The Coconut Villas is a refurbishment of an 11-roomed Redington Shores Motel.
REDINGTON SHORES – The razing of mom and pop motels to make way for high-priced condos is pricing budget tourists out of the market.
And fewer tourists means devastation for beach town economies.
Solution: The condo-hotel, condos that owners use a couple times a year, then rent to tourists the rest of the time.
“I want people to realize what a condo-hotel is,” said Sam Ireson, one of the people trying to be part of the solution.
Ireson’s latest project, the Coconut Villas, is a refurbishment of an 11-roomed Redington Shores Motel, on Gulf Boulevard, directly across from the Redington Long Pier.
“Instead of knocking these motels down,” Ireson said, “I try to take these places and put a little thought into them.
“We bought this in May of 2005, started construction on it in October 2005. We’ve taken something that is part of history, given it a face-lift, and it’s still here.”
New arches and railings were added in the breezeway between the rooms and the pool. All rooms have new doors. The pool and landscaping has also been redone.
“That’s one thing I’m really big on, is landscaping,” Ireson said. “Because landscaping to me makes the place.”
The patio and pool area is enclosed with a new perimeter wall, lined with four coconut trees. The pool area has a hot tub and two tables under huge thatched dried palm leave umbrellas.
Ireson believes this type of development is a win-win situation for everyone.
“By redoing these hotels like this, instead of just knocking them down and building condos, it keeps the tourist money,” Ireson said. “There are tourists and snowbirds that come from states up north, and as far away as Canada. If we don’t have a place for the tourist to stay, then the beach shops and the restaurants are in trouble. For someone who only wants to spend about $100 a night, this place is ideal for them.”
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