Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites New Tampa I-75 Bruce B. Downs

I am writing about my experience with this hotel. I cannot believe that people will consider this the number 1 hotel in Tampa. There is NO WAY that this can be true! We stayed in various hotels in Tampa in the last year and this one was by far the WORSE experience of all.

The first time we stayed at Grand Hyatt Tampa, near the airport. Wonderful, wonderful hotel, we got a great deal during the summer time.

Next time we stayed at Hyatt Place next to Busch Gardens.

Then we had to come back again for a 3rd visit in Tampa. This time we checked the reviews on tripadvisor.com and decided that we will give a chance to this hotel, Holiday Inn Express. It was the worse decision we ever made traveling to Tampa. And let me tell you why. When we arrived, they gave us a room right away. The check-in was very easy and we went up to our room right away. But when we arrived in the room, we were in shock! This is the number 1 hotel in Tampa? This must be a joke! The ceiling had a stain of rain right above my bed. There was NO CLOSET in the room, just hangers! There were stains on the carpet and the worse part of all was the beds! We were very tired so we went to bed right away. I mean we were trying to go to bed, but the beds were so hard, we couldn’t even believe it. I mean, it was like sleeping on wood with some blankets on top of it! It was that bad and I am not exaggerating. If you don’t care to sleep in a bed that is hard as a rock, then I guess this is the number 1 hotel in Tampa. Then I was trying to put my clothes in the drawers and there were stains of some black mold in the drawers. It was just a nightmare.

Yes, it is true, they give you free water when you arrive, yes they do have breakfast in the morning – but nothing to die for: bacon, bagels, cinnamon rolls, and eggs. Wrong, this hotel is not close to Bush Gardens, the Hyatt Place is. Go to mapquest.com in check it out for yourself. And about safety: the hotel is not locking the doors during the night. Other hotels are locking the front door during the night, but not this one. I don’t think that this hotel is very safe. And no ice: we had to go 2 floors down for ice; it was no ice machine on our floor. The TV that we had in the room looked like an old outdated 1980’s television. The room felt very small, we had no space to move around at all. Overall, it was a horrible experience and we will never stay there again. Do yourself a favor and stay somewhere else!

We came to the conclusion that we have to switch hotels. So we switched hotels right away and we went to the Hilton Homewood Suites in Brandon. It was like going from hell to heaven and I am not exaggerating at all.

Thanks for taking the time to read this review and I hope that I can help some people not to go through what we went through at this horrible hotel, Holiday Inn Express/New Tampa.

I served as the event coordinator for our school's 13th Annual Stingaree Jamboree. We were 143 strong and Todd Patrick and Ann Patz and their entire staff treated us as if we were traveling royalty! The rooms were magnificant, our hospitality suite was totally cleaned each evening, we were always greeted throughout the hotel by apparently very happy and helpful staff . Many of our group who have attended past Jamborees commented that just when we thought last year was the best - this year topped it. We thank each and every one of you at the Holiday Inn Express at Bruce B. Downs - look out - we may be coming back next year! On behalf of all Stingarees - thank you, thank you.

Laura Miller

We stayed three nights at this hotel, which we booked many months ago due to its convenient location for Busch Gardens and the positive reviews posted on this site. Just prior to our stay we saw the review regarding cleanliness posted in September which concerned us. So I contacted the hotel and got a personal assurance from the general manager that the issue had been caused by a plumbing problem and that all affected areas had been redecorated. During our stay we saw no problem areas at all.

When we arrived we were most impressed by the overall appearance of the place, ease of parking and convenient location of shops and dining. Also free beer, water and ice cream on arrival were most welcome.

The room was spacious, well equipped and spotlessly clean. Throughout our stay the staff were extremely pleasant and helpful. The breakfast choice is excellent and served in a very pleasant dining lounge. There are free computer / internet services, with a printer and free WiFi is available throughout the hotel.

My wife and I stay at many hotels for business at a variety of price levels. This hotel in our opinion sets the standard for hotels of this type and I only wish that HI Express hotels in the UK, which I use extensively, were are well appointed and equipped. Should we wish to stay in New Tampa again, which is likely, we would consider this hotel our first choice.

Overall highly recommended.

Having stayed in many Holiday inns I have to say this is the best service experienced in any hotel within the group to date. Free beer/water offered at check in for each member of the family, Free ice creams in the evening. Excellent twin bedded rooms, excellent free breakfast. Free internet..

Reasonable priced restaraunts and a multi screen cinema within walking distance. 20 minutes drive to Busch Gardens / Water park.

