ST. PETE BEACH, FL — In a move that has stunned both locals and tourists, management of the Don CeSar Hotel announced Monday that the iconic Pink Palace will be repainted black and rebranded as “The Goth Castle.”

“After nearly a century of being pink, we felt it was time to embrace something darker — literally,” said hotel spokesperson Colin Weiss, unveiling renderings of the beachfront resort now cloaked in matte black with decorative gargoyles and tinted windows. “The old look said ‘wedding brunch.’ The new look says ‘vampire engagement party.’”

Painting crews began work early Monday morning, coating the stucco exterior in jet-black primer while tourists in beach chairs looked on in disbelief.
“It used to be this happy pink thing you saw from Gulf Boulevard,” said resident Denise Whitaker. “Now it looks like Batman’s summer home.”

According to the hotel’s press release, The Goth Castle will feature “a fresh, moody coastal experience,” complete with:

• A black sand pool deck imported from Iceland
• All-candle lighting in guest rooms
• And a new “Bleak Hour” cocktail menu served exclusively under overcast skies.

The resort’s restaurants will also be renamed, with The Rowe Bar becoming The Raven’s Rest, and the Society Table rebranded as Table of Shadows.

Locals expressed mixed reactions.

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“I’m furious, but I kind of want to see it,” said beachgoer Tony Daniels, sipping a rum runner. “You don’t paint a Florida hotel black unless you’re absolutely serious about something.”

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