Shephard's Beach Resort

My girlfriends and I love this place so much that we've been there 5 times since last September. I would not recommend it for a family visit but if you are single or are taking a "girls or guys" trip then I highly recommend this resort. We never leave because there's so much to do. You can rent waverunners, go parasailing, lay by the pool, etc. There's constant live entertainment outside at the Tiki 7 days a week from 1pm-11pm and 7 night's a week at the Sunset Lounge (9:30pm-1:30pm). However, I'm partial to Sunset Lounge...Sequel is the best band I have ever heard and they play 5 night's a week Wed-Sun. I've actually become good friend's with the entire band and am sad when I have to leave to go back home. So if you are ever in Clearwater Beach...you must check out this place.

I just got back from my vacation to Clearwater Beach and I couldn't wait to write a review for Shephards Beach Resort. First off, when we arrived everyone was eager to help you and very courteous. We arrived on a Sunday and Shephards seemed to be the place to be because it was full of fun and entertainment. They quickly got us our room keys, even though we were early. When we entered our room we were pleasantly surprised. We stayed in a Studio King. The room was amazing. Very nice and comfortable. Although it rained 3 our of the 5 days we were there, there was always something to do. We got a package through the resort that we got breakfast every morning and the dinner buffet every night, the package came with a bottle of wine, so we asked if they could exchange the bottle of wine for mixed drinks and they made it equivalent to $26.00. All in all it was an awesome time and we are actually looking to go back in a few weeks. If your young and like to party, I'd suggest flying in on a sat, so you are there for the party on Sunday. From our room we were unable to hear any type of music at all. It was nice.

this is my favorite place to go on spring break. me and my family go here all the time. we love that theres a party like everynight. and its right in the middle of everything so you can walk everywhere. From the time we got there to the time we left we didnt use our car once so that was nice. The room was great and we had alot of fun. Hoping to come back next year over spring break :) best stay ever.

Have stayed there the last couple years with the entire family and had a great time. If you're looking for a quite, un-eventful trip this is not the place for you. But if you want to be in the center of all the action and have a relaxing yet exciting trip than you can't beat Shepherds.

My wife and I have stayed at Shephard's for two consecutive March ( 07-2 weeks & 08-3 weeks) get away from the cold and snow getaways to Florida - we live in Charleroi, PA. and, we are going there again (3rd stay) in a few days - Dec. 6 - 12 for a family wedding in Tampa on the 13th. We love the place - I read about it in the AAA Tour Book and asked friends who live in Tampa and Seminole about it - they gave it thumbs up. The suite (Tower Room) is incredible - spacious, comfortable, great view of the Gulf and inlet from the balcony - lots of dolphins swimming around the inlet, kitchenette (including everything you need to prepare food) and spotlessly clean - as is the entire resort in our experience. The satff is wonderful - very professional and courteous - everyone from the housekeeping staff, to the custodial staff, the office people, and even the owner himself (Mr. Shephard) were great to deal with - very accomodating. The food in the restaurant and at the Tiki Bar is wonderful. Yes, there is music and drinking and people having a good time - it's a resort! The beach is small, but it's nice and it's clean - and local boaters pull up and anchor just offshore to enjoy the Tiki Bar and the bands. In addition to the Tiki Bar with bands, there is a bar adjacent to the restaurant with live music and there is a nightclub The Wave for the younger set - or the young at heart set (not us). We love seeing all of the kids and the good times they have and share for Spring Break - and we are in our late 50's - we have had drinks and hung out with the kids and they were all great kids - relaxing and having a good time and bothering or hurting no one.

If you want a beautiful, clean place, where you can unwind at the pool, the beach, or the Tiki Bar (they card eveyone who looks young) while relaxing and meeting and seeing some great people, Shephard's is the place. If you are looking for quiet tranquility and a place for the kiddies - look elsewhere - there is a lot of construction going on in Clearwater Beach (new sewage system and new hotels) but who cares, that's the economy doing what it should. My wife and I give Shephard's Beach Resort an A+.

The suite we stayed in was great. The room was clean (loved the tile floor) and updated. Beds were comfortable, the pullout was not. There was a fully furnished kitchenette with marble countertops, microwave, cooktop and medium-size refrigerator. The bathroom was roomy. The view of the Gulf from the private balcony was breathtaking. The location allowed you to park in their ramp and walk 2-3 blocks to the beach, although the beach area behind the resort was nice. Land and water vehicles can be rented onsite. The resort offers an excellent buffet. We would definitely stay there again.

My wife and I (we are seniors) just got back from our Florida vacation. We stayed at Shephard's four days then drove to Cape Coral and back to Shephard's three more days. I am shocked to read some of the reviews, our experience was great, the rooms King Suite, the Queen Suite, are clean, beautiful view, everything you need if you wanted to prepare a meal, we did not but I was amazed at what they have in each room, pots, pans, stove, oven, microwave, dishwasher and all new stuff. Great TV, bathrooms etc. The buffet was excellent, everything you ever wanted to eat, I read a negitive report about the oysters, that person must not like oysters, I eat dozens each night, the prime rid is unsurpassed, it is great. I agree I would not stay pool side, it is for families with

children. I have not been to a hotel that has a night club that after closing there was no noise, yes at Shephard's there was noise two nights and it didn't last long. Valet parking makes coming and going very easy. Great place, we love it and will return.

I had to cancel my business reservations last minute due to health concerns and Paul, the manager, was accommodating and understanding. I appreciated the excellent customer service, particularly considering I was not even a customer! Based on the ease of this interaction, I would recommend this hotel.

Stayed there for Memorial weekend and had and absolute blast. Not for old people or people with young children. Music plays from noon till 2 a.m. Lots of 20 somethings partying till the early morning. Only sort-of downside is security is pretty uptight about everything, which isn't always a bad thing.

