The Alden Suites Beachfront
Resort looks forward to welcoming guests once again beginning on Friday, May 1,
2020. We take the health and safety of our guests and associates seriously, and
our re-opening follows the guidelines of the State of Florida, Pinellas County,
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our team has enhanced
cleaning, communication, and promotion of healthy hygiene practices and will
enforce social distancing protocols as recommended by state and local
authorities.
For guests looking for
a change of scenery and some quality time on the beach, we offer unique
amenities here at Alden Suites that make it easier for guests to practice
social distancing. Our suites all have full kitchens, which allows our guests
to prepare food and drinks in their suites instead of going out to restaurants
and bars. Publix delivers groceries here at Alden Suites, so you can enjoy a
stocked refrigerator without fighting the crowds at grocery stores. We also
have 4 gas grills on our BBQ deck, adequately spaced apart so our guests can
prepare food on the grill.
We are taking the
following steps in the interest of our staff and guest health and safety:
Our housekeeping
department has always cleaned with hospital-grade disinfectants. We have
increased the thoroughness of our cleaning schedule and practices to improve
sanitation.
Items cleaned in suites
include phones, remotes, hair dryers, irons and high traffic touch points.
Hand sanitizing
stations are accessible to guests in all of our public spaces and lobby.
Key cards and parking
passes are being sanitized between each guest check-in.
We provide masks,
surface disinfecting products and hand sanitizer for associates, including
front desk agents, housekeepers and maintenance personnel.
For guests checking
in, associates are asking guests to disinfect their hands upon arrival and
sharing hand washing, coughing and sneezing etiquette tips.
Our managers have been
provided with detailed health and safety procedures to share with their
associates. Managers will ask associates to stay home when they are sick.
Additionally, we have communicated directly to all associates regarding the
necessity of safe hand washing and hygiene practices.
The Alden pools will
be open, staying under 50 percent capacity and adhering to strict CDC cleaning
protocols. The Alden Suites team will properly clean and sanitize pool decks,
furniture, railings, safety devices and other equipment.
We will ensure
staff and guest compliance with the following social distancing guidelines:
Individuals shall
adhere to CDC social distancing guidelines, including but not limited to;
Persons shall not congregate in groups, and groups of more than 10 are
prohibited; All persons not part of the same family unit must remain at least 6
feet apart.
As of Monday, May 4,
2020, the public beaches surrounding Alden Suites will be open subject to these
regulations. The Alden Suites private beach continues to be open and has never
been required to close.
Signage on the Alden
Suites property will remind guests and team members of the social distancing
protocols.
We also want to share that here at Alden Suites, we have closed the Cabana Bar until further notice as required by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. As the phased re-opening of the St. Pete Beach area continues, we will follow the guidance of authorities as it pertains to re-opening. The food truck is still open for takeout orders.
We have modified our
cancellation policies to accommodate guests who are experiencing a change of
plans. The Alden Suites Beachfront Resort is delighted to reopen and we look
forward to welcoming our guests.
Summer is just around the corner. Hopefully, that means spending plenty of time on the beach at the Alden with your family, soaking up the surf and sun! However, those fun in the sun vibes shouldn’t be limited to just three months a year. If your favorite thing to do is relax in the sand, you’ll love the look of a beach-themed home. Beach crafts are great for displaying around the house and a fun way for the entire family to get creative during your summer vacation! Here are seven different beachy craft ideas that you and your kids can make together.
Note: Live creatures should never be removed from their natural
habitat. Only collect shells that are empty and starfish that have expired.
Additionally, any sharp or hot tools should be used solely by adults or at
least with adult supervision.
Sand Handprint: This one takes a bit of extra preparation but it’s a great way to capture precious memories. You can get plaster of Paris at any craft store such as Michaels or Jo-Ann. To make things easier, pre-measure four cups of plaster into each of six or seven gallon-sized Ziploc bags and then mix in two cups of water into each bag. When you want to start casting, find a spot of clean and somewhat damp sand, press your hand deeply into the sand and then lift it straight back up. Fill up the print with beach treasures like rocks and broken shells. Then add an estimated two cups of seawater to your plaster, close up the bag and knead it with your hands to mix. Open it back up and pour the plaster to fill your mold. Wait 30 minutes or so while it hardens before digging it out of the sand and then give it a quick rinse in the ocean. Play around with different shapes such as footprints or hearts!
