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WORDS BY KATE DUFFY
For a taste of Europe and a little traditional elegance, the Don CeSar Beach Resort is a stone's throw from Tampa-just 30 miles from the airport-but it feels like a different world.

Located on Florida's St. Pete Beach, The Don CeSar Beach Resort was built in the late '20s as a palatial playground for the rich and famous. Moorish bell towers and imperial turrets stretching toward an azure sky accentuate the hotel's flamingo-pink Mediterranean architecture. Surrounding tropical gardens, thick with oleander and palms, connect the hotel to the Gulf's white powdery sand. The Don CeSar is truly the stuff of dreams.

Named Don CeSar after the chivalrous hero of the Vincent Wallace opera Maritana, the Don and its namesake, who miraculously survived a firing squad when the guns misfired, share a common near-death experience. During its lifetime the building served as a luxury hotel, navigational landmark, Yankees training base, hurricane shelter, hospital, army convalescent center and government office building before being abandoned in 1967. The resort faced the wrecking ball in 1972 but was rescued on the eve of demolition by a diligent group of preservors. Extensive renovation in 1975 and again in 1999 have restored the Don's mystique and re-established it as a resort worthy of gentry.

The Don's posh interior and 277 richly appointed guest rooms and suites feature modern amenities mixed with European elegance and the comfort of a grand seaside resort. Breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico or Boca Ciega Bay, which fronts the property, are seen through row after row of Palladian windows. Bougainvillea-laced balconies and sweeping terraces offer a fresh air view of the spectacular sight.

In keeping with the resort's reputation for lavish food and beverage, the Don provides unrivaled fine dining in the Maritana Grille with more than 200 selections on its wine list. Sunday brunch in the King Charles Ballroom overlooking the Gulf is an affair to remember. Light bites are available poolside at the Beachcomber Grille, and watch impressive sunsets from the Sea Porch Café.

Pampering has always been paramount at the Don, where guests can indulge in a full range of rejuvenating spa pleasures, from massage to yoga. For the sporty types, there's golf, tennis and fishing. The sugary sand along miles of uninterrupted, crescent-shaped beach offers ample space to frolic, shell or take a romantic moonlight stroll.

History, both in structure and tradition, is well preserved in this magnificent pink sandcastle, the only historic resort standing today on the Gulf of Mexico, from the Keys of Florida to the tip of Texas.

Fly to Tampa International Airport, take I-275 South to the Pinellas Bayway/St. Pete Beach Exit 17 and follow the Bayway. Reservations: 800-282-1116 or www.doncesar.com.

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