First look inside the new AC Hotel in St. Pete

Inside the mixed-use Ascent St. Petersburg tower, Marriott hotel team members and St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce officials cut a ceremonial ribbon, celebrating the recent grand debut of the new AC Hotel – the first of its kind in the city. 

Ben Walters (centered left), general manager of the hotel, and St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Chris Steinocher (pictured in the center), cut the decorated ribbon. 

“Tourism is our No.1 industry. Last year, we had over 15 million visitors in the area, and they stay in the city for an average of three days,” Chamber CEO and President Chris Steinocher said inside the hotel lobby Thursday morning. 

The AC Hotel, which is part of Marriott Bonvoy’s brand portfolio, is in the hospitality portion of the Ascent tower developed by Greystar Real Estate Partners and Concord Hospitality, which also comprises a 36-story luxury apartment tower.

The ribbon-cutting celebration comes after Greystar’s real estate division sold the eight-story, 172-room hotel to OTO Development, the hotel management group, for $59.6 million in late February. 

One of the guest rooms inside the hotel. 

Since opening its doors to guests two months ago, the occupancy rate has stayed in the high 90% range, AC Hotel staff said, attributing the large number of bookings from weekday business travelers and concerts goers (the hotel is across the street from Jannus Live). 

The AC Hotel’s pool deck with private cabanas. 

While it is the first AC Hotel by Marriott in the city, Marriott has an existing AC Hotel by the Tampa International Airport. 

The AC Hotel has a dozen suites, a 2,500-square-foot lobby, 1,800 square feet of meeting and event space, a fitness center, an outdoor pool and the rooftop terrace bar Cane and Barrel.

A rendering of Cane and Barrel. Image provided.

The outdoor dining section at the rooftop bar, Cane and Barrel. 

In addition to Cane and Barrel, local restaurateur Cris Ponte is bringing his modern Italian restaurant concept, Olivia, to the Ascent tower as he has executed a lease at 225 1st Ave. N. 

Apartment complex construction update 

Ascent St. Petersburg general contractor Greystar remains as the current owner of the attached five-story apartment complex. 

The residential portion of the tower is expected to house 700 residents and is currently 40% pre-leased. The top two floors have 22 penthouses. 

Over the next several months, Greystar’s team will be closing pre-leasing agreements for the remaining studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. 

The apartment complex, opening this year, will include a 500-space parking garage for residents and a secure bike storage area. It will also have a rooftop pool deck and direct access to the Cane and Barrel restaurant.