July 1, 2025
Memories! It often wakes after years of sleep. Fleeting time can occur with amazing speed and describe the present in a new light. For many, it is both inaccurate and selective but cunningly wise during various time periods in its travels.
It was the Spring of 1974. Over a half century ago! We decided to vacation in Sarasota, Florida with our two girls (2 and 4) … Patrick had yet to arrive. Why Sarasota? Two local dog tracks and a nearby thoroughbred racetrack (Tampa Bay Downs). Three years later, we found what was to become our home away from home – the beautiful Sandcastle Hotel on Lido Beach. It was due west and adjacent to Armand’s Circle and downtown Sarasota.
We fell in love with the place. The kids really fell in love with the place. And then, the grandkids really, really fell in love with the place. It was originally run by the Sheraton in the 1970s. Then it was Leona Hemsley. And most recently (over a decade ago), it was purchased by Ocean Properties, which also owns the Lido Beach Resort. Through it all, the Sandcastle remained to us the most beautiful resort in the world. Mary (as a travel agent) kept sending her clients. Tim Hunter, the hotel’s manager, became a close friend. It was boom times. Things could not have been better.
And then a decision was made to transform our paradise into a luxury 304 room contemporary resort. This was followed by Helene that absolutely destroyed the hotel and its surroundings. It was as if we had been struck by a dagger. A total of 50 years (less one for Covid) of our vacationing away from home had come to an end.
And what about the Sandcastle, you ask? I’ve seen reviews that bellowed: “a dump … damp, sandy carpets…. the toilet didn’t work … the safe was jammed … etc.,” Really? Here’s my take. You would walk out of our rooms and step into sand facing 600 feet of the Gulf of America; the other door directly faced the pool. Our housekeeper was always Rose. The breakfast buffet was our family’s favorite with Zoe as our server. (My breakfast consisted of two containers of coffee while facing the Gulf). The hamburgers and sandwiches with fries for lunch were absolutely delicious. If dinner wasn’t takeout on the beach facing a breathtaking sunset, it was at The Chart House, The Salty Dog, Columbian, Crab & Finn early bird, etc., and occasionally Tony’s Pizza. Ice cream was also on the Circle at Kilwin’s (the family’s absolute favorite) or Olaf’s (my favorite). Of course, there was always the beautiful Sandcastle cocktail lounge for late-night entertainment with the incomparable Earl Lewis of the Flamingos (I have one of his tapes). And Easter, with Bartender Missy as the Easter Bunny was always a great show.
And what about Leona, you ask? No discourse on the Sandcastle would be complete without (at least) a paragraph on the Queen of Mean. Alan Dershowitz, one of the all-time great con men, claimed he knew a waiter who begged not to be fired after spilling a couple of drops of water. I can tell you this – everybody was on their best behavior when she was there … and this includes both employees and patrons. She and Harry were usually very quiet and standoffish. I did run into her in Vegas soon after Harry died; she was alone at a roulette table. Her Maltese dog, named Trouble, wound up inherited it all. The most beautiful resort in the world.
Although Helene had destroyed almost all of Lido Beach and some of the Circle, the Sarasota tradition had to continue. The kids settled on the aforementioned Lido Beach Resort. Exit Tim Hunter and enter Chase. We were starting anew. Quite frankly, it was not the same for me, but everyone else loved our new vacation home. Perhaps a new paradise had arrived on the scene.
Perhaps. But the memories of a Paradise lost remain despite the relentless passage of time.
Farewell Sandcastle. RIP.
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