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Some hotel restaurants serve little purpose other than to fortify guests, providing serviceable meals that carry them through a day of tourist fun or business meetings.
Others serve fabulous food, creative cocktails or tons of fun. They’re places that draw in tourists and locals alike.
These 18 Florida hotel restaurants are like that.
Our list runs the gamut, from once-in-a-lifetime meals that cost as much as a mortgage payment to waterfront hangouts with burgers, cheap drinks and local bands on stage.
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Whether you’re hoping for sea breezes and ocean (or Gulf) views, romantic settings, elegant brunch or the possibility of dining with an astronaut, we’ve got you covered with our favorite Florida hotel restaurants.
Baleen, Naples
La Playa Beach and Golf Resort, 9891 Gulf Shore Drive, Naples, 239-598-5707,laplayaresort.com. Hours: 7-11 a.m., noon-2:30 p.m., 5:30-9 p.m. daily.
Baleen is among the top romantic restaurants in Naples and is considered one of the best beachside dining spots. Gulf breezes and views make it a favorite and one to surely try while in town.
Entrees include roasted cauliflower, blackened Gulf grouper and custom cut steaks.
Baleen was shuttered after Hurricane Irma tore through Southwest Florida in September 2017, but the restaurant reopened better than ever with a more modern, coastal look. There’s inside and outside dining, including a terrace, a nice upscale beach restaurant option compared with many casual ones in Naples. – Dave Osborn, Naples Daily News
Blue Flame, Daytona Beach
The Daytona, 1870 Victory Circle, Daytona Beach; 386-323-9777, blueflamedaytona.com. Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.
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