Tampa-Hyatt Regency Downtown-???

I will be here pre cruise 12/11/05-Pre cruise on the Splendour-to anyone who has stayed here in the past please help me out.

Can you walk to Y-bor?

Is there a car rental drop-off close by?

Thanks Harry

I will be here pre cruise 12/11/05-Pre cruise on the Splendour-to anyone who has stayed here in the past please help me out.

 

Can you walk to Y-bor?

Is there a car rental drop-off close by?

 

Thanks Harry

I've stayed at the Hyatt a few times even though I live close by. It is a nice hotel, kind of what I refer to as a convention hotel. Don't know anything about car rental drop-offs. As far as walking to Ybor I would guess it to be 1.5-2 miles thru a not so great area, definately wouldn't consider it at night. I heard somewhere that the hotel had started offering shuttles to Ybor, if so this is new. Otherwise a taxi wouldn't be that much, or you could walk the 4-5 blocks to the Marriott Waterside and catch the trolley($1.25?pp ea.way) to Ybor. The Channelside entertainment area would be a moderate walk(7-8 blocks) from the Hyatt and you can catch the trolley from there also. Ybor has been attracting a very young crowd, often times in large groups and can be intimidating. There is a new law in effect keeping youths out of Ybor after 11pm on weekends hopefully that will make it better.

I just stayed at the Hyatt Regency Downtown at Thanksgiving -- both pre- and post-cruise (3 nights total). Both my travel bud and myself thought it was one of the best hotels that we had stayed in -- and she is pretty picky. It is in the financial district. I can't answer the question about car rental, but the concierge was the most helpful I have ever had. We got great restaurant referrals, how to get to Nordstroms, a Western Union office, etc. They had an answer for everything. The restaurant was very good for dinner (try the deep fried strawberries for dessert), and okay for breakfast. The beds were wonderful!!! Only complaint that we had was that they tended to over-deodorized the rooms.

The hotel is on the up-down connector line which is free in that area, which will connect you to the trolley line that can take you to Channelside and Ybor City. The trolley was $3 for an all day pass. If you taxi to Ybor, which you should, it is $3/pp from the hotel. We ate at the Columbia Restaurant and it was fabulous. My suggestion is that you make reservations however so that you can seat in the main part of the restaurant to watch the entertainment.

Overall, I would without question stay there again.

Lav

Lav and mdc-thanks for your replies-Sounds like I will enjoy this Hotel and I should not need a rental car to get a ride. Do you know the Cab Fare to the port-Or parking costs-Thanks in advance Harry

Lav and mdc-thanks for your replies-Sounds like I will enjoy this Hotel and I should not need a rental car to get a ride. Do you know the Cab Fare to the port-Or parking costs-Thanks in advance Harry

The port is right at Channelside so it is only a few blocks, a taxi should be less than $5. Valet parking at the Hyatt is $12. per day. There is a city garage around the corner and I think it is $7-8. day. Parking at the port is $10 per day. I would probably go without a car unless you wanted to make farther trips (like to the beach or Busch Gardens).

I think I am going carless-my son attends Tampa University so he can drive us some places-but he works at the cruise terminal so he will not be able to take us to the ship-so we will catch a cab- Harry