Looking for a pre-cruise hotel in Tampa? Good for you! Tampa is such an easy port to cruise from and you’ll get the amazing Skyway Bridge experience! There are many great choices but we recently stayed at the Holiday Inn Westshore and it has a lot to offer.
If you are in the IHG loyalty family the Holiday Inn Westshore should be on your shortlist of pre-cruise hotel options for Tampa.
The Key to any great pre-cruise hotel is Convenience
First, the location is quite convenient. It’s a quick shuttle ride from the airport (approximately 5 minutes). Additionally, there are several conveniences close by.
If you’ve packed carry-on only and want to pick up toiletries, sunscreen, or even a couple of bottles of wine, there are options nearby. Directly across the road from the hotel is a 24-hour convenience store with a Subway sandwich shop inside. There is also a Publix nearby as well.
The Holiday Inn Westshore is also conveniently located between two shopping malls. During our visit, we met a local friend for dinner at one International Plaza. It was a very popular place even on a Wednesday evening and draws a large crowd on weekends. However, if high-end shopping and great restaurants are your things, definitely head to International Plaza. If you have nice weather and are up for a walk, it’s only about a mile or so from the hotel.
Hotel Shuttle Service – BONUS
The hotel shuttle service was a wonderful surprise. While we are frequent Uber users, we opted for the free airport to hotel shuttle service. Once we arrived at the hotel and checked in, I asked for directions to International Plaza and they offered to shuttle us there! This was a huge win because it was rush hour and the Uber fee was going to be $28 (to go approx. 1-1.5 miles!).
When he dropped us off, he said, “Just call and I’ll come back and get you”. The next morning, it was pouring and the shuttle driver took us down the block to First Watch for a nice breakfast. Even though we tipped each time, the cost didn’t come close to what it would have been for Uber.
Additional Conveniences
The hotel lobby featured a bar area with plenty of seating. There was also a little snack nook where guests could purchase drinks and snacks. The hotel also offered the usual expected amenities such as a pool and fitness center. The website also mentions a laundry facility although I did not see that during our short visit. I remember days of traveling with little ones when an on-site laundry room would have come in VERY handy!
Any Cons to our Pre-Cruise Hotel in Tampa?
Our only negative about this experience was the lack of available coffee, etc. early in the morning. Our room did have a Keurig machine but there wasn’t coffee readily available in the lobby like at many hotels. My husband gets up very early to get in a couple of hours of work before we set sail. He usually goes to the lobby to work so that I can sleep in. (He’s a keeper!) Typically if we stay in the IHG brand we select a Holiday Inn Express location that offers complimentary breakfast and always has coffee available in the lobby. This is a very minor “complaint” and did not take away from our experience. Instead, we took the opportunity to go down the block and have a wonderful breakfast experience at First Watch. Their avocado toast is so good!
I will also mention that there are a few “gentlemen’s clubs” on this block. There aren’t any large billboards or anything inappropriate street-facing. In fact, if you didn’t read the name on the building you likely wouldn’t even notice.
Price
If you’ve been a loyal reader of my blog you know that I almost always book pre-cruise hotels with points earned from travel reward credit cards. This visit was no different. When compared to the price (or quantity of points) per night, an airport location was much more affordable than a hotel located in downtown Tampa. Depending on the time of year and day of the week, this hotel was approximately 25% less than its downtown alternatives. So, it was definitely the right choice for us!
Worrier’s Guide:
- Yes, kids, there’s a pool!
- Nice and clean with a friendly staff
- Hotel shuttle service for the win!
There you have it, cruise friends! My pick for a great pre-cruise hotel in Tampa.
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