Curotto’s Bon-Aire Resort Motel

We didn’t stay here but we came to check it out based on their great reputation. Check out the bar here! It’s right on the beach and has really good food. White sandy beach with a perfect sunset view! Try the cheeseburger — it’s a winner. Cool vibe, nice atmosphere and good spot to hang out.

This is the third year I’ve made the annual visit to Saint Pete Beach to join dear friends and family for a relaxing beach vacation. The first year, I waited until the last minute to try and book a room, but there were none available. After that snafu, I learned my lesson and started booking early!
From the front desk staff, to the bartenders at Sandbar Bill’s and the housekeeping staff — my boyfriend and I had THE perfect long weekend getaway at the Bön-​Aire. Our room was extremely clean and fresh bath towels and beach towels were plentiful. The housekeeper that took care of us always had a smile to share (hey Michelle!). The food at Sandbar Bill’s is FABULOUS, and the drinks are DELICIOUS. The beach is powdery white and I’ve never seen too much of a crowd — perfect to read a book or two you’ve been meaning to get through, take a walk along the water or even an afternoon nap. The other guests are so wonderful and truly made this little hotel feel like home.
The rooms are extremely reasonable in price and are in the process of being updated. We’ve already put in our reservation request for next year and can’t wait to see our Bön-​Aire family again!

Great hotel right on the beach in St Pete. Nothing fancy, but clean and affordable. The Bön-​Aire has several different room/​apartment configurations and two pools. It also has a volleyball net and an on-​site restaurant/​bar that has great food and cold beer! Highly recommend!

Best hotel on the beach. My wife’s family has been coming here for 40+ years and we won’t go anywhere else. This is my 4^th visit in 6 years and I love the small feel. The 70s vibe reverberates throughout the entire establishment and is so welcoming. If you love poolside retreats and beachfront bars the Bön Aire Resort is for you. There is a great bar and restaurant called Sand Bar Bills with the best Cheeseburgers in the world. The staff of the hotel is amazing and kind and family owned since 1953. If you want the best place to stay for your St. Pete visit this is the place to be.

My family stayed here for 4 nights and it was a decent hotel on the gulf. The room overlooked two of the pools which was a great advantage for a handicap tenant who was unable to climb the stairs without an elevator.
The main pool is located next to a shuffle board court and the tiki bar. The pool has 4 tables with umbrellas and numerous lounge chairs, which overlook the beach.
The room we stayed in had tile floors which I enjoyed. Less germs and easy to clean for walking through with wet bathing suits– some of the rooms have carpet which were being cleaned during our stay. The room was semi updated with 2 beds, a small fridge and closet that housed hangers, beach towels and extra linens. The three drawer dresser was turned sideways in the corner of the room and inaccessible due to being crammed between the wall and a bed. This seemed like a waste, but our suitcase fit on top nicely. There is a wall air condition unit which kept the room nice and cool.
The bathroom is tiny, but updated. There is no way for a tall person to sit on the toilet with the door closed and there isn’t a toilet paper holder, so it’s likely your TP will get wet sitting on the sink.
The office staff was superb!!! We had extra family members come to visit during the stay and it wasn’t an issue to clear parking with the office each day and stay on the premises for a few hours. We appreciated their kindness and generosity for having a few extra cars.
There is a Walgreen drug store literally across the street for any last minute forgotten items and a Gigi’s Italian restaurant next to that. It made for a great quick meal without spending a ton of money at the hotel tiki bar. We did eat a few meals at their tiki bar on-​site, but it was extremely expensive for the convenience of having food so close.
P’S. Their Wi-​Fi password: (lowercase) bavacation15

