Tampa’s Epicurean Hotel Serving Up $21 Million Expansion

Successful food-focused boutique hotel adding new guest rooms, meeting space, rooftop terrace

 TAMPA, Fla. (May 5, 2022) – The award-winning Epicurean Hotel is serving up a $21 million expansion project, giving foodies, connoisseurs of life, and culinary explorers even more to love in the stylish Hyde Park district of South Tampa, Florida. Located directly across Howard Avenue from the 137-room main hotel, the expansion will include 51 new guest rooms and suites, a private lobby, meeting space, and rooftop terrace. With a classic, crisp white exterior, historic façade and lush, green landscaping, the four-story structure will incorporate two restored historic apartment buildings and add two floors of parking with 91 spaces. The expansion is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2023.

“Together, Bern’s Steak House, Haven and Epicurean Hotel have turned South Howard into a true culinary destination, and this new addition will elevate our streetscape to match it,” said Joe Collier, President and Founder, Mainsail Lodging & Development. “As a market leader in Tampa, demand for our rooms has consistently outstripped our supply, particularly for suite accommodations. This expansion will add another 11 high-demand suites to our inventory.”

Calling it Epicurean’s “second course,” Collier said the overall look and feel of guest rooms, meeting rooms and public spaces will be consistent with the main hotel, but that the expansion gives them an opportunity for innovation and refinement. Public areas will feature a welcoming contrast of warm woods with cool concrete and stainless steel. An original artwork installation of wine and champagne corks, and a contemporary liquor bottle chandelier will greet arriving guests in the lobby.

The 51 new accommodations will consist of 31 standard king rooms, eight deluxe king rooms, three two-room suites, and one junior suite. There will also be eight historical apartments converted into suites with separate dining and living areas, kitchenette, king bed and sleeper sofa. The apartment-style suites will also feature private balconies shaded by chic black-and-white-striped awnings, all overlooking Howard Avenue. Guest rooms and suites will feature signature butcher block counter tops and soft, sophisticated, earth-toned furnishings and finishes, with a dash of culinary-themed touches in the artwork and other decor. Improved technology will also enhance the overall guest experience.

New meeting space will include a 794-square-foot room accommodating up to 50 guests, and a 590-square-foot room ideal for up to 39 guests. The 1,138-square-foot rooftop terrace will also provide a unique option for private events and meetings for up to 130 people, with 44 seated guests.

Orlando-based L2 Studios, Inc. is the architect and interior designer for the project. Additional partners include Cooper Johnson Smith Peterson Architects, Inc. for the exterior concept design, and Nelson Construction, the general contractor, both based in Tampa.

Wherever they lay their heads, guests at Epicurean Hotel will have access to amenities in both buildings, including the state-of-the-art culinary classroom known as the Epicurean Theatre; Élevage SoHo Kitchen & Bar signature restaurant; EDGE Rooftop Cocktail Lounge; Bern’s Fine Wines & Spirits wine shop; Evangeline full-service spa; Chill Bros. Scoop Shop; and 5,200-square feet of flexible event space. The Epicurean Hotel was developed in collaboration with Mainsail Lodging & Development and the legendary Bern’s Steak House and is the first newly constructed hotel property in the United States to join the prestigious Autograph Collection® of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR). For information and reservations at the Epicurean Hotel, call (855) U-AWAKEN (829-2536) or visit EpicureanHotel.com.

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About Mainsail Lodging & Development
Mainsail Lodging & Development is an award-winning, Tampa, Florida-based company specializing in hotel, furnished housing, and resort property management and development, marketing and sales. An established company with a dynamic entrepreneurial spirit, Mainsail prides itself in finding unique lodging opportunities with a purpose and applying its passion and expertise to each project. Founded by President Joe Collier with a combination of daring vision and dogged determination, Mainsail has built an impressive portfolio of top-branded properties throughout the southeastern United States and Caribbean. Each Mainsail property inspires guests with a distinct character and meticulously crafted, sophisticated style, from a private island resort, and urban culinary showplaces, to waterfront marvels, boutique southern hotels, and a historic jazz era icon. Stay Sojo, Mainsail’s newest brand, provides short-term furnished living options across the country, while Mainsail Vacation Rentals manages a collection of private vacation homes in Florida and the Caribbean. To ensure long-term success and profitability, Mainsail relies on the dedication of its high-performing leadership team, a growing group of enterprising investors, and a commitment to giving back, every step of the way. MainsailHotels.com 

About Autograph Collection Hotels
Autograph Collection Hotels advocates for the original, championing the individuality of each of its 200+ independent hotels located in the most desirable destinations across more than 30 countries and territories. Each hotel is a product of passion and a personal realization of its individual founder’s vision, making each hotel singular and special:  Exactly Like Nothing Else. Hand-selected for their inherent craft and distinct perspectives on design and hospitality, Autograph Collection hotels offer rich immersive moments that leave a lasting imprint. For more information, please visit  www.autographhotels.com, and explore our social media channels on Instagram, Twitter, and  Facebook to be inspired by immersive moments that are #ExactlyLikeNothingElse.  Autograph Collection Hotels is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com.

About Bern’s Steak House
Internationally known for its vast wine collection, perfectly aged steaks and famous dessert room, Bern’s Steak House offers a world-class, incomparable dining experience. When Bern Laxer opened in 1956, he envisioned Bern’s as Art in Steaks. Today, son David Laxer continues Bern’s tradition of excellence with a gastronomic adventure that includes prime dry-aged steaks cut-to-order, 21 choices of caviar, fresh seafood and vegetables in a setting like none other. Housing the World’s largest wine collection of over 500,000 bottles, Bern’s offers 7,000 selections to its guests. In 2016, Bern’s won the Outstanding Wine Program Award from the James Beard Foundation. In 2014, Bern’s was named an Outstanding Restaurant Semi-finalist, one of twenty in the country, and additionally, SideBern’s, now Haven, Bern’s sister restaurant and its Executive Chef Chad Johnson, were named a 2012 and 2014 Semifinalist for Best Chef: South. For more information on Bern’s Steak House and its subsidiaries, visit BernsSteakHouse.com.