TownePlace Suites Tampa Casino Area

We only stayed one night, but this hotel was a pleasant surprise. Over the last several years it seems that the Marriott properties have been in desperate need of upgrades. This property was newly remodeled, clean, and also had a nice breakfast. It was located 1 mile from the Hard Rock so there were restaurants and entertainment nearby.

This is a really, really nice hotel. The grounds are very pretty and well-kept. The inside is clean and fresh and the hotel seems new. Everything is spotless. Asst Manager Mr. Sam Chambers checked me in and was there almost all 5 days I stayed (February, 2025). He was SO nice, always with a positive greeting and just an amazing employee. I very much appreciated him.

My suite was 2 queen beds, full kitchen that is equipped with cookware, dishes, silverware, full-size refrigerator, stove-top cooker. I love that the floor is tiled in the kitchen, entryway (rather than carpet like the bed area). The entryway has a nice shelf and place to hang your stuff – I love that. I also love the closet space with some nice shelving and pull out baskets. There is also a table and chair. Nice room and plenty of USB ports. There was an ice machine by the elevator on all floors. There is a nice self-laundry room (1st floor) with updated washers and dryers (my brother used it, you use an app to operate the machines.) There is also a nice gym and an outdoor pool. Breakfast is complimentary and was quite good. The breakfast area was kept so clean and the food was fresh and plentiful. The breakfast lady was very nice and accommodating. I found all employees I encountered very helpful and nice. I do not get my room cleaned (my choice), but my brother did and they do a nice job of that.

My suite was clean and fresh and bright. Clean linens, lots of big towels and a super spotless bathroom. I am not too picky about things, but I do insist on clean bathroom and clean comfy bed. All this was perfect in my suite; beds were really comfortable. My brother and his family stayed 1 floor down and their suite was bigger and just as clean and comfortable. I had a beautiful view of the lake.

My small dog was traveling with me. There was plenty of open grassy space to walk her. (Beware if you walk your dogs or kids next to that lake – I think all bodies of water in Florida have alligators.) My one and ONLY complaint is that the dog-fee is kind of high ($150 for the stay). That being said, I am grateful that hotels are allowing dogs and I love staying in TownePlace Suites, so I appreciate it being a dog-friendly hotel.

The location of this hotel was perfect for me to get to Busch Gardens. It was a quick drive out the main road, right turn on 41 and about 10 minutes away. It was weekdays, yet we did not encounter any traffic going to Busch Gardens either day. That was VERY convenient. There is not much directly around the hotel. There is a restaurant called Campfired within a few steps and a McDonalds across the street. But, you would really need a car for this location. I-4 is very close and on the other side of I-4 there are several gas stations and fast food joints.

As for the airport. That’s another story about traffic. The hotel is right next to I-4 to the airport (then I-275). But any time of day the traffic was rather heavy. The airport wasn’t really that far, just a little time-consuming with the traffic. Be aware of that. The Tampa airport is super easy to navigate with a cell phone lot and the areas are color-coded. I had never been there and had no trouble at all getting in and out of the airport.

We went to Ybor City one day. From the hotel, we made a quick drive to the parking lot at Centennial Park and hopped on the FREE trolley to take us around. It goes everywhere. Parking was very cheap (use an app). 2 hours free, then a nominal fee. The trolley is the way to easily get around – it has several stops around the city.

Back to the hotel, all in all, it was a very nice stay. I was very impressed, as was my brother and his family. We loved that while this is on a main road, around the hotel iwas not congested or noisy. When my travels bring me to Tampa again, I will definitely stay here again.

Very nice hotel. We stayed 3 days. Always coffee and tea available. Very good hot breakfast included 6 to 9am. Bbqs available to use. Swimming pool and laundry machines.