We loved our stay! We slept in a king bed apartment and had the most lovely time. If the ocean is rough, there are two pools to enjoy. The food at the tiki bar was better than I expected and generous in portions. We made a ritual of having a drink from the tiki bar and sitting on one of the many lounge chairs to watch the sunset. The cleaning staff work their butts off and bent over backwards to make sure our room was clean and well toweled, without us even asking. Each one of them deserve great pay! We spent most of our time outdoors at either the lovely pool during the hot time of the day or walking the beach looking for seashells or body surfing. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and the building is meticulously maintained. The motel is set apart from all the crazy younger crowds to the north in the high rise hotels and is one of the reasons we stayed here. A Walgreens is just across the street and we utilized it for our breakfast. They stock fresh fruit, juice, cereal and prepackaged Jimmy Dean breakfast food as well as wine and beer. The motel is a short drive from Tampa International Airport and is very easy to find. The building has a 50’s charm that reminds me of my great grandparents generation and how lovingly they took care of things. Just up the road to the south is the Pass-​a-​Grille community near a huge historic pink mission style hotel called the Loews Don CeSar. We found many nice outdoor restaurants and shops to visit, The Hurricane became our favorite outdoor seafood place to eat. This was truly a vacation we loved and the Bön Aire was a huge part of that success.

Staff was genuinely friendly. The motel is right on a really nice beach. The room looked like it was newly renovated in a modern style. It was a quiet place to relax. I would stay here again.

I am a native Floridian who has always lived near the Gulf of Mexico. I grew up spending time at the beach and enjoying the hospitality of small businesses, quite often family owned-​and-​run who cater to people looking for fun in the sun. The Bön-​Aire Resort is a wonderful reminder of those establishments that contributed to my happy memories. Full of charm and character, our staycation to celebrate my 50^th birthday was just about perfect. And if the weather had cooperated — monsoon level storms in the evening took away the sunsets — it would have been perfect.
Everything one could want or need for a low-​key, relaxing, quality beach vacay was right there at your fingertips — the sand and surf steps away from the hotel; two heated pools with plenty of lounge chairs for reading and sunning; a beach bar with cold beer, great burgers and really good potato salad; shuffleboard courts, volleyball nets and beachside pavilions which during our stay served as the locations for everything from late night chat sessions to a wedding. Our room/​suite had a kitchenette, living room and bedroom — great size, great updates and super clean. And the staff was outstanding — from the friendly, welcoming front desk clerk to the gent who came and switched out the beeping battery in our smoke detector. All first-​rate.
This is not a high-​tech, slick, bells-​and-​whistles filled place — and that’s a great thing. Our fellow patrons were all just as enamored with the Bön-​Aire as we were. Our afternoon was spent hanging out in the pool and chatting with people from across the country, some of whom had just discovered this place and others who had been regular patrons for literally decades. When I was checking out, the staff called several people in the lobby by name. So impressive.
I’m rather ashamed to say that this was my first experience at the Bön-​Aire, having lived in St Petersburg my entire life. But I’m excited to say that it certainly will not be my last.

This place immediately makes me feel like I’m in an episode of Golden Girls. It’s old school charm is actually refreshing in comparison to many other modern places on St. Pete Beach. Perfect location to be on the beach all day. They have everything you need during your stay… 2 pools., a beach bar/​restaurant, shuffle board, on-​site laundry. There’s a Walgreens directly across the street with grocery and liquor stores right down the road.
The ONLY downfall this place has is the noise. When you stay somewhere on vacation you hope to not hear sounds of renovations & construction at 8am, but sadly that’s what has been happening here this entire time. It’s extremely annoying to be woken up to each morning. Please be aware of vacationing guests when doing work at the hotel.