My husband and I stayed here for a weekend as an anniversary getaway. It was awesome. We stayed in the King suite which was beautiful,spacious and very clean. Everyone was extremely nice from the front desk personnel to the valets to the other guests. It was nice to be in a place that seemed to be geared toward an older crowd.(30-60). There were no drunken teeny boppers fighting or throwing up. One day there was a group of gentlemen in thier 50's and 60's just sitting around the hot tub having cocktails and smoking cigars having a good ol' time. The tiki bar was awesome with people dancing pretty much all day long. We checked out the Wave and that was fun too. We ate at the tiki hut and at the buffet and were pleased with everything. It was a very nice and relaxing getaway for us...nothing bad to report.

We stayed at Shepherd's May 15 - 17, 2009 for a wedding. We arrived at 1:00 and our room wasn't ready yet. We were able to go ahead and check in and were told they'd call us on our cell phone when the room was ready, or we could come back at 3:00 to pick up the key. Parking is done by valet (complimentary) in their garage unless you're lucky enough to get one of the few spots in front of the hotel.

We headed out to the Margarita Bar for lunch while we waited for our room. I had an Angus burger with a side salad and it was delicious! We sat at the bar, rather than a table and had good service from the bartender.

The resort has multiple outdoor bars, tables and chairs and a deck for dancing in front of the stage where the band performs. The pool area seemed to have plenty of lounge chairs and the pool itself was a good size. One minor complaint about the hot tub -- the temperature was WAY too hot. We did get in it Friday night, but didn't last long. We saw many people attempt to get in the hot tub on Saturday, but they always got right back out when they realized how hot it was. I believe the pool was open until 11:00 p.m. each night.

Our room was a poolside suite, located on the second floor, overlooking the pool. The door opened into a sitting area/kitchenette that contained a sofa, chair, small dining table with three chairs, TV, full size refrigerator, stovetop, microwave, sink and closet. The bathroom was located between the living room and bedroom and had a sink, toilet and bathtub. There was also a vanity area with large mirror and counter outside the bathroom. The bedroom had two full size beds and an armoire that contained a TV and had three drawers in the lower section. The fixtures and furnishings appeared a little on the older side, but all was clean. The water pressure and temperature were fine in the bathroom. There was a dispenser on the wall with shower gel and shampoo and there were Bath & Body Works products on the counter (bar soap and lotion).

Dining:

When we received our room key, we were also given coupons for 10% off the dinner buffet and 15% off the breakfast buffet. We had the seafood/prime rib dinner buffet the first night ($24.95) and the breakfast buffet ($10.95) both mornings. The food was plentiful and we thought it was very good!

Wedding:

The wedding took place on the beach and was beautifully done. The reception was very nice with a three hour open bar and dinner buffet inside the hotel in the Dolphin Room. The food was very tasty and the waiters did a great job taking drink orders and keeping glasses filled throughout the reception.

Misc:

The resort is located on a small, but pretty beach. This is a very active, energetic resort with great music playing outside at the Tiki Bar all afternoon until late at night. We could hear the music in our room when we went to bed both nights, but it didn't keep us awake or disturb us. We were so tired from the days' activities, we went right to sleep. I can see how it would be annoying to light sleepers, but it didn't bother us at all. This is a very busy resort with lots of people who are there for a party. If you're looking for a quiet, relaxing resort, this isn't the place for you. If you are there to have a good time and enjoy all the resort has to offer, you will love it. I wouldn't hesitate to go back for another weekend.

Rooms: I must say, the renovations to the tower rooms are awesome. I was very impressed with that and love the tile flooring, comfy couch and the stainless steel appliances (it was just like being at home), and side view of the gulf!

Tiki Bar: sucked in terms of neither bartender knew how to make mixed drinks. Better off with beer or basic rum/coke. But, the live music and DJ action was cool; actually it was way more fun to watch all the drunk people make an a** out of themselves!! Plus it's outdoors and all out in the open. Tiki bar is cool, but it's 'iffy' on the bartenders.

Nightclub: oh man, where do I start. Very cool in terms of atmosphere, sound system. But holy crap....well, let's just say we were not property informed at the front desk that the stupid wristbands you get don't get you into the club for free (which is what we thought). Nope, you still have to pay cover. All the wristband does is get you unlimited well drinks. Which, yes....in the end is a good deal.....but we were highly pissed when we were asked to leave if we didn't pay cover. Had we walked in with drinks in our hands....getting caught wouldn't have happened.

Noise: After our ordeal with having to leave the nightclub, yes...the noise from our top floor tower room was irritating since all we had to do was look down and see people in the club....but not as annoying as the construction.

Famous buffet: Good....lot's of unique finds but if you're not a seafood fan, I'd stick to menu because 90% was seafood.

Overall, of course I'll go back to Shepherds!. The beach is actually bigger than the pictures show but yes....smaller than say a beachroom at Daytona. We didn't have to deal with staff too much because we didn't have any complaints; aside from my blow up with the reservation guy the night of the wristband dibokkle!! lol

I give Shepherds a thumb & 1/2 up. The rooms alone I think is what will draw me back to that area.

