My husband and I always look forward to the annual CEO Council Fall Social, held at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach, but, like everything else in 2020, we knew last year’s event would be different.
Never having stayed at the property before we looked forward to the chance to unplug a bit and enjoy the beautiful beach upon which the Sheraton Sand Key is placed.
While my husband reminisced about high school reunions attended there many years in the past, we were enthusiastically greeted by mask-wearing employees, whose eyes were smiling and welcoming.
With very little forethought, we requested an early check-in and without a blink of an eye, our request was granted. The staff was friendly while also respectful of the world in which we are forced to live these days. Plexiglass separated us from our front desk helper, social distancing dots decorated the lobby floor urging a six-foot separation and hand sanitizer was readily available at every turn.
It’s hard to capture in pictures the value of the relaxation that followed and was accompanied by an amazing sea breeze, my toes in the sand, sun on my face and a drink in my hand. It was the best Friday afternoon of work, ever.
While, unfortunately, the dining options were limited by COVID, the resort did an amazing job with what it was allowed to offer.
The food that we found was nothing short of delicious. Try the turkey club sandwich and do not skip the delectable French fries—we ordered a side of fries with our fries!
Because we were seeking relaxation for that evening, a bottle of wine seemed the perfect accompaniment for an evening of movies and blissful sleep. The selection of wine on the property was impressive, as were the snacks and sundries
Knowing we had the event later that evening, we decided to leisurely use the beautiful pool and lively outdoors. There were volleyball courts for our pleasure, various games like cornhole and horseshoes, poolside luxurious chaise chairs, a cabana with more food and drink options and a table at which to eat.
While the CEO Council event is normally held outdoors, which held a very different meaning in 2020, as luck would have it, the weather didn’t cooperate that night. The Sheraton was quick to pivot (it’s now a drinking game when someone says that word) and the evening went off without a hitch.
Moving forward, we will use the annual event as a reason to get away from it all. It was the closest to normal we had felt in some time. The memories we created won’t fade away, even though our tans have. ♦
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