakfast, high-speed wi-fi, a living lounge with a variety of books, board games, cards, and a welcome cabana stocked with snacks throughout the day. The hotel also offers Margaritaville’s Provisions, a grab-and-go retail store.
The Margaritaville brand also developed the One Particular Harbour Margaritaville next door to the new hotel at 12300 Manatee Ave. W. In 2019, Safe Harbour Marinas bought the marina and renamed it Pier 77.
Safe Harbor Marinas had previously bought Regatta Pointe Marina, as well as the Riverhouse Reef & Grill.
Margaritaville now has more than 20 lodging locations, with another 20 projects in the pipeline. Brands include Margaritaville Restaurant, JWB Prime Steak and Seafood, 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill and LandShark Bar & Grill.
While Compass Hotel emphasizes relaxation and care-free lifestyle, development of Perico Island was anything but. Development of the island took more than 20 years, filled with legal challenges and political infighting. The city annexed 416-acre north Perico Island in 1998 at the request of the Preston family, owner of the land and Manatee Fruit Co. The Prestons used the land as a citrus grove.
At one time, a developer proposed building 15-story condominium towers on the island. The towers were never built.
Jimmy Buffett and his business partners were late entrants in the development of Perico Island, submitting their hotel plans to the city of Bradenton in 2018.
For more information about Compass Hotel Anna Maria Sound, visit www.compasshotel.com/AnnaMariaSound.
For more information on Margaritaville, visit www.margaritaville.com.
This story was originally published July 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