The place prides itself on it's service and has to be held as an example for other to follow.

We stayed in the 2 bedroom family suite and we really enjoyed our stay. Our room was spotless and very spacious. The room was decorated in a way that made us feel at home. All of the decorations and pictures were very tasteful, especially the old photogragh of the little boy - that was such a nice touch. And the furniture and beds were very comfortable - we slept great!

In addition to the accomodatons, the service was perfect from the second we walked in. The complimentary bottle of beer or water when we arrived was great. And the complimentary ice cream during the evenings was very nice after a hot summer day in Florida. I can't say enough about the customer service from the front desk staff. They were so friendly, nice, and helpful. They gave our kids a free toy every day and made all of us smile. They really made our stay even more enjoyable.

The hotel also has a nice pool, a fitness center, and a very good complimetary breakfast. The location of the hotel worked well for us, too. We were close to Busch Gardens and not too far from the beaches. We will stay here whenever we are in Tampa

I will admit I was a bit skeptical about reserving a Holiday Inn. I read several reviews on Tripadvisor, Yahoo and Hotels.com so I took a chance. I am so glad I did.

My family and I enjoyed our recent stay at Holiday Inn Express (Bruce B. Downs). The location is perfect for Busch Gardens, it's quiet, excellent locale for food, beverage and shopping, a movie theater directly across from the hotel we could not ask for more.

The staff is phenomenal. Everyone greets you with a smile. The free breakfast fit right into our budget. It's always nice to save on at least one family meal. By the way, the kids loved the free ice cream in the evenings.

This is our second visit to Tampa. After my first visit I promised I would never return to Tampa but after this stay in the New Tampa (off Interstate 75) we will return. My tip is DO NOT STAY anywhere off (Interstate 4). Thank you Holiday Inn, on behalf of my husband and two children, we will stay again!!!

This was our second stay at this property. We picked this Holiday Inn based solely on the reviews of Trip Advisor. Thank you to all who wrote in reviews for this property in the past two years. We had a wonderful stay as we did the first time. The heated pool was not crowded at all, it was very clean and the water was so warm.....they even kept it open a half hour after it was suppose to close so we could swim due to our late check in. We were offered complementary beers and the kids complimentary ice creams nightly. The friendly staff that was working when we were there was the same staff that was there on our first stay. They have been there since the hotel opened. Check-in was speedy. We had a nice room. The beds were very comfy and so was the bedding. The comforter was elegant and PLUSH. They even offered two labled pillows for each guest, "firm" and "soft". The breakfast is great. However the eggs needed a little help. They had something for everyone on the breakfast bar. Fruit, cereals, muffins, bagels, breads, eggs, sausage, bacon, breakfast wraps. It saves you money when you have a family of four and can eat breakfast for FREE. We got a free newspaper each morning. I also loved the free toiletress they give you. The body lotion smells like marachino cherries. The breakfast room is open all night (not to eat, just to relax). They have free computers to axcess the internet and a couch. We had full control of the t.v. while we were down there late at night. The hotel area is fantastic too. It's about a block from the highway, in a new up and coming town. There is every restaurant/eatery place you needed right around the hotel (even though the hotel is out of the way of the busy town). There is a fancy "HOLLYWOOD" style movie theater across the street that you could walk to. Overall an EXCELLENT hotel and would ONLY stay there when we vacation in Tampa!!!!!!!

Beautiful, clean hotel with Comfortable bed linens and a friendly staff.

Large, clean rooms. Fast/free internet and free parking. Front staff very friendly (free Bud Light on check in!!!). Breakfast bar good in the morning. Close to food and entertainment. Only negatives were minor and I would recommend without reservation.

We stayed at this Holiday Inn Express during our trip to Busch Gardens. This was our rescue hotel. After staying at another hotel, which I have reviewed on this site, we found a little slice of heaven.

The front desk staff was friendly and helpful, telling us about all of the hotel amenites and giving us a free bottle of water after a hot day at Busch Gardens. All of the staff were friendly and went out of their way to make our stay very pleasant.

Amenties included free continental breakfast in the morning, free ice cream in the evening, a clean heated pool and free internet service.

The hotel is in an area that is surrounded by restaurants, a movie theater, & a short drive (15 to 20 mins.) to Busch Gardens.

