Wasting away
Texas' first beachfront Margaritaville Resort drifts onto South Padre Island
Fort Worth Parrotheads have a new coastal destination for frozen concoctions and cheeseburgers in paradise: Margaritaville has debuted its first-ever Texas beachfront resort on South Padre Island.
Opened June 12, it's the second Margaritaville Resort in Texas. The first, in landlocked Lake Conroe north of Houston, opened with much fanfare in covid-y 2020. There's also a Camp Margaritaville RV resort in the Galveston area.
According to a release, the family-friendly Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island is located just off the causeway in SPI, and offers all-ocean view rooms, several eateries, a spa, direct access to the beach, and the largest beachfront hotel pool on the island.
“We are thrilled to bring Margaritaville to the South Texas coast, allowing locals, guests, and visitors alike to experience a one-of-a-kind oasis,” says Rone Middler, the resort's general manager, in the release. “An easy drive or plane trip from the major metro areas of Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston and convenient access to Mexico, Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island provides the perfect getaway for guests of all ages looking for fun, relaxation, and adventure.”
Highline Hospitality Partners invested more than $30 million to transform the old Pearl Hotel South Padre into the new, bright turquoise Margaritaville Resort.
Highlights include:
- 200 guestrooms and 50 beachfront condos with one-, two-, or three-bedroom configurations featuring rainfall shower, plush bedding, 55-inch TVs, mini fridges, St. Somewhere bath and body products, and more.
- three restaurants and bars: LandShark Bar & Grill, with indoor and outdoor patio seating overlooking the Gulf of Mexico; the Salty Rim Bar & Grill, a swim-up bar mixing signature cocktails and bar noshes; and Joe Merchant‘s Coffee & Provisions, a grab-and-go spot for coffee and quick bites.
- the largest hotel beachside pool on SPI, heated and surrounded by private cabanas and a separate kids' zone.
- Hammock Row, featuring hammocks that swing and sway in the Gulf breezes under sky-high palm trees.
- Sapphire Spa, with a menu of luxe treatments, a full hair and makeup salon, and fully equipped fitness center.
The resort concierge desk can arrange numerous beachside adventures, they say, from windsurfing and parasailing to offshore fishing and dolphin watching. Onsite beach chairs and umbrella rentals are available, and live musical entertainment is offered nightly.
They'll also host destination-meetings, special events, weddings, and more in their 8,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor event space.
And, in a fun South Padre twist, space enthusiasts can witness thrilling views of Space X activity on nearby Boca Chica Beach, without even leaving the hotel.
The resort is opening with a number of special packages that throw in fun extras like dining credits, cabana rentals, and more. According to the website, rates start around $275 per night.