He dreamed of a great hotel by the Gulf. A determined romantic of Irish heritage, he finally got what he wanted - after three hard years of construction and a nearly 300 percent budget overage. He named his beloved hotel after his favorite light opera, Maritana. Don CeSar was the opera's hero, who miraculously survives death when the firing squad's guns misfire. Now listed on the National Register, The Don is the only historic resort from the Florida keys to the tip of Texas.
Guides give regular tours of the building.
The rich, famous and notorious of the '20s flocked to this new playground, which, at the time, sat on itsown nearly empty expanse of beach. The Grand Ballroom, a dancing hot spot for the jazz-age elite, is still the place to hold a good party. Yes, for the serious-minded, it accommodates meetings too. Fitzgerald was a frequent guest. He also considered it a good place to send Zelda, his frequently sloshed wife, to dry out.