Arriving at the Inn on aThursday morning ....I thought "Ok ..This is gonna be a relaxing 5 day vacation " ...but when the sun went down ...The people came by the bus load ! and the Music was non stop ! The service at both the Resturant . the outside area as well as the Tiki Bar was excellent ...Never had to wait long for the next drink ! On the w/e the Tiki Bar is 4-5 deep and they add additional Service Bars for "the Drink of the Day" ..so you never have a wait ! The Crowd is well behaved ...although there is the usual scuffle ...security is IMMEDIATE in any response and gain control of the situatuation .....so the party goes on without any distractions . The pool area and the Hotel is kept IMMACULATE ! Really ! For a beach resort I never expected to find the Inn so clean ..The cleaning staff is on top of the grounds as well...As for the Office Staff....Your Room WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE EARLY !! Unless you have a written confirmation for the Room you selected ..do not count on having your room switched at all ...In fact ...don't even ask...because the answer is never pleasant..They respond rather gruffly ...unfortunately " ..so the southern hospitality is missing MOST TIMES .. from the OFFICE Staff ...and ONLY from the OFFICE STAFF...everyone else from Housekeeping ... Bartenders waiters..and even security are always friendly and helpful !

The one thing to NOTE !!! TherE is NO KIDDIE POOL !! There is a reason for this ! With Wet Tee Shirt Contest and Bikini contest and sometimes a wild chicken fight in the pool ..The Inn is more for "a partying Crowd " like girls w/e away ..."Dancing the night away " and for those who just want to enjoy loud late into the night (2AM) bands and DJ's ....laughing.. drinking... and having a Blast ! .It is a great place for Fun Laughs and Memories ! I would also recommend taking the wave runner ouit during the day ...The rental staff is fabulous and Friendly !!! You will also need to pay $25 for a cabanna Chair each day ...but it might be worth it as ther is little beach to pitch a blanket ...and the lounge chairs are soft and comfy . This is a great place to go if you want to escape for a few days and bring home alot of great memories !

We cant wait to go back! We stayed at Shepherds the week of spring break and had a fabulous time. 2 adults and 4 children, ages 19 - 12. We had a pool side suite, if you want to be where everything is happening than that is the way to go. Yes, they could be updated but if your just happy to be on vacation like us than you wont care. We loved the location. It has everything you need within walking distance. Its also a nice walk to the pier and beautiful public beach. Ronnie at the front desk is a hoot and we hope they pay him well because he makes the place. There is a computer available for FREE use until 11pm, which our kids loved!

5 of us decided to go to Clearwater for a couple of days during Spring Break. Since it was a last minute decision I really didn't think we would find a room anywhere. I had been to Clearwater for a few years for a week at Spring Break and had rented houses there.I had eaten at Shephards but had never stayed there. I was happy they had a room for us. We had a suite over looking the pool and a view of the water too. We are all over 40 and dont mind late hours. There was a band playing till at least midnight which was nice to go to sleep by. The young kids were noisy but they were having fun. The best part was renting lounge chairs on the beach. Overall if you are annoyed by noise dont go there. If you like somewhat of a party atmosphere its a great place. I am glad we had a chance to stay. The staff was friendly and the rooms were clean and well maintained.

Well, we just got back from Shephard's. After reading some of the reviews, I wasn't sure what to expect. They first put us in a poolside suite which you would think sounds nice, but in fact is very old, very small and with two double beds. I asked them if we could get something with a king bed and they upgraded us at no extra charge to a king room and though it wasn't a suite (with two rooms), it did have a kitchen area with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances which was really nice! There was also a flat screen TV and a balcony with a view of the ocean (plus a parking lot but who cares?). The all you can eat buffet is ok, nothing outstanding but decent. We saw the tiki bar but decided to walk the beach instead so we didn't spend a lot of time there (and didn't hear any of the noise as some posters have said). Didn' t try the nightclub. IT was a nice place overall, and it was a relaxing trip. There isn't a lot to do in Clearwater Beach for younger people (we are in our early 30's) but it is relaxing just the same. I would say give it a try but go for a room in the tower instead of the poolside suite.

First of all we were suppose to have a ocean view for two huindred and twenty five dollars a night it was a side view with a very small balcomy the balcomy door would not open or close that was reported but was not fixed they were bulldozing right under our balcomy door sand was blowing in our room from the door i became very sick got the sand in my lungs. would not give us a upgrade. floor was not mopped sand on the floor and furniture very poor customer service.came and fixed the door the day we were leaving.

We stayed at Shepards Resort during spring break. This was a mistake. Upon arriving at the resort we were unable to even pull in the parking lot due to the lot being full. We already spent about 45 minutes in heavy traffic just traveling the 2 miles or so from the bridge going over to Clearwater beach. There was a bikini contest going on it the tiki bar that was extremely popular so the parking lot was full of cars arriving for the event. The hotel person directing traffic told us we had to circle around until the parking lot was less full. Once we were able to pull in we were immediately asked for $10 for parking. We informed the person that we were hotel guess so we did not end up having to pay. We were able to park the car but did not get any help unloading; no one even offered to help find a cart for our luggage.

The resort was nice during the day, but at night it was loud and full of drunken people! The dj even encouraged excessive drinking "anyone drunk yet". We stayed in a double bedroom suite on the 5th floor. We could hear the music from the Tikki bar until 11:00pm than when that closed we hear the music from the Wave nightclub until 2:00am. Some girls that we met in the elevator stated that the bed was shaking from the music, and they were on the third floor.

The room was nice, very clean and modern except for the pullout sofa sleeper. The matteress was very uncomfortable, my daughter had a hard time sleeping on it due to the springs poking thru.

We did have a problem with the stovetop not working but maintenance took care of it promptly.

The front desk personals were nice and helpful. Housekeeping was wonderful and did a great job.

My husband did witness an event in the hotel lobby were it appeared to be a supervisor firing an employee. He was swearing at the person telling him to get out. Very unprofessional.

The beach was beautiful and was very clean. The hotel does not provide beach chairs unless you want to pay $25 a day to rent one. The pool was very clean and there were plenty of lounge chairs there free of charge.

If you want to party and get drunk this would be the resort for you. If you want to relax with your family, stay at least a few hotels away so you can get some peace and quite!