We were booked for four nights but unfortunately were unable to stay but two due to a malfunction in their sprinkler system which prompted us to relocate to a partner hotel down the road which was no where near as nice as their's even though it was a more expensive hotel. Their staff is the nicest, friendliest and most accomodating that I have ever encountered. The hotel is clean, the pool is very pleasant and secluded. The free breakfast is excellent. It is close to many restaurants and shopping and basically across the street from a movie theatre. Although this is all close, the hotel has a very secluded feel to it. Big Cat Rescue is about 30 minutes away and is definitely worth going to before you do anything else. It is very enjoyable. Busch Gardens is a short ten minutes away. Clearwater Beach is about a 45 minute drive.

We stayed at this hotel two nights prior to cruising out of the port of Tampa. We were welcomed by a very nice lady at the front desk who offered us a cold beverage free of charge!!! The hotel is spotless and the beds are comfortable. The pool area is very nice and breakfast is good. There are several restaurants near by off of Bruce B. Downs. I would highly recommend this hotel and would stay there again for sure.

We had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The staff was nice and welcoming, and stayed that way all through our stay. They always were ready to answer questions, give advice or help out.

We had a room downstairs, with a high ceiling, which gave it a very roomy feel. The room was very clean, the beds comfortable and the bathroom was wellkept and had great quality towels as well. We swam every day and had the pool almost to ourselves, I think mainly businesspeople stay here, although there also was a familyreunion or something going on.

The breakfast was very good to our standards, fresh fruit and different kinds of yoghurt, bagels, white and wholegrain bread, pastries, some warm items(don't know what because I don't eat warm food in the morning, sorry), milk, juicelike thingies, well, what not.

The free computers, booklending and icecreams also were a nice touch.

We only had one minor incident that was resolved VERY gracefully, so from Holland we would say thanks HI Express, we recommend this hotel and will certainly be back

Wonderful hotel! All of the public areas and rooms were in great shape and extremely clean. The breakfast was more than adequate and had hot and cold selections that varied every day. Two computers in the public area with a printer with free internet access. Books that could be borrowed and returned on the honor system- even had child friendly books, as well, as best seller types. Free parking- off the main road so the hotel is quiet. Surrounded by shopping, restaurants, gas stations, etc. Almost a straight shot to Busch Gardens, just took 15 minutes with traffic. What more can you ask for! Pool looked very nice and clean also, but we did not use it. We will definitely stay here again if we return to Tampa!

My girlfriend and I just spent for nights here. Breakfast every morning was fantastic. Wasn't exactly the same everyday which was nice. Fantastic Thai/sushi place next door ( called something like sukhothai) . Overall could not have asked for anything more. Hotwire package deal went off without a hitch. Also, free ice cream in lobby every night. Decent gym and pool which was small, outside, and heated. Great place to stay.

From the time I entered the hotel, the staff did all possible to ensure I had a wonderful stay. I was even offered a refreshment (a bottle of ice water or beer!). In addition, a complimentary ice cream treat was offered every night. Check in was very quick. The room was very clean; everything was in good working order. The bed was very luxurious. In the morning, I found the complimentary breakfast quite nice; although for those of us who can't eat eggs, a pancake or waffle option would be nice in addition to the bacon, sausage, yogurt, milk, juices, bagels, etc. A Tampa newspaper was also complimentary and delivered every morning. The service at this hotel was truly exceptional, the type you would hope to find at a Ritz-Carlton, Manderin Oriental, Peninsula, Four Seasons -type property. Everyone was friendly and a true professional. Always with a pleasant word and a smile! I was even offered a refreshment one night when I came back exceptionally tired from work. At check out, the bill was correct and with no surprises.

I wanted to make sure I wrote and told you what a great hotel this is. The customer Service was fabulous! We arrived early and were offered our rooms right away. Everyone at this hotel was helpful and courteous. It must of been hard on the staff as they were full with Lacrosse teams from all over. They handled it graciously and hats off to them all. The rooms were clean and spacious. The area was great for shopping of all kind.

I would stay here again!

The rooms were amazing. Confortable beds and spacious. But, as always what made the difference was the service. At check in there was a guy called Richie who made all the difference. Friendly, courteous, and really willing to help. The minimum things can help a lot. My kid forgot his toothbrush and they gave us one. I had 2 bedrooms and wanted to keep one till later to go to the park He gave me a deal for half price.

Wonderful experience. Vacationing/visiting Busch Gardens. Super clean motel. Pet friendly. The included breakfast surpassed my expectations. In a great neighborhood surrounded by plenty to do and just a mile or so off of I-75. Staff was very helpful. Wireless internet. Safe. Peaceful.

We were staying for 1 night after visiting friends in Zephyrhills so that we could go onto Busch Gardens the next day.

