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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
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Travel back in time to our Completely Renovated 1950s-themed resort, Plaza Beach Hotel Beachfront Resort is an award winning boutique resort of only 39 suites on the tropical island of St Pete Beach. St Pete Beach was voted #1 Beach in America by TripAdvisor, famous for its sugar white beaches. The Plaza Beach Hotel is situated directly on the beach with a large beachside pool overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Imagine yourself relaxing in the pool while watching a breathtaking purple sunset melt into the Gulf. Then relax in one of our spacious studio apartments with kitchenettes; great for large families, couples or the business traveler who wants all the amenities of home. Enjoy all of our amenities: beach chairs, Beach/Pool Towels, Wireless Internet, Shuffleboard, 4-hole Mini-Golf, Human-size Chess, BBQ Area, Fitness Room, parking, and Fishing off of our private piers just across the street. Members of Superior Small Lodging Association and Approved by AAA for Quality and Standards, our resort is one of only a handful of resorts in Florida that has received the Green Lodging seal from the State of Florida and a Greenleaders Gold Award from TripAdvisor for our effort in conserving and recycling. Our resort is Family Owned and Operated, and has been since 1988. The family is still very active in the day to day operations and has an amazing staff ready to assist you with an authentic Florida vacation. St Pete Beach is a 6-mile island and the Plaza Beach Resort is directly in the center of the island. Everything is within walking distance: the grocery store, restaurants, and shopping are just across the street. The Plaza Beach staff is more than happy to help you find the many activities also available on the beach such as deep sea fishing, parasailing, jet skiing, dolphin cruises, sunset cruises and ferries available to visit the nearby islands. Best of all we are only 30 minutes from Busch Gardens and 90 minutes from Disney, Universal, and other Orlando theme parks. Try us and see for yourself why so many people return to the Plaza Beach Hotel - Beachfront Resort year after year.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Plaza Beach Hotel - Beachfront Resort is often lauded for its exceptional service and friendly staff, creating a welcoming atmosphere that resonates with guests. Its prime beachfront location is a highlight, offering easy access to the beach and contributing to the hotel's retro charm. Although the amenities, including well-equipped kitchens and happy hour, receive praise, some travelers suggest updates are needed.
While rooms are typically celebrated for their cleanliness and features, there have been mentions of maintenance and cleanliness issues. Opinions on value vary, with some guests mentioning hidden fees and outdated appliances.
Location
Beachfront
Atmosphere
Welcoming
Rooms
Unkempt
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Well-appointed
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This was my first time and the Plaza Beach Resort but it won’t be my last. This little motel packs a big punch for the money. We were in room 204 on the second floor. There’s 2 chairs outside the room but plenty of seating around the motel. The room has 2 beds, pull out couch, little table with chairs in the kitchenette, full size fridge, toaster, coffee pot and 2 electric burners on the counter next to the sink. Plenty of room. The resort is clean and the workers are out early emptying trash etc… you can walk down to the beach and rent an umbrella with 2 chairs for $30 ($40 if your not a hotel guest). The pool is nice and there is a tiki bar for drinks. $4 for domestic beers. There’s no restaurant at the Plaza but many within walking distance. We walked a few buildings down the beach and got lunch at Crabby Bills one day. We had dinner at Buona Ristorante (Italian) across the street in the Publix Plaza. Food was amazing! Entrees average around $20. We also got groceries at Publix. Breakfast, lunch items, drinks. Everything you need is within walking distance. If you’re looking for an affordable vacation on a beautiful beach I highly recommend the Plaza. I will definitely be back.
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from ManagementPBR, Front Office Manager at Plaza Beach Hotel - Beachfront Resort
Responded May 3, 2024
Thank you for sharing your experience at Plaza Beach Resort! We're thrilled to hear that your first visit was such a positive one and that you found great value in your stay. It's wonderful to know that you enjoyed the amenities in your room, the cleanliness of the resort, and the convenience of nearby restaurants and shops. We're glad you had a chance to explore the beach and nearby dining options. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you back for another enjoyable stay!
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So, pulling into the place, particularly if you're accustomed to towering Marriott's, Westin's, and the like, can be a bit off-putting. It does present like a motor lodge. We had a deluxe, oceanfront, balcony room so this review is from that perspective. I cannot speak to the quality of other rooms. Our room was super clean. The air conditioning worked well. We had a fridge and a microwave. The TV was large and allowed us to use our streaming service accounts. The only drawbacks were a shower floor that was uneven/bubbly and water pressure that could've been better (though this IS a green hotel). Sleeping was super easy here because the bed was pretty comfortable and the quiet hours the hotel enforces on the grounds ensure that no one's outside your room acting foolish.
