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Sarasota · Hotel shortlist

High end hotels in the historic centre, Sarasota

Daniel Kovac

Daniel Kovac Central Europe

Updated 1 September 2026 · 7 Sarasota hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Sarasota, out of the 7 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.8 down to 4.671961.

Sea Spray Resort is the one I would book myself.

Sea Spray Resort

Highest rated of the five

Sea Spray Resort

★★★★★4.8 from 242 reviews

Sea Spray Resort comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.8 from 242 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 4 star property, found under city centre and around $347 a night on the dates we checked.

7 hotels in Sarasota qualified for this list and five made it. Pet Friendly Siesta Key Master Suite with Pool is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze
  • Kitchenettebreakfast on your own schedule
  • Parkinga real consideration if you are driving in

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All five, ranked

  1. Sea Spray Resort1

    Sea Spray Resort

    ★★★★★4.8 from 242 reviews

    • Pool
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning

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  2. Pet Friendly Siesta Key Master Suite with Pool2

    Pet Friendly Siesta Key Master Suite with Pool

    ★★★★★4.7 from 375 reviews

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    • King bed. Pool. Daily rentals3

      King bed. Pool. Daily rentals

      ★★★★★4.754054 from 148 reviews

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      • Charming 3-bedroom vacation home near Siesta Key4

        Charming 3-bedroom vacation home near Siesta Key

        ★★★★★4.671961 from 153 reviews

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        • Siesta Key Inn5

          Siesta Key Inn

          ★★★★★4.7 from 81 reviews

          • Pool
          • Spa
          • Parking
          • Kitchen
          • Kid friendly
          • Air conditioning

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        How this list was put together

        7 Sarasota hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and took the top five.

        Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

        The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

        What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

        Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

        Daniel Kovac

        Daniel Kovac Central Europe

        Takes the same two weeks every August and drives somewhere far with his wife and daughter. Twelve countries, all by road, all in one battered estate car. Plans routes on paper maps.

        Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.