We arrived at approximately 8 pm and was greeted warmly by the receptionist and offered a free bottle of water or beer - great touch! As an InterContinental Hotels Group Priority Club member the guy was trying to offer me a free upgrade and was so apologetic that no suitable rooms were available as he stated that it was the hotels policy to offer all IHG Priority Club members an upgrade (probably depends on your member level). As it was only 1 night I wasn't bothered, but he kept apologising - so great to have a welcome like that.

The standard room was huge, with nice furnishings and a great bathroom. I have no complaints over that at all. The towels and linens appear to be a great deal better than in other Expresses I've stayed. The clerk seemed disappointed that I hadn't brought my laptop to take advantage of the free wireless internet connections! However, there are a couple of PC's available in the lounge area, complete with printing capabilities free of charge, such a change from Europe where you pay just to log in and then an high hourly rate!

The property is situated close to a great number of restuarants and the only down side was that the hotel information in the room didn't give a list of local eateries, just Bennigans.

The breakfast included in the rate is great and far superior to the Holiday Inn Expresss offering in Europe. There is great coffee, juices, cereals, eggs, bacon and assorted breads.

I would receommend this hotel without hesitation to anyone.

Excellent Hotel, very clean peaceful. Area has good restaurants, movie theatre etc. Only downside is if you are travelling to downtwon or airport I75 and I4 can be very busy during peak hours. Book through Hotwire guaranteed cheap rates.

Yes - all the positive reviews for this splendid oasis are correct. Trip Adviser is a wonderful website which I always consult when booking a hotel - especially in the US. Very often though it can be quite confusing because many hotels get a mixture of reviews saying they are fabulous interspersed with a number vowing never to stay in that particular establishment again.

When planning a short visit to Tampa - mainly for Busch and Adventure Island I was struck by the almost unanimous opinions of previous lucky souls who had stayed in this well managed, well maintained, well located value for money Hotel. So I booked. We flew from the UK via JFK - and upon arrival in Tampa were surprised the weather was dull and miserable compared with the New York sunshine. But arriving at the hotel made up for that gloom in June. The friendly features like free drinks on arrival, generous sized rooms and free ice cream were nice personal touches in corporateville USA. The chat with management over breakfast was the icing on the cake - this must be the secret of their success - and its not rocket science - listen to the customers.

The location is as described - minutes from Busch etc - though the dull weather made us abandon plans for Adventure Island and we ventured further to Lowry Zoo - another great find.

Can recommend without hesitation and will use again if we ever need a couple of nights in North Tampa.

Basically, this hotel was exactly how everyone has explained it. Our service was so good and the hotel was so accomodating that I hope I will end up staying there again sooner than later. I only wish I could have spent more time there. Me and my boyfriend went for his 22nd bday recently and it was a perfect place. We were offered a beer after walking in from a long day at Busch Gardens and we were even upgraded to the Presidential Suite! We didn't really have a clue what that meant but it sounded nice to us so we were like awesome, but when we got in it was ridiculously nice with two bedrooms, a living room, and jacuzzi tub. We were so surprised and the people there were lovely. Would definitely recommend this to practically anyone and you can't beat the price! thank you so much holiday inn express in tampa for giving us such awesome service, it will definitely be memorable =)

So I'm sat there on my second morning having breakfast when a guy comes up to me and introduces himself as the hotel's General Manager and proceeds to ask me about my experience and if there was anything at all they could do to help improve the stay for me. There wasn't but it was a nice gesture and shows that great customer service is alive and well and currently staying at the HI Express of Bruce B. Downs. Get's a thumbs up from me.

Stayed here for one night to visit Busch Gardens. Location is ideal for Busch Gardens and there are several restaurants within 5 mins of hotel. The staff here are brilliant, friendly, helpful and professional. The offer of water or beer at check in is a nice touch. Rooms are a good size and comfortable. Will definitely stay here again.

I am SO glad I checked this site when looking for a hotel in Tampa. My husband and I spent a week there, and as neither of us are interested in lying on the beach for hours, being oceanside didn't matter. What we wanted was somewhere clean, quiet and comfortable with quick access to expressways as we planned on doing a lot of the area attractions.

This hotel was ideal. It's not elegant, but it WAS very, very clean; the bed's extremely comfortable; the staff is friendly and helpful and it was QUIET. The breakfast outstripped any included buffet I've had at a hotel, including other Holiday Inn Express locations. Everything was kept replenished and clean, there was a lot of choice and the breakfast staff was wonderful.

