Sarasota's Boldest Hotel Is A Florida Gem Honoring The City's Circus Roots With Gulf Views And Seafood Towers

No American city is as famously tied to its circus history as Sarasota. Long considered a favorite East Coast retirement destination, this Florida city was once the winter home of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circuses. As an ode to the city's circus roots, a boutique hotel with nostalgic, theatrical interiors and seafood towers opened in early 2025. Cirque St. Armands Beachside, part of the 28-property Opal Collection, blends everything Florida does best: Gulf views, the circus, fresh seafood, and glamorous interiors. And while it might sound like a chaotic mashup, there is nothing kitsch or tacky about this place.

One of the hotel's biggest draws is its beachside location. It's set right on the Lido Shores on Florida's southwest coastline, just a few steps from Lido Beach, known for its white quartz sand and warm water. Just next door, Siesta Key was even named the best beach in America for 2025. The hotel has its own pool with loungers, yellow striped cabanas, and a wet bar, as well as a gelato stand to satisfy that nostalgic childhood craving. The beach just to the side of the hotel is exclusively reserved for guests, shared with the neighboring resort.

With this particular stretch of coastline being one of the top five beaches in Florida to see dolphins, it's no surprise that the hotel's restaurant has a seafood focus. The on-site eatery, Ringside, is joined by the lobby bar Midway and the poolside Ringmaster — all three eateries playfully named after the circus that inspired them. At Ringside, the only thing more entertaining than the decor is the menu, with bold dishes that have as much visual personality as they do delicious flavor.

Cirque St. Armands Beachside offers a variety of rooms and suites, accommodating between two and five guests. Every room comes with a balcony, many with views over the Gulf, while a few overlook the inland St. Armands Circle. Prices start at around $334 per night, including fees, for a Standard King room (price subject to change). If you don't mind spending a bit more, you can snag your own kitchen, living room, and Gulf views in one of the upgraded rooms. Suites are available for $664 per night; however, special offers are available for Florida residents and extended stays. Conveniently, the hotel is just a short 7-mile drive, or 20 minutes, from the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, an airport that services a number of non-stop flights across America's East Coast and Midwest.

The dining scene is a highlight of a stay at Cirque St. Armands Beachside. The experience starts right from the get-go, when guests are welcomed with a carnival-inspired cocktail. The theatrical flair runs strong at Ringside, where oversized photographs of trapeze artists hang above a dining room overlooking the water; you'll be served exceptional fresh seafood caught from the same sea. From the curated plating presentation to the ocean views, it seems everything is designed for a wow-factor effect. Start with the oven-baked brie or the feta dip, which pair perfectly with the wide selection of bespoke cocktails. But save room for the showstopper — the iconic Cirque Seafood Tower. At roughly $30 per head, it's not cheap, but the decadent spread of locally caught and foraged seafood is worth every penny. The menu covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and even if you aren't staying at the hotel, it's worth a visit for the circus ambiance alone.

Sarasota's circus history all began in the winter of 1927, when two major circus companies relocated to the Florida city. Over a few months, this small seaside fishing town transformed into a home for performers and animals, attracting thousands of tourists and earning its nickname as Circus City, USA. While the traditional circus might have taken a back seat to modern forms of entertainment, Sarasota has certainly not left its circus influence in the dust. After all, the industry helped the city become what it is today.

The circus is one of those things that continually evolves with expectations. From its roots in wild animal shows, the 21st-century circus has gone above and beyond, eliminating animal acts and incorporating a blend of holographic light, sound, and movement that keeps up with the fast-pace tempo of the TikTok generation. Cirque St. Armands Beachside has kept up with the changing trends, with interiors that pay homage to John Ringling and his circus, without doing so in a tacky or trite way. It's more grand, elegant, and Roaring-Twenties stylish than it is cliche.

The hotel is dotted with geometric tiles, bold custom joinery, dramatic feathered lighting, rich red velvet drapes, and vintage circus photography. The restaurant really leans into the theme, with a vibrant combination of red and blue upholstery accented with striped animal prints — it's theatrical without being over-exaggerated. While the public spaces are dramatic and immersive, the hotel's 135 suites take a more subdued approach. Guests make their way through striped carpeted halls lined with fun house mirrors to reach rooms that, while still circus themed, lean into softer, neutral tones that direct attention to the oversized windows with sea views.