We travel to FL every year and have stayed in many places. I agree that some of the rooms leave a lot to be desired. There are some rooms that need major updating. How ever we stayed in the Towers and our room was beautiful . Minni kitchen 2 queen beds a beautiful view from the balcony of the gulf. Was nice watching the sun set and sitting out there watching the birds early mornings. It's most definitely a party resort. The tiki bar and the other club are busy till 2:00am so don't think sleep if you are staying there weekends ... Not sure what goes on during the week. We go there with friends from all over the USA and some from other country's in Feb its to be our annual gathering of over 50 friends. We book off 20 to 25 rooms. We have all had a great time there. Looking forward to going back Feb 2009!!! I recommend Staying in the Towers!!!!

Our stay at Shephard's had good points and bad points. Here's what we discovered during our stay:

- The poolside "suites" are VERY misrepresented on the website. They are cramped and outdated - and slightly dirty. A little dirt never hurt us, but it didn't help the appearance of the cramped quarters. Three of us stayed in a suite, and we were always running over each other. The shower pressure was weak, and the beds were right next to each wall with only about 2 1/2 feet between them. No room for suitcases, and barely enough room for a TV in the bedroom!

- There is mandatory valet parking. Not a problem usually, but don't expect the valets to show up for work on time. We needed our car at 8:30am, and were told valet started at 8am. If you need your car very early or very late, you have to get your keys from the office. I'd much rather park my own car, thanks.

- The pool is tiny. The weather was cool so we didn't get a chance to try it out, but my jaw dropped at its size!

- The bar staff is on top of things - good drinks served fast!

- The tiki bar has portable heaters outside during cool nights - very nice!

Here's my overall two cents - stay at the Holiday Inn next door(very nice facility - wish we would have stayed there again) and go to party at Shephard's. Then you're guaranteed a good time and you have a nice, clean, spacious room to go back to within walking distance.

I told James and the guy from Schaumburg I would write. Thanks for the upgrade from the room above the bar to the room facing the Fred Flinston contraption beating piers into the gulf shore at 9:00am! All and All a great time. Just step outside your room and there was a party and people to watch. The food was good, the drinks were reasonable. Sunday nights are great at the night club, I think it was $1 drinks, I think, don’t remember. The upgraded rooms are like little model homes. One rule here, as they say “sleep when the baby sleeps”. Would re-visit in the near future. I love that there was an IHOP near by, not that I would eat there before Midnight. Enjoy!

I paid Orbitz $505 for a Double Queen Suite with a balcony away from the noise,as the Poolside suite wa 500$ through Shepards,a much lower class room. I could have gotten this room for 410$ through Orbitz. Upon arriving the girl said I was paid in full for a Double Queen Suite,and all was well. When I arrived in the room it was ground level,beside the noisy tiki bar with live music until 2am,and had two very small beds. I called the office and she admitted it was the lower rate room,that all queens were gone. So they booked my room at the higher rate they charge and bumped me to a low class room,and would not refund the difference. They said orbitz would have to deal with me. They add 30$ for a resort fee,and a chair on the beach is

$25 a day. So where is the resort benefit. The boaters that anchor and come on shore get all the priviledges you get from the Party Bar for only $15 a day. So stay at a nice hotel,and if you want a frat party visit there during the day. But pay cash,dont trust these people..

I did go fishing on the "Stay Tuned"and it was a great experience,caught all the mackerel we wanted,and a great crew

and Captain were awsome. I love Clearwater,but Shepards management needs to realize with websites like these,stealing from people will not go unoticed. Spread the word.

We did not stay at the hotel, we went to the seafood and prime rib buffet. While I certainly wouldn't say it was a terrible experience, it was really just "okay." There was enough variety to please anyone. The cheese, olives and cracker spread bar was a nice little touch. Loved the crab legs and stuffed flounder. The lobster bisque had a very different flavor; my husband thought it tasted like "grilled cheese" and I actually have to agree!

We were disappointed that the steamed clams were smothered in a white sauce. We were expecting the usual plain steamed to dip in butter. The mussels marinara were excellent though.

The dessert bar could use some work. I was surprised to see rice crispy bars and M&M cookies, but the cookies were actually very good.

I would definitely say Shephard's is a child friendly place. Doesn't really seem to have a dress code which is probably good for the beach crowd.

The $24.99 price for the buffet is high. $20 should be tops, $15.99 would be more realistic for what we experienced.

When we arrived the desk staff were nice. However, the rooms were horrible. It appears that the hotel spends the money on the party guests. We were moved to 3 different rooms before we found a decent, clean room. The rooms were supposed to be non-smoking and it was very clear that they were not. The carpet was sticky, like drinks were spillt and when the room was vaccumned the syrupy goo was transfered all over the carpet. We inquired about an upgrade and were told there would not be an upgrade charge and later they changed their toon indicating that to upgrade it would be an additional $40.00 per night . We would raced to see who was going to get their shower first, as the water for the winning contestant was cold or on the cool side but tollerable, the loosing contestant was scallded..........the water was so hot and you really did have a choice " hot or cold"

The music was on the loud side, trying to sleep was a challange, but after a couple of days you are so tired, I guess your body just gets used to it. Anyone with small children ( beware ) it's just too loud to try to get children to sleep.

Here's the biggy*****We had guest to visit, our guest needed a wheel chair, when we asked the staff if they had one......the response was " we used to have one, now its gone and we just didn't bother to get another one" Now, the guest that was visiting is a very well known " RAIDO PERSONALITY IN AND AROUND TAMPA" THIS PERSON DOES A SHOW AT SHEPHARDS EVERY SUNDAY................" HUHMMMMMMMM.....THATS NOT GOING TO GO WELL! My advise to anyone, check out other hotels in the area, the Holiday was right next door and it seemed really nice. But I do have to rave about the Buffet at Shephards, it was excellent. So stay somewhere else and walk to the buffet at Shephards.

If you book your room on one of the discount internet sites be very careful. Those rooms are directly over one of the clubs and/or have very limited views. Our view was of an alley and empty beer barrels. This hotel is also on the canal and does not have beach walking access to Clearwater Beach. From the outdoor smell there must be a sewage treatment plant nearby.

The seafood buffet is above average; the staff at the check-in counter and other areas is very helpful. The hotel has a Tiny Pool. If you cannot get into the tower rooms find another place to stay or better yet - come here to Party stay somewhere else.

The smiles disappeared after we opened the door to our pool side suite. It looked like a basement with a fridge, stove, couch, chair and table in it... not spic n' span clean! We were afraid to sit on the furniture because it looked oily... but when we did, it sunk to the floor. (broken) Also, one of the chairs had a big stain. I was shock to see a sign hanging in the bathroom saying, "Please reuse your towels." There was shampoo, but no conditioner. On day two, the cleaning person did not leave us any coffee, so we went to the front desk and were told that we would only receive it on the first day and had to buy it for the rest of our stay... unbelieveable! The pool was somewhat nice, but the only time I seen someone clean it was in the early morning and the fence around the pool was solid... you couldn't see the beach! I admit that it was spring break, but the beach area should have been cleaned! That's ashame... such a great location, and very friendly staff, but they have to follow the rules. I blame it on poor management.

I did not stay at Shephard's. But we did go for their breakfast buffet during the week.

It used to be great, but the last two visits for breakfast have been disappointing.

Our server, Juan, was terrific. Very attentative, helpful, Great server.

The hostess - too much time spent talking to a co-worker (and not at her station) vs doing her job.

The food....the eggs were runny. I don't know what they have done to the Corned Beef Hash - it is dried out, almost burnt, and horrible. Sorry, but a can of Hormel is better than what they are putting out here. And theirs used to be so good.

Two visits now with poor quality, so we can't say it was just a one-time thing.

Bacon is overdone. The pancakes - ick, I can do better in the Frozen Foods section of the supermarket.

Sad to say the fresh fruit was the best part of the breakfast. Both times.

Please Shephard's - get back to the quality you used to serve.

Look at their website and everything looked sweet but things were not so when we arrived. Room was very small and warn out the place needs a refurbish. Lots of happy people making plenty of noise until 2.30am, no problem for me but maybe for others. Two things which were really good was the Dinner buffet, for 22.95 you get snowcrabs,prime rib and much more real good value and friendly servers.Also sitting out at the tiki bar of an evening listening to music is really something. My advise is book a room close to Shephards and walk to the place for a drink and a meal you wont be disappointed.

Dont bother unless no option. Room was good and large, but noise from building site a few feet away unbearable. Breakfast at 20$ each overpriced and not good. Not a beach side resort in any way. Tiny beach, lots of building going on and views of bridge and traffic.

Last minute beach trip and found rooms at Shephards. Although dated, the rooms were comfortable enough. The beach is TINY - The music plays loudly until wee hours (2am) and is heard clearly in the rooms. Great if you're a partier, far from it otherwise. Elevators need some work; I got stuck in one with several other guests and it was not a pleasant experience. If you like to go to sleep around 11 or so - stay elsewhere

We booked this hotel through Hotwire based on it being a "three star" hotel. Upon arriving, the room we were given was nice enough....until the party started at the clubs located at the hotel. We could hear continuous loud, bass music thumping into our room from front and back to the point we had to be moved to another (smaller) room. The smaller room seemed ok at first, until the same clubs let out at 2:00 in the morning and all of the party goers were expelled into the streets, screaming and shouting at the tops of their lungs. Bad enough to get woken up at 2:00 am? Just wait a few more hours and the maids will start vacuuming the hallway outside your room promptly at 8:30 every morning.

If you're looking for a quiet, relaxing place to stay....try another hotel. This place is best suited to groups who drink so heavily that they would be oblivious to the constant noise and partying.

Oh, and skip the restaurant, too. The menu was dismal and the food barely palatable at best.

My father was dying and we made an emergency trip to Florida. We stayed at Shepherds because it was close to the hospital and the only hotel that had availability during the dates needed. After driving 14 hours we checked into Shepherds. We were exhausted when signing the papers as we checked in. We did not check the dates, as we had a written confirmation from the hotel with our correct dates. However, the hotel changed our departure date and never brought this to our attention. They had us checking out earlier than we had registered for. We came back from the hospital and were locked out of our room. We showed them our confirmation with the correct date of departure, but they would not honor that. They did not offer to help us in any way, and we were forced to leave with no where to go because they had sold our room. This was clearly their error, and they did nothing to help us in a bad situation, not even APOLOGIZE. You would at least think they would of offered us a free weekend stay at some other time. We used to stay at Shepherds all the time, but I had clothes stolen out of my suitcase several years prior. We stayed away for several years, hoping that things had improved. Our mistake to come back. We will NEVER stay here again. This hotel only cares about making a fast buck, not about the people at all. We come to Florida 3 times a year, and have many friends and family that live in the area. None of them or any of their friends will ever stay at Shepherds.

I paid $900 to stay here in a nice room with an "ocean view" well that didn't happened. I got there and the room was a dump and the view was the side of a building no ocean view at all like I paid $900 for, It was just a smelly room with a view of a concrete building.

To top it all off I spoke to the General Manager as he started eating an apple while talking to me telling me "That's to bad, the building was just put there and you have to look at it like we do everyday" I was so mad and full of distrust I didn't want to stay there I went to a smaller place down the road. I filed a Better Business Bureau complaint & I filed a charge back with my Credit card company that I paid them with and the "Shepard's" fought everything non stop and somehow with there deceiving lies denied all my claims and I was stuck paying $900 for nothing, I had never even stayed there. DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS PLACE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TRUST ME!!!

