Why book? How often can you say that a single hotel has the potential to change an entire city’s tourism outlook? This little slice of South Beach plunked down on the shores of Tampa Bay has redefined what luxury looks like in Central Florida, bringing some much-needed verve to a city that has spent the past few decades working to revitalize its sleepy downtown. Location of Marriott’s ultra-glam Edition brand and the hotel giant’s leap of faith on a destination that’s still very much on the brink of big things to come bodes well for Tampa's future growth as a destination for tastemakers.
Set the scene
There’s a cool sophistication to the whitewashed, Art Deco-inspired curves of Morris Adjmi’s 27-story tower-which almost feels like a subdued version of Santiago Calatrava’s skeletal creations. Once you walk through the front door, however, you’re confronted with an immediate burst of life: The expansive lobby is packed in with a jungle’s worth of potted palms, not just clinging to the edges of the room but creating such a dense, multilayered thicket of greenery that you almost feel like you need a machete to get to the reception desk. The plants act as a sort of hedgerow, walling off portions of the space to create intimate vignettes: a travertine pool table here, a stainless steel orb sculpture there, and a scalloped Calacatta marble espresso counter in the distance. The influencer-baiting centerpiece, undoubtedly, is a sculptural, white spiral staircase; a signature of Studio 54 impresario and Edition mastermind Ian Schrager that whisks guests up to the second floor's collection of nightlife spaces. Equally show-stopping is the rooftop pool deck-with its canopy of Japanese blueberry trees and bougainvillea-which is fast becoming the city’s swankiest hangout.
There’s a backstory, too. While you weren’t looking, Tampa has stealthily been remaking itself into a mini Miami. That transformation can be felt most keenly in the $3 billion transformation of the Water Street district, which stretches roughly between the cruise port at the Channel District and the office buildings of downtown. A joint venture between Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeffrey Vinik (the NHL team’s home arena is directly across the street) and Bill Gates, the neighborhood became the first in the world to receive a WELL Design & Operations designation, which celebrates a community-wide commitment to better air and water quality, fitness, and other wellness benchmarks. Marriott, which has operated the city’s largest hotel on Water Street since 2000, is going all in on the area: The brand also debuted a JW Marriott just a few blocks away in 2021.
The rooms
There’s a haiku-like simplicity to the 172 rooms and suites, which you enter through a moody, black-walnut vestibule before emerging into a sun-filled, white-oak living space. The room remains widely unadorned except for a few signature design pieces: a white-lacquer Norman Cherner chair, surrealist prints by fashion photographer Rodney Smith, a single monstera leaf in a bulbous little vase. Each of The Edition properties also has its own style of faux-fur throws, and one is found here, draped faux-messily over the corner of the bed. The jewel in the crown is Lilac, a Mediterranean-tinged tasting menu spot from chef John Fraser, who led the Michelin-starred kitchens at New York City institutions Dovetail and Nix. Expect playful yet elegant dishes, like the PB&J-inspired snack of poultry liver mousse and port wine jam on a savory almond croissant, and a riff on Portuguese-style bouillabaisse of local grouper served with grits. Fraser’s also responsible for the rooftop Azure's Aegean-accented menu of meze and raw bar.
Come nightfall, pick your poison at the velvet-curtained Arts Club, which sits under a ceiling full of mirror balls; the Lobby Bar, where you can order a sophisticated artichoke negroni or harissa margarita; or the lounge-like Punch Room, which is dedicated to cane spirits and the flavors of the Caribbean. A rum bar, it turns out, fits like a glove in this city with strong Cuban heritage and an annual pirate-themed festival, and the smoky Principe de Gales-made with cognac and lapsang souchong tea-is designed to evoke the cigars that have been made in these parts since 1885.
The spa and service
If you’ve ever stepped foot in an Edition, you can probably conjure scent memories of the brand’s calming black-tea aroma by Le Labo. It's present in the signature massage at the cocoon-like spa tucked away on the second floor, complete with six treatment rooms and a candle-lit relaxation area. The service is uniformly friendly and attentive, with special bonus points for the concierge, who happily recommend coffee shops and restaurants. Situated within the new 56-acre Water Street Tampa neighborhood, the hotel is home to 172 guest rooms and 30 spacious suites, including a 2,059 sqft Penthouse Suite. The property features a signature restaurant, rooftop bar and terrace, expansive spa, fitness center and over 8,000 sqft of flexible meeting and events space. Exclusive hotel offers highlight the unique features of The Tampa EDITION from packages for longer getaways to specials featuring our unique dining and entertainment venues.
Design, food, and nightlife
From the outside, The Tampa EDITION is a striking addition to the Water Street Tampa neighborhood, its combination of industrial elements, art deco-inspired curves and lush greenery seamlessly blending into the neighborhood’s organic, wellness-focused ethos. The neighborhood is built around wellness, connectivity, walkability, and sustainability, placing its residents in the heart of a balanced urban experience, and offering sparkling waterfront views, and publicly accessible green space. Walk into the Tampa Edition and escape into a dream world of luxury and quality where everything is executed to the nines. The collaborative concept from Ian Schrager and Marriott International is a magnet within the buzzing Water Street Tampa, a $3.5-billion redevelopment project by Strategic Property Partners (SPP) in partnership with Cascade Investment LLC and Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik. “Edition is one of the most innovative players in the hospitality industry and their opening in Water Street Tampa highlights the neighborhood as a new cultural and culinary focal point for the city,” Lee Schaffler, SPP’s chief portfolio officer, shares with Tampa Magazines.
