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Hotel suggestions for Tampa

lambcom

By lambcom,
in Florida Departures

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rebeccajo68

rebeccajo68

Posted
Posted

I haven't had any luck on priceline and so I'm still at Doubletree at $139. It sounds wonderful but I feel awful spending that much for one night. I told them that I work for the state here in Tennessee but they said Gov't rate was only if you worked for the government in Florida.

 

Any suggestions?

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nikerunner4fun

nikerunner4fun

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Hello,

 

We just returned from our cruise aboard the Legend of the Seas. We flew in and out of Tampa. We stayed at the Holiday Inn- Rocky Point Island and LOVED it! We called from the airport to let them know that we had arrived, they sent a shuttle within 15 minutes. While we arrived early (12:30pm) we were allowed to store our luggage in a locked room until the rooms were available. There is an awesome restaurant right next store (Bahama Breeze). We went for lunch and when we returned our rooms were ready. The hotel was clean, the pool was nice, a nice view of the bay, and the service was great. They also had a wonderful complementary continental breakfast in the morning. We took a shuttle (The Blue One) for $10 per person to the port- 9 miles away. We would definitely stay here again! We stayed at the Best Western last year and HATED it.

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signman

signman

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The only zone with 4 stars is Airport-Westshore. So all other zones offer free rebids. Start bidding at $70 and up the bid by $5 for each re-bid. Do not change stars.

 

Then if no luck, start a completely new bid at the 3 star level for Westshore, at $70. You have only 2 rebids here, by adding Brandon and North. You can add Downtown as a final rebid, if you don't mind staying there if your final bid is accepted.

 

Good luck.

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airlink diva

airlink diva

Posted
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Hello,

 

We just returned from our cruise aboard the Legend of the Seas. We flew in and out of Tampa. We stayed at the Holiday Inn- Rocky Point Island and LOVED it! We called from the airport to let them know that we had arrived, they sent a shuttle within 15 minutes. While we arrived early (12:30pm) we were allowed to store our luggage in a locked room until the rooms were available. There is an awesome restaurant right next store (Bahama Breeze). We went for lunch and when we returned our rooms were ready. The hotel was clean, the pool was nice, a nice view of the bay, and the service was great. They also had a wonderful complementary continental breakfast in the morning. We took a shuttle (The Blue One) for $10 per person to the port- 9 miles away. We would definitely stay here again! We stayed at the Best Western last year and HATED it.

Thanks for the great review!! I'm booked at this hotel at the end of April!!

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RoperDK

RoperDK

Posted
Posted

We will be in Tampa during the last week of stone crab season. We're hoping to have some of those tasty crab claws as they are our favorite. We are staying on Rocky Point. Can you recommend a restaurant(s) in that area that will have FRESH stone crabs and will I have to take out a loan to afford them? Thanks in advance!

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rebeccajo68

rebeccajo68

Posted
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The only zone with 4 stars is Airport-Westshore. So all other zones offer free rebids. Start bidding at $70 and up the bid by $5 for each re-bid. Do not change stars.

Then if no luck, start a completely new bid at the 3 star level for Westshore, at $70. You have only 2 rebids here, by adding Brandon and North. You can add Downtown as a final rebid, if you don't mind staying there if your final bid is accepted.

Good luck.

SOOOOOOOOOOOO

I thought (from the posts on this board) we shouldn't bid on anything except airport/westshore and downtown??? So I bid 4 stars Westshore for $70, then the re-bids are on the different zones? So next I'd choose downtown and bid $75. The next pick another zone and bid $80 and so forth.
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signman

signman

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By george I think she's got it.


Select 4 stars, Airport Westshore zone, opening bid $70
2) Add Brandon, bid $75 DO NOT CHANGE STAR LEVEL FOR ANY RE-BID
3) Add Busch, bid $80
4) Add Tampa East, bid $85
5) Add Tampa North, bid $90
6) Add Downtown, bid $95

You can increase prices however you want, it doesn't have to be by $5, but since you have a backup at 139, it just doesn't make sense to go higher than $110 or so.

Now if no luck bidding 4 stars, exit out of PL, then start all over only now select 3 stars, Westshore, and start bidding all over again at whatever price you want. Only now you only have rebids in Brandon and North zones. That means there are no 3 star properties offered in those zones, so even if you bid thoses zones, PL can only match you with a 3 star coming from the Westshore zone. Downtown DOES have 3 stars, so only add this zone if you don't mind a possible match in this zone. You can make it your first rebid, or last.
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LHP

LHP

Posted
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Yes, I read every post. (and now I am truly exhausted)

Since we are using points, we will probably be staying at the Embassy Suites Westshore and renting a car. However, I read one post that said the ES is opening a new hotel in the Channelshore Dr area, but they aren't taking reservations until August 2006. We are sailing on the Miracle on October 8th.

I think what I will do is make my reservation for the ES Westshore and then if we can get a room for points at the new ES (Channelshore) I will swap it at that time.

The only reason for changing would be because I would love to stay in the Waterfront area and we don't have enough points for the Marriott.

