TRAARVTEL
YOUR LOCAL GETAWAY
The Karol Hotel
By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman
Photography Courtesy of The Karol Hotel
The new Karol Hotel in Clearwater’s Feather Sound area is the first Marriott Tribute Portfolio member in
Pinellas County.
Fred Bullard, CEO of the Bullard Group and developer/
owner of the new Karol Hotel on Ulmerton Road in
Clearwater, named his Feather Sound masterpiece for
his wife Karol Kelly Bullard, saying he was inspired to
do so by her devotion to their family and the community for so
many years.
The boutique hotel has 123 guest rooms and suites, the Vantage
Rooftop Bar overlooking Tampa Bay, a restaurant and lounge
called the K Club Bar & Bistro and 7,340 square feet of event
space, including a ballroom, executive conference rooms, a pool
and a fitness center. The hotel’s design and décor are a stylish
reflection of Karol’s life from her days as Miss Florida and
Florida’s first television “weather woman” to her current role as
a grandmother, community activist and generous philanthropist
helping those in need.
134 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021
The hotel is the first of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio properties
to be located in Pinellas County. The Tribute brand is for
independent hotels that share a passion for captivating design
and a drive to create a vibrant social scene for guests and locals
alike. At the top of the 12-story hotel is the Vantage Rooftop Bar
with its striking views of Tampa Bay, where you can enjoy artisan
cocktails, local craft beers, tapas and other culinary treats, while
being awed by the downtown Tampa skyline. Be sure to take a
photo under the neon sign that says, “Don’t I Know You from
Somewhere?” It worked for Fred when he first met Karol. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Karol Hotel is located at 2675 Ulmerton
Road in Clearwater. For reservations, call (833) 928-1437 or visit
TheKarolHotel.com.
/TheKarolHotel.com