Whether you’re a Hilton loyalist or just on the hunt for free breakfast when passing through Tampa a Hampton Inn is a solid choice. But which one should you choose? With several Hilton properties nearby including another Hampton Inn visible from the parking lot of this one there’s plenty of choice when you’re looking for a hotel deal.
Where’s the Money? This site may contain affiliate links. Many travel sites include such links to earn a commission at no cost to readers.
I stayed at the Hampton Inn Tampa Airport/Westshore for two nights May 18-19 while in town to purchase a new vehicle from a local dealer.
This hotel was $136.69 a night including all taxes and has an Expedia rating of 8.4. Check the Expedia rates for your dates.
I chose this property mostly just because I’m currently collecting as many Hilton nights as possible for status purposes. Also because it has free parking.
Location
Tampa’s airport is more “in-town” than many US airports which is nice. This hotel is very close to the airport and not far from downtown.
If you’re just passing through for business, a cruise, or seeing a sporting event this location is perfect.
READY TO FLY? Check out Skyscanner’s search tools for the lowest fares worldwide.
The hotel is halfway between two large malls and there’s a number of restaurants in walking distance. It’s tucked away off the main road so it’s quiet… unless planes are flying overhead which is very loud.
Property
The hotel is clean and modern but it’s a little funky inside because the hallways wrap around inside the building instead of just being a straight line as you’d expect. There’s a lot of blind corners and you’re always almost bumping into other guests.
Loved the big lot with plenty of free parking. They don’t make you mess around with parking permits or anything like that.
The pool is on the large side and much nicer than you’d expect at an airport hotel.
Guest Rooms
The king room I stayed in here was clean and cozy but its small size and limitations were apparent. My room had a fridge and microwave but I overheard the front desk say not all rooms do. Even with a fridge and microwave its very awkward because there’s no area where you can naturally set a plate of food or fix drinks with the ice bucket.
This wouldn’t be so bad if the room had a desk but it doesn’t. Not even something that folds out of the wall. I thought a desk was part of the Hampton brand standard and was surprised to find it missing. It makes it very inconvenient to try to eat or work in the room.
SEARCH THE MAP: Find Rates in the perfect location at Hotels.com
It’s also a little awkward that the bathroom opens right into the main room. The sofa bed was right next to the door so if you leave it open while you sit there it’s almost like hanging out in the bathroom. If you fold out the sofa bed it’s even worse because the whole door is blocked. You can’t even enter the bathroom without walking across the extended sofa bed.
About Westshore Business District
The area around the hotel has a very suburban feel and public transportation is scant. There’s no residential properties at all so everything is either other hotels, offices or restaurants.
The football stadium and the 2025 location of the Rays’ temporary home is about two miles away making this area a perfect choice if you’re just in town to see sports.
Hampton Inn Tampa Airport/Westshore has a constantly running free shuttle that can take you anywhere within three miles which is a very valuable amenity that could save you considerable money in rideshare fares.
Bottom Line
It’s a nice hotel but the room is just too small and poorly designed to make me want to return again. There’s not even any drawers to properly unpack into. This property is fine for one person for one night but any more than that and you’ll be wishing you had a bigger room with everything in it.
With so many other Hilton properties nearby and every other hotel chain represented as well I’d suggest searching for a larger room.
