Citrus On the Lake Boutique Hotel / Citrus Sky Bar Tavares
downtown Tavares, Tavares
Hotel in Tavares, United States
Book with PearlWhy go
Citrus On the Lake is Tavares's most characterful boutique hotel, with the Citrus Sky Bar giving it a rooftop edge that no other property in this part of Lake County can match. It's a practical first choice for couples or small groups wanting a lakeside stay without full-resort pricing. Booking is easy outside Florida's winter season.
About Citrus On the Lake Boutique Hotel / Citrus Sky Bar Tavares
Quick Take: Worth Booking?
If you're planning a first visit to Tavares and want a lakeside boutique property that offers a rooftop bar experience alongside your room, Citrus On the Lake is the most distinctive option in this part of Lake County. The Citrus Sky Bar is the main draw for non-guests too, which means the property punches above its weight for a small Florida town. Book it if atmosphere and a walkable waterfront location matter more to you than resort amenities or chain-hotel consistency.
What to Expect from Arrival to Checkout
Tavares bills itself as Florida's Seaplane City, and Citrus On the Lake sits close enough to Lake Dora that the waterfront energy carries through to the property. First-timers should arrive knowing this is a boutique hotel in a small-town setting, not a full-service resort. The scale is intimate, which works in your favour if you want a quieter, more personal stay than you'd get at a larger Florida lakeside property like Four Seasons at The Surf Club in Surfside or Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in Little Torch Key.
The Citrus Sky Bar is the property's defining feature. Rooftop bars in markets this size are rare, and the lake views it offers are genuinely hard to replicate elsewhere in Tavares. Evening energy at the bar picks up as the sun goes down over the water, so if atmosphere is your priority, plan to be up there at golden hour rather than mid-afternoon. For a quieter mood, earlier in the week tends to be calmer than weekends, when the bar draws a local crowd alongside hotel guests.
Booking is direct. This is not the kind of property that sells out months in advance under normal circumstances, and booking difficulty is low. That said, if you're planning around a local event on Lake Dora or during the Florida winter season (December through March, when snowbirds push demand up across the region), book earlier than you think you need to. For broader context on what else is available in the area, see our full Tavares hotels guide.
For dining beyond the Sky Bar, Tavares has a growing food and drink scene worth exploring. Check our full Tavares restaurants guide and our full Tavares bars guide for the leading options nearby. If you're interested in the wider Lake County area, our full Tavares wineries guide and our full Tavares experiences guide cover the rest.
Know Before You Go
- Address: 199 W Ruby St, Tavares, FL 32778
- Booking difficulty: Easy: no months-in-advance strategy required outside peak season
- Peak season: December to March (Florida winter; higher demand, book earlier)
- Sky Bar tip: Arrive at sunset for the leading lake views and atmosphere
- Leading for: Couples, solo travellers, or small groups wanting a lakeside boutique stay in Central Florida
- Not ideal for: Travellers expecting full resort facilities or chain-hotel consistency
- Nearby exploration: Lake Dora waterfront, seaplane tours, Mount Dora (short drive)
Planning details
- Location
- 199 W Ruby St, Tavares, FL 32778
- Website
- hotelcitrus.com/%20,%20http://www.citrusskybar.com
- Phone
- +1 352 742 7676
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Citrus On the Lake reads like a study in quietly confident, design-forward hospitality. The small-format hotel centers its social life around the Citrus Sky Bar, a rooftop that treats the surrounding lakes as a theatrical backdrop rather than an afterthought. That economy of means, one refined social space instead of an amenity pile-up, creates a sophisticated, intimate atmosphere: low-key and intentionally composed. Regional touches, hinted at by the Sky Bar’s name, add local color without camp, and the town’s seaplane identity lends a singular, calm texture to the overall experience.
Best For
This boutique property suits travelers who want lake proximity without the density of Florida’s coast: design-minded visitors, couples seeking a quiet romantic getaway, and small groups pursuing a weekend escape. The rooftop bar functions as the hotel’s communal anchor, so guests who treat the Sky Bar as the primary social stop get the clearest sense of the property’s promise: elevated views, a focused atmosphere, and a setting that foregrounds the landscape. Planners considering small celebratory gatherings or intimate wedding-related getaways will find the hotel’s lakeside orientation and restrained program appealing.
Stay Tips
Prioritize the Citrus Sky Bar when you visit: the rooftop is the property’s deliberate social proposition, built to showcase lake views and atmosphere. Experience the space in daylight and as evening light shifts; the lake is the key backdrop, so timing your visit to coincide with changing light maximizes the effect. Treat the rooftop as the focal point of your stay: arrive with the expectation that views and ambience, rather than a broad list of hotel amenities, shape the Citrus On the Lake experience.
Venue details
Ambiance
Bright and vibrant rooftop atmosphere with South Florida vibe, lakeside balconies, and scenic waterfront setting.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Amenities
View
Accessibility
About the Stay
- Rooms
- 0
- Check-in
- 16:00
- Check-out
- 11:00
- Property Type
- Boutique hotel
- Property Style
- Casual Luxury Boutique with Three Distinct Buildings
- Design Style
- Modern with Stainless Steel Appliances and Granite Countertops
- Breakfast
- Included
- Pool
- Yes
- Pets
- Allowed
Know before you go
Know Before You Go
- Getting there
- 199 W Ruby St, Tavares, FL 32778
Planning details
Location
199 W Ruby St, Tavares, FL 32778 · Directions
Also consider
Also Consider
- Aman New York: Notable alternative
- Amangiri: Notable alternative
- Hotel Bel-Air: Notable alternative
- The Beverly Hills Hotel: Notable alternative
- The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel: Notable alternative
Hotel context
Comparing Citrus On the Lake to properties like Aman New York or Amangiri is not a useful exercise: they operate in entirely different categories of luxury and scale. The more honest comparison is with what else exists in Central Florida's boutique hotel tier. Against properties like Troutbeck in Amenia (a useful stylistic reference for intimate, character-driven stays), Citrus On the Lake holds its own on personality and setting, though it offers a more modest amenity set.