But it isn't the room that makes Plaza Beach special - it's the staff and the amenities. The staff members were so friendly and fun during the entire week. Ray, Sheldon, Nika, Julie, Tyrell, and the rest of them made our stay feel special. In a small place like this was, the staff become even more important, I think. These guys were really exceptional. My wife and I enjoyed playing shuffleboard and cornhole. We enjoyed having free morning coffee between 8am and 11am. We enjoyed happy hour (free wine and craft beer) between 4pm and 5pm daily. And we enjoyed Chris's (3rd party) beach bar out by the professionally setup sand volleyball courts. Lastly, we enjoyed the view from our room and we loved being just seconds from the powdery sand of St. Pete Beach.
Plaza Beach has several great restaurants within walking distance. We loved Seared 1200 Chophouse (for fine dining steak), Crabby Bill's (for seafood), and Buono (for pizza). We took an Uber up to Treasure Island to go to VIP Mexican and that was amazing as well.
So, again, this place doesn't look like much from the street. It's quirky, too, with its 1950s motif. But it's right on the beach, it's super clean, it has free coffee, wine, and beer (see above for hours), and it has a staff that wants your stay to be memorable.
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from ManagementPBR, General Manager at Plaza Beach Hotel - Beachfront Resort
Responded Jul 19, 2023
Thank you for your review of Plaza Beach Hotel! It's wonderful to know that our staff, including Ray, Sheldon, Nika, Julie, Tyrell, and others, made your stay special. We take great pride in providing exceptional service, and we'll be sure to share your kind words with them. We're thrilled that you enjoyed the amenities like shuffleboard, cornhole, the morning coffee, and the happy hour with complimentary wine and craft beer. Thank you for recognizing that Plaza Beach Hotel offers more than meets the eye. We strive to create a memorable experience through our beachfront location, cleanliness, complimentary amenities, and a dedicated staff. We would love to welcome you back for another enjoyable stay in the future!
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Special thank you to Tyrell- who let me win a game of ping pong when I had no one to play with.
Shot out to Eiton (probably spelled wrong)- as a bartender-super friendly. He also doubles as the beech keeper, making sure that it doesn’t get trashed by naughty people and keeping it safe for hotel guests.
This hotel gets 5 stars for amazing location right on the beech, visibility of sunset, friendly hotel staff, proximity to nearby restaurants, shopping, and coffee, free outdoor games, absolute best price compared to other beech hotels in area. There is also a stove, coal, bbq, and fridge if you want to stay in and cook. Plenty of space to sit in your room or numerous out door tables. You can borrow beech towels during your stay. There is a tiki bar, and pool.
Negatives: (although for the price I can’t complain and should have notified the friendly staff). Unlike other reviewers, I found both the queen beds very uncomfortable with 3 very flat pillows. Therefore all the noises through the night were more prominent (a.c., fridge, upstairs neighbors). Perhaps next time I will request second floor and sleep better. I would definitely recommend to a friend.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from ManagementPBR, Assistant General Manger at Plaza Beach Hotel - Beachfront Resort
Responded Jan 7, 2023
Good Afternoon, We really appreciate you taking the time to write such a detailed review of your stay with us. I love that Tyrell got some some time to play ping pong with you. We are thrilled to read that you enjoyed our location, games and amenities. Our team at Chris's Beach Bar is awesome, thank you for mentioning them! Please next time also let us know in real time we would of moved your room in a heartbeat. We hope to have you back as soon as your schedule permits: Sheldon - Assistant General Manager
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First off this was our third trip to this hotel. The first two trips were very short 1/2 nights with the last one being in March 2020. These stays were fine. However, stayed for 3 nights April 2023, and a much different story. This hotel has gone significantly downhill. It is equivalent to a motel inland. The room are very musty smelling and the bathrooms are not clean. There is mold on the shower floor. The water in the showers does fluctuates between cold and burning hot. The sofa bed is extremely uncomfortable with a thin base. If you use beach towels make sure you return all or you will get charged. This happened to us and don’t even know how since we never took them out of room. The managers are very rude and videotaped the front office to show we had two extra towels requested. Kinda weird that the manager can show us a video on his phone to prove a point. Well I guess we had them and prob left at pool, a 20 dollar charge for two tiny pool towels. Yes. They do verify the intake of the room as I observed housekeeping count all the dirty towels we left outside of room in exchange for new. The pool is very tiny and overheated to 96 degrees. The only good thing is the beach. But that can be found at other nearby hotels with cleaner rooms, a fitness center in site, and without managers with videos and time stamps to prove the charge for 2 towels. Never again.
