nytraveler

Well it looks like we will finally get to Tampa for a few days for spring training. Have done a 10 minute search online and it shows only a couple of 4* hotels there. Does anyone have recent experience they can share. Yes - I will look at tripadvisor - if I can get home at a decent hour tonight - but would like to see what folks here think.

Beach is not an issue (I don't do sun) - so we want a comfortable hotel with large rooms (want a sofa), nice pool and spa, good food, room service - not far from Steinbrenner Field. I saw an Intecontinental that used to be a Wyndahm. I think I may have stayed there for a sales meeting under the previous name. It was downtown, near an underpass and in a pretty dumpy area. And the hotel itself was nothing to write home about. Could that be the same place (if so, there was no way it was a 4 star anything)?

Any suggestions are most welcome.

NewbE

The Intercontinental isn't downtown, not near an underpass, and not in a dumpy area, so you must be thinking of someplace else. It's at a busy intersection across from one of our two big shopping malls, and it's not far from Steinbrenner field. I can help describe the locations of some Tampa hotels, but since I haven't stayed in any, I hope others can assist with details about amenities.

nytraveler

Well - that's good to know. (The meeting was 5 years ago - and the hotel not great - thought it was a Wyndham - but must have been something else.)

The options are the Westin Tampa Bay, Westin Harbour Island, Intercontinental, Renaissance Int'l Plaza and Seminole Hard Rock. The latter seems to get very poor ratings and doesn;t sound like us - not really gamblers.

Any recos would be most appreciated.

nytraveler

T T T

NewbE

Based on location alone:
-not the Hard Rock, esp. if you're not gamblers. It's right off the highway and far from most everything else you'll want to get to, and stands pretty much alone.
-Int'l Plaza is our big, upscale mall, and it's surrounded by the better chain restaurants, such as Capital Grille, Fleming's, Ocean Prime, Roy's, and also Cheesecake Factory. It's also very close to Legends Field. This would be a fine place to stay, without local flavor, of course, but you can drive to that.
-the Intercon, as I said, is at a very busy intersection across from the other big mall. It's safe, and you can walk to Seasons 52, PF Chang, Maggiano's and a few other mall-based chains, plus Panera. But it is not scenic. I would choose this one only if the hotel amenities look awesome.
-the Westin Tampa Bay is brand new, and has a good upscale restaurant, Aquaknox. It sits on Rocky Point, which means water views, and is just across the causeway from roughly the same area the other hotels we've discussed so far are located, not far from the field. You can't really walk to anything, but you can easily drive, and you'd be a hair closer to the beaches here.
-Westin Harbour island is located near downtown Tampa in an upscale residential area. It is the farthest away from the field, on the other side of town from all the other hotels listed, but near a lot of good dining downtown, on Harbour Island itself, and in Hyde Park. It will take you 15-20 mins to get to the field. Unless you really need to be very near the field, this might be my choice, depending on the amenities.

Hope that helps a bit...

nytraveler

Thanks for the overview of locations. Not interested in chain restaurants - so the Westin Harbour sounds like it might be the best choice. We'll have a car - so a few minute drive is no problem. Will double chceck the amenities and see what kind of price we can get.

Ryan

I was VERY disappointed with Yankee Spring training. I'd been to several other places for games, though I'm a Yankee fan. Virtually zero interaction with the players from what I saw. The Yankees warm up on a private field that is only accessible to those in their corporate hospitality tent.

Fortunately, the vendor who sold us a program had put aside the ones with a Johnny Damon autograph so he was able to slip one to my 8 year old son. I didn't realize this until I saw that the people sitting on either side of us didn't have signed pictures.

MollyinFL

Check out Ybor City and the Columbia Restaurant, authentic Cuban, also keep in mind, Detroit Tigers spring train in Lakeland which is about 30 minutes via interstate from Tampa. It's my hometown and the stadium is a great place to watch a game.

nytraveler

Yes, that's what we had heard - but the beau can get seats right on the field - so at least we'll see everything up close.

JillDavis

I have stayed at the Westin Harbour Island and it was nice and in an upscale part of town. I think you will like it. Hyde Park is a great area of Tampa and very preppy.

JillDavis

Do not check out Ybor City. It is gross and dirty. Better option is to go to Channelside.

JillDavis

Also, Starwood Hotels is doing a promotion right now. If you stay one night, you get the 2nd night half off.

http://www.starwoodpromos.com/better...ETTERTOMORROWS

nytraveler

Thanks for all the comments. We actually have reservations at the Renaissance - since we got a super good deal through corporate travel - $79 per night versus rack rate of $279 - and it seems fine and close to the stadium.

JillDavis

This hotel is near the International Mall and in a nice location. If you want a good meal and awesome atmosphere, make reservations at Ocean Prime.

nytraveler

Thanks. We'll look into it.