My only concern is the ability to have access to a grocery and liquor store (without the use a rental car) in the Waterfront area. Because if we stay in the Waterfront area, we would not rent a car.

Thanks again....Ken (and others)...for all the great info!!
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Cracker Ken

Cracker Ken

Posted
Posted
[B]LHP[/B] - Gosh!! If you made through all of this, you should be exhausted for sure. If you remember all of that, you now know just about as much about Tampa as I do. Embassy Suites Westshore is fine, but that one downtown will be the newest thing around when it opens. It's across the street from the Marriott Waterside Hotel, and next to the street car station. A block from the Riverwalk. There is a Publix (nice supermarket), not very far away from where the Embassy Suites will be downtown. It's a short cab ride away. Maybe a little far for walking, but a cheap taxi ride. It's just the other side of the Hillsborough River on Cass St around the intersection with Bayshore Blvd.(I think). Publix is a nice, full service super market, one of the best chains in the SE USA.

Ken
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jessemon

jessemon

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Posted
[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Red"]Hey LHP,
I checked their site a few days ago and they are taking reservations it appears it just won't be open til August. Just go to their site pull up that hotel and click on reservations. I almost sure I'm right. Both areas are nice...but if I did'nt live here in Tampa that is where I would want to stay.
When we sail out of Ft. Lauderdale we always stay at Pier 66. We like to stay by the port and water also. Lots of things to do in that area, like Ken said.

Hey Ken,
Nice to see your back. I had a question for you. Which cruise did you say you were taking in the fall? Was it the "Veendam" or the "Zenith"? What was the date? Got that CRS disease.:eek:
Jeff[/COLOR][/FONT]
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elleusion

elleusion

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Posted
[B][COLOR=darkgreen]Ok after reading and researching I think I have it narrowed down to 3. Any input would make my decision ALOT easier as I've been reading and researching for 2 days straight.<A lil anal sometimes lol>[/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#006400]Chase Suites-because of pool and spa and breakfast[/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#006400]Embassy Suites[/COLOR][/B]-[B][COLOR=#006400]pool and breakfast[/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#006400]Sailport-looks pretty[/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#006400]and that is the order in which I am considering for a quick 1 night before the cruise.[/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#006400]From what I can tell they all will pick us up at the airport<arrive at 12:30> enough time to enjoy a couple hours of the Sunshine States Sun. I have heard alot about either "taxis or this "blue shuttle"service to use to get to the pier, which I believe is around $20.00. Also, in-laws are picking us up. We have YET to determine if we should go back to the airport or just have them pick us up at the pier<how easy is it to be picked up there?> Phew..........[/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#006400]My eyes ache and I am in need of a "foo foo drink"[/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#006400]34 days and counting..........:) [/COLOR][/B]
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Cracker Ken

Cracker Ken

Posted
Posted
[B]Jessemon[/B] - We are doing the Zenith, 11/3 or 11/5/06, 14 day, out of Tampa. I love long cruises, and I also like driving to the port in about 40 minutes. We went on Horizon last year to Bermuda. Those ships are quite adequate, though certainly not as nice as the ships these days.

We leave in two weeks on the Century for a trans-Atlantic from Ft L'dale to Barcelona. It's the last cruise before they refit the Century with balconies and other up-to-date stuff. Before we leave, I'd love to get hypnosis, and be able to 100% forget about work.:) I try hard, but sometimes those thoughts creep into our minds.:rolleyes:

Ken
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jessemon

jessemon

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[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Red"]Hey Ken,
I thought it was the "Zenith". We are doing her for 11 days at Christmas. I agree that she is an adequate ship. Newer ones are a little more glitzy and larger. But I for one still like the smaller ships. Even if they are a little older. They even have real wood paneling on them. I like the workmanship in the public rooms. The newer ships use alot of man made products in the construction anymore.
Take alot of pics of the "Century" before they redo her. I made the mistake of not taking enough pics of the "Horizon" two years ago before they put her out to pasture. We did her at Christmas too.
Jeff
Ps: 12 minute drive to the port....for us....:p [/COLOR][/FONT]
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Cracker Ken

Cracker Ken

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Jeff - Did you catch the pic I took of Horizon after she was put out to pasture? If not, it's attached. I took quite a few pics of Century last time, and they are up on my Yahoo photo page. I've got some pics of Horizon and Zenith in my Bermuda album. I'm sure to have a lot more pics of Century when I come back from the cruise. Lately, I've been working on several albums of US Natl Pk photos. I should have them done in a couple of weeks. You gotta check them out when I'm done. Lots of nice pics there (Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, and more).

NOTE: I see that the attachment didn't work. I tried to insert an image with a URL, and that didn't work. So, look in my album of Carnival Liberty pics and you'll see the former Horizon.

Ken
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rebeccajo68

rebeccajo68

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I decided to try another hotel because I had a bad feeling about Doubletree. I got the same $139 rate at Renaissance which I think (tell me Ken) I'll like better than Doubletree. I'm still trying priceline....but even today I got turned down after going all the way to $100. I'm renting a car and the car rental place will take me and pick me up at the port so I guess paying $139 without having to pay for a shuttle is ok.
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