If you want elegant surroundings and 5-star restaurants, you need to book elsewhere. If you want somewhere that will give you a peaceful, clean home base while you're sightseeing, a good breakfast, and pleasant staff, this is your place!

When I booked this hotel I noticed it was rated #1, so how could I possibly go wrong? Well, I wasn't wrong. The reveiws from fellow Tripadvisors' couldn't have been more right! This is a beautiful hotel. It's tucked in off the main highway, secluded and quiet. You get a bottle of beer or water upon check-in and a bottle of water for your departure. The rooms are clean and comfortable and though our room was just off the elevator it was still quiet. There is an "ice cream social" in the evening for guests, which is basically ice cream sandwiches and bars, but it is a nice touch. The hotel is only a few mintues from Busch Gardens and a good value. I'd recommend a stay here to anyone. You won't regret it. We were on the go, so we didn't get a chance to take in the breakfast or use the pool. But trust the positive Tripadvisor reveiews. They've been right so far.

After reading the reviews on Tripadvisor we decided to stay at this Holiday Inn Express. I have to say: it certainly lived up to the expectation! The staff is extremely friendly and accomodating.

Rooms are nice and clean. Breakfast had a good selection and in the evenings there are ice creams in the lobby for guests to enjoy. Nice touch. The value for money for this hotel is excellent: would stay there again both for leasure and business.

I stayed with a colleague on business for one night. We were offered a beer or water on check-in. The pool was lovely and very warm. Rooms were clean and well-stocked and quiet, even with a Christmas party on the premises. Did not bring a computer but was able to access free online in the breakfast room--great for a quick email check! Breakfast layout was tasty, healthy and rather lavish for a free breakfast. Staff was pleasant couteous and helpful. Hotel is about 5 miles from Busch Gardens and parking is free and plenty of it. Seems a decent area, too. Would absolutley stay here again with or without the family! Would never have thought we were at a Holiday Inn Express--definately in competiton with the higher priced chains like Marriott and MUCH cheaper!!

We stayed at this hotel for 4 nights in November 2006. We booked the hotel direct with Holiday Inn online and paid around 100USD a night for the room, with breakfast included. We found this hotel to be very good value for money. We booked a double room, this was large and comfortable with a clean spacious bathroom. There were 2 computer terminals in the breakfast room which had free internet access. There was a small pool and sunbeds at the rear of the hotel. The breakfast was basic but ample with the usual food on offer.

There were one or two small touches which you would not expect of a large chain hotel, such as free icecream on an evening and brownies on an afternoon. The staff at the hotel were excellent. They were very welcoming and went out of their way to assist you whenever they could.

The only drawback of this hotel is probably it's location. It is very near the main highway and therefore not really within walking distance to much. There are one or two chain restaurants and a cinema which are within walking distance but anything more than this requires a drive out in the car. Busch Gardens is about a 20 minute drive and Ybor City about 30-35 mins drive from the hotel.

Overall, this is a good hotel with a good location for Busch Gardens and excellent value for money.

Unfortunately we only got to stay at these superb lodgings for just one night as a stopover for Busch gardens. The proximity was ideal and the hotel is in a much nicer area than the theme park. We were made to feel so welcome the moment we walked thru the door with complimentary beer and bottled water to take to the room. The hotel itself is new and all the fixtures and fittings are in first class condition and the staff are top notch.

The morning we left we had a quick breakfast and I complimented the general manager on the quality of the hotel and professionalism of his staff, and that the hotel quite rightly deserves #1 spot on tripadvisor. I also told him that if I could uproot the whole ensemble and plant it somewhere near the southern part of international drive in Orlando it would be impossible to get a reservation there! Once again, Well recommended, especially if you want to overnight near Busch Gardens.

The hotel was well maintained and our room was clean. The staff were very friendly and courteous. They were able to accomodate our room preference exactly as we had specified which is a rarity these days. The free internet is a nice perk if you have a laptop to bring along. If not, they have a couple of computers hooked up to the web in the lounge. Free ice cream after 8pm. The "New Tampa" area is nice. Its your typical suburb so there are not any "attractions" along Bruce B Downs, however with I-75 very close by we could move around town very quickly. Busch Gardens is less than 15 mins away.

If we visit Tampa again in the future, we would definitely consider staying here again!

We booked this hotel through the Busch Gardens website as we were going to Howl - O - Scream (which btw was so much fun!) The check in staff were very nice. We all got a complimentary beer when we checked in. The rooms were very clean. Loved the x-tra pillows that are already in the room. Breakfast was decent. I had a sausage bagel and cinnamon roll. We would definately stay here again!

We spent the weekend in Tampa to visit the florida aquarium. We enjoyed our stay with holiday inn express. Each night the kids got a free toy and free ice cream. They looked forward to 8 pm each night. Our room was very clean and the bed slept great. The bathroom was clean as well. We swam in the pool both days, and it was nice and quiet. I have no complaints!

If you are like me, cleanliness is everything when staying in a hotel. This one met my expectations. The room was bright and clean. As for the bathroom, it was also clean and roomy. There was plenty of counter space for toiletries. The only exception was the tub faucet in the bathroom had a leak.

The hotel is located in the newer side of Tampa, convenient to restaurants and shops. There is a Movie Theater located a block away and our family was able to walk over with no concerns with major traffic. Busch Gardens is about 10 miles away but getting there was no problem.

The pool was fantastic warmed to just the right temperature. It is a great place to relax and beat the Florida heat.

The breakfast was decent with plenty of alternatives like muffins, fruits, eggs and bacon. Not bad for a complimentary meal.

More freebies offered: computers/internet access in the lobby, coffee, ice cream at night, local and national newspapers ...

I would highly recommend this hotel for its cleanliness, convenient location, and quiet atmosphere.

We stayed at this hotel strictly based off the reviews on tripadvisor. Since then we have seen the few recent not so nice reviews. Here is my/our families opinion:

Is it a 5 start hotel? Is it the Four Season or even a Hyatt for that matter? Answer: No.

Is it a great value for the money and the level of service they give you = absolutely!

Is it far from Busch Gardens? About 5 miles away. We liked being just a little bit away in a more quiet and safer area then right next to BG. For some a positive but for others a negative.

One recent post stated: No closet, just hangers. THE NERVE of Holiday Inn Express for not putting a door on their little closet area. You made that poor family suffer having to look at their clothes every time they walked past them :-)

The beds could be a little softer and the pillows were OK.

We would stay at this hotel again if we visited Tampa to go to Busch Gardens and/or the MOSI Museum. The value of this hotel for our family of 4 (when you include the breakfast) was great and their level of service compared to a normal Holiday Inn Express is top notch.

I have a feeling that this hotel knows about their number one rating on TripAdvisor and aims to keep it.

From the moment we arrived we were treated like welcome guests beginning with a choice of free beer or bottled water at check in.

The room was spacious and clean with a comfortable bed featuring a variety of pillows.

In the evening ice cream bars are downstairs for visitors to enjoy and the breakfast is one of the best free ones I've ever seen. There are little cheese omelets and delicious cinnamon buns.

There's also free internet downstairs.

The area has tons of restaurants and stores and Busch Gardens is about a 15 minute drive away.

I would absolute stay here again and I'm happy to recommend it!

As a female business traveler who is alone much of the time, I am very choosy about where I stay. This is the second time I have stayed at this hotel. The first time was two years ago and on both occasions I was pleased. The hotel is extremely clean, the rooms comfortable and the staff very friendly and helpful. The complimentary breakfast has many offerings. There is a large choice of restaurants and stores nearby and I felt very safe traveling alone.

I agree with the previous review ,the hotel and staff are overall very good but you do feel slightly put out by the front desk.I was waiting with a very tired toddler and my husband while the guy on reception told customers sitting in the lobby what a great hotel it was and what awards they had won for service.......ironic really !!! Fortunately just on cue my little boy started to cry and suddenly he realised we existed.To be fair he did go on to be very helpful...so just a blip.The kitchen and waiting staff are the real stars.....so child friendly and genuine.This place had a great manager, George but sadly he has gone but the new manageress has promptly e mailed me an answer to a query about a stay in 2008 so it looks like this hotel will remain on the up. Stonewood Grill nearby-----fantastic

Overall, I was very satisfied with my stay. The hotel is reasonably priced, the breakfasts are OK, the rooms are clean and a good size, and the free WiFi is accessible from your room.

Only complaints were that everytime I needed to go to the front desk, there was never anyone there. I always had to wait 5-10 minutes to be served. When checking in, I had to ask twice for them to return my credit card. And the air conditioning unit was extremely noisy.

Stayed here one night when we were visiting Busch Gardens. Hotel was lovely and the beds were very comfortable. Reception staff were very helpful and friendly. Very clean. It is out the way and took us over an hour to find. It was nice though just to go after a day at a hectic theme park.

Believe all the great reviews. The people were very friendly, everything was clean, location was pretty good.

