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Introduction: Short Trip to The Big Guava
Review: The Club at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Review: KLM Royal Crown Lounge at Houston Intercontinental Airport
Review: Residence Inn Tampa Westshore/Airport
Review: Indian Rocks Beach
Review: Keegan’s Seafood Grille – Indian Rocks
Review: Tampa Marriott Westshore
Review: Lemon Grass Thai Kitchen – Tampa
After spending most of the day in Indian Rocks, it was now time to check out the second hotel of the short trip.
Booking
I booked the standard king room for 25,000 Marriott Rewards points/night. If I booked the room with cash, the rate would have been $140 plus tax.
Arrival
The hotel, much like the Residence Inn, was located minutes from Tampa International Airport. Since I was not coming from the airport, it took me closer to one hour to reach the property.
Check-In
The front desk was positioned perpendicular on the left when I entered the property through the main entrance. There was not anyone ahead of me so I was helped immediately. The agent welcomed me back to Marriott and thanked for being a Platinum Elite. I was offered a choice of 500 bonus points or a drink in the bar as my welcome gift, I chose the points. I was also told that I was upgraded to a corner King room which was comparable to a suite (the agent’s words, not mine). The agent quickly handed me the keys and wished me a good day. I stopped her as she went to turn away because I wanted to know about the offerings of the property…lounge, fitness center, restaurant etc. After a few more minutes, I made my way to the room.
Room
I took the elevator up to the 11th floor, made a right, and the room was at the end of the hall on the left.
As I stated earlier, this was a corner king room which meant that the layout was a bit different that a standard room. I made a right to enter the main area of the room. The closet was the first thing that I noticed. It contained the ironing supplies, a robe, and dry cleaning instructions.
Once past the closet, the room opened into a nice sized space. On the right was a desk and a small reading chair. The desk set the tone for the room. It included a sleek lamp that went along with the contemporary vibe. The old telephone on the desk was definitely out of place.
The bathroom was on the left. It was in the middle of the room due to the corner layout. I initially found it to be odd but it was a non-issue. The room was bright and came with typical Marriott toiletries.
Further to the left, in the back corner, was the king bed. This bed was huge and comfortable (I might need to buy one for my house). The big window next to the bed allowed plenty of sunshine into the space.
The room also had a gorgeous balcony. Two lounge chairs and a small table were on the balcony. The view from the balcony was incredible.
The only issue (if I want to call it that) with the room was that the only logical place to watch the television was the bed. The television seemed like it was an afterthought in the design of the room.
Dining
There were a few different options for food at the property. Those options included the restaurant, coffee shop, and lobby market. The restaurant was located past the front desk to the left. A hostess stand and menu are on either side of the entrance. No one was at the hostess stand so I walked in.
Once inside, I understood why there was not a host, the place was practically empty. It was mid afternoon on a weekend. The lack of guests afforded me the opportunity to take pictures without interrupting others.
The restaurant had a great menu. I chose not to eat because I wanted to wait for Lemongrass Thai restaurant. From what the other guests told me, the Cobb Salad was really good. That got me to thinking, I have not had a bad Cobb Salad at a Marriott property. I decided to hang out with the bartenders, who were really cool, so that I could pick their brains about things to do in Tampa…for the next visit.
There was a small market just past the lobby on the left, before I made it to the restaurant. It contained the typical convenience items.
A very small coffee shop was located on the right side, just past the lobby. It was closed when I arrived but it appeared to have a decent selection of coffee.
The final place to grab something to eat was the Concierge Lounge on one of the high floors (18th, I think). Platinum and Gold members had complimentary access.
It it was a small room but was very accommodating. The lounge had a variety of cold snack options. The one hot option was meatballs. There was an honor bar that acted as the centerpiece to food area. The one thing that stood out to me in the lounge was how it was managed by one person. He did not stop moving during my entire stay. Despite this, he was really friendly. I enjoyed my time in the lounge.
Fitness
There was an indoor/outdoor pool located on the first floor just past the coffee shop. The pool was definitely one of the biggest that I have seen at a hotel. There was plenty of seating inside and outside. I did not see any guests use the pool during my stay.
The fitness Center was located to the left of the pool. It was a small room that contained a decent amount of equipment. I was really impressed by the huge windows near the treadmills.
Final Word
I enjoyed my stay at the Tampa Marriott. The property is nice, but the people set the tone. The entire staff, especially the bartenders and lounge attendant, was engaging and handled every issue that arose. I will definitely visit the property again in the future.
