Enjoy a “Taste of Italy” this summer without suffering from the jet lag of overseas travel. The Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza celebrates the signature foods and wines, exquisite shopping and romantic aspects synonymous with that popular European destination with its “Escape to Italy – Via Tampa Bay” promotion.
The new summer package, available May 1 – Sept. 14, 2008, combines luxury accommodations at the Four Diamond hotel with authentic Mediterranean cuisine, fine Italian wine and an international shopping experience. The acclaimed delicacies created by Italian-born Executive Chef Fabrizio Schenardi are featured daily at the hotel’s companion restaurant, Pelagia Trattoria.
Guests will be greeted upon arrival and check-in with an invitation to enjoy a “Welcome Toast for Two” featuring the hotel’s newly launched, exclusively proffered, private label Chianti from Italy’s renowned wine making region of Tuscany. While sipping wine in the hotel’s stunning reception area or open air courtyard, guests may indulge in the complimentary daily selection of stuffed olives, accompanied by flavored breadsticks, available afternoons in the lobby.
During their stay, guests will definitely want to dine at Pelagia for a perfect way to truly savor the flavors of Italy. Pasta is handmade daily on site from imported Italian flour. Each gnocchi and ravioli is prepared in small quantities to ensure the pasta is enjoyed at its peak of freshness. Included in the Italian-influenced, celebrated seasonal menu created by Schenardi are daily selections of soups, entrees and oven-baked pizzas as well as the popular classic dishes that guests have clamored for since Schenardi first opened Pelagia four years ago.
Pelagia diners also will relish an exclusive selection of small batch grappa, served as a signature beverage as well as an ingredient incorporated into select menu items. Schenardi imports grappa from his homeland and uses various flavors, such as cinnamon and coffee, or locally grown fruits, such as strawberries, watermelon, limes and oranges, to infuse the grappa with subtle flavors.
Rounding out the experience is the opportunity to shop, dine and celebrate nightlife within an easy stroll from the hotel. Guests will delight in the convenience of Tampa Bay’s most distinctive shopping experience that is located just steps away from the hotel. International Plaza & Bay Street at the Plaza is an enclosed, two-story regional shopping center with an adjacent outdoor lifestyle center that is located on the southeast edge of the Tampa International Airport. It features nearly 200 specialty stores and 15 restaurants, including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Dillard’s and Robb & Stucky Interiors. Shopping hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Restaurant hours vary. For additional information, log on to www.shopinternationalplaza.com.
Rates for the “Escape to Italy – Via Tampa Bay” package are from $229, are available Thursday through Sunday (not applicable Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday) and require a Friday or Saturday night stay. The package includes the following amenities:
• Welcome Toast for Two featuring the newly launched private label imported red wine, “Pelagia Chianti Riserva”
• Breakfast for two at Pelagia Trattoria
• Complimentary valet parking
• Concierge Club level upgrade (based on availability)
• Nightly “Turndown Service”
• $25 Dining Certificate for International Plaza
• International Plaza Gift
• Passport to Savings Shopping Discount Card
• Exclusive “Gift With Purchase” offers
The Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza was designed and decorated in tribute to its romantic couple, Sergio and Gabriella, who met, fell in love, married and had the hotel created in the likeness of a Mediterranean-
Since opening in 2004, Pelagia Trattoria has received rave reviews from leading local, national and international food critics celebrating its modern Italian cuisine. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, the 152-seat restaurant offers indoor as well as outdoor seating.
PELAGIA Trattoria is located at 4200 Jim Walter Blvd. (or 2223 N. West Shore Blvd.),
next to the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza, Tampa, FL. For restaurant information, call 813-313-3235 or go to www.pelagiatrattoria.com.
The “Escape to Italy – Via Tampa Bay” package is based on availability and does not include applicable taxes. When booking by phone, the rate code is XWDQ; if booking online, the rate code is ZJ9. For hotel bookings or information, call 813-877-9200 or 800-644-2685;
Media contact for hotel and restaurant information, images or interviews:
Mary Lou Janson, (813) 251-5737, (office), (813) 361-1061 (cell), Marylou@maryloujanson.com, www.maryloujanson.com.