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Date of stay: April 2023
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from ManagementPBR, General Manager at Plaza Beach Hotel - Beachfront Resort
Responded Jul 19, 2023
We apologize for the disappointing experience you had during your recent stay with us. We appreciate your previous visits and your loyalty as a returning guest. It's disheartening to learn that your most recent stay did not meet your expectations, and we sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you encountered. We take your feedback seriously, and we will address the issues you mentioned with our team. We regret that you found the pool overheated and the size inadequate. We understand that preferences may vary, and we appreciate your feedback on this matter. We understand your decision to explore other nearby hotels, and we apologize for not meeting your expectations during this visit. We hope that you will consider giving us another opportunity to provide you with an improved experience in the future. Thank you for bringing these issues to our attention, and we appreciate your feedback.
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I really didn't know how to rate this. There are a lot of good things about this property and plenty of things that bothered me. So get past all the 5 stars and read this. Pros: The motel is on the beach. Walk out the back gate and you are there. The beach and the water are both very nice. There was a kitchen so I could make breakfast and keep snacks. Cons: The appliances are old and cheap. Just a few dishes and utensils. Lightweight and chintzy. I bought a frying pan because no one noticed the terrible condition of the ones in the room. After the fact, I was told they had extras in the office. The AC worked but there was water on the floor the whole time we were there (5 days!). I put a towel down on the floor. And now, my review of the bathroom........ Pros: The shower was good and there was plenty of hot water and grab bars for safety. Cons? someone painted the bathtub white and the paint was peeled and chipped. It bothered me. Also, there are no hooks for wet bathing suits. Customer service is very good. All my texts were answered ASAP. I dod get fresh towels and anything else I needed, but I didn't like the idea of making the bed, cleaning up the bathroom, leaving the towels outside to be exchanged or emptying the trash and leaving it under the chair. Am I on vacation, or what? The pool: Pros: plenty of lounge chairs and easy in easy out steps. Clean enough. Cons: On the last day, a group of 18 or so people commandeered the pool for a party, drinking beer out of their endless supply in coolers, while blasting music from their own speaker. Everybody had one beer too many and they were standing in the pool. . We got in for 5 minutes, and got out. It was unnerving to say the least. I'm all for fun, but what about the rest of us? Oh, There is a resort fee, too. Finally, I liked the location, and the general area. Publix is nearby, as well as many restaurants. I would return to St. Pete Beach, but I'd stay someplace less kitchy and more updated.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â This is a do it yourself operation. Not a boutique hotel. Know before you go.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laid back and relaxing best describes this retro motel. Family owned and vintage, you are transported at check-in back to a more simple time. The hotel sits right on St. Pete Beach, so matter what room you have, you are literally a few steps from the beach. If that’s too far for you, you can always stop at the beach front bar for a beverage and a break before completing your journey! Or take a quick dip in the pool to cool off before continuing to the beach! The room we were in was called a “deluxe Efficiency suite” (I believe it is the smallest they offer) and it was huge compared to your standard hotel room. We had a king bed, couch, coffee table, dining room table with 4 chairs, full refrigerator, smaller microwave, 3 burner cook top, double kitchen sink, all the kitchen utensils you need to eat and cook, and a full bathroom. All in all, very comfortable. Nothing fancy; but clean, functional, and all one needs for a short or long term stay. There is a grocery store (Publix) a block or so away, which is very convenient , and several restaurants within walking distance
The down sides are: #1 Cost. For me personally, i don’t think this such a good value., especially if you are staying more than a couple nights. We (my wife and I) really enjoyed the 2 days we stayed. So much so, I looked into booking a week or two for next year. Yikes! Over $3K for a week, over $6K for two weeks! Further investigation found we can rent a on beach condo or one across the street from the beach (with more amenities) for a month, for about the same prices as a week at Plaza Beach.
#2 Cost. At check in we were told there is no house keeping service unless requested. Not a problem, we are only going to be saying for a couple nights. When we got to our room, we learned (reading the laminated instructions) that there is fee for house keeping (based on the level of service requested), as well as a fee for clean towels, etc.. God help those staying for a week or two (or longer)!
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Pretty much everything you need
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from ManagementPBR, General Manager at Plaza Beach Hotel - Beachfront Resort
Responded Jul 22, 2023
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We're delighted to know that you found our retro hotel laid back and relaxing, and that the lobby transported you back to a simpler time during check-in. Our location right on St. Pete Beach and the beachfront bar are indeed convenient amenities for our guests to enjoy. Regarding housekeeping, we apologize for any confusion during check-in. We aim to be transparent about our policies, and we'll certainly review the communication to ensure clarity for our guests. We hope to have you back to stay with us in the future so that we can earn that extra star and deliver you a 5-star experience! Until then, safe travels and all the best!
