Plan your Perfect Beach Vacation at the Alden Suites St. Pete

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Last year, my awesome group of girlfriends organized a 30+ person winter, family getaway for us to the gulf coast of Florida. We all had THE BEST time, and the main reason we had such a blast was we stayed at an awesome resort that was perfect for our group! This great property was the Alden Suites Beachfront Resort located in St. Pete Beach, Florida!

Last week I was invited to return to the Alden to their blogger bash to help celebrate their 50^th anniversary. I was so excited to learn more about this awesome family owned property and to be able to share more with you all on how to plan your perfect beach vacation at the Alden Suites St. Pete!

 

Momma To Go would like to thank the Alden Suites St. Pete for hosting me as part of their #AldenWow50 blogger bash. As always, all opinions are my own.

 

The Alden Suites St. Pete Beach

Where is the Alden Resort Located?

The Alden Suites Beachfront Resort is located in St. Pete Beach, on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The hotel is about 30 miles from the Tampa International Airport and a 90 minute drive from Orlando in Central Florida. This is the area of Tampa Bay just south of Clearwater Beach, and to the west of the city of Tampa.

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The Alden is the perfect location for a getaway from Central Florida, or for those coming from up North looking for a fun and affordable warm-weather vacation.

I have visited this area of Florida many times, and I am always impressed by the beautiful beaches and incredible weather. If you like clean beaches with white, soft sand, the Alden is definitely the resort for you!

What my kids love about this area is that the Gulf of Mexico is calm and clear enough to swim in, but there are some waves to play and boogey board in! It’s really the perfect family beach destination.

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And speaking of family – the Alden Resort is a completely family run hotel. At the blogger bash, Gary and Mary Ann Renfrow (second generation Alden owners) were on site with us, hanging out and having fun! The Alden staff is amazing and they treat their guests like an extension of their own family. The personal service and attention to detail really stood out to me.

It’s not a surprise that they have a very large number of repeat guests visit each year! In fact, I met a family in the hot tub who have been visiting the Alden (from Indiana!) 3-4 times a year for 30 years!

 

The Rooms at the Alden Suites

The Alden is an all-suites hotel, which is perfect for families and extended stays. There are pool view and Courtyard view rooms in the main building, and beach view rooms in the buildings closest to the Gulf.

Additionally, there are seven bungalows at the Alden Suites! Nestled among tropical foliage yet set apart from the rest of the Alden complex, the bungalows have an apartment-like feel and are the perfect choice for romantic getaways, family retreats or long-term vacations.

On both my visits, I stayed in gulf front rooms with the best beach views – honestly these are million dollar views, at affordable prices! Oh and at the Alden, there are no “resort fees” which are becoming increasingly more popular, and annoying, at vacation properties.

All  suites at the Alden have kitchens or kitchenettes, equipped with a refrigerator, microwave and cook top.

My suite had a separate bedroom area, and a living room with a pull-out couch. I love the balconies on the gulf view rooms. The perfect place to sit and enjoy a morning coffee or watch a Gulf Coast sunset!

Beach and Water Activities at the Alden Suites

The strip of white sand beach at the Alden cannot be beat. The beach is clean, and gorgeous. As guests of the Alden, you can rent beach chairs, cabanas or umbrellas. On property, there is a water sports kiosk offering banana boat rides, jet ski rentals, paddle board rentals and kayaks.

On my recent visit, I took a out a stand up paddle board and it was so great! I thought paddle boarding in the Gulf would be hard, but once I got past the break, the water was calm enough to stand and paddle around. I even saw a dolphin jump up out of the water about 15 feet in front of me! Very peaceful, and great exercise!

If you are looking for more a more low-key experience on the water, each night, the Alden offers a sunset cruise. On my recent visit, we took this opportunity to enjoy an hour-long boat ride on the Gulf. Although it was cloudy and not the best sunset, we saw plenty of dolphins and I personally love the chance to be out on the water!

