If you’re sailing out of the Port of Tampa this summer, we’ve got a great reason to spend the night before your cruise in the port city. Aside from the many activities, the city will add a new luxury hotel to its repertoire: the Marriott’s New Autograph Collection Hotel – Current. And, it’s all about the views. The contemporary boutique hotel, specifically designed to offer guests sweeping views of the Bay from every room, is projected to start taking reservations this summer.
Current is a ten-story, 4-star hotel with 180 luxuriously appointed guest rooms. Amenities include – but are not limited to – a water-facing 9th-story fitness center, infinity-style pool, a full-service restaurant, Tampa Bay’s tallest rooftop bar, and a 2,300 square-foot ballroom. Guests also have access to a private beach with complimentary water sports equipment and fire pits.
The restaurant, Julian, is housed in the first-floor lobby area and named after the Lifsey family patriarch, Julian Lifsey. Offering lunch and dinner, the restaurant features internationally-inspired small plates with a focus on incorporating the freshest local ingredients available. The hotel is also home to Rox, a rooftop lounge on the 10th floor, overlooking Tampa Bay’s skyline, with a floor-to-ceiling glass atrium and open-air terrace. At the helm is Chef Andrew Basch. With more than 20 years in the hospitality industry, Basch crafts innovative creations challenging mainstream culinary concepts.
True to its name and design, Current is home to a rotating art gallery showcasing local artists’ work. All art is curated by the Lifsey family, and seven pieces by the late Theo Wujcik are currently on display and throughout the hotel. The first exhibit will feature work by abstract expressionist Alberto Murillo, whose art is also featured in a number of selected collections including the Givenchy Family Collection, among others. “It’s rooted in history but also embraces the present by staying current, and that’s what makes it a stand-out in the Tampa Bay area,” President Stan Lifsey said of the longstanding project.
Current embraces the Tampa Bay community every chance it can, incorporating local elements into the hotel itself. Oxford Exchange, a dining and retail establishment near Downtown Tampa, has curated the hotel’s retail space, and local coffee roaster Buddy Brew will manage Current’s lobby coffee bar.