Framed Sand Writing: They say a picture’s worth a thousand
words. Collect some shells, beach glass or driftwood and use a broken shell
with a sharp edge to write your name or a message in the sand. Decorate your
scene with your collection and take a lot of pictures from different angles and
different distances. When you get home, choose your favorite and use free
websites like Picnik or Sumo Paint to make color corrections, crop, etc. Then
print your picture out and put it in a cute frame. Finally, use hot glue or
E6000 to add shells and sea glass to the outside of the frame. Display the picture
anywhere you like!
Gone Swimming Beach Plaque: This pretty plaque is a very
creative way to show off your found beach treasures. Using a flat paintbrush,
paint an oval paper mache hanging plaque with antique white acrylic paint.
Repeat with a second coat and let it dry. Hot glue a large starfish to the left
side of the plaque and glue your assorted seashells and any remaining starfish
around the right side and bottom of the plaque. Pull off the excess strings of
hot glue after a minute or two. In the center of the plaque, use a black craft
pen to write “gone swimming”. Next, mix together a nickel size amount of white
craft glue and a little water—just enough to thin the glue and make it
paintable. Using the flat brush, paint the glue mixture wherever you want sand
to stick. This should be done in about three or four sections so that the glue
doesn’t dry before you add the sand. Start at the top of the plaque and work
your way to the left, painting the glue mixture around the large starfish.
Then, pour some sand over the glue and let it sit for a moment before tapping
off the excess. Repeat this around the shells and other starfish, wiping off
any glue that may get on the tops of the starfish or shells before adding the
sand. When that’s finished, dip a scruffy paintbrush into tan paint and dab off
excess paint onto a paper towel so that the brush is almost dry. Add tan
touches around the words and along the edges of the sand. Finally, spray the
entire surface with acrylic sealer and allow it to dry completely. Hang it on
any wall for a lovely addition to your home!
These simple wind chimes are easy to make and look very pretty
hanging. Using fishing line or jewelry wire, string up three to five lighter
weight shells with holes in them along a 12-inch length, tying them on to
secure. Repeat five times. Then, tie one end of each string to the leg of a
starfish, allowing them to dangle down. If you want, you can create two strings
for each leg for more shell action. Finally, wrap a ribbon around the center of
the starfish and create a loop to hang it from. Hang it in a place with a light
breeze and enjoy the delightful sounds it makes!
Beach in a Glass Coastal Ornament: If you find yourself
longing for warmer days during the winter months, this beautiful holiday
decoration will be a welcome addition to your home. Mix a bit of sand with snow white fine
glitter and funnel it into a clear glass or plastic ornament. When that’s done,
drop in some shells and sea glass. Next, braid about three feet of twine and
hot glue it around the top of the ornament in a spiral pattern, cutting off the
knot when you’re done. Use craft glue to glue down the rest of the twine until
you get the look you like. Make sure to add glue to the top the ornament before
replacing the topper. If you don’t, the topper may pop off due to the weight of
the ornament. Then, take three pieces of twine and tie them onto the topper.
Glue your leftover seashells to the end of the twine. Finally, wrap the silver
topper cap with twine.
Seashell Door Hanger: This beautiful door hanger is a great way to display your favorite shells. Begin by hanging 13 or another odd number of seashells on hemp twine. If your shells are more flat, a small drill bit can be used to create a hole in each one. If they’re more cone-shaped, tie a knot at the end of a piece of twine and place the knot near the inside center of the shell. Then use a pointy object like needle-nose pliers or a chopstick and push the knot into the shell. Gently tug the twine upward while holding the shell so the knot gets caught at the top of the shell. If any of the shells are loose, secure with a dot of hot glue. Once that’s done, tie a thick piece of rope to each side of a piece of driftwood for hanging. Next, layout your seashells in a “v” shape pattern. Start with the biggest shell first and hang it in the center of the driftwood. Working your way out, add the remaining shells going large to small. Each shell should come up about half an inch on both sides of the center. After all the shells are hung evenly, triple tie the twine at the top, making sure the loose ends face towards the back. Then flip the hanger around and trim the excess twine to about one inch. Hot glue the ends onto the driftwood. Finally, add faux succulents by tucking the stems into the rope knots or hot gluing them right onto the driftwood for a cute “sprouting” effect!