I have video of how the GM was treating me & my Fiancé. I will try to post it on YouTube soon...

website very misleading.the srvc was avg.the rms were terrible-dingie&small.the stove knobs broke off.no soap for dishes.had to reuse towels.only got 1day free coffee-had to purchase if you wanted more. the furniture was stained.the sleeper sofa was broken & disgusting.light bulbs out.fridge was all dented.pool was dirty w/no view of beach.beach small&dirty.hot tub was too hot.for $175/nt-it was not worth it at all.

I stayed with my family here Sep.21,2006 for 5 nights. I wish i would have never picked this place. The beach is small and very cramped because of the jetskiis that park so close to the swimming area. This is a total party resort and it shows. They BLARED music until 2:00 A.M., which did not make for a peaceful sleep. Drunk people everywhere that jumped into the pool in their UNDERWEAR. This was awful. We ate at the restaurant for breakfast one morning.......BIG MISTAKE!. The food was expensive and was cold and had no taste at ALL!. We also ended up finding a bug in our luggage the size of a baseball. We also HATED the beach so much that we went to the public beach EVERY day, the public beach is so clean and so beautiful!. Shepherd's is on a "sea wake" which means that there are boats passing by all hours which did not make for a very nice swimming experience. The rooms were small and did not have the beds that we requested, so we slept on the couch! I beg of you PLEASE do not stay here. We came back this year, stayed at the Hilton, well worth it!. It is around $220 a night but you should shell it out because Shepherd's Beach "Resort" is not worth the $150 a night!

Their website is a lie. Their staff and especiall their managers and owner are bullies and liars. We went there to have a good weekend after our honeymoon cruise. We heard it was a party place. yeah, for drunks and strippers. Thats all that was there! No security, loud abnoxious music. It was like spring break in a trailer park! I would not recommend this place to anyone but strippers and drunks. And don't get me wrong, I drink! I'm talking about homeless drunks that are hanging around the place...probably just to sneak a view at alllll the strippers and steal almost empty drinks out of the trash. it was a horribly filthy place. I dont know how they are open. And they way the managers and owner treat people are outrageous. We're reporting them to the Better Business Bureau and I hope all of you do the same!

I have to agree with several other travelers- scam, stay away, sleep in your car if you have to. This place doesn't honor reservations correctly and won't admit they're wrong even when all of the paperwork clearly supports your position.

They just want your money, money, money. I also cannot believe they have been in business this long. Here's the part I really loved- the front desk employee casually making a photocopy of my driver's licence with my SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER ON IT! I have never, ever had this happen anywhere else. Hmm- after they tried stealing from me by charging my card incorrectly without my permission, maybe it would be time for a little friendly identity theft.

Plus, the pool is filthy, the beach is small, and the partying and music seem to go on non-stop. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

My best friend was turning 21 so my other friend and I headed up there to stay with her for the weekend. Everyone who stays at this hotel is so trashy, and all they do is sit outside and smoke and drink all day. The room was nasty, my sheets had bloodstains on them! The bathroom fixtures were all rusted, and the light switch was caked with gunk. My friend and I felt SO UNSAFE here, we slept next to our purses and placed a chair under the doorhandle. This was not crazy either, since we were 2 small 21 year old girls staying in the room alone. While trying to get back in to out hotel room after it started raining at night about 10 guys were infront of our room asking to please shower with us. When we got in the room they knocked on our windows and didn't leave for half an hour! The music plays until like 2am, and the only people out there are older or gross guys. They yelled at us for being out there at night, and we were all 21! To make matters worse, my friend did the booking through Orbitz and booked the studio queen. She booked that because she said it looked the nicest online. Instead they put us RIGHT next to the gate to go out to the bar/"beach." My friend called and talked to the managers and they said Orbitz faxed them something else so nothing could be done, after many calls to Orbitz, in which the Orbitz person said she called Shephard's and they hung up on her 2 times, and the 3rd time they finally admitted they were overbooked. They offered us "free breakfast" to compensate, thats it! Overall, this hotel put a damper on what should have been a great weekend with my friends.

Do not take your children to this hotel!! There are 3 bars in the hotel that play loud music until all hours of the night and they served my teenaged boys alchohol!!! This is nothing but a party hotel and meat market!

With 2 teenagers, I booked this hotel because of the kitchenette to save money on food. But, the rooms with the kitchenettes are small, dingy and dirty. Housekeeping was terrible, they did nothing other than make the beds, replace towels and empty the trash. The room was not vaccuumed once during our stay and they do not wash any dishes that have been used nor give you anything to wash them with.

They close the pool at 11:00. Considering the level of activity at that hour at the hotel it was way too early. It left those who did not want to party with nothing to do. And what little beach they have (virtually none) was off limits to children on the weekend.

I DO NOT recommend this hotel!!

This place is dirty and the staff rude.No help at all, make you feel like it is problem to help you.I don't know why they work there if they don't like people.No beach they say we are on the beach it must be 30 feet long and rocks,very small pool and the music is so loud till 1am and you can't get your money back if want to leave they will tell you to check out but not credit your money.go some place that has a staff that wants to help and are not rude.

stayed at shephard's 4/25/-4/27. Never again & I would not recommend this resort (why they call it a resort, I have no clue). there is nothing to do here unless you like to drink. there is no beach to speak of even though they advertise as being on Clearwater Beach. i booked 5 rooms for a wedding all of which were used. I was charged on my credit card an extra $779.00 for 2 extra rooms that James (office manager) said I booked at time of check-in (all of my guests made their own reservation & paid with their own credit cards). The confusion of the front desk when I switched rooms is the cause of the extra charges. Trying to get someone (Paul) general manager, to listen is virtually impossible. I spoke with the owner, Mr. William Shephard & now I see where the lack of customer service comes in. If they make a mistake, forget it. You will not get anywhere with them, nor will you get your money back. I tried to explain to Paul, but he would not listen to my side at all & he actually had the nerve to call me back to yell at me. I had 40 guests here for the buffet, spent well over $3K and this is the treatment I get when I tried to resolve my bogus credit card charges.

