In a hurry to book a room for a concert at Amalie Arena and went with the positive reviews though some of the negatives had me scared. Read on for my experience.
Location: Not a bad location. A Uber ride to the arena cost around $20, so expect to spend $40 on transportation unless you drive yourself. Parking around the arena is about $20. While the street the Sleep Inn was on looked typical of a road leading to a military installation, it was still quiet and safe. The Puerto Rican sandwich shop next door was perfect for lunch.
Room: Clean and ready for a guest. A/C worked great, DirectTV, microwave, minifridge, iron/board, hair dryer, pod coffee maker...all the typical stuff was there, working, and appeared clean. The only negatives I can mention is the odd smell of the room and a single stray hair on the bathroom floor. The smell wasn't overwhelming at all and very unusual. In seconds you couldn't smell it anymore. It was just weird.
Bed: Comfy and clean. Took a good look at the sheets which were white and had no stains. Bed was soft and the covers adequate for those who run hot or cold.
Service: Jules was a great host who greeted us during check in. She provided all the info we needed and was polite and professional.
Other: The breakfast offered was also typical: a variety of hot items and cold items. All good if you're not a snob. However, I would have preferred brewed coffee over machine dispensed coffee.