Driftwood Art: This beach craft is easy to make and will
look great as your new piece of home decor. Start by painting a wooden
shadowbox. The outer edge should be white while the very back should be grey.
Allow it to dry completely before continuing. Use driftwood pieces that are
slightly longer than the frame allows and use a saw to cut them down to size. Try
different combinations until something fits wells and works for your piece.
Remember, no two pieces of driftwood are the same, but that’s the beauty of it.
First, add the driftwood to the back of the box and then a starfish on top. Use
hot glue to secure everything into place. Your driftwood art is now ready to be
added to any room in your home!
Any of these crafts can be modified to fit your own personal
style so have fun exploring different options and combing the beach for the
perfect supplies! We’d love to see what you’re making while you stay at home, please
show us in the comments!
We ALL miss the Cabana Bar these days,
not just for the delicious drinks, but the smiles and energy we share with our
guests. Chris, Dave, Bob and Betsy shared some of their favorite recipes for tropical
cocktails so you can keep that Cabana Bar spirit going until you come and see
us again! All of these recipes are for a single drink, just multiply by how
many drinks you want to make, or make a great big pitcher full, we won’t judge!
Betsy’s Mojito Magic
“When you want something refreshing and not too intense, a mojito always hits the spot.” -Betsy, Cabana Bar
10 fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
2 ounces white rum
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) fresh lime juice
2–3 teaspoons honey simple syrup
ice
club soda
Honey Simple Syrup: Combine equal
parts honey and water in a saucepan. Warm
over medium heat until the mixture reaches a simmer, then whisk together and
watch the honey melt into the water.
Add the mint leaves, rum, lime juice
and honey simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
Muddle the mint (using a cocktail muddler or a wooden spoon) to release
its flavors. Add 1 cup of ice. Then
cover the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 15 seconds, until
chilled. Strain into a tall glass filled
with ice. Top with club soda, as well as
extra mint or lime wedges for garnish, if desired.
Dave’s Steel Drum
“A fun twist on a pina colada, this
drink is a party in a glass!” -Dave, Cabana Bar
Shake it up with ice and garnish with
a slice of fresh pineapple and a cherry.
Twisted Pinkies by Chris
“This is one of my favorite drinks to
prepare and it’s super easy to do at home. I love how the coconut rum cuts
through the acidity of the pink grapefruit juice. It’s so refreshing!” -Chris,
Cabana Bar
6 oz. Pink Grapefruit Juice
2 oz. Coconut Rum
Shake up and serve over ice.
Chris’ Rumchata Pina Colada with a Coconut Rum Float.
“This twist
on the classic Pina Colada is my favorite!” Mary Ann Renfrow, Alden Director of
Community Relations
3 oz. RumChata
1 oz. Light Rum
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
½ oz. Cream of Coconut
½ oz. Coconut Rum
Blend
with ice. Top with a floater of coconut rum.
Dancing
Bird of Paradise by Max Blower Rojas
Max Blower Rojas is a St. Pete Beach native who now works in New York City. He created this recipe, a favorite of Mary Ann Renfrow, as a submission for the Shake Stir USA and Cocktail Courier cocktail competition.
2 oz Jose Cuervo Tequila Tradicional Anejo
1 oz Tahitian Vanilla Bean Syrup*
1 oz Fresh Blood Orange Juice
½ oz Fresh Lime Juice
3 dashes Bittermens Burlesque Bitters (or any bitters you like)
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
Shake and strain into glass with fresh ice.
Garnish with Blood Orange peel.