I can't believe this place is still in business.... PAUL ANDREWS and JAMES are working together probably along with the owner of the resort WILLIAM SHEPARD and CHARGING people for rooms they did not reserve... I have filed a dispute with AMX. PUAL and JAMES say that I stayed in two rooms at the same time!!! To make matters worse, the owner of the resort, WILLIAM stands behind his two players PAUL ANDREWS and JAMES. I had them fax over to me the bill and all the paper work I need to get MY money THEY stole from me. It might take some time to get it all back, but I will get it ALL BACK! I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend that you stay somewhere else..anywhere else! You would be making a BIG MISTAKE to stay at this nightmare of a place! If you decide to stay, make sure you get someone else to register you other than PAUL ANDREWS and JAMES.. I have a feeling they are all working for a percentage of non used rooms that they BOTH, PAUL ANDREWS and JAMES charge you for! I have my proof and if ANY of you want to see it, just ask and I will provide it for you.

I went to Clearwater for Spring Break in 2008. It was my friend's 21st birthday on St. Patrick's day, so we chose to go to "The Wave" at Shepards from our many choices. We were having such a good time until we stepped into the doorway of the resort. I went with 5 people total. 2 of us were 20 and 3 of us were 21. The bouncers at the door were very rude. We tried to joke around with them and we told them it was my friend's birthday and they just looked at us and didn't say anything. My friends and I walked in the club and we were the only people in the club. So, we went upstairs, sat down, and about 10 seconds later, a waitress walked upstairs and said, "you can't sit here if you aren't 21." She didn't explain why or where they could go. So, the underagers went outside and were told that they couldnt be out there either. So, we wanted to leave after being there for 5 minutes, because we all wanted to sit with our friend on her birthday. We asked if we could get our money back ($15 for the 20 year olds and $10 for the 21 year olds) The manager said only the 21 year olds could get their money back. We just wanted to leave, so we agreed. In the meantime, when we tried to leave, the bouncer harassed the two 20 year olds about giving their ID's back (which they take when you get there if you are under 21) The bouncers accused them of trying to wipe off the marker on their hands (indicators of being underage) They clearly did not try to get drinks. They threatened to call the cops on my friend if he did not leave immediately. The other underager tried to walk out after getting her ID back and the manager physically stopped her from leaving. She kept walking and he yelled, "yeah! you better leave!" We all finally got to leave, with police threats and without our money. To make matters worse, the bartender Tiffany added $10 tips to the tabs of two of my friends. Since we were there for 5 minutes, their bills were $3 and $6. So, a $20 tip for a $9 bill. I would never go back and I would not recommend Shepard's to my worst enemy.

Anyone thinking of staying at this hotel please read my review & reconsider... I booked a room at the hotel for one night while I was attending the NCAA tournament games in Tampa this weekend. I paid $295 for the room & spent another $400 in their Nightclub the "Wave" for VIP bottle service. At 3am after the club closed I was in front of my room with some of my friends when a very strange individual approached us & started an altercation & basically tried to enter our room. This individual & his friends then physically attacked me & others forcing us to flee for our saftey. Upon returning when the police arrived my friends & I were told we had to leave the hotel because we were smoking in the room! I tried to explain that people were smoking outside & that we had the door open, & that was why they probably thought this. They didn't care about the assualt, & they just wanted us to leave for smoking.I was absolutely shocke & tried to explain what had transpired, but it was to no avail. The hotel then proceeded to charge my credit card another $350 for some sort of fee that they said was for having to launder the linnens in the room becuse of the smoke. I tried to speak to the hotel manager & resolve the matter amicably, but the manager was very rude & unprofessional. I was forced to drive 220 miles back to Ft. Lauderdale at 4am & charged over $650 for being physically assaulted at this hotel. The staff is used to Spring Breakers & will treat you as such no matter what your age, or the situation. I would never recommend this hotel if you are looking for a peaceful, fun time. Terrible is the only words I can use to describe my experience.

Shephard's is not as it appears on its website. The rooms are OK, but there is no beach to speak of, and the rooms surround a bar with blaring music until 1am. Its like trying to sleep/relax in the middle of a nightclub. After that, all the drunk kids are walking home screaming and singing. If you are looking for a relaxing vacation, this is NOT the place. It is also way more expensive than it is worth. If you are going to spend this money, better to spend a little more and get a really nice room at the Hilton.

After the first night, when we needed to re-book, they charged us 1 night penalty.

We were going to stay here, but after reading the reviews in Tripadvisor we decided that a more quiet hotel would be more to our liking. That was a wise decision. The young people that were there did seem to be having a good time, but the party atmosphere wasn't what we were looking for.

But... we did decide to go to the Sunday Brunch Buffet. None of the food was particularly good. It was really hot and we had to ask for ice water several times before it finally arrived (at the end of our meal). The worst part is -- I got FOOD POISONING from their raw oysters, was deathly ill for 2 days, and it completely ruined our vacation.

So to sum it up, I certainly would not stay there and would recommend that you find somewhere else to eat.

The gravy, stuffing, cranberry gel(think it was from can) and a chicken dish were all good.