Its seven new food and beverage concepts raise the bar on an already elevated culinary scene. Fraser oversees Lilac, the signature fine dining venue; Azure at Edition, an elevated, beachy lunch and dinner concept; and Market at Edition, an enticing morning-to-night eatery - as well as the Lobby Bar and Pool Bar. After working in a variety of prestigious restaurants in California and Paris, Fraser founded the hospitality group JF Restaurants in 2007. Subsequently, he opened several successful restaurants in New York City, receiving a Michelin star for Dovetail and Nix. “We’ve designed a system and a space that we think meets the standards of Michelin,” Fraser tells Tampa Magazines. “We are training the staff and cooking to what I think would be their standards.” Fraser’s menus draw from his Los Angeles roots, Greek heritage and love of vegetables, and he’s thrilled to help set the stage for Water Street Tampa. Fraser notes its mix of Southern charm and hospitality and Midwestern style and openness to embrace new ideas, surprising him with lines out the door.
Racine, the beverage director, curated the Tampa Edition’s drink program with a focus on cocktails that pair with Fraser’s food. “We’re so excited about the cocktails at the Tampa Edition,” Racine says. Run separately from Fraser, the Punch Room, and the Arts Club, forms of entertainment, are also showstoppers. The Tampa Edition’s finest dining option, Lilac, boasts adventuresome Mediterranean cuisine. The cozy venue is inviting with warm lighting, pear green velvet booths, rich walnut flooring and an open kitchen on the ground level. Fraser brings precision and playfulness to the dishes, with signature touches like a caviar service layered in spinach béchamel and onion crème with duck fat hash browns, and the Tuna Tartare Mont Blanc topped with garlic meringue. The four-course, pre-fixed dinner with optional wine pairing offers an exquisite sampling of the menu. Signature dishes include the Braised Prime Short Rib cooked on a rotisserie, and the Herb Fusilli with a soft egg and sherry-braised chanterelle mushrooms.
The hotel’s staple restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner offers indoor and outdoor seating, a traditional bar and a coffee and pastry bar. Market’s side entrance off Water Street welcomes neighborhood foot traffic. “We put a lot of time and effort into our pizza program,” Fraser shares. “We zeroed in on the texture and a ferment. Neapolitan-style dough is fermented for two days.” The Market is an exclusively negroni and spritz concept, with a menu including a rotating selection of pizzas, marinara and garlic olive oil sides. The Lobby Bar serves up classic cocktails with a Mediterranean twist, such as the Artichoke Negroni, along with shareable small plates. “I’m the most surprised by the way the community is using the Lobby Bar,” Fraser shares. “It’s been packed from day one.” When night falls, the Arts Club comes alive on select days, with three connected spaces each taking on their own bold personalities on the second floor. In the Lounge, snap a picture in the photo booth and relax on black leather couches dimly lit by candles. In the next room, a long marble bar space provides a lively transition before making your way into the Radio City Music Hall-inspired Arts Club Cabaret. Across from the Arts Club, sip punch served from vintage, sterling-plated bowls and be transported to an era past. The atmosphere is cozy, mature and exclusive, with a glass-encased fireplace, walnut-paneled walls all made from a single tree and jewel-toned velvet curtains and seating.
Perched on the ninth floor, Azure, which means blue in Greek, gives a nod to the blue sky and water views, with balcony and indoor dining available for lunch and dinner. Fraser calls it Greek grazing, with homemade pita, dips and mezze, kabobs and his first-ever Greek fried chicken in the lineup. The bungalow beach chic venue flows lengthwise in an expansive space of about 5,000 square feet each of indoor and outdoor seating, anchored by a white oak and marble racetrack bar and lined with nooks of white leather and linen seating. For one of the most scenic drink stops in town, catch a sunset at the Pool Bar on the ninth floor. Bask in a canopy of Bougainvillea as you take in panoramic views of Downtown Tampa. Resident DJs set the mood. Every Edition has a unique stairwell. For the iconic indoor photo op, strike a pose on the marble spiral staircase just to the right of the entrance. Each Edition has its own custom staircase and you don’t want to miss Tampa’s white, winding, nautilus-like beauty, aglow and framed by lush plants. The coveted outdoor picture is upstairs on the pool deck (ninth floor).
Extend your stay beyond your meal. Book a room and enjoy the other amenities, including the spa, gym and pool. Love the fragrance being piped through the building? It’s Le Labo’s custom black tea scent exclusive to Edition hotels and available for purchase in the spa’s shop and online.
The Tampa EDITION Hotel Room Tour
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Water Street Tampa, on Tampa Bay |
| Rooms | 172 rooms, 30 suites, Penthouse 2,059 sqft |
| Food & Beverage | Lilac, Azure, Market, Lobby Bar, Pool Bar, Punch Room, Arts Club |
| Spa | Six treatment rooms, Le Labo black-tea scent |
| Notable design | Morris Adjmi architecture, white spiral staircase |
In sum, The Tampa EDITION stands as a beacon of wellness-forward luxury within a city reshaping its urban core, combining Michelin-worthy dining, a vibrant nightlife circuit, and a lush, sensory design that invites guests to stay a while and soak in Water Street Tampa’s renaissance.