*To make syrup, slit one vanilla bean and mix seeds into 1 cup of sugar. Add hot water and stir until dissolved. Let cool. You can also substitute the vanilla bean for 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract mixed into 1 cup of simple syrup. (Fancy bitters optional)
Bahama Mama
“The Bahama Mama is an irresistible Cabana Bar cocktail. I always have one when I arrive at the Alden and it pairs perfectly with a St. Pete Beach sunset!” -Sunshine Woodyard, AdGals social media consultant for Alden Suites.
2oz coconut rum
1 oz gold rum
2 oz pineapple juice
2 oz orange juice
1 oz grenadine
In a bar shaker, combine all ingredients with a few ice
cubes. Shake until blended and pour over ice cubes. Garnish with maraschino
cherries and pineapple wedges.
Betsy’s Secret Margarita
“🍹 Here is my personal recipe for an amazing margarita!” -Betsy
1.5oz Silver Tequila
1.5oz Triple sec
4oz Margarita mix
1.5oz O.J.
Fill w/ice shake, shake, shake. Salt/ no salt, however you like it. Float with Grand Marnier. Consume!!
We can’t wait to see you back at the Cabana Bar very soon!
As you may have heard, the Alden is closed through the month of April due to COVID-19. While we are unable to serve our guests in person during this time, we will be connecting with you online through our blog, social media and email to keep the Alden Family spirit alive! This week, we’d like to share some of the amazing things that local St. Pete Beach businesses are doing to support our community at this time.
The Alden’s Director of Community Relations Mary Ann Renfrow joined Feeding Tampa Bay this week for a drive-through food pantry serving St. Pete Beach’s hospitality workers with the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce. We are grateful to St. Petersburg’s Lantmannen Unibake for donating the bread and to our Pinellas County Sheriff’s Deputies that assisted. The common theme from all who came out to receive donations was, “We want to get back to work”.
Brian McAllister and the Gibson Mural Club created an amazing mural last year at the Alden, and now he’s carrying on the Club’s work- take a look!
The Food Truck Convoy organized a convoy of food trucks and partnered with local restaurants to serve meals to neighbors in need, and help to keep food trucks and restaurant owners/staff working.
In a Seminole neighborhood near Starkey Elementary School, people are showing their love for families with school children by putting teddy bears in their windows.
St. Pete Rising is teaming up with one local restaurant and one hospital or healthcare provider per day to raise money to provide daily meals for healthcare workers. It’s a great way to donate to help the St. Pete Beach people that we all know and love.
Our good friends at Grillin N Chillin are offering free pulled pork sandwiches to out-of-work hospitality workers.
3 Daughters Brewing Co. in St. Petersburg is making thousands of containers of hand sanitizer for local healthcare workers, and giving them away for FREE!
Join the Great American Camp-In Challenge! Families are Camping IN at home and getting creative. Whether you’re imagining yourself in a jungle, the safari or even another planet they want to see your Camp-IN campground. Share pictures, stories, games, recipes and camp songs for all families to enjoy TOGETHER!
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is sharing an inside look at the lives of their aquatic inhabitants, including the famous Winter the Dolphin:
Tampa Bay Watch is sharing educational stories and videos about the natural beauty and incredible wildlife that we enjoy here in St. Pete Beach.
And if you want some educational entertainment, we recommend Florida Stories from Florida Humanities. “Florida Stories” tours are high-quality, packed with photos and rich audio that will open your eyes to many of Florida’s cities and towns in a way you’ve never experienced before.
We love to support these local businesses and hope that you’ll
support them next time you’re here at the Alden!
We want to give you a welcome distraction and something to look forward to, so we are offering a very special contest this April: We love our Alden Family, and we want to get to know you better! Follow this LINK and show us a picture of you and your favorite travel buddies from one of your favorite adventures together, anywhere in the WORLD, for a chance to win some great prizes.
We have a special plan for the winners- we will pick our top three entrants to participate in the first-ever Alden Jeopardy! You’ll go LIVE on Facebook with us on 4/30/20 to play Alden Jeopardy, and the winner will get the grand prize of a future two-night stay at Alden Suites! Here’s the link to enter:
Stay tuned to our Facebook Page for fun videos, contests and ways to share your Alden memories. Our prayers are with you and your families. Stay safe and healthy so you can come back and enjoy more beautiful moments with us right here in St. Pete Beach.