If you're weighing this against larger Florida options such as Four Seasons at The Surf Club in Surfside or Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in Little Torch Key, the trade-off is clear: you give up full-service resort facilities and polish in exchange for a more personal, walkable, small-town lakeside experience at a lower price point. For travellers who want service depth and a manicured experience, those properties win. For travellers who want somewhere genuinely local with a rooftop bar and lake access, Citrus On the Lake is the better call in this part of Florida.
If design-forward boutique stays are your benchmark, look at what Ambiente in Sedona or Chicago Athletic Association deliver at their respective price points before finalising expectations. Citrus On the Lake is a solid regional boutique option, not a destination hotel in the same league: but in Tavares, it is the clearest choice for visitors who want character over convention.
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Compare Citrus On the Lake Boutique Hotel / Citrus Sky Bar Tavares
| Venue | Awards |
|---|---|
| Citrus On the Lake Boutique Hotel / Citrus Sky Bar Tavares | No published awards |
| Aman New York | 2026 World’s 50 Best Hotels 51-100 · #872026 Mr & Mrs Smith Luxury HotelsAAA Diamonds Top 10 U.S. Hotels 20262026 La Liste Top Hotels2026 Michelin 3 Keys2025 World’s 50 Best Hotels · #612025 Forbes 4-Star2025 Michelin 3 Keys2025 AAA 5 Diamond Hotel |
| Amangiri | 2026 World’s 50 Best Hotels 1-50 · #452026 Forbes 4-Star2026 Virtuoso Luxury Hotel Collection2026 Mr & Mrs Smith Luxury HotelsConde Nast Gold List 20262026 La Liste Top Hotels2026 Michelin 3 Keys2025 World’s 50 Best Hotels · #982025 Forbes 4-Star |
| Hotel Bel-Air | 2026 World’s 50 Best Hotels 51-100 · #572026 Forbes 4-Star2026 Condé Nast Traveler Best Hotels in California2026 La Liste Top Hotels2026 Michelin 3 Keys2025 World’s 50 Best Hotels · #422025 AAA 5 Diamond Hotel2025 Michelin 3 Keys2024 World's 50 Best Hotels · #35 |
| The Beverly Hills Hotel | 2026 World’s 50 Best Hotels 51-100 · #652026 Virtuoso Luxury Hotel Collection2026 Forbes 5-StarStar Wine Lists 20262026 Robb Report The 50 Greatest Luxury Hotels on Earth2026 La Liste Top HotelsConde Nast Gold List 20262026 Michelin 3 Keys2025 World’s 50 Best Hotels · #65 |
| The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel | 2026 La Liste Top Hotels2026 Michelin 2 Keys2025 World’s 50 Best Hotels · #642025 Forbes 4-Star2025 Michelin 2 Keys2024 World's 50 Best Hotels · #302024 Michelin 2 KeysPearl Recommended Hotels |
How Citrus On the Lake Boutique Hotel / Citrus Sky Bar Tavares stacks up against the competition.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is check-in like at Citrus On the Lake Boutique Hotel / Citrus Sky Bar Tavares?
Citrus On the Lake is a boutique property at 199 W Ruby St in Tavares, so expect a smaller-scale, more personal check-in than a chain hotel. Boutique properties of this size typically staff the front desk directly rather than using kiosk check-in, which means you get faster answers but fewer automated options. Arrive during standard afternoon hours to avoid any gaps in staffing that smaller properties can have. If you have specific room or view requests, flag them at booking rather than at arrival.
Do loyalty programs work at Citrus On the Lake Boutique Hotel / Citrus Sky Bar Tavares?
As an independent boutique hotel in Tavares, Citrus On the Lake almost certainly does not participate in major chain loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. If points accumulation is a priority for your stay, this is not the right property. Book direct through whatever channel the hotel offers to maximize any in-house perks or rate advantages, since third-party platforms add margin without adding value at properties this size.
How does Citrus On the Lake Boutique Hotel / Citrus Sky Bar Tavares compare to nearby hotels?
Tavares is a small city without a deep hotel market, so Citrus On the Lake is competing more against standard chain motels and short-term rentals in the Lake County area than against other boutique properties. The combination of a lakeside address near Lake Dora and an on-site rooftop bar separates it from the chains nearby. If you want more resort infrastructure or a larger pool complex, the greater Orlando corridor has chain options roughly an hour south, but you lose the Tavares waterfront access.
How is the dining at Citrus On the Lake Boutique Hotel / Citrus Sky Bar Tavares?
The Citrus Sky Bar is the main on-site food and beverage draw, giving guests rooftop access that most Tavares accommodation options cannot offer. For a boutique hotel in a town of this size, having any on-site bar is an advantage over the chain alternatives. Specific menu details and pricing are not confirmed in current data, so treat the Sky Bar as a convenience feature rather than a destination dining experience, and plan for at least some meals off-property in Tavares or the broader Lake County area.
When is the best time to book Citrus On the Lake Boutique Hotel / Citrus Sky Bar Tavares?
Central Florida's shoulder seasons, spring (March to May) and fall (September to November), give you lower humidity and rates compared to peak winter snowbird season or summer family travel. Tavares hosts seaplane and water sports events tied to its Florida Seaplane City identity, so check the local events calendar before booking if you want to avoid crowds or, conversely, if you want to be there for the activity. At a boutique property with limited rooms, booking a few weeks out for peak periods is sensible.