Best Historic Stays in St. Petersburg
Three hotels in St. Petersburg carry a historic tag, ranging from a 1920s downtown property to a garden hotel closer to the corridor. The Birchwood is the clearest historic stay, built around a 1922 restaurant and period-decorated rooms in the city centre, while Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg FL by IHG and Crystal Bay Historic Hotel round out the category with more modern suites near historic districts and garden grounds respectively. St. Pete-Clearwater International sits closest to all three, generally under twenty kilometers, with Tampa International adding a longer drive across the bay. Winter and spring remain the busiest season here too, so a historic stay tied to specific dates benefits from an earlier booking window.
St. Petersburg's historic layer sits mostly downtown, where early-twentieth-century buildings survive alongside the newer hotel towers that have gone up over the past decade. The Birchwood's 1922 restaurant and period rooms are part of that older downtown fabric, a contrast to the rooftop-pool, glass-facade hotels built more recently just blocks away. Historic Uptown, near Staybridge Suites, extends that older character slightly north of the immediate waterfront core. That layering, old alongside new, is part of what makes a downtown St. Petersburg walk interesting rather than uniform (seek out The Birchwood specifically if that older architecture is the point of the trip).
A genuine 1920s hotel, and its neighbors
St. Petersburg's historic category splits between a genuinely period property and hotels that sit near historic areas without being historic buildings themselves. The Birchwood is the real thing, a 1920s hotel with a restaurant built in 1922 and rooms decorated in period style, while Staybridge Suites earns its tag partly through proximity to Historic Uptown rather than its own building's age. Crystal Bay Historic Hotel sits somewhere between, offering garden and terrace views with a name that nods to the category even as its suites read more contemporary. Travelers wanting an actual period building should book The Birchwood specifically (confirm what "historic" means for each property before assuming it's the building itself).
The Birchwood sits in St. Petersburg's city centre, two minutes' walk from the Museum of Fine Arts, with rooms decorated in 1920s American style including 42-inch flat-screen TVs alongside the period details and en suite bathrooms with claw-foot tubs or rainfall showers. The Birch and Vine restaurant, built in 1922, serves globally-inspired cuisine indoors and outdoors, while the Canopy Rooftop Bar and Lounge overlooks Tampa Bay and the St. Petersburg skyline. Valet parking is available on site, a convenience given the downtown location. This is the genuine period stay on this list, worth the premium for anyone specifically drawn to that character.
Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg FL by IHG sits about 2.1 kilometers from Historic Uptown, with modern kitchenette suites, an outdoor pool and laundry facilities rather than a period building itself. It's roughly 1.7 kilometers from Tropicana Field and 1.5 kilometers from the Mahaffey Theater, with Vinoy Park and its beach access about 3.4 kilometers away. This property suits travelers who want proximity to St. Petersburg's historic district without booking a period building, especially for a longer stay where the in-suite kitchenette matters more than architectural character. The Dali Museum sits a three-minute drive away.
Crystal Bay Historic Hotel offers garden or terrace views in air-conditioned rooms, with a year-round outdoor pool and a lush garden setting, about five kilometers from John's Pass and nineteen kilometers from St. Pete-Clearwater International. Free on-site private parking is included, and a broad breakfast spread covers American, buffet, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Its garden setting reads calmer and greener than The Birchwood's downtown core, a different flavor of historic character built around grounds rather than an urban streetscape. This suits travelers wanting a quieter historic-adjacent stay outside the busiest downtown blocks.
Across all three, the historic tag in St. Petersburg means something different depending on the property: an actual 1920s building at The Birchwood, proximity to a historic district at Staybridge Suites, and a garden-set property carrying the name at Crystal Bay Historic Hotel. Travelers should pick based on which version of "historic" they actually want rather than assuming the tag guarantees a period building. Winter weekends push demand at all three in line with the rest of downtown's high season, so The Birchwood in particular is worth booking early given its smaller, boutique scale.
A traveler's perspectiveFor a genuinely historic stay, I would choose The Birchwood: a 1920s hotel in the city centre with period-decorated rooms, a rooftop bar over Tampa Bay and the Museum of Fine Arts two minutes away on foot. My advice for a garden setting near John's Pass is Crystal Bay Historic Hotel, rated 8.9, while Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg is a practical base near Historic Uptown rather than a historic building.
Crystal Bay Historic Hotel
St Petersburg
993 reviews
A garden pool setting away from downtown's core
Check availabilityWhy guests love itTravellers staying here will find the garden setting a genuine change of pace from the concrete and glass of downtown, with the pool and terrace making for a relaxed afternoon. The breakfast spread covers enough dietary variety that a mixed group won't struggle to find something. It's a quieter, greener base suited to travelers who don't need downtown walkability. It is a comfortable pick for a range of travelers passing through the city.
The Birchwood
St Petersburg
432 reviews
A 1920s hotel with a rooftop bar over Tampa Bay
Check availabilityWhy guests love itTravellers staying here will find the period character extends past the lobby into the rooms themselves, from the claw-foot tubs to the wine collection on display downstairs. Dinner at The Birch and Vine feels like part of the experience rather than an afterthought, and the rooftop bar's view over Tampa Bay is worth the walk up. The two-minute distance to the Museum of Fine Arts makes a slow, cultural weekend easy to plan around.
Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg FL by IHG
St Petersburg
443 reviews
Kitchenette suites near Historic Uptown and the waterfront
Check availabilityWhy guests love itTravellers staying here will find the kitchenette makes a real difference over a multi-night stay, cutting down on the cost of eating out for every meal. The short drive to the Dali Museum and St. Petersburg's city centre keeps sightseeing simple, and Vinoy Park's beach access adds a waterfront option nearby. It suits a family or longer-stay visitor more than a quick weekend trip.
Local tips
- 1Book The Birchwood specifically if you want an actual period building, since it's the only genuinely historic-era hotel on this list.
- 2Choose Staybridge Suites if proximity to Historic Uptown matters more than staying in a period building itself.
- 3Pick Crystal Bay Historic Hotel for a garden-set, quieter historic-adjacent stay outside the busiest downtown blocks.
- 4Budget for valet parking at The Birchwood, since it's the standard option at this downtown historic property.
- 5Reserve The Birchwood early for winter weekends given its smaller, boutique scale compared to the larger chain hotels nearby.
- 6Ask directly what "historic" means at each property before booking, since it ranges from an actual 1920s building to district proximity.