The Dan Honors Its Wartime Past as “The Surefire Room,” Bringing Servicemen-Inspired Cocktails and Live Music to Tampa’s Landmark Bar
TAMPA, Fla. (September 29th, 2026) – Hotel Flor is setting its sights on the 1940s this October with The Society Pages, the fourth installment of its centennial countdown celebration and Historic Happy Hour series. Long before it was The Dan, this same ground-floor bar carried the name “The Surefire Room,” a nickname earned during World War II when B-17 pilots stationed nearby and hopeful bachelorettes packed the room in search of a little romance before deployment. Every Friday evening throughout October, The Dan revives that determined, elegant wartime spirit with live music from 7 to 10 p.m., a menu of servicemen-inspired cocktails, and décor drawn from the bar’s own archival Sapphire Room history.
The evening’s cocktail lineup leans into 1940s sophistication with four selections. A classic Champagne cocktail opens the night, while The Gibson offers a crisp, savory alternative for guests craving something drier. The Manhattan Standard delivers a timeless, whiskey-forward pour, and the Gold Rush Daiquiri rounds out the menu with a citrus-and-honey twist on a wartime favorite. Pairing with the cocktails is the evening’s appetizer feature, Homefront Deviled Crab Cakes, a dish that nods to both the era’s rationing-era ingenuity and Tampa’s gulf coast roots.
A Six-Month Countdown to the Centennial October marks the fourth stop on a six-month journey through the history of the “Grande Dame of Tampa.” The property first opened its doors in 1927 as the Hotel Floridan, a $1.9 million project from noted Tampa architects Francis J. Kennard & Son. Rising 19 stories, it claimed the title of Florida’s tallest building at the time and held onto Tampa’s tallest-building status until 1966. During the Florida land boom, the hotel became a gathering place for the city’s social elite, and its street-level lounge, then called the Sapphire Room, later welcomed everyone from WWII airmen out of nearby Drew Field to stars like Elvis Presley. Named to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1996, the building was given an $18 million renovation ahead of its 2012 reopening. It took on its current identity in January 2024 as Hotel Flor Tampa Downtown, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, folding a century of stories into its next chapter.
The journey opened in July with The Start of an Era, carried guests through the Roaring Twenties in August’s Prohibition Nights, and picked up the big band tempo with September’s Jazz & Jasmine. October’s The Society Pages now takes the spotlight, followed by November’s Mod & Martinis, a nod to the hotel’s mid-century glamour and Rat Pack-style pours.
The countdown culminates on New Year’s Eve with a centennial gala, a grand finale for the whole property that will officially mark 100 years of Hotel Flor. Ticketing and pricing for that closing celebration will be shared in the upcoming weeks.
To book a table at The Dan, call (813) 318-9719 or reserve online through OpenTable. Adding code 100YEARS to your Friday evening reservation notes earns your table a complimentary dessert as part of the ongoing centennial celebration.
Follow along with the full countdown on Hotel Flor’s website or on social media using #HotelFlor100.
October 2026 | “The Society Pages” Transporting guests to the sophisticated 1940s, this month pairs classic, crisp cocktails like the Gibson with the featured appetizer, Homefront Deviled Crab Cakes, a nod to the era’s wartime spirit and Tampa’s rich Gulf Coast flavors.
November 2026 | “Mod & Martinis” Rounding out the monthly series, November celebrates the hotel’s glamorous 1960s heyday when icons of pop culture walked the lobby. The evening features mid-century jazz, signature cocktails like the Blue Note Martini and the High Roller, alongside savory Beef & Onion Skewers.
About Tapestry Collection by Hilton: Tapestry Collection by Hilton is a portfolio of 100 original hotels that offer guests unique style and vibrant personality, encouraging them to connect to their destination and enjoy refreshingly uncommon, off-the-beaten-path experiences. While each property has a unique story to share, every Tapestry Collection property is united by the reliability that comes with the Hilton name, in addition to the benefits of the award-winning Hilton Honors program. Experience Tapestry Collection by Hilton by booking at tapestrycollectionbyhilton.com or through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits. Learn more about Tapestry Collection by Hilton at stories.hilton.com/tapestry, and follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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