Hi Bonnie. For what it's worth, the La Quinta in Tampa near the airport is nice but I don't know about these two. If you're looking for something downtown SP, how does the Holiday Inn (formerly Martha Washington) compare to what you're looking for?

Here's a URL: http://st-petersburg.accommodations-discounts.com/holiday-inn-heritage-st-petersburg.html

TG, thanks for trying to help me. There are two La Quinta hotels near the airport or with *airport* in the hotel name.......one at Ulmerton/Clearwater, one at Spruce/Tampa Bay. I presume you are referring to the Spruce/Tampa Bay?

(The Holiday Inn Heritage looks great, but I don't believe they allow pets......... That's our big problem; most of the nicer hotels don't!)

I've been in the La Quinta that is near the airport on Spruce when my brother and his wife were staying there. It's a fine safe location. I don't recall the rooms exactly but don't recall them being bad, do recall that they seemed large. I looked at them once when I had guests coming to town but this was all two years ago so I'm not the best judge but it looks like one of the nicer properties. You would not walk anywhere from there, but most likely drive to Westshore mall or International Plaza nearby, that's where the restaurants would be.

The Hilton Bayfront suffers from its older location, now on the perimeter of all the downtown good stuff, surrounded by empty parking lots, but within walking distance to all. More preferable in SP would be closer to the center of the action (Central/Beach Drive and 1-10 Streets). Sorry I don't know about dog-friendly hotels in SP. If you're staying long enough, you might check with VRBO.com (pet friendly has a dog icon). The downtown SP area now has plenty of B&Bs so google those. Let me know what you come up with. Joan could surely weigh in here but you know how it is, we dont' stay in the hotels as we live here.

This one at the beach looks promising: www.floridapets.net/stpeteV.html

Another: http://www.petfriendlytravel.com/Pages/states/florida/lorelei/lorelei.html

Lanier B&B is listed as pet-friendly but I don't see that on their web site (the URL is on my other computer which is being fodors-unfriendly this AM but google them).

TandooriGirl, thanks a bunch for looking up these sites for me!!! After giving it more thought, and digesting what you said about the St. Pete Hilton, I think I'm going to go ahead and try one of the two I mentioned originally (because they're near my relative's home); I have reserved both for a 6 PM hold the day we arrive ........ we'll only be there for two nights. Maybe I'll yet get an opinion from someone who's stayed in one of them. As long as they're very clean and not in a bad neighborhood, I can live with a place for a couple of nights....... doesn't have to be fancy. We'll spend most of the time with our relative who lives in the area (pretty new to it, and real busy in a new job, so not very helpful about finding a place.) Thank you again for your help.

Well, bonniebroad, I'm going to go out on a limb here and disagree somewhat with TGirl. First, I know you're only staying two nights, but I would not stay in either of these LaQuinta's. Both are located on US 19, which is also known locally as 34th Street. That street has the jail on its northern end (just above Pinellas Park) and prostitutes walking the southern end. When I'm driving north or south through town, I avoid 34th street, it's just the least safe - and tell my teen driving daughters the same thing.

As for the downtown St. Pete Hilton, it comes up alot on biddingfortravel (priceline) for around $38. Apparently it's in the process of being renovated, and it sounds like it needs it. But the good side is that it's in a great walking location - near all the downtown sights, and if you get a room with a view, you will enjoy that view. And I don't think it's surrounded by empty parking lots, there's a brand new Publix right across the street, and it IS across the street from Tampa Bay...I'd stay there over LaQuinta for sure. If you bid on Priceline, be aware you may get the Radisson near the CW/St. Pete airport - new but quite removed from downtown.

One more thought, bonniebroad. On your other post, you mention the Hilton allows pets. There's a thread entitled "Florida Beach Condos" in which a poster (birder) describes the Lorelei Resort in Treasure Island. This would put you about 8-10 miles west of downtown St. Pete, and it's an easy drive to your relative's...and you'd be on the beach! Here's the link to that thread (I live on TI and this mom-and-pop property is small and cute):

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=1&tid=34518054