But for the people who work inside its walls every day, the celebration is about much more than costumes and cocktails. It's about honoring the memories created there over the last century.
"Knowing this hotel has stood the test of time has been extremely special," said Asa Harris, director of sales and marketing.
One recent conversation reminded him exactly why the hotel's history matters.
"Mother's Day recently passed and we had a guest celebrating here," Harris said. "When we spoke with them, the husband said he met his wife here 50 years ago and wanted to bring the family back to the place they met."
Stories like that have become part of Hotel Flor's legacy. Thousands of guests have walked through its doors over the past 100 years, each leaving behind memories that continue to shape the building's identity.
"The name may have changed, but the timeless tradition has remained the same," Harris said.
Hotel Flor first opened as Hotel Floridan on Jan. 1, 1927, becoming one of downtown Tampa's most recognizable landmarks. Once the tallest building in the city, the hotel welcomed travelers from around the country and quickly became part of Tampa's growing history.
Its history extends far beyond the guests who passed through its doors. The building itself holds stories, including a rumored hidden 20th floor said to have been used by members of the Mafia for private meetings.
Developer Allen J. Simms built the hotel after recognizing Tampa's need for an upscale hotel to serve the city's growing business community. Over the decades, Hotel Floridan welcomed countless business travelers and even served as the spring training home base for the Cincinnati Reds, according to Hotel Flor.
By 2005, the historic hotel faced demolition. Preservation efforts ultimately saved the landmark, and after an extensive restoration, it reopened in 2012. In 2024, the property entered a new chapter when it reopened as Hotel Flor Tampa Downtown, joining Hilton's Tapestry Collection.
Today, many of the hotel's original architectural details remain, allowing visitors to experience a piece of Tampa's past while staying in the heart of downtown.
General Manager Kelly Oral said preserving those details has always been a priority.
"We want people to see what we've done," Oral said. "It's important to get them to be a part of the story too. Come be a part of the story, especially as a Floridian who has never been here. Everyone in the city should come here once."
For Oral, Hotel Flor is more than a historic building.
"It's a feeling," he said.
He said generations of memories still linger throughout the property, from sailors who once met their future spouses in the hotel's lounge to couples who return decades later to celebrate anniversaries in the same place where their stories began.
One feature always stands out to him.
"One day I walked through the Flor area in the lobby, looked up and saw someone had hand-carved the hotel logo into the wood on all the beams," Oral said. "To think about the time it took to put in that much detail is rare to see now. I feel modern-day buildings don't have that same sense of craftsmanship, and people are yearning for that imagination and the feeling of the 1920s."
Beginning this month, Hotel Flor is inviting guests to experience that feeling firsthand.
Every Friday from 7 to 10 p.m., The Dan will host decade-themed celebrations featuring live music, specialty cocktails and curated menus inspired by the hotel's history. Guests are encouraged to dress to match each era, and those who do will receive a complimentary dessert. Featured desserts include Dan Bread Pudding, Flor Strawberry Shortcake and Bourbon Bread Pudding Plantain Foster.
The celebration begins in July with "The Start of an Era: Roaring in '27," paying tribute to the hotel's opening year with live jazz music, specialty cocktails, including The Gilded Welcome, and appetizers such as Gold Rush Deviled Eggs.
August shifts into the Prohibition era with "Prohibition Nights," honoring the hotel's historic Sapphire Lounge. During World War II, the lounge became a popular gathering place for servicemen training nearby and earned the nickname the "Surefire Room" because it was considered a surefire place to meet single women. The month's featured menu includes the Bee's Knees cocktail and the Hidden Cellar Board.
September brings guests into the 1930s with "Jazz & Jasmine," featuring live jazz, The Jasmine Swing cocktail and Jasmine Honey Ricotta Crostinis.
October celebrates the 1940s with "The Society Pages," pairing classic cocktails such as the Gibson with Homefront Deviled Crab Cakes inspired by Tampa's Gulf Coast flavors.
November jumps to the 1960s with "Mod & Martinis," celebrating celebrities such as Elvis Presley and Gary Cooper. Guests can enjoy signature cocktails including the Blue Note Martini and the High Roller, along with Beef and Onion Skewers.
The celebration culminates in December with "A Century Uncorked," a New Year's Eve gala marking Hotel Flor's 100th anniversary. Tickets will be available soon, and guests who reserve a table using the promotional code "100Years" will receive a complimentary dessert.
For Oral, the anniversary is about more than celebrating the hotel's past. It's about inviting a new generation to become part of its future.
"When you step in here, you think about all the footsteps you're walking on top of as you walk through," Oral said. "It feels different. It's the value of getting to experience something that has been around long before your time and will be around long after you're gone."
