Accommodations

Now that you’re here, you need a place to stay. So what’s your pleasure? Want to save money by going the economy route? Want to pamper yourself a bit with something more luxurious? Looking to get to know the area and figure a bed-and-breakfast host can give you the local lowdown?

Or maybe you want something more adventuresome. How about letting yourself be rocked to sleep each night on a yacht?

With more than 30,000 hotel rooms and a host of other options from which to choose, the Tampa Bay area opens its doors to more than 20 million visitors each year. Even when we’ve hosted major events like four Super Bowls since 1984, we’ve managed to make room for everyone who has wanted to come.

This area was built with tourists in mind. Those silver-topped minarets you see that are now part of the University of Tampa? Those used to be part of Henry B. Plant’s palatial Tampa Bay Hotel. And Pinellas County has two historic grande dame hotels and two historic “jazz queen” hotels that you’ll read about later in this chapter. Each of those places, designed to accommodate the rich and famous from around the world, still stands. Each still pampers its guests with facials and massages, individualized regimens of exercise and treatments, and culinary creations to die for.

We also have some newer resort hotels that provide the kind of over-the-top experience Henry Plant provided for his guests. We’ll definitely take you to some of those!

For people who prefer portable palaces, Tampa is the home of Lazydays, the country’s largest single-site RV dealership in North America, where you can browse, buy, and learn to drive one of their super-sized homes on wheels. Or bring your RV here from wherever you are, and stay in their full-amenities RallyPark.

Whether you want to be able to step from your room onto a world-class golf course or you want to rough it in a log cabin or stay in a hostel, we’ll find a place for you to rest your weary head. We’ll find a base from which you can enjoy all the Tampa Bay area has to offer.

First, we’ll take you to several of the places where hotels tend to cluster. You know, the ABCD’s—near the airports and attractions, along the beaches, and by the convention centers downtown. We’ll also show you some of the unusual and the historic places along the way. Then, we’ll take you to other types of accommodation, such as RV parks, bed and breakfasts, and golf and tennis resorts. Within each heading, we’ll give you Web sites for more thorough listings, and then we’ll spotlight a really cool place or two.

Just a reminder: Florida is a Clean Air state and many hotels and motels have designated their entire building as being smoke-free. Other hotels still have some designated smoking rooms, and may or may not charge an extra fee. Check with the management before making reservations and for information about designated outdoor smoking areas.