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We decided to take a staycation in Tampa this year for New Year’s Eve. We stayed at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street and were glad that we got to check out a hotel that we have passed by many times. The service was excellent and the hotel has an Executive Lounge that is accessible to Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador members. In warmer weather, the outdoor pool area looks like a nice place to relax.
Anthony’s Take: We had a nice New Year’s Eve at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street. This included dinner at Driftlight Steakhouse and an after party in one of the hotel’s outdoor spaces. The room was comfortable and the Executive Lounge was a nice addition. We would definitely stay here again.
Booking
I booked a Deluxe Guest Room, 1 King, Water View on a “Member Rate Flexible.” It was $529 including fees for the night. This total had a $30 Destination Fee in it. Marriott did away with award charts a few years ago, but redemptions can be had for between 40,000 and 76,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points.
Transportation to/from the Hotel
We took an UberX from home to the hotel and back home the next day. It’s only a few miles, but with inflated pricing for the holiday it cost around $15 each way.
Location
The JW Marriott Tampa Water Street is conveniently located downtown in a newly revitalized area known as Water Street. Some of the city’s best restaurants and hotels are here and it’s not far from the riverwalk and offices downtown.
The hotel was still decked out for the holidays when we visited.
The lobby is large with a coffee shop, restaurant, large bar area, and lots of seating.
The concierge desk is across from check-in.
Check-In
We arrived at the hotel around 6:00 PM and the room was ready. The agent assisting us was friendly and explained the benefits offered to Titanium Elite members. She provided details around the Executive Lounge and the Destination Fee. She asked if we needed a late checkout and we requested 2:00 PM, which was granted. She also told us that we were upgraded to a Corner King, Guest Room, 1 King, City View. With the holiday, I was happy to receive an upgrade at all. No suites were available. We had our keys a moment later and we were off to our room.
The Destination Fee includes the following:
- Daily $30 food and beverage credit
- Daily fitness/wellness classes for 2 guests
- Daily wine tasting for 2 guests
- Your choice of water sports use for 2 guests per stay: roundtrip water taxi or 1 hour use of paddleboards, kayaks, or bike rentals
- High-speed internet access
I am not a fan of these fees, but we at least got to have two glasses of wine with the food and beverage credit.
The Executive Lounge is located on the 5th floor. It serves breakfast, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts every day except Saturdays.
The elevators were speedy and worked well during our stay.
The elevator lobbies and hallways were clean and well maintained. They felt new even though the hotel is now over four years old.
Our room was in a corner and slightly separated.
Corner King, Guest Room, 1 King, City View (2455)
There are 519 rooms and suites at the hotel.
The room opened into a long hallway.
A bench was located in the hall.
The bathroom was on the left. It included a vanity with a single sink, a toilet (in its own room), and a glassed-in shower.
The bathroom was large with lots of space.
A bar of Aromatherapy Associates brand bar soap was on the counter.
There was also some body lotion, mouthwash, and other amenities.
The toilet was in its own separate room. I always prefer when bathrooms are set up like this with the toilet separate.
The shower was spacious and nicely designed. The water pressure and temperature were both great.
Aromatherapy Associates Body Cleanser, Conditioner, and Shampoo were on a shelf in the shower.
The bedroom was further down the hallway. It contained a king-sized bed, two nightstands, a table and chairs, and a TV.
The bed was comfortable.
A TV was on top of a cabinet across from the bed.
The cabinet below the TV contained an empty refrigerator.
It also held a safe in one of the drawers.
An Illy coffeemaker, coffee, bottled water, condiments, glasses, and an ice bucket were on the table.
The closet held robes, an iron and ironing board, and a luggage rack.
The view from the room was quite impressive.
Executive Lounge
As mentioned, the Executive Lounge is located on the fifth floor. It was quite crowded when we visited in the evening and even more so the next morning for breakfast. It was so crowded at breakfast time that I did not eat anything and walked out of the hotel to a nearby Starbucks. The evening reception included several hot items, salads, and some charcuterie. Soft drinks and coffee are complimentary. There is an honor bar for alcoholic beverages, wine, and beer.
A desk inside was not staffed and no one checked credentials for access.
A Christmas tree decorated the lounge.
The buffet was spread across two tables.
One side was filled with snacks. This table had salads and charcuterie.
A coffee machine is available throughout the day. A case below held soft drinks.
Crab Rangoon
Mac & Cheese Bites
Empanadas
The honor bar prices are above. I thought that we could use the $30 F&B credit from the Destination Fee here. This is incorrect. Since it was not explained to me that this would not count, the front desk graciously removed the charge.
New Year’s Eve Dinner and After Party
I booked us a table for the five-course dinner and added on the after party. This was expensive at $854 all in for two people. The meal was excellent, but the party was pretty boring. It only had a handful of people in attendance and not even any music. It offered a good spot to watch the fireworks, open bar, and some tasty desserts. It was not worth the $300+ that it cost.
I booked the table through OpenTable and had to prepay for the dinner, gratuity, and after party.
The meal was well prepared. The service felt a bit rushed, but improved once we asked them to slow down the courses. The Hamachi Crudo and the Filet Mignon were the standouts. Oddly, they ran out of dessert and allowed me to substitute Key Lime Pie for the Peppermint Cannoli Dip.
We thoroughly enjoyed the meal.
Afterwards, we stopped by our room before heading to the after party. There were no more than 12-15 guests total and many looked bored. They sat playing on their phones and some came and left right away.
A dessert buffet was set up .We were full from dinner, but tried a few bites.
At least we had a great view.
We could see the beginning of the fireworks show, but the air was thick and smoke filled it quickly. This blocked our view for the rest of it.
Public Areas & Amenities
The hotel has a fitness center, a pool (pictured above), spa, several dining options, and multiple conference spaces and ballrooms. We did not use the amenities on this short stay, but checked them out for this review.
The pool, spa, and fitness center are all housed on the same floor. A large lawn fills the center.
It’s a nice space and even better when it’s warmer.
The spa is next to the fitness center.
The fitness center was a good size with lots of equipment. I loved that it had Peloton Bikes.
Towels were provided.
Water, fresh fruit, and chilled towels were also offered.
Overall Impression:
The JW Marriott Tampa Water Street is a great hotel for vacationing or business. The hotel opened in 2020 and still feels new. I liked the Executive Lounge and the hotel’s location. We’ll be back for another staycation in the future.
Anthony’s Credit Card Pick: When I’m staying at a Marriott hotel, I want to maximize my points earned. My card of choice is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. With it, I earn six Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program. It also includes up to $300 statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month ) for dining in restaurants worldwide. Plus, a free night award every year after my card renewal month that I can redeem at any Marriott hotel with a redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points. Learn more. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, please visit here. Terms apply.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
