Reviews are ordered by language and date with a maximum of 25 reviews.
Overbooked - "Walked" without notice July 16 2008
| Average rating: |
 |
2.0 |
Guest name: rtodds, Palm Coast Florida
Guest type: Honeymoon
stayed in Jul 2008
Evidently it is common practice for downtown Tampa Hotels to overbook and "walk" customers with out notice. I had a confirmed reservation for July 16, 2008. I planned to stay downtown for an event at the St. Pete Times Forum. Instead I got to stay at the Double Tree by the airport. I arrived at the Embassy Suites downtown between the 3PM check in and the 6 PM cut off time and was told that the hotel was overbooked but they had a room for me at another hotel. I had to negotiate for transportation. I am a Hilton Honors member but this made no difference. I don't understand how Hilton can flood my e-mail with marketing offers but not manage to notify me that they sold my room out from under me. After talking to several people who were walked that same night by downtown hotels it is apparant that this is common practice at most downtown Tampa Hotels.
I am intersted in joining a class action suit to stop this systemic practice.
My ratings for this hotel are:
1.0 Check in / front desk
1.0 Value
1.0 Service
5.0 Location
Great for July 4th Fireworks Watching!
| Average rating: |
 |
3.7 |
Guest name: MBAmom, Northern Mississippi
Our family of five stayed for one night, pre-cruise. It just happened to be the fourth of July and what an awesome place to watch the Tampa Bay fireworks. (Just head to the third floor outdoor pool deck.) Prior to that , we hopped on one of the downtown trolleys (station is directly outside the front door) to go down to Channelside for a delicious dinner at Tinatapas.
Although the hotel was beautiful and our room was clean, there were various things that did not impress me about this Embassy Suites. We stayed on the fifth floor, and we could hear the lobby noise, like it was right outside our door. I'm not sure that staying on a higher floor would be a good idea, though, because the four elevators were ridiculously slow. I used the coin laundry facility and found that in order to get there, I either had to wait on the slow elevators or use the stairs, that required me to go outside to the pool deck to then come back in. (Very inconvenient!) And then there was the buffet line at breakfast - OUTRAGEOUS! The set up doesn't work well at all, because it is too condensed. There was a good selection of foods, and I would have loved to have eaten an omelet or waffles, but there just wasn't any way for me to go through those lines, plus the cereal/fruit/scrambled eggs/bacon line with the kids. They do have a lot of tables and chairs, but when you see one opening up, you have to jump on it, or who knows when you might find an open table, again.
And at check-out, make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to stand in-line to collect your car at valet (required) parking. My husband, who regularly stays at Embassy Suites in the Southeast, was definitely bothered by the fact that they didn't allow anyone to call ahead for their car to be ready and required everyone to stand in line (like at the buffet).
My ratings for this hotel are:
3.0 Check in / front desk
3.0 Business service
3.0 Value
3.0 Service
4.0 Rooms
5.0 Location
5.0 Cleanliness
Great Hotel
| Average rating: |
 |
4.3 |
Guest name: crownjewel82, Florida
Everything about my stay was great. The staff was courteous and helpful. The rooms were clean and very comfortable. I appreciated that they changed my room from a double to a king.
There were two televisions in my suite and more importantly the av inputs weren't blocked so hooking up the DVD player wasn't an issue.
The only complaints I had were that the only free internet was in the cramped business center and that the maid kept replacing the towels that I put on the rack to save.
Neither was really a major inconvenience to me as the free full breakfast, grits, eggs, cooked to order omlettes (and pretty much any other egg related thing you could ask the chef to do) made up for the cost of internet. And the towels thing was more a mark against their green lodgings status and not an inconvenience.
Also while the pool was a bit of a disappointment to real swimmers (or just tall people) the fitness center was top notch.
The location is awesome as it's right in front of the streetcar station and the trolley stops. There's several restaurants in the immediate vicinity and Channel Side is only a few minutes walk or you can hop on the streetcar. There's also a Publix supermarket very close by and there's some fast food options a healthy but reasonable walk, or a short trolley ride away from the hotel.
My ratings for this hotel are:
5.0 Check in / front desk
3.0 Business service
4.0 Value
4.0 Service
4.0 Rooms
5.0 Location
5.0 Cleanliness
They mug you!!!!! Don't go there!!!
| Average rating: |
 |
2.7 |
Guest name: deenaelattar, Boston,MA
Guest type: Honeymoon
stayed in Jun 2008
People.. JUST DON'T GO THERE... The service might be OK so might the breakfast be.. Would you want to lose all the money and get identity theft??? That's exactly what happened to me.. I was by the pool they managed to go through my papers and stole all the cash I had.. They made me file a complaint and the "management" was suppose to "take care" of the matter.. THEY DID NOTHING... they had some guy call me and tell me they questionned the house keeper and she said she didn't do it so they had to believe her!!! (--)! DON'T GO THERE TRUST ME.. There are many other 5 star hotel that are just across the street and as good if not better..
My ratings for this hotel are:
1.0 Check in / front desk
3.0 Business service
1.0 Value
1.0 Service
3.0 Rooms
5.0 Location
5.0 Cleanliness
Great stay!! Best convention location!!
| Average rating: |
 |
4.7 |
Guest name: paintladyNj, nj
I stayed at the ES Tampa Convetion Center for 4 nights while attending a convention. Great walkway connecting to the CC. Couldn't ask for an easier trip across the street!!
The room was fantastic...great beds, large living area, 2 tv's, wet bar area w/ fridge & micro. My 22 year old daughter accompanied me to just relax and hang out. She enjoyed the pool...although it could be a bit larger and could use a separate hot tub area.
The cooked to order bf was fantastic...expect to gain a few pounds!! The managers reception blew me away. Thought it would just be comp beer & wine, but they practically make anything you want. Bartenders were great! Just remember to tip them!! All in all I would highly recommend it. I was disappointed to leave! I had stayed at the Marriott Waterside in a previous year and the rooms there were so small without the extra perks of BF and free cocktails. ES is the way to go!!
My ratings for this hotel are:
5.0 Check in / front desk
4.0 Business service
4.0 Value
5.0 Service
5.0 Rooms
5.0 Location
5.0 Cleanliness