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To kick off my Dash for Platinum (where I’m traveling to all nine of Delta’s hubs in under 48 hours), I stayed overnight at the Tampa Airport Marriott. I did not want to chance not being able to get an Uber or having to wake a sure-to-be cranky spouse up to drive me to the airport at 4:00 AM. The hotel is directly attached to the airport and a short walk to the shuttles that take you to the gates at TPA.
Anthony’s Take: The hotel is an easy walk into the airport and perfect for those times when you have a really early flight. The room was clean and comfortable. The common areas are well maintained. There is a small lounge on the sixth floor, but when I went around 9:00 PM there were only a few dessert offerings. Overall, it’s one of the nicer airport Marriott’s I have visited and better than my recent stay at the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott (review here).
Booking
I booked directly from Marriott.com on a “Redemption” rate. I had a 35K free night certificate expiring and was able to add 5,000 points to cover the 40,000-point redemption. I booked a King Guest Room and was upgraded to a 1 King Bed, Concierge Lounge Access, High Floor, Guest Room. There were suites available when I checked in, but I was only in the hotel to sleep a few hours, so I did not ask about a further upgrade. My welcome amenity was 1,000 points (I could have also chosen a $10 F&B credit). Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite guests can access the Concierge Lounge on the sixth floor for breakfast, apps in the evening, and soft drinks throughout the day. Cash rates run around $300 and you can expect a range of 32,000-42,000 per night when redeeming Marriott Bonvoy® points.
Transportation to/from the Hotel
The hotel is connected to the terminal. It’s a short walk from the airport to the hotel and vice versa. I live less than 15 minutes from the airport and was dropped off at the main entrance of the hotel (it’s clearly marked when driving into the airport).
Location
As mentioned the hotel is located on the airport’s grounds. It’s the closest hotel for layovers or if you’re arriving late. The photo above (from Marriott.com) shows a panoramic view of the hotel from above.
Check-in
I arrived at the main outdoor entrance and walked into the hotel around 9:00 PM. To get to the lobby, you need to take two escalators up. The room was ready (as expected). I had done a mobile checkin and was told that the room was ready around noon via the app. I requested a mobile key and got one, but still stopped by the front desk to get a physical key. There was no line and I had my key right away. Elite benefits were explained and the agent confirmed that I wanted points as an amenity. She explained the lounge and asked when I was checking out. I did not need a late checkout as I was leaving around 4:30 AM. I was in my room after a short stop at the Concierge Lounge.
The lobby has a KAHWA Coffee Roaster. I did not try it as I knew I’d grab Starbucks® in the terminal.
There is also a restaurant called SKYYE Bar & Grille located across from check in.
In case you need any incidentals, a Lobby Shop is also next to check in.
Concierge Lounge
There was some seating as soon as you exited the elevator on the sixth floor. The Concierge Lounge is located to the left of the elevators and my room was just a few doors down.
The entrance to the lounge needs a key card for entry. A lounge attendant was inside clearing tables.
The lounge is small but offers coffee, soft drinks, an honor bar, and a printer.
The lounge offers self-serve soft drinks throughout the day.
An honor bar is set up in the evening.
A coffee machine and tea are also available all day.
A few desserts were out when I arrived.
The lounge was empty when I arrived.
1 King Bed, Concierge Lounge Access, High Floor, Guest Room (619)
There are 298 rooms and suites at the hotel.
The room opens into a bedroom with a closet and bathroom to the right.
Small hallway with closet.
The closet had a robe, iron, and ironing board.
The bathroom was tiny, but functional with a sink, shower, and toilet.
The shower was a decent size and the water pressure was good.
Toiletries were This Works brand (standard for Marriott) and in dispensers on the shower wall.
I appreciated that the hotel provided additional amenities like a sewing kit, shoe shine cloth, etc.
The room had a large desk.
It also had an arm chair and side table.
A TV was directly across from the bed.
A Keurig coffeemaker and tea were on the desk.
There was a mini-fridge in the cabinet below the TV.
Public Areas & Amenities
The hotel has a fitness center, a small store selling snacks and essentials, a pool, a coffee shop, a restaurant/bar, and several ballrooms. The lobby is wide open and leads directly into the airport.
Rooftop pool (photo from Marriott.com).
Entrance to Tampa International Airport (TPA).
Overall Impression:
The Tampa Airport Marriott offers comfortable rooms, a small lounge for elite guests, a restaurant/bar, a pool and fitness center, as well as direct access to the airport. It’s perfect for an overnight stay between flights.
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 that I can redeem at any Marriott hotel with a redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points. Rates & fees. Terms apply.
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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.
2 comments
Thank you for your review. I was tempted to stay last year before an early return flight, but instead waited in the terminal with a novel after being dropped off after dinner with friends. Early morning flights are a dilemma for me, since there is an added fear of oversleeping at the airport hotel. I figure if the security line opens at 4:00 a.m., I won’t get much sleep anyway. However, if I had points and/or certificates (haven’t had much of those in years), I would definitely want the hot shower and hot beverages that come with a hotel stay. The hazelnut cake looks delicious. Planning to return to Tampa soon to pick up something from the Teco manatee center gift shop (should have done so last time) and to venture to St. Petersburg.
Glad you found it helpful. Enjoy your return to the area.