Fins Up Pensacola ... Jimmy Buffett's New Margaritaville Beach Hotel Set to Open This Summer in Pensacola Beach, FL.

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla., May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Margaritaville and Little Sabine, Inc. are pleased to announce the world's first Margaritaville Beach Hotel opening this summer on the pristine white sands of Pensacola Beach, Florida.  

As President of Little Sabine, Inc., Marilyn Hess was finalizing the details to open a gulf front hotel on Pensacola Beach, when a phone call from a friend led to a meeting with Jimmy Buffett that turned her life around.  A few days later, Buffett came to tour the nearly completed hotel and invited Hess along on a road trip to his Margaritaville Cafe in Panama City Beach where he planned to stop in for an impromptu performance. After the road trip, Hess, whose ventures include American Fidelity Life Insurance Co. as well as hotels from Orange Beach to Destin, was smitten by Buffett and his associates. "He surrounds himself with fabulous people," she said. "We are so fortunate that he has such a love for our Gulf Coast."

"About a month ago, I had a meeting with Marilyn Hess in Gulf Shores to just look at possibilities of doing something on the Gulf Coast with the Sabine Company, but what happened next was beyond my wildest dreams," explains Jimmy Buffett.  "I guess you never quite know what is going to happen when you take a road trip east on Highway 98; sometimes things come together for a reason.  Having grown up in Mobile, Pensacola Beach was the first Florida I ever saw long before I headed to Key West.  It is great to be coming home and making a commitment to Pensacola and the Gulf Coast, especially at this time.  We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we have a great bunch of people to do it.  Fins Up Pensacola, here we come."

The Margaritaville Beach Hotel is set on over 800 stunning feet of gulf front property, with an additional 800 feet overlooking the bay. This new beachfront hotel features 162 guest rooms and suites appointed with barefoot elegance as well as the high tech touches that guests expect and enjoy.  Inspired by the lyrics and lifestyle of Jimmy Buffett, the hotel's sense of place and attention to detail make it the perfect setting for guests who want to escape the everyday, engage their senses and make lasting memories. Anyone who has ever dreamed of escaping to a tropical island and sipping a margarita will enjoy being immersed in the Margaritaville experience at this hotel.

When guests walk through the doors of this Florida Vernacular-styled hotel they will be greeted by a panoramic view of the Gulf of Mexico and a warm welcome. Visitors will be served fresh Florida orange juice upon arrival, calling to mind the hospitality of Florida's early years as a vacation destination. The island-inspired surroundings will feature spectacular art, teak and reclaimed oak furnishings, ceiling fans and breathtaking views. The gulf front restaurant will be a great addition to the local dining scene, serving fresh coastal cuisine with a southern accent. In addition to this restaurant a Margaritaville Restaurant will be opened in the next phase of the development giving guests even more entertainment choices.

The Margaritaville Beach Hotel will be more than a destination; it will be an entire change in latitude (and a change in attitude).  Vacationers have the option of enjoying beach activities or just kicking back and soaking in the sun and doing nothing at all (with a cool boat drink, of course). Other features include a business center, health/fitness room and group/meeting facilities for smaller corporate and social events.  A water park is planned for the future which will add to the hotel's high entertainment value.

As expected, music will play a starring role in the overall atmosphere of the hotel with island music on the pool deck and beach pavilion, the Margaritaville station on the in-room SIRIUS Radio and seasonal live music.

"The Pensacola Bay Area boasts 450 years of history, as well as premier museums, breathtaking white-sand beaches, a variety of adventure by land and sea, and now, the world's first Margaritaville Beach Hotel," said Ed Schroeder, director of the Pensacola Bay Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Community response has been exciting and overwhelming, and we know Margaritaville will have global appeal for visitors. We're thrilled to see the property open in paradise, Pensacola Beach."

For reservation information, go to www.MargaritavilleHotel.com.

SOURCE Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville