1 night St Pete's Beach

[gpullan]

I have been scouring the internet looking for a place to stay for 1 night in November and i now have a head full of different options and no clue as to which direction to take.

Options vary from £110 per room up to £220 per room.

I've closed all the internet tabs and decided to ask you lovely lot if you've ever stayed at St Pete's beach and have any recommendations?

No budget set but would like to be beach front and either 2 rooms to sleep 5 people in each or somewhere like Tradewinds that can accommodate all 10 of us in a 2 bedroom suite.

Beach bar, pool and obviously gulf view are high up on the list of needs and any help would be appreciated.

Tradewinds Island Grand Hotel 2 bedroom suite is coming out at £438 for 1 night
The Beachcomber 1 bedroom beachside room is coming out at £110 per room for 1 night.

Thanks in advance

[florida4sun]

Loved the Don Cesar.

[gpullan]

Yeah i like the look too, and i'm waiting for their daylight saving to start next week to see if there's a deal to be had.

Thanks

[Katys Grandad]

Hi Gary

I hope you don't mind be adding a couple of thoughts about your plans. I'm sure you'll find somewhere that fits the bill but my experience of 1 night stays at pricey hotels always leaves me feeling I've had poor value.

Firstly, you probably won't be able to get into the room until 3 to 4 pm. By the time you get sorted out it might be well after 4.00 pm. In November you'll have, at best, a couple of hours of daylight left and won't really be able to take full advantage of the facilities during that period. A Gulf view is great but in the dark not much to get excited about. If you eat out that evening, by the time you get back to the hotel with kids you might all be ready for bed. In the morning you'll be expected to check out mid-morning (I've known 10 am in some places) so, again, you're getting limited benefit from whatever facilities are on offer.

I'm not advocating not taking the trip but, from experience, I always see 2 nights in a cheaper place as a better option that spending a lot of money on a single overnight stay.

Just my ten cents!

[gpullan]

That's exactly the way i'm now thinking!!!!

I have put it to the other members of our party that perhaps £400 for 1 night in a great hotel is not going to reap the benefits.

I have got a quote through from The Dolphin Beach resort for 2 nights and it's........yes, £400.

As you say, the timings were poor for 1 night as we are doing Busch Gardens on the way down so will not arrive in St Pete's until around 5 o clock so it will be the pool or beach for an hour then sunset then food. Next day we will be able to keep hold of the beachfront rooms all day so the kids can go in the pool, go back for lunch and get showered etc....

We are not going to stay in the hotel the 2nd night, yes a waste of money but i'd rather do that than waste 1/2 day of our holiday driving back up to Orlando when we could be up and off to a park the next day.

Not booked anything yet as there are quite a few choices for cheaper places but The Dolphin and The Beachcomber both seem to fit the bill.

Thanks for your ten cents (not that it's worth much these days!) :)

[Katys Grandad]

You'll definitely get more 'bang to your buck' that way Gary.

We stayed 1 night at the Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando a few months ago. We arrived around 4.00 pm, were upgraded to a grand suite which was very impressive with 2 bathrooms, a lounge, dining table and fully equipped kitchen. When we checked out after breakfast the following morning I hadn't even been in the kitchen or 2nd bathroom nor sat in the lounge. The hotel has a golf course, lazy river pool area and nature reserve. Again, we didn't use any of them (it actually rained all afternoon on the day we arrived).

It did have a couple of great restaurants and it was nice not to have to drive to have dinner but next time I'd stay down the road for half the price and get a cab there if I wanted to dine.

[hilary.colwood]

Hi Garry, stayed at the Dolphin Beach a few years ago and wouldn't recommend it. The rooms and hallways were damp and smelly and we didn't enjoy our stay. This was quite a few years ago, so obviously things could have changed.
We have stayed at the Sirata Beach (3 times), Grand Plaza (5 times) and Tradewinds (once) and for value for money would recommend either the Sirata Beach or Grand Plaza. Tradewinds was ok, but when we stayed, there was a big conference going on and the staff were running round like headless chickens. The drinks were also a lot more expensive at Tradewinds. BTW, all of these hotels apart from The Grand Plaza charge resort fees to cover parking etc. on top of the room rate.
Cheers,
Hilary

[gpullan]

I've actually stumbled upon the Sirata and requested a price for 2 nights. I have asked if we can request the beach front rooms on the ground floor so that we can nip back to the room from the beach and walk straight in rather than having to go through the hotel and upstairs.

Did you notice if the beachfront rooms on the ground floor were any good? Reviews on Trip Advisor mainly say that the executive king suites are the best but i'd like to be able to stay on the beach and watch the kids all the way into the room if they are nipping back for the toilet or a drink or anything. Plus we can hang around the room and watch the kids play on the beach while still be in close contact with them. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that in a higher room and watching them from a balcony.

Beach bar looks great and evening entertainment appeals to us.

Thanks

[hilary.colwood]

Hi Gary, sorry we have never stayed in a ground floor room so can't comment. We've always had good rooms at the Sirata, been both beach side and road side. We've never booked in advance, usually just phoned them the day before we want to stay, so just take pot luck. The beach bar and also their restaurant are excellent. Even when we have stayed in The Grand Plaza, we go to the Sirata restaurant for breakfast.
Hilary