Wingate By Wyndham Tampa North - Tampa, USA 

Overall we were very happy with our stay. We found the staff friendly and accomodating and the room large. We stayed in a room with a King and a Queen size bed. Lots of floor space (important to us, we have three kids). One small issue.....when we turned back the sheets to get in bed the first night, we found food (looked like apple pie filling) on the King size bed and lollipop remnants stuck to the blanket of the Queen (this food was not anything we had brought into the room). I went downstairs and asked for clean sheets, which I put on the beds myself. The management offered to do "something", but never really did....other than telling us they fired the maid and that dirty sheets had been discovered (by guests) in three other rooms on our floor that evening.

I thoroughly researched hotels in the Tampa area before booking this hotel. I am happy to report what many have discovered already: Wingate by Wyndham Tampa North is not only a great deal, but one of the best places you'll stay at...ever. Forgive me for the long review, but here's why: The room: Sure, it's a typical standard (small) room, but it makes up for it with its amenities. Seriously, the most comfortable beds, sheets, and pillows you've ever slept on. If you don't like the 4 DIFFERENT PILLOWS they offer you initially, they will gladly bring up a 5th, 6th, or 7th different type of pillow for you. A large dresser with 4 huge drawers to unpack your clothes into. A desk with FREE wireless. An alarm clock that serves as a true radio and i-Pod hookup. Forget about a sofa--how about a RECLINER with a reading lamp and end table to read your daily (free) USA Today?! An empty refrigerator (you know, one without those overly priced snacks and alcohol most hotels try to give you), so that you can go down to the local Super Wal-Mart to buy essentials. Microwave oven that actually works and cooks your food evenly. Marble bathroom countertop and tiled shower with Moen Showerhead/faucet. Small safe in large closet. OK, so the TV isn't a flat-screen, but they gave me basic cable, which allowed me to watch CNN and ESPN. My 6-year old loved that he was able to watch all his Cartoon Network shows. Free breakfast: Not your typical continental one, either. Yes, they served every pastry on the planet, but they also had freshly made waffles, omlettes, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, etc. Great juice selection, too. Flat screen in the dining room to watch CNN Morning, as well. Happy Hour: Yes, a complimentary happy hour Mon-Thurs, serving beer, wine, and snacks--very nice touch. Business center: Complimentary use of laptops, fax, and copier. Pool: Small, but very clean. My son and I were the only ones using it, so that allowed him to splash and make all the noise he wanted. Jacuzzi: Inside the hotel, in it's own room, off of the exercize room (which I didn't use, but looked nice). Watch out for the slippery floor when you exit the jacuzzi. Laundry room: Washer and dryer just for guests at end of the hallway on the 3rd floor. Great for when we needed to leave, and our swimsuits and towels from the beach the day before were still wet and needed to be dried before getting on the airplane to go home. Customer Service: Employees greeting you at every turn, offering their services at any time, checking up on you to see if your stay is enjoyable, etc. When I couldn't leave the room to get the movie times of the theatre across the street, the front desk brought up a printed copy for me. They also gave me directions/recommendations to all the excursions we did (Tropicana Field, Busch Gardens, Disney World, Clearwater Beach, etc.) Extras: Judith Jackson Spa amenities in the bathroom, and Wolfgang Puck coffee/tea in the room. Side entrance to the hotel off the parking lot (which came in handy when we got caught in a downpour and needed to get in the building fast). Off-the-beaten-path: In a safe, clean, new part of Tampa (basically the 'burbs). The furthest I had to drive was Disney World/Clearwater Beach (both 1 hour away). Busch Gardens/Adventure Island were 10 minutes away, and downtown Tampa/airport/Port of Tampa/Florida Aquarium was 25 minutes away. The area makes you feel at home, like you're one of the locals--I liked that. Last thing: I was worried when I got a room facing the front entrance, at the end of the hallway against a stairway. I didn't hear a sound or a peep from the driveway or the stairway, so there was no need to request a room change. My husband works at a high-end "Strip" property in Vegas, and I can tell you that, between the amenities and customer service, his hotel would've been given a run for its money if the Wyndham was out here. I was very impressed with Wingate by Wyndham, and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to stay at an affordable hotel with high-end amenities.