Featured Article: The Grand Stays of Sebring

The Grand Stays of Sebring

A Look Back at Sebring's Historic Hotels

Sebring has always had a way of welcoming travelers, visitors, and new residents. From its earliest days, the city has been a place where hospitality and history meet. Long before modern resorts and chain hotels, Sebring’s grand establishments told the story of a city of ambition, and timeless Florida warmth.

The Santa Rosa Hotel: The Jewel of Downtown Sebring

 Vintage postcard or archival image of the Santa Rosa Hotel, circa 1920s.

When the Santa Rosa Hotel opened in the early 1920s, it was a statement that Sebring was ready to be something special. Located in the heart of downtown, the Santa Rosa quickly became the social center of the young city.

Guests were greeted by elegant Spanish-style architecture, wide verandas, and a lobby filled with natural light. For travelers arriving by train, the Santa Rosa offered a touch of sophistication in the middle of Central Florida’s wild beauty. Visitors dined on fine meals, danced to live music, and watched parades and festivals right from the hotel’s balconies overlooking the Circle.

The hotel thrived during Sebring’s boom years, hosting everyone from businessmen and winter tourists to early racers drawn by the growing excitement at nearby Hendricks Field. Though the original building no longer stands, its memory remains woven into the city’s identity as a symbol of Sebring’s golden age of growth and optimism.

The Harder Hall: Glamour on the Lake

Few landmarks capture Sebring’s spirit like Harder Hall, the grand pink hotel that still stands tall along Lake Jackson. Built in 1927, it was designed in the Mediterranean Revival style, complete with grand archways, courtyards, and a golf course that became one of the finest in Florida.

Harder Hall attracted celebrities, athletes, and wealthy visitors from across the country. The golf course hosted tournaments, the ballroom sparkled with elegant galas, and its lakeside views made it a favorite destination for winter retreats.

Over the years, the hotel changed hands many times and even sat vacant for periods, but it never lost its allure. Today, as restoration efforts continue, Harder Hall remains a proud piece of Sebring’s story — a monument to both its past and its enduring potential.

(Photo suggestion: Archival or current image of Harder Hall showing its Mediterranean architecture and lakeside view.)

Kenilworth Lodge: Where History Slept

The Kenilworth Lodge, built in 1916 by George Sebring himself, was one of the earliest and most beloved hotels in the area. Its red-brick exterior and broad porches exuded southern charm, while its guestbook read like a who’s who of Sebring’s early history.

For decades, it hosted guests from around the world — snowbirds escaping northern winters, soldiers training at Hendricks Field, and visitors attending the early 12 Hours of Sebring races. The hotel’s ambiance was warm and familiar, offering a glimpse of old Florida hospitality at its finest.

Though a 2016 fire closed its doors, the Kenilworth remains a cherished memory for many. Its legacy lives on in the stories told by those who stayed there, worked there, or simply admired it from the lakeshore.

(Photo suggestion: Archival photo of Kenilworth Lodge, showing its grand front entrance and porches.)

Preserving Sebring’s Hospitality Heritage

Each of these hotels — the Santa Rosa, Harder Hall, and Kenilworth Lodge — tells a chapter of Sebring’s story. They remind us of a time when elegance met adventure, when visitors came not just to escape the cold but to experience the promise of a new Florida town built around beauty, innovation, and community.

The Sebring Historical Society continues to preserve photos, records, and personal stories from these grand hotels, ensuring that their legacy remains part of Sebring’s identity for generations to come.

As the city continues to grow and welcome new visitors, these historic hotels stand as a reminder that Sebring’s greatest tradition has always been its hospitality.