The TradeWinds Island Resorts have a rich history in hospitality on Florida’s West Coast. Our Vision is to realize the maximum potential of our company for the benefit of our Guests, Employee Partners and Investors who trust us to fulfill an important need in their lives. Our Mission is to provide superior beachfront and destination resort settings and services which consistently result in genuinely pleasing and memorable experiences for our Guests that encourage them to “Just Let Go”.
TradeWinds’ roots find their beginnings with the operation of a small motel on St. Pete Beach in 1956 by the Fortune family. In 1969, the Sandpiper Beach Resort was built, and nearly doubled in size with the addition of two new wings in 1983/84. Throughout these years, a number of motels were purchased, renovated, and additional properties managed along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico.
In 1986, the TradeWinds Resort was opened, with meandering waterways complete with paddleboats, swans, and ducks and stocked by Busch Gardens with Nileperch. The lush courtyards, multiple pools, and unique recreational offerings created the ultimate beach escape for couples and families. In 1992, the Breckenridge, the adjoining property with an adult pool, tennis courts, restaurant, lounge and tiki bar was blended into the TradeWinds Resort.
Upon retiring from the hospitality industry, the Fortunes sold the resorts to the employees in the form of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, and in 1999, the resorts were sold to a group of investors. Since then, more than $35 million have been invested in the complete remodeling and renovation of the resorts. All rooms and suites immerse guests in the warm, vibrant colors of the tropics, while the exteriors of the resorts sport shades of blue and crisp white lattice. Lush green landscaping, swaying hammocks along the beachfront, and myriad opportunities for recreation provide the idealized Florida beach experience.
TradeWinds Island Resorts … complete in its offerings, perfect in its setting, relaxed in its attitude, and attentive in its approach. Isn’t it time to … just let go?
