Towneplace Suites Tampa

We stayed in 4 different Hamptons all over Tampa area in Oct. and this one was the best of them. It looks hard to get to but is pretty easy once we figured it out. We tried one in Clearwater that was difficult to get to from the major highway--service roads were complicated. One in St. Pete was supposed to be close to a lot but was close to nothing much.

We are Hilton/Hampton Honors members and we qualify for upgrades and we got a suite which was perfect. None of the issues we generally find when traveling. Breakfast service was the best we've had at a Hampton. A free cookout one night saved us a dinner expense.

On a visit at the beginning of our trip, we stayed here but were not offered the upgrade. I will agree with another reviewer that in the regular halls, doors are easy to slam and can be heard down the hall.

We had terrible luck at the Bearrs Quality Inn, we liked the other Hamptons OK, but will definitely return to this one--and the price was the best of those where we stayed.

My family stayed at this property for one night on the way to the beach. The room was clean & the beds were very comfortable. My teens utilized the free internet & my younger children had a great time at the pool. We had pizza & wings delivered to the room & the fridge was great for left over's. There is a Dunkin' Donuts very close for breakfast. The hotel is located in a nice area & is convenient to get back on the interstate. I will definitely stay here again.

I just got back from a youth group trip to tampa and had the best stay at this wonderful hotel. The office is a small reception area just by the pool with free computer use and free coffee. Check in was easy and fast! I had a studio and had gotten the kids all two bedroom suites. I would never spend lots of money again on a non-suite hotel with just two beds. These rooms had full kitchens and office space to do work. All rooms looked brand new and there is NO SMOKING on the property so the room smelled fresh! The Two bedrooms were HUGE, I do like the Residence Inn when traveling with a large group because they offer two bathrooms, but since we were only there for one night, it was not a big deal. They do need to start offering breakfast though, this is the norm now days and they do not have it yet. I would stay here again in the future!

I am a single male, mid 30s and Tampa local that needed "bridge" housing for about 45 days. I unexpectedly sold my house very quickly at the end of May'06, but my new townhouse was not going to be ready until mid-July. Marriott TownePlace came to my rescue at a very competitive price.

My "home" for a couple months was on the 3rd floor facing the conservation area to the west-very quiet and private. My suite, as well as the rest of the hotel infrastructure and exterior areas, are uncommonly clean, well maintained, freshly painted and repaired. It's tough to find any wear and tear, which is common in properties over 10 years old. It's possible they recently remodeled, but I'm unsure. TownePlace easily passes my "smell" test. The cleanest, well maintained properties have barely a scent in the rooms, hallways, workout room, lobby, etc. No musty odors or mold; and no heavy use of bleach or rose-scented cleaners to cover up bad things. Maintenance and housekeeping work hard to carry out the "Marriott way." Any issues I had were addressed minutes by the front desk or by Abel, the hotel manager.

Given a long-term rate of $69/night, the room amenities and services fall squarely into the average necessities category, which I fully expected. The suites are smaller than most (ok), but have everything you'd most likely need. Dishwasher, fridge, freezer, microwave, stove-top oven, limited cabinet space, 19" TV w/ 70+ cable channels, free in-room internet access, decent bedding, desk and adequate closet space. The best thing...everything functions properly, is not falling apart and does not make a whirling or screeching sound that would keep you up half the night.

The location could be a drawback to those without a vehicle and/or unwilling to drive 5-6 miles each way to the nearest grocery store or restaurants in Temple Terrace/Fowler Avenue or up I-75 to New Tampa/Bruce B Downs. TownePlace is sequestered behind the Residence Inn in Telecom Corporate Park, across from Hidden River Corporate Center. Also, it's very quiet on weekends, easy accessible to I-75, crime-free area, Lettuce Lake Park is across the street. Hillsborough River canoeing and Flatwoods State Park w/ an 11 mile loop for running, rollerblading and biking is 2 miles east on Fletcher.

A final disclaimer: I am a Marriott Rewards, as well as a Hilton Honors points member, and average 30-40 stays a year through work. I tend to find Marriott properties to be cleaner with friendlier service on average than other chains in the same hotel class. My Marriott views may reflect a positive bias, but I strive to be blunt in my reviews.

Finally, the hotel seems to be have an ample supply of rooms, especially on weekends, given it's location in a business district. I think other hotels in the area (Courtyard & Hampton Inn) benefit from being highly visible from busy Fletcher Ave and always look full. Perhaps their rates reflects this too.

Happy Travels,

Scott

We booked a two bedroom suite for our family of 6 to visit Busch Gardens Africa for 3 nights. This hotel was not in bad location since it was only a few miles away (note not within walking distance).

The two bedroom suite was very large, provided TVs in all rooms, was clean, and the beds were comfortable. The kitchenette provided us to save some money by not eating out. We cooked all our meals.

Some of the negatives was that some of the kitchen chairs were a little bit on the worn down side -- in fact there was one that I did not trust to sit in. More towels, soap, and dishwashing liquid could also be provided. I had to ask the front desk. In the kitchen area the walls were really thin as on night 2 we could hear the people next door.

For Florida, this hotel's pool is OK but definately not elegant (a view of the parking lot). Grounds are OK.

While not elegant, overall this worked out perfectly for us! We would definately stay here again because it provided lots of space and kitchen facilities. It also allows pets which was convenient since we had our dog with us!

Our favorite Marriot is the Residence Inn at SeaWorld this one but this one isn't bad at all.

Stayed here for about a week with 2 rooms. Father was having surgery at the nearby V.A. hospital. Staff is ok although they lack the basic knowledge of the area and even lacked knowledge about special rates for v.a. patients and their families.

Pros: Stay on the Third Floor near the elevator. Anywhere else it's noisy with the people above or walking down the inside hallway.

Cons: Television is smaller than normal. AC in these hotels have a tendency to lock up. Meaning that during an unusually warm day having the AC on it locked up and sparked from the electrical outlet. The maintenance issue was immediately addressed.

Bathtubs are very slippery, almost like they put teflon or something slick in the cleaning solution but I doubt it. But still the bathtubs are dangerously slippery.

Advised hotel management company of the issues and they seemed to be willing to immediately address my concerns.

Coming back to the V.A. or North Tampa I would recommend this hotel to others, although the Marriott Website doesn't always seem to get the best rates so try a quick call during the day to get the best rate.

When you book a Marriot property there are no surprises. This Town Place Suites is consistant with all others.

Remember no breakfast but isn't that what the kitchen is for?

Nice small outside pool, very small exercise area. Laundry area. Quiet property next to the Residence Inn. Just a few miles from USF yet away from the crouds.

Thin walls mean every door that shuts on your floor will be heard in your room. If your neighbor has their TV on, you will hear it. Somebody walks down the hall you'll hear that too. Front office staff did not know how to add my Marriott Rewards number to my reservation. Unresponsive to complaints.

On the outside, the hotel looks great. There are a lot of trees and the grounds are kept up nicely. The inside of the hotel is another story. One of the buildings which contains smoking rooms reeks strongly from cigarette smoke. The hallway smells like a cheap niteclub. This very strong odor is bad outside of the non-smoking rooms.

Another problem we had was (someone else's) hair on the bathroom floor - more than enough to gross you out. And finally, the sheets on the pull out couch had not been changed out.