The only thing that kept it from being excellent in my book was the bed. The bed was really uncomfortable to me, but I have a lot of back problems. My husband didn't have any trouble sleeping in it. We usually stay in more expensive hotels that have the pillow top style of bed. However, with the great reviews and a location so near to Busch Gardens, we didn't even look at the pricer places.

I think the bed is ok for normal people, but if you have back problems and need a softer bed you may be a little uncomfortable the first night.

The second night (after we walked around Busch Gardens all day) I slept ok.

Everything else is spectacular.

Hotel is very nice. Rooms are clean and comfortable.

Continental breakfast was great.

Pool is small bit very clean.

Service was exceptional.

Highly recommended if your visiting Busch Gardens.

This hotel is located right in the middle of shops, movies, resturants so if you want to just "park and walk" this is an excellent choice. Bruce B Downs, is one of the main streets in the 'new tampa' area and pretty much anything you need is in 10 min drive. The hotel is right of I-75 and is in an excellent location The hotel was clean, breakfast was good( and complimentary) , free ice cream at night and even an occasional free beer behind the desk ( but you need to ask) there was nothing wrong with this facility.. If you like a holiday inn.. If you like a 3*** hotel this is your place to stay and look no further. Most of you will really enjoy this location

If you like luxury, (and you know who you are) keep looking. Personally I prefer the Renessiance (Marriott) by the airport

We stayed at this hotel for an extended visit to Busch Gardens, this hotel is about 15-20 minute drive from the park (longer during busy traffic hours)but having stayed at hotels closer to the park this area was definitely worth the short drive. Hotel staff was exceptionally friendly! we stayed in the Jr suite with 4 adults and 2 children, it was crowded but not terrible! The free breakfast was good. There was a nice selection of items and the free ice cream at night was a perk! we received a choice of bottled water or beer on check-in which was nice as we had just spent 9 hours at the park! My only complaint was the fact that the pool is heated (even in the middle of June) it was WAY TOO HOT for us having just come out of the sun. Anyone that has been to Florida in June knows that pools need not be heated as the sun takes care of the pool temperature on its own. The room was clean and there was a small sink, microwave and coffee pot in our suite. There is a nice selection of restaurant choices in the area and Bennigans delivered to our room the first night for a small delivery charge ($5.00). There is a movie theater right across the street and several convenience stores and a Publix nearby. I would stay there again but I am hoping that they decide to turn the pool heater off for the summer!!!

My family (husband and 2 children 8 & 13) recently stayed at the Holiday Inn Express 2 nights for our trip to Busch Gardens. After 7 hours in the car we were greeted warmly by the front desk and given a cold beer (bottled water for the kids). Our room had 2 queen beds and a fold out sofa-great for separating tired kids! Beds were comfy-new linens and pillows-and the complimentary breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast, begels, fresh fruit, etc) was very good and a money saver, which was needed for the sticker shock of the additional attraction prices at Busch Gardens! Small pool perfect for cooling off. Very clean. I would definitely stay here again -the room is well in line with rooms at higher -end (priced) hotels we have stayed and was perfect for our stay.

Great family hotel - spacious and well equipped rooms. Within easy reach of Busch Gardens - we're only sorry we didn't have more time to enjoy the hotel. Staff were extremely efficient on check in, offering free beer/refreshment on arrival which was a nice touch. Only downside was our room was next to the ice machine and very noisy - but we were there only there one night so wasn't a big problem - would have asked to be moved if longer. Breakfast included which is an added bonus - not brilliant but adequate. Would definitely stay again.

Stayed 3 nights at the HI the last week of March with husband and 4 young kids. Hotel is newer, clean, with helpful friendly staff who seem to be trying hard to make everyone's stay pleasant. Complimentary beer or water was offered at check-in and each night, ice cream bars handed out each evening, and breakfast buffet was decent quality & had nice varied offerings each morning. Free in-room wireless internet & computers for use in breakfast room. Pool is not huge but very attractive & quite warm (great for us!). Location is very convenient -- surrounded by lots of family-friendly restaurants, grocery store, nice movie theater next door. Busch Gardens was only about 10-15 mins. so I would recommend it for visits there, too. Room was not truly a suite but with 2 queens plus a pull out couch, microwave & fridge it served our purposes very well. Overall we'd definitely stay here again and recommend to others -- lots of nice features for a modestly priced hotel.