Everthing Else Sucked: Fish completely dry. Turkey reminiscient of elementary school cafeteria food. Ham fatty. Prime rib flavorless. Shrimp were tiny and saw none of the advertised sushi. Lobster bisque was the worst and had a plastic flavor to it. Even the Coke tasted watered down.

Once you were shown to your table you had to then stand in line for about 20 minutes before you got to the food.

Mandatory valet service.

And to cap it all off, a $26.95 per person price tag.

Whatever you do next Thanksgiving, Do Not eat there!!!!!!!!!!

We've been to this "World Famous Buffet" before and it was ok....we decided to go again because we now live here and have never tried the Sunday Champagne Brunch. Now I know why....we pulled up to the parking and it was all mandatory valet that was $5 (but you get your ticket validated inside)...which was ok...but the attendant was rude, quick to take our money and rushed us along as if we were cattle (it was not busy either). Got to the restaurant, hostess brought us to our table without a word, dropped of the "lunch ticket" on the table and proceeded to assist another party....i wasn't even sure we were supposed to sit at the table she lead us to just cuz she didn't indicate so and said nothing to us and left. oh well....so customer service isn't a big thing here...moving on to the food. Such a let down. I'm from the east coast and grew up on the water and I'm a former chef...i know good food...i know good seafood....this was not it. Crab legs were dry, salmon was picked all over, pancakes looked like waffers, eggs were either dry or runny (in the same pan)....the best thing we had was a bloody mary!..., nothing special about this buffet at all and for $21.95/person....definitely not worth it..

I had booked a hotel room for one night for a Bachlorette Party.The only thing they did nice for me was to let us only stay one night instead of two like they require. I had talked to the same person for a week while booking. I had spoke with him about the amenties and so forth. I had drove 2 -21/2 hrs and when I got there they had told me they had no reservation for me. Mind you I had reserved three rooms for 18 people. They had booked the rooms for the night before.I was so upset because I had no idea what I was going to do. They told me they had no rooms available for that night and they told me it was my fault.They looked right at me and said sorry you better figure it out.I could not believe how they treated me and how actually mean they are there. I asked them if I was getting my money back and they so no way. I also asked to talk to a manager and they told me that there was no manager available until Monday. So I went next door to The Gulfview Resort and I am so thankful I did. It was the nicest hotel I have stayed at.The rooms were cheaper and had granite counter tops and completely remodeled. The manager there was the most genreous and amazing person I have ever seen.We also did not have to valet and it was for sure free parking.We had went to Shepards for the night life because we had planned to go there for the bachlorette party. Well, we waited 25 mins to get a drink and service was horrible.There was no beach like they had said and the resort looks nothing like the pictures. Actually pretty discusting.The music does go all night and they let people do what ever they feel like. I don not recommend thsi hotel to families with children as a matter of fact I don't recommend it to anyone. I would sleep in a cardboard box before I ever step foot in that place again. So remember if you are in the area and need to stay a hotel stay right next door at GulfviewResort. The most amazing hotel.

Believe me, I have been going here since I was a kid! Not the same management! We were suppose to stay at Shephard's on August 3rd. We went to eat at the buffet and had very RUDE service from Bill! Please ask not to sit in Bill's section. I asked for the Grouper hard fried for my 78 year old mother-in-law and got a military response of "YES SIR! GROUPER HARD FRIED! YES SIR! (I'm a woman)! I complained to a hostess about the rudeness of the searver and was reassured she would tell the manager. Went back to the table to eat after buffet visit, asked for some tabasco sauce and it was presented to me as a bottle of wine (very sarcastic way). I and my husband went back up to the buffet trying to have a nice time and forget the rude service. I gave my husband a small plate with a few squares of hot cheese and he took it back to the table so his hands were free for his regular plate, my 78 year old mother-in-law (has dementia) took a piece of cheese from my husbands plate and the RUDE waiter came and yelled that she took a bite of something from the buffet (after we ordered a $19 piece of fish for her and did'nt get it hard fried like we asked form the nazi server). My husband offered to pay for a buffet meal for her. My husband came up and told me what happened in front of everyone in that area of the restaurant. I went the second time and complained to the hostess about our RUDE server! Still same response, "I will make sure the manager knows. I've only been here 3 months and I know what you mean." We got our entees and when we went back to the table. I went to the server at the server area and said to him "All she did was eat a bite of cheese, you didn't have to be an a--hole" He got angry and asked us to leave. I said are your kidding? He went to get the manager. I left everyone at the table to go and speak to the manager and when I went to expalin what had happened he asked us to leave! Not only were we asked to leave but scared my brother-in-law in to paying for a meal that we hadn't eaten and a bottle of wine we didn't drink! We were asked to go to our rooms like 12 year olds and If I could tell you the rest of the story in this review you wouldn't believe it! DON'T GIVE THESE PEOPLE YOU HARD EARNED MONEY! THERE ARE BUSINESSES THAT WILL RESPECT YOU FOR SPENDING YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY AND TRY TO ROB YOU OF IT! Of course I didn't stay at the hotel and could not get a refund! I called the General Manger the next day and was told they would refund at least $60 (half of the whole meal I didn't eat and a bottle of wine we didn't get to drink). Today, August 13th I called to speak to the general manager (PAUL) and got a voice mail and NO RESPONSE!!! It is now 8:40 pm and still no response.

This was the worst hotel experience I have ever had. The "private" beach is only about 25 ft long stretch and in located in a boat channel. Boats come up to the beach so you can not be in the water without running into a drifting boat. Definately not a place for kids. Kids cannot be on the dance floor or anywhere near the live music; however, its impossible to sleep because the rooms are right next to the patio where the music is being played. I checked out before my stay was up and forfeited my money for the last night. Horrible Experience.