amwosu

Got cheap airfare to Tampa for a long weekend in late April with the husband. Think "vacation after the vacation" as we're going to Anna Maria Island with teens, friends, and visiting with inlaws and parents in early April.

I'm thinking of staying in the quiet Mom & Pops motel area of Indian Rock Beach. I don't want to do big and busy St. Pete, Clearwater... Any cute little cottage or motel accomadations you can reccommend?

amwosu

Anyone? I can find the big St. Pete and Clearwater hotels on orbitz and expedia but I can't find much in the way of small old motels in Indian Rocks area. My friend stayed at a place across from the Original Crabby Bill's but I don't know how to locate it short of calling the restaurant to ask what motel is across the street.

Tandoori_Girl

I think there are some cottages on VRBO.com. Some might rent for less than a week that late in the season. I don't know of any particular Mom & Pops on IRB but there are a few.

Consider Passe-a-grille beach, which is south of SPB. It is a quiet mostly residential stretch of beach with a few restaurants to walk to. There is a B&B called Islands End that is supposed to be romantic. Little cottages, apartments.

trvlite2

One method I've used to find smaller hotels/motels that might not be listed on travel sites is to go to Yahoo Yellow Pages and search the specific city; you'll get the hotel/motel listings, with phone numbers and sometimes websites. And you can usually figure out the location by the address and checking Mapquest. Good luck! (And have fun on Anna Maria Island -- I love it there!)

hibiscushouse

I live in Indian Rocks, and can personally recommend two places. One in Indian Shores, called Sand Glo Villas. www.sandglo.com
Almost across the street from the Salt Rock Grill.
The other is about 1/2 mile north of the Walsingham bridge (north of Crabby Bills, called 810 Gulf Side, off Beach Trail Drive and Gulf Boulevard. The owners also own Sarah's Seaside which is right around the Crabby Bill's area.
Their web site is www.gulfsideresorts.com
Know both owners, know both resorts, and readily recommend them both.

amwosu

Thanks to all three of you for your suggestions!

T-Girl I checked out vrbo.com and it looked like most were condos that rented by the week or month. Ahhh, to be shopping for monthly rentals! I like the idea of Pass-a-grille Beach. I read something about it on tripadvisor. I'll check out the Island's End. Any idea how long it might to take to get there from the Tampa airport at about 11:30pm on a Thursday night?

trvlite2- Great idea to look in the yellow pages! Hadn't thought of that. I often feel like some of the most unique and interesting places don't show up on orbitz or expedia.

hibiscushouse- Great to hear from a local. Thanks for the recs. Got any favorite restaurants you'd like to share with me?

Tandoori_Girl

At that time, it will take 30 minutes max from airport to hotel, mostly interstate, there is a toll bridge just before the Don CeSar (which is another special place to check for a room although it is on SPB). There are quite a few restaurants on Passe-a-grille. The Hurricane is the most well-known but the food has suffered as they've expanded. Sea Critters is good. And there's another bay-side place that's good, don't recall the name. For a special dinner, go to the Don CeSar. It will be pricey but it's very elegant. In Redington Beach, we always liked the Lobster Pot which can be a little stuffy but the food is fabulous. Sort of old-world French seafood.

gulfsid810

check out Sarahs Seaside, small cottage property with pool. www.gulfsideresorts.com is their website, good luck!