I’m really loving Bön-​Aire Resort! As I’m typing this review, I’m actually sitting in my room on the 2^nd floor, in the comfy large queen bed, with the TV on and the cold air blowing from the A/​C. Besides the humming of the air conditioner, I can occasionally hear people talking, laughing and passing in the walkway. I enjoy hearing the occasional sounds of life from outside, it reminds me, on this beautiful Friday night, that people are close by, living and enjoying life.
Here’s what I love about Bön-​Aire– the grounds are beautifully kept, landscaped with palms trees, plumeria trees and other tropical plants. It really adds to the beautiful backdrop of this place. Another thing I love is that it sits right on the beach, I mean you walk out of your room and within a few steps you are feeling soft white sand between your toes. This motel is older so if you’re expecting modern and sleek, this is not the place for you. This place is low key with a vintage 50s quintessential old school Florida feel. This is a great place for families or young couples looking to experience a taste of relaxation with good old fashioned fun. At two stories tall, the motel is intimate without being overly crowded. They have two heated well maintained pools. The rooms aren’t the largest, but mine was clean with a comfortable bed, clean, plush linens, and an ice cold blowing air conditioner (all the essentials in my book). Outside of each room on the walkway is a set of chairs perfect for people watching, relaxing or catching a beautiful Florida sunset.
The woman working the front desk was super friendly and helpful, as was the young lady working the beachside bar. Speaking of beachside bar, this is a cool, popular little hang out for guests and locals alike. People walk right up off the beach for a cold beverage or to grab a bite to eat. I had a cheeseburger and it was delicious– they are hand made burger patties and grilled over charcoal!
Besides the two heated pools, the beachside bar and grille, there is a volleyball net, a shuffle board, outdoor tables, lounge chairs that face the beach, and laundry on site.
I really am loving this place– I feel safe, I don’t feel out of place in some fancy, high end, uncomfortable, staged hotel. This is exactly what I was looking for– I have easy access to everything I need. I can open my front door or sit outside and enjoy the outdoors. No elevators, no big lobby, no oversized pool, no crowds. This is a great, genuine place to relax and unwind and just enjoy the beautiful Florida lifestyle.

Love Love LOVE this little family-​owned resort! My husband and I were looking for a romantic, yet AFFORDABLE, resort/​hotel right on the beach to celebrate our anniversary and we stumbled upon Bön-​Aire thanks to Unilocal.We took a chance, not knowing much about it, and our expectations were succeeded! First of all, you simply can’t beat the price, period. Secondly, it has everything we wanted: Clean, spacious rooms (even the simple, standard hotel room that we stayed in). Outstanding service (from the front desk to the on-​site bar/​grill to the cleaning staff — everyone was friendly, attentive, and professional). Location Location Location (directly on the beach… we walked out our front door and walked straight onto the beach… or we could use their lounge chairs on their deck/​covered pavilions which sat right up against the beach). Amenities (on-​site bar/​grill that had GREAT food & drinks; laundry facilities; 2 heated pools; shuffleboard; volleyball; 2 cornhole games; private parking; etc). We couldn’t have been more pleased! There was even a wedding the weekend we stayed and all the wedding guests were staying there, but our room was still quiet, even though it was located on the first floor right in front of the pool and across from the bar. We were so pleased we can’t wait to return! We plan to bring our kids (and hopefully other family members and friends) and make this our annual (or more!) family vacation spot! Also — Leslie at the front desk was really sweet, friendly, and helpful! Thank you, Bön-​Aire, for the perfect anniversary getaway… hoping to see you again in just a couple months (once I have baby #2)! :)

My family has been staying at the Bön Aire since before I was born. I’m 29 and still coming here. It’s literally my favorite place in the entire world.
It’s an old school mom & pop place. Everyone is friendly. You get to know the people who come down at the same time every year.
It’s like coming home every time.
It’s not fancy but it’s still wonderful. Right on the beach. They offer a variety of rooms and everything is reasonably priced. There’s a beach bar with the BEST burgers I’ve ever had.
Some of my favorite memories involve this place. It’s perfect.

Really enjoyed our stay there. We were there with most of my family, all 120 of us. Took up like 26 rooms. It’s a nice property with a good selection of rooms, literally right on the beach. Cabanas are nice, on site bar and grill is good with really good burgers and a Rum Runner that will sneak up on you and smack you silly. Staff are friendly and attentive, no free breakfast or shampoo but lots of clean towels, decent beds and clean rooms. They actually give you a real key and will charge you if you lose it. Not a bad thing.
Charcoal grills around the cabanas for guest use, most rooms are efficiencies and there are some apartments too for big parties.
We really did enjoy it and have booked for next year already.

