The Best of Tampa Bay

I stayed at the Marriott Waterside Hotel from May 14 - 19, 2004. Once again, the hotel and its staff exceeded expectations!!! I was there during Game 5 of the NHL Eastern Conference Finals. There were many Philadelphia Fans staying at the hotel because of its close proximity to the St. Pete Times Forum. The atmosphere in the hotel was electric both before and after the game!! One of the other advantages of staying at this hotel is its location and view of Harbour Island (one of Tampa Bay's most exclusive communities). I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone wishing to experience the best of Tampa Bay.

Rude Clerk/Gift Shop

The clerk in the gift shop was sooooooo rude! There was really no reason for this. Also, she yelled at my kids and watched us like a hawk. I hope that she wasn't prejudice. It was so hot in the gift shop that my feet swelled. The lobby was pretty, but it was also very hot. The halls were steaming. I don't think that the air conditioning system is up to snuff. So much for customer service. Don't expect it here at this very impersonal hotel. I don't think that they are looking for repeat business. The pool area is small for such a big hotel and it is overcrowded. This downtown location is dead. I am a silver marriott rewards member and always try to stay with Marriott, but this was truly a disappointment. Note to Marriott: fire that lady in the gift shop. She does not have the "Marriott spirit."

Nice business hotel

I stayed at the Marriott Waterside for a business trip in March 2004.

The hotel is very clean and the lobby is impressive. The staff at the front desk were friendly and helpful, with a quick check-in. My only real complaint, is the location of the hotel. It is great for people on business and close to the convention center. But, there is not much to do around the hotel. It is secluded from downtown and the restaurant selection was slim. The hotel is on the river walk and you can walk to Channelside in about 5-10 mins. Channelside has a movie theater and some restaurants (most were closed). The best food around was at Champ's, the bar/grill in the hotel. I would not return to the Marriott Waterside for vacation and would not recommend it to anyone looking for a vacation spot, especially people with children.

Worth Considering

I wanted a quick escape to Florida for the good weather and tried the first night (late) at this hotel since the rates were quite low and the reviews were good enough. Since it is business-oriented, if you get a rate off business-peak (as I did), you can get a great deal. I got a high floor, balcony room with view of marina and channel at a rate comparable to a cheap hotel. It is a beautiful hotel and located in a nice area near town and the attractions. Good for walking and lounging.

I stayed an extra night and came back a third night since it was such a good deal.

Genuine Hospitality

Physically the hotel is just what one would expect of a business hotel of this class - not more not less. The lobby has lots of space and lots of marble and is pretty cold. The rooms are comfortable and average-sized, nothing particularly fancy - but there's nothing wrong.

The staff is great. Every contact with a hotel employee was friendly and left me convinced that he or she genuinely cared about my comfort.

The people I was meeting with are all complainers - and they unanimously agreed my experience. We ran a couple of events and were equally impressed and delighted by the banquet staff.

Great Location Not Great Service

Let me start by stating that I am a loyal Marriott and Ritz Carlton guest. However, this Marriott had some issues. The hotel is new, so there are no problems with the building and the location is great for the convention center, St. Pete Forum or Channelside.

Check-in was a nightmare, it took 2 people 15 minutes to figure out what was going on. I was on a breakfast package and I asked the employee checking me in if I needed a certificate. After some blank stares, he found the certificates, which I had to go back downstars to pick up, then they were not the correct certificates. Finally, they brought the correct ones to my room. This is the ONLY full service Marriott that did NOT have an inroom mini-bar.

The bathrooms are small and oddly designed, you cannot call for your car and have it waiitng, I have never had this issue either?? Room services was slow and made a mistake on my order. They also nickle and dime for every little item. Belgium Waffles come with fruit and whipped cream at every hotel I have stayed. Not here, you have to ask for them, then they charge you.

The rooms are bland, I would only stay here if you had an event and wanted to be close to the Forum or Convention Center..The Hyatt is also close, dated but better service.

Disappointed

I was referred to Tampa Marriott - Waterside. I had an appointed the next day at Moffit Clinic. My family and I wanted to spend the day and night in Tampa since my parents came in from Ohio and I live in Venice, so we chose the Tampa Marriott - Waterside. Tampa Marriott - Waterside did Valet my car but they lost my main car keys :( Fortunately, I did bring my extra set of car keys and made my apointment. However, I am disappointed in how Tampa Marriott Waterside handle my car and losing my main car keys. My Fiance' had to drive around at 6am with the night valet looking for my car and it was not parked in the spot it was suppose to be. My car was only pulled into a spot halfway parked and left, my car was not even locked. I am very disappointed with them losing my keys at Tampa Marriott Waterside. The hotel is beautiful but I suggest you do not Valet your car, or if you do, bring an extra set and check on your car throughout the day and evening.

Great views; mediocre spa.

I took my wife and daughter to the Marriott Waterside for Mother's Day weekend (we had some certificates for free nights.) The hotel is beautiful; rooms were larger than usual, clean and attractive. We had a corner room on the 20th floor with a balcony, and a stunning view of the south and east (overlooking the ships and Tampa Bay, and the new developments on Harbour Island).The lobby area is an open, nicely decorated and comfortable three story atrium; you can get to any of the five restaurants on the premises from there, as well as the little shop where you can pick up any essentials you might need. There is also a Starbucks stand, and a lobby bar with televisions.The pool is on the third floor; there was a reggae guitar player next to the pool bar, with lots of families enjoying the water. The hotel seems to do a brisk wedding/convention business; when we arrived at 6:00 p.m. on Friday there was a mad rush to get into the hotel, which was handled efficiently by the valets and bell staff. Champions Sports Bar has great atmosphere and chicken wings, but the draft beer wasn't cold enough and the grouper sandwich was small and not very tasty. Room service was fast, reasonably priced, and well prepared; breakfast buffet ($11.95) was first class, with everything you could ask for, including smoked salmon. There's also a fun indoor/outdoor restaurant and nightclub called Jacks, just over the bridge at the Harbour Island Wyndham. It's a leisurely stroll over a landscaped bridge with sidewalks; no problem to get to at all. They seem to specialize in Italian food, but their sushi was pretty good too. My wife had a massage and facial at the spa, which she said wasn't remarkable; the masseuse needed to clip her fingernails, and there wasn't much attention to detail. It's easy to get the feel that the hotel was built by cramming a big building into a small space; everything seems to be a big close together; that being said, the design is quite artful. It's on the water, with plenty of well maintained dock spaceause the pool was cool and inviting, and there is a big park area with a playground just to the east, right next to the St. Pete Times Forum (where the local hockey and arena football teams play).The hotel is also within easy walking distance of Channelside, the shopping/dining/nightlife area next to where the cruise ships embark, and there is also a stop just outside the hotel for the local trolley which will take you to Ybor City.In what I consider to be very slim pickings for luxury accommodations in the Tampa area, the Marriott Waterside is an excellent addition. There's room for improvement, but all in all we'd definitely stay there again.

Beautiful Hotel, excellent service

Excellent hotel close to business district, cruise terminal, and next to the convention centre. Very friendly staff, excellent breakfirst buffet at a bargain price. If you are there for pleasure and Busch garden is on your agenda, make sure you look the Busch Garden package.

Excellent Marina

Tampa Marriott Waterside is an excellent destination for boaters. As a boater, you are registered as a hotel patron and have the benefit of all services. The dockmaster is extremely helpful and accommodating. The hotel, new in October has excellent ammenities and is only minutes by tolley from Ybor City - Tampa's Latino District, the aquarium and many other sites. Highly recommend.