JW Marriott Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa

Rooftop sunsets over Clearwater Beach

★★★★★📍 Clearwater Beach (south end)$$$$

The JW Marriott was developed by Vision Makers, the development arm of Dr. Kiran C. Patel, and Marriott billed it as the brand's first beachfront JW designed from the ground up. That shows in the layout: rather than one pool and a lobby bar, it was built around three distinct places to spend the day. The eleventh-floor rooftop holds the pool, a whirlpool, cabanas and The Deep End, which opened with a Nikkei-Peruvian menu; at sea level there is a beachfront pool and ESKaPe, the casual beach bar and grill for midday; and the lobby's Latitude 28 serves breakfast and dinner from a coastal Mediterranean menu. The resort is relatively intimate for its size class, with 162 guest rooms and suites plus 36 residences, contemporary and light in style, many with balconies and Gulf or bay views.

Room craft: book Gulf-view for sunsets; the residences (one, two or three bedrooms, with the largest sleeping up to eight) are the family and long-stay play, with far more space than a pair of connecting rooms. Rooftop cabanas hold up to six adults and come with a mini fridge and loungers; book online ahead in peak months, or ask the pool deck attendant about same-day availability. Beach chairs and umbrellas are set up on the sand, with beach cabana upgrades. The Hideaway Hangout kids club runs in the afternoons for ages 5 to 10, and younger children can join with a parent, so plan beach time in the morning and club time after lunch. Spa by JW has steam room and sauna, and its treatment times go fast on weekends.

Practicals: 691 S. Gulfview Blvd., at the south end of Clearwater Beach; about 13 miles from St. Pete-Clearwater International and about 22 from Tampa International. Parking is valet only for a daily fee, and oversized vehicles must park offsite. Dogs up to 40 pounds are welcome (two per room, with a non-refundable fee), but not on the beach, pools or restaurants, and the minimum check-in age is 21. How it compares: it is the most expensive and most polished choice on the beach; Opal Sands is the better pick for a guaranteed Gulf-front room at a lower rate, and the Hyatt Regency a short walk north along the promenade for more space per dollar. Fit: couples, families who will use the kids club and residences, and luxury travelers who want both the beach and a rooftop scene.