If you prefer the pool over the ocean, don’t worry – there are two pools at the Alden! There is also a very relaxing hot tub on property. I know, even in hot Florida weather, I love a good hot tub!

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Alden Suites Amenities

One of the reasons our group had such a great time on our visit was that everything we needed for a great vacation, was right at the Alden!

I mean I could personally spend all day sitting on the gorgeous beach, but my kids have their limits. It was so nice to be able to come right off the beach and into the pool area. Of course, my kids love swimming in the pool, and it was so easy to spend the day going back and forth between the beach and pool.

When the kids are done with swimming, they can play shuffle board, corn hole, beach volleyball, tennis, ping pong, or games on the beach front lawn. In fact, the lawn near the beach is the perfect spot for your group to gather and watch one of those famous gulf coast sunsets! There is so much to do at the Alden!

The Alden property is also outfitted with a laundry room, business center, conference room, gift shop, and free Wi-Fi throughout the resort. For a small, affordable property, the Alden Suites has all the amenities you would expect at a large, expensive resort!

Restaurants at or Near the Alden Suites

Cabana Bar – The Cabana Bar is located right on the beach at the Alden Suites. They serve great drinks and are open daily from 1pm-9pm or 12pm – 10pm depending on the season.

Oasis Food Truck – There is no restaurant on site, but there is a food truck that is located next to the Cabana Bar, serving burgers and sandwiches. The food here was really yummy!

 

Snapper’s Sea Grill – Snapper’s Sea Grill is located directly across the street from the Alden Suites. We ate here during the blogger bash and the food was really great! The restaurant was packed, always a good sign! We started with the most delicious goat cheese and watermelon appetizer, and everyone loved their entrees (seafood and many other options). Just like at the Alden, the service was excellent as well.

 

Boulevard Burger’s & Tap House – This restaurant is located across Gulf Boulevard from the Alden. I ventured over when I arrived in St. Pete and it was a great spot to sit outside and enjoy a burger and a drink.

 

Dunkin Donuts – If you are looking for a quick cup of coffee or an inexpensive breakfast, there is a Dunkin located right across the street from The Alden. Needless to say, this is a popular morning spot for the many hotel patrons so expect to wait a bit for your order.

 

ALDEN PRO-TIP – In the Alden Suites lobby there is an awesome coffee making machine. Walk over to the lobby to enjoy a complimentary espresso or coffee!

 

Subway – Worth noting that there is a Subway right across the street from the Alden. This was the only “fast food” I noticed with in walking distance from the hotel. The perfect spot for a quick lunch.

 

Additionally, when staying at the Alden Suites, Uber Eats is available as is pizza delivery.

The Alden Suites Beachfront Resort – Tips for your Best Trip

• On our visit last February, we had rented a car in Tampa. We were staying in Clearwater beforehand and after our stay at the Alden, we had to drive down to Naples. But while on property, we never used the car! We were able to walk to various restaurants and 7-11 for essentials. On my second visit, I did not rent a car. You could really go either way.  Uber and Lyft are readily accessible in this area if you need to venture out, and there are several car rental offices near the Alden.
• There is a grill area at the Alden, up on a landing on the North side of the building. When we visited with our large group of friends, we ordered a ton of burgers and hot dogs to grill and enjoy on the patio! This was a great way to feed a crowd.
• Beach and pool towels are stored in your room. They are yellow, and in a bathroom drawer.
• There is a little store on site. They sell water, snacks, ice cream and Alden merchandise.

ALDEN PRO-TIP: Use Instacart to order your groceries from Publix. Someone will shop your list, and deliver right to your hotel room! Don’t waste precious vacation time in the grocery store.

 

Now that I’ve been to the Alden twice, I am confident I’ll be among the many who return year in and year out.  I really believe the Alden is such a fabulous spot for your next family vacation! I know I can’t wait to return with my kids – who of course loved this hotel.

Who is ready for a stay at the Alden Suites Beachfront Resort?

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