The Hyatt Regency today opened the doors of the new Aqualea Resort on Gulfview Boulevard. The hotel employs 170 people and has 250 rooms, which, depending on the season, range from $200 to $600 per night. The most expensive accommodations are 2,000-square-foot two-bedroom suites. Staff photo by WALLY PATANOW

Clearwater Beach can now boast its own "pink" luxury resort.

The Hyatt Regency today opened the doors of the new Aqualea Resort on Gulfview Boulevard. Although there are two Hyatt Hotels in Hillsborough County, this is the first in Pinellas County.

"The destination can support luxury resorts like this. It's one of those things that if you build it, they will come," said David Downing of Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, the county's tourist development agency.

The hotel employs 170 people and has 250 rooms.

The rooms are like mini-condos, with granite and stainless steel full-sized kitchens. All have balconies that face the Gulf of Mexico.

Despite unemployment and the recession, Downing said there is a need for higher-end hotel rooms.

Depending on the season, the prices range from $200 to $600 per night. The most expensive accommodations are 2,000-square-foot two-bedroom suites.

The resort also offers 20 air-conditioned poolside cabanas for daily rental. Each lounge chair has a callbox to summon a server for drinks.

Downing said the area lost several thousand hotel rooms over the last four or five years due to developers knocking down smaller "mom and pop" motels to make room for condominiums.

The Hyatt occupies the eighth through 14th floors of the resort. It's a mixed-use development that has permanent residence condos on the first few floors, a private club and restaurants. A full-service spa is scheduled to open next month.

The resort is in the heart of Clearwater Beach's $30 million Beachwalk redevelopment project. Even though it's not directly on the sand, its main restaurant entrance is steps away from the wide Beachwalk promenade that runs from Pier 60 south along the beachfront.

Edward Venanzi has been visiting Clearwater beach for 14 years and likes the changes on the beach.

"I think overall it's really an improvement with the bridge (the Clearwater Memorial Causeway), the Beachwalk and facilities like this," Venanzi said.

The hotel has 100 reservations for this weekend.

Yolanda Fernandez can be reached at (813) 221-5708.