The Ritz Hotel – Clearwater Beach, FL

Back in the 1970’s my family would from time to time spend a week or so in Clearwater Beach, FL, and we would stay at the interstingly named Ritz Hotel.  Usually a lodging establishment with the name of “The Ritz” would invoke images of a grand resort, but in this case it was more of misnomer than anything.  I went by there about ten years ago and after I told my brother that it seems the old Ritz had really gone down hill he reminded me that it was actually never all that good to begin with.

In any case, the Ritz is now called The Beachwalk Inn, of all things.  And while it seems to have had an (external) coat of paint in the last few years, it truly is worse for the wear at this point.  BUT its still there, which is what’s important.  I only ventured on the periphery of the property so as not to get in any trouble, and it was only after we’d left Clearwater that it occurred to me that I probably could have just rented a room for cheap and taken pics wherever I wanted; next time (if its still there…).

Here are some pictures of The Ritz from its “glory days”, and also a picture of yours truly on the front patio sometime in 1974.