Not for everyone, but if you appreciate the faded glory of an old-​school beach motel, it doesn’t get much better than this. Perfect location, clean rooms, excellent beach bar. No frills, no brag factor, no snobs, just loads of fun.

Great ‘old-​Florida’ spot and I’m talking about the beach bar. Very diverse crowd. A trip or St Pete Beach pub crawl is not complete without a visit to The Bön-Aire’s Sandbar. Highly recommended.

I think this is one of the best hotel’s to stay at on St. Pete Beach. Although it appears to be one of the older hotels on the beach as large skyscrapers are constructed down the beach adjacent to it, it’s not one to overlook. It is older, but they’ve done a lot of updating and refurbishing in the past few years. Every time my family came from California they would stay here with their 8 children because it was one of the cheapest places on the beach. They have rooms with full kitchens and pull out sofas if needed.
They have 2 pools that have been resurfaced recently (a quiet pool and a pool closer to the beach side) and a shuffleboard deck facing the ocean. Alongside the shuffleboard deck there is a tiki bar that’s open and I know a lot of people that just head out there for that.
The owner’s of the hotel are super friendly, and I’d recommend this place to anyone that wasn’t interested in dishing out 100s of dollars a night to go to a Hampton Inn or a chain hotel skyscraper on the beach.

This is actually a review for Bön-Aire’s «Sandbar Bill’s Bar and Grille.»
If you’ve read any of my reviews you’ll know I’ve been coming to this area for about 25 years now. However, only 14 of those have been as an adult, and only 11 of those have been during legal drinking age. The area so seriously lacks quality bars for outsiders but I understand the nature of the beast that is St. Pete Beach so I will stop the rant there.
Moving on… as you walk on the beach you often wonder where the hell do I go to grab a decent sandwich and a beer around here. The beach itself is usually a 50 – 100 yard swath of blinding white sand so it makes it difficult to judge if that small cluster of cabana tops over yonder are tops of outdoor bars or tops of some tiny hotel with no such amenities. In addition, if are able to glean that it is a bar/​grill establishment. is it worth going to? Tough choices after spending hours in the sun.
To add to the issue do you want to spend an arm and a leg on something because you are not sure of all of the above, i.e. go to the Don’s outdoor (beautiful) deck for drinks and grub.
Sandbar Bill’s is the answer to all of the above.
The menu is straight up bar food. However, it is done well, with no real frills, and of a very reasonable price. Chances are you can’t go wrong.
Drinks: mad cheap.
Patio: even during the height of tourist season I can always find a chair to watch the beach. It is large and user friendly.
Staff: Each and every bartender I’ve had has been effecient and friendly… if not downright wonderful to deal with.
Patrons: well… it is Florida so… you’ll see the average knucklehead tourist often. Probably a knuckleheaded college group on occasion. The regulars of retirees who are 15 minutes in the sun away from becoming a leather handbag. basically the clientèle runs the gamut which I think actually makes for a great blend and keeps the stereotypes in check. Everyone is all doped up on Vitamin D and booze so enjoy the crowd and the view.
This is always a stop for me whenever I am at the beach. Therefore that makes me a 3−4x/year regular I guess. Oddly enough we were recognized recently… I thought that was something special. Kudos to the good memory on the bartender.

This is a charming beachside motel from the 1950s. The basic rooms are very basic — no hair dryers, no free shampoo, etc. My room was decent and clean, but not exactly sparkling. It wasn’t the kind of room I’d want to hang out in and relax; you stay here to enjoy St. Pete’s Beach.
The outside of the motel is in great condition. And it is really right ON the beach. It was at full capacity when I was there — many families and older couples come here annually to vacation. It’s a family-​owned motel, and everyone there was very friendly and genuine.