This St. Pete Hotel Is Bringing Fresh Rooftop Vibes to Florida’s Gulf Coast

I’ve visited Florida numerous times, but St. Petersburg — located on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico — was never on my radar. After spending a weekend on Florida’s Gulf Coast with Moxy St. Petersburg Downtown as my home base, I realized I’d been missing a ton of magic and excitement.

Moxy St. Pete opened in August 2024, just before Hurricanes Helene and Milton swept through the city. Thankfully, neither the hotel nor St. Pete’s residents missed a beat in their recovery efforts. For today’s visitors, the hotel and its restaurants, nightlife, and art community are in full swing and continually growing.

“Moxy St. Pete reflects our dedication to bringing vibrant and innovative spaces to everyone in the city,” Jake Wurzak, Co-CEO of Wurzak Hotel Group, tells Matador Network. “With all of our social spaces, this is not just a place to stay, but a hub of creativity and collaboration for the community.”

Sunny, electric, and bursting with art, Moxy St. Pete is already a pillar in St. Pete. Located at the heart of Central Ave, one of the city’s celebrated strips, it’s a chic hotel with a mid-century modern design and a memorable indoor-outdoor lobby experience. Whether you’re gallery-hopping during the city’s Second Saturday ArtWalk or a sucker for vintage shopping, St. Pete delivers on creativity — and staying at the Moxy puts your right in the mix of it all.

Photo: Yvonne Gougelet

My weekend-long journey to Moxy St. Pete began after I escaped the snowy Northeast and landed in perfectly sunny 75-degree weather — a St. Pete staple, even in winter. The hotel is an easy 20-minute drive from Tampa International Airport, and as my Uber approached, I noticed people lounging at the outside bar. (For those who prefer to drive, the hotel offers valet service for $35/night with in-and-out privileges.)

Walking through the glass doors, the hotel’s ambiance perfectly blended island and city living. As the music played over the speaker system, I saw people chatting and working at the bar and surrounding tables. Moving further into the space toward my right, I spotted Rose’s Coffee Bar, which serves coffee, pastries, and light bites for those who want to grab something quick. To the left of Rose’s was a long family-style table for those digging into their workdays.

Photo: Moxy St. Pete

Perhaps the most novel common area I encountered at Moxy St. Pete was the sound-proof Podcast Room, a gorgeous space that’s free for creators to use to level up their audio game. In the corners were several standalone chairs, tables, couches, and loungers adorned with games and puzzles.

Offering distinct spaces for both work and play, the Moxy is an excellent addition to a neighborhood that’s already bursting with artists, the most adorable dogs, a bustling queer community, tons of shopping, and one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had (more on that later).

Photo: Yvonne Gougelet

After a seamless check-in, my first order of business was to head up to my room and change out of my winter wardrobe. Moxy St. Pete has 163 rooms, ranging from single king rooms to double queen rooms and suites. I stayed on the fourth floor of the six-story in a king-size room.

My room was relatively compact at 194 square feet, with the bed taking up most of the space. However, because the layout is done so well, a single or double occupant has plenty of room to stretch out. Though the room had no closets, I used the open shelving to hang my outfits and showcase my shoes and bags. The bed also had giant cutouts on either side and built-in pull-out drawers. This enabled me to store my suitcase and other items that were easier to fold, like my pajamas and workout clothes, without having to dig around in my luggage daily.

One of the most pleasant features of the room was the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that opened to a balcony. Not only did this flood the room with sunshine during the day, but the balcony also bathed me in sun rays each morning while I sipped my coffee. (For light sleepers, don’t worry — black-out curtains allow guests to control how much light they want to let into the room.)

Though the room was quaint in size, the bathroom, especially the shower, was pretty massive. Coated in green tile with a glass closure, the shower came with both a waterfall showerhead and a handheld one. For those who love a detailed skincare or makeup routine, the jumbo-sized mirror over the sink has built-in LED lighting.

As for sustainability-focused amenities, the hotel has water dispensers on every floor, which you can use to fill up your personal water bottle or the canteen that’s provided in each room. Another fun feature is the “extras” closet on each floor — instead of waiting for housekeeping or calling the front desk, these spaces allow you to use your room key to grab extra towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, irons, or shaving items. I thought this was a brilliant touch, especially when I realized that the in-room steamer wouldn’t release the wrinkles that formed in one of my dresses.

Photo: Moxy St. Pete

Like many people, one of my New Year’s resolutions was to up my fitness game, and the hotel’s state-of-the-art gym, located on the second floor, had everything I needed to get in two grueling workouts while I was there. Though I mostly stuck to the dumbbells and kettlebells, there were treadmills and Peloton bikes available for those looking for a cardio-focused workout.

In addition to a water dispenser, fresh towels, and sanitary wipes, the gym offered two different views: floor-to-ceiling mirrors on one side to check your form and views of the hotel’s exterior on the other side. There’s also an outdoor space on top of the gym for people who prefer to burn their calories outside (just be sure to bring a weight or a towel to wedge the door open so you don’t accidentally lock yourself out as I did). For non-gym physical activity, Moxy St. Pete also offers complimentary bikes to rent.

