Off Topic - Tampa, Florida

[Jeffc]

Wondering if I could get some opinions here. I am thinking of going to the Super Bowl. I know the chances of getting a hotel in Tampa are slim. Would it be better to try and find a hotel in St Pete's or Clearwater or some place else close to Tampa?

 

[Fishhead]

You will have to go further away than that I'm guessing for a decent room at a decent price.

I live halfway between Raymond James and Tropicana Field.........lots of crappy hotels in St. Pete........don't be fooled by the names of some........I mean, some are really bad.

 

[TheKinz]

Motel 6 on Dale Mabry..."we'll keep the lights on for you (so the roaches stay in the walls)"

 

[barman]

Agree with FHEAD...best to consider a stay in someplace like Gainesville (about two hours north of Tampa) or Ocala where you might be able to score rooms that weekend in decent hotel for under $150

Super Bowl is Feb 1

Florida Gators host CBB games on Wed, Jan 28 and Tues Feb 3 so if you worked a five to seven night hotel deal one way or the other you could mix in one of those as well to further enhance the hotel being in Gainesville or Ocala.

Hotel rooms in Orlando area, west through Tampa and Pinellas County (St Pete/Clearwater) will be running literally 5x their normal rate.

I know that two years ago when the game was in Miami, Courtyard Marriott in Ft Lauderdale (90min north) was going for $500 a night compared to $109 regular rates.

 

[barman]

Another idea would be to stay in Melbourne on the Atlantic coast, about three hour drive to Tampa; or in Ft Myers on Gulf coast, about two hours south.

 

[Hookandcrook+]

There is a lot of condos wide open now.

 

[Jeffc]

Thanks for the heads up on hotels guys. I think I'll start checking out hotel prices today. It probably won't be good. I really would like to get within an hour of the stadium.