This hotel definitely provides first class- five star service. The staff is superior to most hotels that I stay in. Breakfast was good. One notch above what is generally provided at other Holiday Inns. I was scared to eat the food though because my room was so dirty-- I thought maybe the kitchen would be dirty too. I stayed in mid-August just passing through Tampa and location was convenient to I-75. I was given room 312 (I believe) and it was terrible. Upon arrival, it smelled terrible. (Damp, moldy) Someone came and sprayed some freshener which did nothing to help the damp moldy smell. There were loose hairs all over the bathroom floor and tub. There was a revolting stain on the bedskirt closest to the bathroom. (dried vommit) and the desk chair had a huge stain of ??????? and I could not use it. You could not walk on the carpet without your shoes. Did I just get a bad room? I am not that picky. The entire staff was so friendly and nice. I can't believe housekeeping could be so bad. It is obvious that housekeeping is lacking-- as these things could not have gone un-noticed. I was planning on staying 3 nights, but left after 1. I will add pictures of the filth.

Dear Valued Guest:

First of all, thank you for your very kind words about our staff. They work so hard everyday to provide the type of service that you described. So, when we read in your review that "This hotel definitely provides first class- five star service", it was truly music to our ears. It made us all feel soooo good!!.

However, when we read about the situation in your room, our hearts sank! The items you mentioned are completely unacceptable to us and we feel terribly. Unfortunately, our hotel suffered a burst pipe a few days prior to your stay. That resulted in flooding on all of the floors of the hotel. Our staff literally worked around the clock to deal with that unfortunate situation. The stains and odors in your room were the result of this flooding. While every room in the affected areas of the hotel were supposed to have been set in our computers as "out-of-order" (not open to rent), your room obviously "slipped through the cracks". It was a terrible oversight on our part and we feel very badly. Just a few days after your stay your room was thoroughly treated to address all of the items you mentioned.

Based on your your very positive experience with our staff, we hope that you will give us another chance to make good on our promise of spotless accommodations. So please give me a call at the hotel so I can arrange for a free multi-day stay the next time you are in town or if you prefer a refund of your recent stay.

Best Regards,

Kathy Z.

General Manager

(on behalf of our entire staff)

I am writing about my experience with this hotel. I cannot believe that people will consider this the number 1 hotel in Tampa. There is NO WAY that this can be true! We stayed in various hotels in Tampa in the last year and this one was by far the WORSE experience of all.

The first time we stayed at Grand Hyatt Tampa, near the airport. Wonderful, wonderful hotel, we got a great deal during the summer time.

Next time we stayed at Hyatt Place next to Busch Gardens.

Then we had to come back again for a 3rd visit in Tampa. This time we checked the reviews on tripadvisor.com and decided that we will give a chance to this hotel, Holiday Inn Express. It was the worse decision we ever made traveling to Tampa. And let me tell you why. When we arrived, they gave us a room right away. The check-in was very easy and we went up to our room right away. But when we arrived in the room, we were in shock! This is the number 1 hotel in Tampa? This must be a joke! The ceiling had a stain of rain right above my bed. There was NO CLOSET in the room, just hangers! There were stains on the carpet and the worse part of all was the beds! We were very tired so we went to bed right away. I mean we were trying to go to bed, but the beds were so hard, we couldn’t even believe it. I mean, it was like sleeping on wood with some blankets on top of it! It was that bad and I am not exaggerating. If you don’t care to sleep in a bed that is hard as a rock, then I guess this is the number 1 hotel in Tampa. Then I was trying to put my clothes in the drawers and there were stains of some black mold in the drawers. It was just a nightmare.

Yes, it is true, they give you free water when you arrive, yes they do have breakfast in the morning – but nothing to die for: bacon, bagels, cinnamon rolls, and eggs. Wrong, this hotel is not close to Bush Gardens, the Hyatt Place is. Go to mapquest.com in check it out for yourself. And about safety: the hotel is not locking the doors during the night. Other hotels are locking the front door during the night, but not this one. I don’t think that this hotel is very safe. And no ice: we had to go 2 floors down for ice; it was no ice machine on our floor. The TV that we had in the room looked like an old outdated 1980’s television. The room felt very small, we had no space to move around at all. Overall, it was a horrible experience and we will never stay there again. Do yourself a favor and stay somewhere else!

We came to the conclusion that we have to switch hotels. So we switched hotels right away and we went to the Hilton Homewood Suites in Brandon. It was like going from hell to heaven and I am not exaggerating at all.

Thanks for taking the time to read this review and I hope that I can help some people not to go through what we went through at this horrible hotel, Holiday Inn Express/New Tampa.