Photo: Moxy St. Pete

But the hotel’s best features were located on the sixth-floor rooftop. Central Ave’s first rooftop hub, the Moxy Rooftop Pool & Bar has a dreamy pool that’s surrounded by massive daybeds and a bar called Sip N’ Dip where servers are more than happy to deliver food and beverage options as you lounge in the sunshine or play in the water.

After checking out my room, I threw on a bikini and soaked up some vitamin D on the rooftop while reading a book and listening to music. As I basked in the sun, thoughts of the snow that had delayed my early morning flight faded into the background. It was the perfect way to kick-start my stay — so much so that I stayed for a Greek salad and lemon-infused ice water from Sip N’ Dip for an early lunch, then returned to my room for a sizzling hot shower and a drink at the lobby’s Bar Moxy.

Photo: Yvonne Gougelet

Though my stomach doesn’t quite wake up until noon most days, coffee is everything to me. That’s why I headed down to Rose’s Coffee Bar in the hotel lobby each morning to start my day. The cute and cozy coffee bar also offers everything from croissants and muffins to hot foods like bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches. On my first morning at Moxy, I got a regular cup of drip coffee, which I enjoyed on my room balcony. The following day, I grabbed a cold brew to sip on as I walked down Central Ave, drifting in and out of the varied shops on the strip.

Bar Moxy, the hotel’s massive indoor-outdoor bar, is another one of the hotel’s dining experiences. On my first night in St. Pete, before heading out to dinner, I sat at the bar, people-watching and sipping a robust espresso martini. On my final night, after floating through galleries during the art walk, I returned to Bar Moxy where I had a delicious BLT sandwich and a Philly cheesesteak egg roll appetizer. The egg rolls were a part of the bar’s specialty Super Bowl menu, and though they were tasty, they were so massive that I could only finish one of the three that came in the serving.

Photo: Moxy St. Pete

I got a little fancier for my second dinner in St. Pete but didn’t have to go far. Moxy’s Sparrow Rooftop is opposite the pool area and Sip N Dip. Stepping off the elevator, I immediately felt like I was in a big city. Sparrow has a more upscale, going-out vibe than Bar Moxy in the lobby — the music was bumping, and the people there were chatting and dressed in their Saturday night best.

Over great views, inside and out, I enjoyed a Dragon’s Egg cocktail (shochu, genever, sherry, egg, coconut cream, and sesame), a Caesar salad, pork bao buns, and lobster mac and cheese before ending my meal with the lemon tart. While my food and beverages were fine, no one item stood out as much as the ambiance. Sparrow has a sophisticated feel and design that’s perfect for pre-dinner drinks or a night out. I people-watched as the crowd got even bigger that night, proving that the rooftop spot is already getting big buzz despite being new on the scene.

Photo: Alex Cimbal/Shutterstock

Because the hotel is so central, most of the off-property places I explored were within walking distance. One morning, I spent several hours strolling in and out of the shops on Central Ave. I popped into SaltLight Art, Retreat, Wendy’s Closet, Fresh Fits and Fades, Urban Burg, and Janet’s Antiques. I browsed the racks, looked at the unique vintage items, and spent a cute coin on several pairs of earrings. However, for me, the standout on the strip was ArtPool, a massive vintage and handmade shop.

For those who love the arts, the Morean Arts Center offers free entry, exhibits, and art classes in various mediums for people of all ages. Directly across the street from the Morean is the Chihuly Collection, a massive exhibit dedicated to world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly’s unique glass-blown artworks. A 20-minute walk down the road from the Morean and the Chihuly Collection, the Imagine Museum is known for its immersive glass exhibits, workshops, and events.

Photo: Aramide Tinubu

As far as dining goes, Brick & Mortar, a 15-minute walk from Moxy St. Pete, was my favorite dining experience in the city (and frankly one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time). The brainchild of Chef Jason Ruhe, the New American restaurant is the perfect setting for a sexy date night, a chatty girls’ evening, or an epic solo date, as I experienced firsthand. My meal began with a glass of rosé and a roasted octopus appetizer served with olive tapenade. I also sampled Champagne fish that the chef received fresh that day, a spicy Thai seafood curry entree, and citrus tart for dessert (though Brick & Mortar is known for its donut bread pudding).

I also dined at Doc Ford’s on the Pier, which provided perfect views of the St. Pete Pier, the city, and Tampa Bay. On my last day, I had lunch at Red Mesa, a family restaurant serving Mexican and Southwestern cuisine a quick drive from the hotel.

Photo: Alex Cimbal/Shutterstock

My final night in St. Pete fell on one of the city’s Second Saturday ArtWalks, hosted by the Arts Alliance. I strolled out of the Moxy around 7 PM to find perfect weather and a lively nightlife scene with people drifting in and out of bars and restaurants. I visited several galleries, including Craftsman House, The Werk Gallery, and Florida CraftArt.

Not only was this an excellent opportunity to experience venues rarely made available to the public, but the experience was heightened by wine, live music, and even a few DIY stations for those who wanted to try their hand at their artwork. It was the perfect ending to a stellar trip and a memorable stay at Moxy St. Pete.

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