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We definitely recommend this beach resort for anyone, but especially families…the rooms were big, had comfortable beds, a full kitchen, & an Alexa in each room which the kids liked! There were so many non-beach things to do: shuffleboard, fooseball, mini golf, cornhole, giant outdoor chess, play houses & beach toys on the actual beach, as well as tons of adirondack chairs set up for watching the gorgeous sunset. They had a great area for de-sanding all of the children and boogie boards with a shower and hose. The pool was clean and there was free coffee every morning and free beer daily between 4-5 (which we missed both days 🤦🏻‍♀️🤣). You could also visit the other two resorts, one of which we walked to one morning. It was on the Bay side and we were told we might see manatees or dolphins…no luck this time, but it was a cool option! The staff was exceptionally helpful and friendly and the sense of humor dotted around the resort didn’t go unnoticed!! We will absolutely definitely be back as we feel like we found a hidden treasure!
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from ManagementPBR, General Manager at Plaza Beach Hotel - Beachfront Resort
Responded Jul 22, 2023
Good afternoon! Thank you so much for such a glowing and detailed review! We take great pride in providing a fun and relaxing stay for our guests and in being able to keep the whole family entertained with all of our amenities! We are thrilled to hear that our staff helped to enhance your stay with us as well! We truly believe that we have the most amazing staff. We are so glad to hear that you had such a great time staying with us and we cannot wait to have you back again soon!
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The place was amazing and staff was very helpful. Sergio was of great help. Thanks for all of the great amenities and the happy hour drinks. Great view of the gulf. Beautiful sunsets. We will be back next year. They also have washers and dryers in the event you would need them.
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Date of stay: September 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
spent 4 nights here and the accommodation was adequate. Had two double beds in the room but only obviously used one which was very comfortable. The bathroom was small but functional and the little kitchen wasn't used much except to was up some cups. There was a kettle and a coffee machine in the room. The latter didn't work and was replaced writhing 20 minutes. There is a full sized refrigerator to keep all your beers cold and milk from any of the convenience stores or garages along Gulf Boulevard. The pool is small but enclosed to keep young children in and a beach bar run by Chris and Devin... both really nice guys and very popular amongst the locals. There is a bar directly opposite the hotel call the Drunken Clam which has good music, tood and nice staft. It's behind the Japanese Restaurant and two minutes walk away. The hotel has direct access the the beach which is nice and clean with usually crystal clear water but Hurricane Beryl putt pay to that this time around. All in all a good hotel at a good location.
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tanner S, Guest Services / Front Office at Plaza Beach Hotel - Beachfront Resort
Responded Jul 27, 2024
Thank you for your detailed review of the Plaza Beach Hotel! We're glad to hear you enjoyed your stay and found the accommodations comfortable. We apologize for the inconvenience with the coffee machine but are pleased our team could quickly replace it for you. Our pool and beach bar are indeed popular, and we're happy Chris and Devin made a positive impression. The proximity to local attractions adds to the convenience and enjoyment of your stay. We're sorry to hear Hurricane Beryl affected the beach during your visit but hope it didn't dampen your overall experience. Thank you for choosing our hotel, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another enjoyable stay!
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Wonderful staff, great experience. Lovely rooms and amenities! Very clean. Full sized refrigerator was great! Kitchen was well stocked with pots and pans for cooking as well as dishes and glasses. Happy hour every day with free beer and wine. We will definitely return! Alexis was amazing!
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Go to the local thrift store and get your chairs for the beach cheaper.
Also get noodles for the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We left Sat.
Resort was full of guest- red tide seemed like it was getting better as we left-had some dead fish on the shore and def caused some tickling of the throat, but seemed to be getting better on our last day and there were people on the beach throughout the entire trip- it didnt look like (at least while I was there) what it is showing in the news with layers of dead fish in the ocean.
From the Tampa airport, I think it was a little over $30 to Uber to the hotel . I guess it depends on the cost of the rental car for the day, and the cost to park at Busch Gardens.
There are more places to choose from in the St. Pete Beach area.
PRICE RANGE
C$305 - C$531 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
plaza beach hotel - beachfront saint pete beach, plaza beach saint pete, plaza beach resort
LOCATION
United StatesFloridaSt. Pete Beach
NUMBER OF ROOMS
39
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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