just got home from our tampa trip and must say, i loved this hotel!! the service here was spectacular. especially ALL doorman, who made all guests feel more than welcome. every employee caters to your every whim, and i must agree with some of the past reviews that say they make you feel like royalty. the pictures on the website are a true representation of what you will see in person.
true, the pool was a little small. but every time i went, there weren't that many people and definitely think the pool size is sufficient enough. also note that there is another pool by the casitas. this pool has a great view of tampa bay and has more of a resort feel to it. i would recommend you check this pool out first prior to settling down at the main one. unless you are staying at the main tower and prefer something more convenient, the casita pool is much nicer.
one more thing to note is the casita rooms. i did like the layout and the location of the casita rooms. however, i did NOT like the bugs that would sneak into your room every time you opened the door. i was told that since i was there right after hurricane dennis passed, it was the rain that could be credited for attracting the bugs to the rooms. we even had food out on the desk for a while, and we found little clear critters all over it. we were completely grossed out and immediately called the front desk. i thought there would be no chance that we could move since it was 1am! however, gina (as wonderful as she is) was very accomodating and had us moved to the main tower despite the inconvenient time. now, im sure you probably will have a better time in the casitas than we did. just note you are very close to nature and take that into consideration when upgrading to a casita.
i did dine at oystercatchers and thought it was good. our room in the main tower had a great view of the bay. overall, i had a great stay due to the staff. the facilities itself were very nice and i would not hesitate to stay here again! hope your experience is just as good as mine was!
