Art Ovation – a boutique downtown hotel, poised to open soon, intends to be the city’s “signature hotel of the arts” by embracing Sarasota’s colorful palette of visual and performing arts.

The 162-room Art Ovation Hotel will be well positioned, physically, to claim the title, being on the corner of North Palm and Cocoanut Avenues, a short walk to the Sarasota Opera House and across the street from Florida Studio Theatre. The interior will be well positioned, too, with displays of the work of Sarasota artists. Paintings by local artists — including children — will line the halls, and furniture by area craftspeople will be used in the rooms.

The hotel will feature an Artist in Residence program, rotating art collections, art curators and VIP packages to area events and experiences. The walls in the massive lobby and nearby hallways will become galleries once the hotel is finished.

Guests can get into the artistic act by borrowing a musical instrument to “jam” with others or to enjoy an acoustic guitar, cello, steel guitar, banjo and other instruments in their own room. And they can contribute their own artwork during their stay. Each room has a leather-bound sketchbook with professional sketching pencils, sharpener and eraser.

Art Ovation will include a full-service restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center and a rooftop pool and bar.

The boutique hotel will be an Autograph Collection Hotel, one of the Marriott International brands with “upper upscale” and luxury independent hotels and resorts around the world. The Autograph Collection includes The Mark in London, the Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas and the Hotel Adagio in San Francisco. The company boasts that “this handpicked collection celebrates boutique hotels that deserve recognition as architectural gems” — each one “with its own distinct perspective.”

The cavernous ballroom will hold up to 450 people.

The hotel is scheduled to open on Jan. 18, 2018.

Prime Hospitality Group and Shaner Hotels are collaborating on Art Ovation Hotel. The two companies recently partnered to build and manage Playa Largo Resort & Spa in the Florida Keys.

“Sarasota is a mecca for all things arts, and it was clear from the very beginning of the project that we wanted Art Ovation Hotel to reflect the true character of the city,” Larry Abbo, CEO of Prime Hospitality Group, said in a news release. “We’re eager to capitalize on this unique opportunity to draw guests into the arts and cultural scene both on and off property.”

Brian Hockenbury, senior vice president of operations at Shaner Hotels, said, “We’re exploring a number of partnership possibilities, such as collaborating with students at the Ringling College of Art & Design, behind-the-scenes packages with Florida Studio Theatre, pop-up performances from Sarasota Opera, lunches with the director from Asolo Theatre, and more.”

Art Ovation is one of six downtown hotel projects in the works. Should all be built, the city will gain 973 hotel rooms.

One of those other projects is another boutique hotel, The Sarasota Modern, scheduled to open in the Rosemary District along Cocoanut Avenue next summer. This independent Tribute Portfolio hotel, a Starwood brand, will have 81 rooms.

The Modern will sit across Boulevard of the Arts from yet another boutique hotel, Hotel Indigo Sarasota. Both are near The Players Centre for Performing Arts, Art Center Sarasota and the Sarasota Orchestra.

Herald Tribune December 13, 2017