Check In

I was staying here for 6 nights and was a little worried based on some of the reviews on TripAdvisor - I should not have as the hotel was fine.  Check in was quick and the ladies were very nice - some seemed new so had to ask a few questions of their collegues but nothing that got in the way of the experience.

Room

The room is where this hotel got it right for me.  It was newly renovated, large with a settee and the bed was really comfortable.  The view was OK - I thought I would see more of the airport and approach than I did but I cant complain.  There was very little noise, either from the airport or the surrounding areas.

There was a HUGE TV which was great and quite a few channels to watch - a fridge was also in the room to put drinks etc in.  

The bathroom was nicely done and very modern - the mirror was great and the haridryer did the job, although I prefer them a little more powerful!

There were some plugs and USB ports by the bed so at least they got that right with the renovation - so many hotels fail at this basic thing.

Service

That staff were really friendly - some seemed new and inexperienced but were all being supervised.  Nothing was too much trouble - even the hotel shuttle would deviate and drop you off at points other than just the airport - including local restaurants and the AVIS hire car place!  This is a great offer that goes a long way at a hotel!

Dining

I ate at breakfast once and was not that impressed - nothing cooked to order just a buffet but all the essentials were there and again, the staff were excellent.

The Executive Lounge was the most disapointing part of the stay - it really was sad and dark!  I stopped by to see the evening service once - it was a couple of hotplates with some old looking food on it - no alchohol that I could see - just soft drinks.  There are no windows and quite frankly I think they should do away with this and give Diamond memers a drink at the bar - I would have been really annoyed if I had paid extra for an Executive Lounge room and got this!

Location

The hotel is very close to the airport, with an aiport shuttle every half hour although you need to phone to have it pick you up.  It is also close to some great restaurants - I would highly recommend the Cooper's Winery place for happy hour - great cocktails and huge 'appetiser' portions at a reduced price - plus the staff are very nice.

You are also very close to the International Mall and a very short drive to the Westshore Mall - I dont think I could have got a better location for what I wanted to do.

Overall

Overall I really liked this Hilton - is was far better than some of the US Hiltons that you find as it was updated, with friendly staff and in a good location - particular for an 'airport' hotel.

I would highly recommend staying here if you are in the Tampa area.