Boutique hotel Hiatus Clearwater Beach opens
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Apr 19, 2024

The Hiatus Clearwater Beach, Curio Collection by Hilton has officially opened.

The 88-room boutique-style hotel is located at 385 S Gulfview Blvd. and is the latest project from developer Chattanooga-based 3H Group and LBA Hospitality. This is the first Curio brand to join LBA’s portfolio.

“Clearwater Beach is well known as an award-winning, must-visit destination,” Beau Benton, president of LBA Hospitality, said in a release.

The hotel was designed by Behar + Peteranecz Architecture and the general contractor was Baker Construction. The hotel sits on top of a three-story, 90-space parking garage.

New York City-based firm Celano Design Studio Co. designed the interior with a modern coastal bungalow aesthetic. The rooms are coastal-chic and feature balconies that overlook Clearwater Beach. The seventh floor features a rooftop restaurant with views of the Gulf of Mexico.

Amenities include a rooftop pool, two dining and three bar outlets, a fitness center and valet parking. The building has a 10-story mural painted by local artist Derek Donnelly of Saint Paint Arts.

3H Group Founder and CEO Hiren Desai said the hotel’s name came after major changes in the business led to him wanting to seek a moment of relaxation.

“I told my family and colleagues I was going to take a little hiatus, and they had different ideas in store for me. My brother, Nick Desai — also a co-owner of 3H Group — said, ‘You can take a hiatus, but take it in Clearwater Beach,’” Hiren said in a release.

The hotel is adjacent to Frenchy’s South Beach Café and Crabby’s Bar & Grill Clearwater. It is approximately a mile from Pier 60 and five minutes from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.