New Review – Marriott Tampa Westshore Hotel, Florida

During my recent trip to Tampa, I stayed at another property from the Marriott chain – as always, booked via the official Marriott website with cashback.
(How the cashback process works you will find under Guides)

One clear advantage right up front:
✅ Free parking!
Not a given in Tampa, where many hotels charge extra fees for this.

🛎️ Check-In – Needs Improvement

Unfortunately, the check-in experience was slow and unwelcoming. Despite no other guests being present, the front desk staff seemed more preoccupied with themselves than with me as a guest.
Not a major issue – but definitely not a great first impression.

💼 Business Center:
A small but practical area for printing and quick tasks – helpful for business travelers.

🛏️ Room – Spacious, but with Flaws

According to the front desk, I received a corner room upgrade – which sounds great, but unfortunately, the cleanliness wasn’t up to Marriott standards.
There were visible signs of the previous guest (hair, dust, etc.), which shouldn’t happen at this level.

📞 I called the front desk, and to their credit, the room was cleaned quickly.
As a goodwill gesture, a bottle of Prosecco was delivered to the room – a thoughtful touch.

Room Features:

❌ No complimentary bottled water in the room – available at reception on request:

✅ Large, comfortable king-size bed

✅ Big flat-screen TV & armchair

✅ Well-designed work area with plenty of outlets

✅ Coffee maker (decent coffee by US standards)

✅ Closet with bathrobe, ironing board & safe

🛁 Bathroom

The bathroom was spacious and modern.
I appreciated the small, individual toiletries – a nicer touch than the increasingly common wall-mounted dispensers.

Beside that, the rest of the room felt good and was in good condition.

🌅 Balcony – A Nice Extra

One of the highlights: the private balcony with a cozy seating area.
Sure, the view wasn’t anything special (just the neighboring hotel), but it was still a nice change of scenery and offered a bit of fresh air.

☕ Executive Lounge

Access to the Executive Lounge is granted with Marriott Elite status or certain room categories.

Offerings:

• 🥤 Evening snacks & soft drinks: complimentary but limited
• 🍷 Alcoholic drinks: available for purchase (unlike many European lounges but that is no issue)
• 🍳 Breakfast: simple but sufficient – staff were friendly and attentive

📍 Best part of the lounge: The view from the top floor – easily the lounge’s standout feature.

🏊‍♂️ Pool & Wellness

The hotel offers both an indoor and outdoor pool, which looked clean and spacious.
I didn’t use them this time, but they made a solid impression visually.

🧾 Check-Out – Much Smoother

Check-out went much better than check-in.
✅ I received a friendly apology for the earlier issues
✅ The bill was correct
✅ I got my receipt by email as requested – no complaints here.

✅ Final Verdict – Worth It? With Caveats.

My overall experience was mixed – there were definitely positives, but also a few key downsides.

Pros:

✔ Spacious, well-equipped room with a balcony
✔ Free parking
✔ Friendly response to complaints
✔ Practical for business travel

Cons:

✘ Subpar room cleanliness upon arrival
✘ Slow and impersonal check-in
✘ Average Executive Lounge
✘ Location isn’t ideal – few nearby restaurants, and not very appealing ones

👉 Would I stay here again?
Probably not.
While the hotel has potential, it lacked that certain something that makes a stay truly enjoyable. If you value free parking and need a decent business hotel, it might still work for you – just keep your expectations in check.