Sixty-seven years after John Ringling’s death, Sarasota at last has a Ritz-Carlton. Opened in November 2001, it rises 18 stories, and contains 266 rooms (31 of which are suites).

The Ringling stamp is everywhere, from the Italian styling Ringling favored to the name of the hickory-paneled bar—Cà d’Zan.

Before beginning work on the interior, Pamela Hughes, who had previously designed seven other Ritz-Carltons, did what she always does when she starts a new one — she looked, listened and asked questions. What is unique about Sarasota? What did people in Sarasota want to see in their very first luxury hotel? “For each hotel, we do a lot of research,” says Hughes. “We spend a long time at it, reading all the publications, visiting the historic society, talking to a lot of people and just driving around. We want to get the real flavor of the local lifestyle. We get a sense of the place, and sooner or later everything comes together.”

The Sarasota Ritz is home with a touch of Italian drama, and Hughes has made the lobby — with its inlaid marble floor, crystal chandeliers and gilt chairs — grand enough for a performance of Aida. “We want people to walk into the lobby as if they’re walking into a beautiful palace,” she says. “We want them to say, ‘I feel good! I feel excited.’”