Two hotels are coming to a popular Florida outlet mall. Here’s what to expect
If you’re heading from Miami to Tampa on Interstate 75, you no doubt have seen the sprawling outlet mall in Ellenton.
Soon, there will be more than stores on the property, on the eastern flank of the highway. Manatee County commissioners unanimously approved an updated development plan for the Ellenton Premium Outlets that will add two hotels.
On Thursday, the commissioners reviewed the new development plan that will add the two hotels — one with up to 122 rooms, and another with up to 124 rooms. The hotels could add 110,060 square feet of new development to the outlet mall.
The hotels will take up part of the popular outlet’s parking lot, located on the northeast corner of I-75 and U.S. 301 in Ellenton.
According to the new development plan, the hotels will decrease the outlet’s overall parking by 197 spaces, bringing the total available parking spaces to 2,235.
Developers have established franchise agreements with the hotel companies, locking in those brands for the project, representatives said at the meeting.
Hilton LivSmart Studios will be the 124-room hotel, located in the parking lot area south of the Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex. The 122-room hotel, the WoodSpring Suites hotel, will be to the east of the ice rink. Neither hotel will be taller than four stories.
Hilton’s LivSmart Studios caters to longer stays for travelers. The rooms incorporate the style of a studio apartment with the hospitality of a hotel, a statement from the company states. A video of existing rooms in Tennessee show the rooms have a sink, dishwasher, stovetop and microwave.
WoodSpring Suites is a similar extended-stay experience, with suites that include in-room kitchens at “affordable rates,” the website states.
“I think this is a good use, that we need more hotels,” Commissioner George Kruse said. “I think this is a good use of over-built parking, honestly.”
Opening is expected to be in the third quarter of 2027, according to the plan’s records.
The updated development plan passed unanimously, but not before commissioners raised a concern about a nearby intersection. County workers assured commissioners there is a plan to include a traffic signal at that intersection, which eased the minds of Commissioner Tal Siddique.
“I think the hotel adds something to an area that could continue to be served a little bit better,” Siddique said. “So I’m in support of the project.”
Commissioner Carol Ann Felts brought up some concerns about crime in the area, but ended up voting with the rest of the commission for approval.
This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 7:10 AM.
