Grand Plaza Beachfront Resort Hotel & Conference Center

It was good for the money spent.

The hotel is pretty old and you can hear everything that goes on in the hallways due to the horrible echo. They should probably carpet the hallways. The front desk staff had one very friendly gentlemen working. The others were marginal at best. We asked the concierge how to get from point A to B on the trolley and he was pretty clueless. The bellman during the day (older gentleman) was very nice. Spinners has a great view, but horrible food. The pool area was okay, but the fact that the beach was just steps away was awesome. We asked for a suggestion in the area for dinner and we were told to go to Gigi’s. HORRIFIC!!!! Service was the worst and it was overpriced.

Wonderful!

I spent my birthday at St. Pete. this year and stayed with the Grand Plaza hotel for 4 days. It was wonderful! The room had a beautiful view of the ocean and plenty of sunlight. The private balcony was a plus to the room. I was so happy when I entered the room. We arrived on a Saturday and they had three Weddings going on. It was a little crowded in the lobby and the parking lot but we had no problem parking our car near the entrance. The whole place was very cheerful. Sunday was very quiet and the beach was pretty much ours. Since it was in late October, it was pretty windy and the water was a little cold. But we swam in the pool the first day and then at the beach for the rest of the days we stayed there. The hotel is very generous in giving us towels and supplies. The staffs were very nice. They have high speed internet, HBO for free. It was very helpful if you want to check out some local restaurants or other tourist info. The hotel is very close to a shopping plaza, which you can find supermarket, restaurants and other stores there. It was very convenient that we got soda and some snacks for the beach. We will definitely go back there soon!

Will stay there again

We went down for a cousin’s wedding and we saw where friends and family were staying and this hotel was by far the best, the room we had was nice and we had a great view of both the bay and the gulf. Wish we stayed longer , the beds were comfortable and you were able to get a good nights rest , and getting the king bed as an option was excellent , we had enough room for the one year old to sleep in between us .

when you go need to check out undertow beach bar, they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner , and pretty good food at a reasonable price

Great Location, Great Hotel, Great Vacation!

Staff was great, very helpful. Super location, very convent to everything. Can’t wait to go back to St. Pete.

I shall return.

4star hotel.Price is right.Request for higher floor was accomodated.Our room was also upgraded.Very courteous staff . Loved the view at the rotating restaurant. Location is excellent.

Satisfied

Fairly priced, best location on the beach. One of the only hotels that is directly on the beach. Grocery store right across the street. The hotel itself is nice enough, a little run-down looking, but very clean. The staff was very nice and friendly, especially the waitstaff at the beach bar.

Can’t wait to go back

I love the GrandPlaza. I have stayed here about 4 times. It is well maintained, the staff are very friendly and helpful. Rooms are very clean and have great views. Pool is small but I go for the Beach.

A Touch of Class on the Beach

The customer service is always excellent and with a smile. They always come up with some kind of upgrade. This visit it was from a beach side room to a suite; very nice with a kitchen and two balconies. The restaurant food is quite good and the rotating room makes it fun. Only negative was that it was so crowded.

Wish I were there now!

Staff at the hotel was professional, friendly and helpful. Beautiful views in oceanfront rooms. A/C worked too good, we had to turn it down! Free beach towlels were available for use. Grocery store and restaurants within walking distance. The only problem we had with our stay was that the fridge in the room was barely cold. It took it awhile to get our drinks to the perfect temp. Other than that, an awesome stay!

Visit JImmy B’s Beach bar at the sister hotel, the Beachcomber. 10 minute walk on the beach to get there. Live entertainment day and night with friendly bar staff and a mix of tourists and locals.

Not impressed!

The hotel was not what I expected for what I paid! service was bad, rooms too small, elevators were very shabby--need maintenance! Will not return!

Love this place!

This was our second time staying at The Grand Plaza. If you are looking for a large hotel room, this is not the place for you. (the builing is round). However, if you are looking for a beautiful older resort with unique shaped rooms and great service, food, and entertainment... this is the place for you Can’t wait to come back next year!

Traveler's tip on dining

We ate at The Wharf (where the locals go) in Pass-a-grille. They have a very afordable all you can eat fish fry on Tuesday nights. Be sure to order the smoked fish spread. Delicious!

Great Location

This hotel is in a great location and is reasonably priced. We enjoyed our stay.

Good Times

My friend and I went as a girls weekend getaway and had an awesome time. No complaints :)

Traveler's tip on nightlife

Fun bars are, Bongo Bongo’s which is at the hotel, Jimmy B’s which is down at Beach Combers resort and The Undertow

Awesome Trip

We love St. Pete Beach and always stay at the Grand Plaza. In our most recent stay, we were unhappy with the location of our room, so they moved us the next morning. They have great customer service!

Traveler's tip on local attractions

The best beach in the area is at Fort de Soto. It’s beautiful, less crowded than the beaches by the hotels, and we have seen dolphins swimming there seveal times.

Problem fixed!

We recently stayed for a 5 day, much needed, leisure trip. Upon our arrival of the hotel(which was before check-in) we were told our room was clean and ready for us. Excitedly we went up to the room. The room was small, but nice. We went to lay down and after pulling the bedding down, found the bed was full of sand?!? We immediately called the front desk. The housekeeping manager came up to the room and promptly handled the issue. We were upgraded to a beautiful suite for the remainder of our trip. We were very impressed with the way it was handled and very appreciative with the upgrade. The hotel staff was very, very friendly and helpful! We did not have any other problems during our stay and the hotel seemed to be very clean otherwise. I think it was just a fluke that ended to our benefit!

Traveler's tip on dining

If looking for a seafood restaurant with a nice atmosphere I would suggest Snappers! We went and had a great meal!

Needs Upgrade

Ovrall we were satisfied with the accomodations. The hotel does need some attention. The exterior could use a facelift. The lobby area was just "ok." The pool area not as large as it appears on the web site. Rooms were adequate. The "penthouse" rooms were not worth the $$$$. The restaurant offered EXCELLENT views of the bay and the gulf. Perfect for a sunset dinner. The pool bar was nothing to rave about. Drinks a little on the week side. The beach was fine. Be pre-warned that cabanas are offered by 3rd party vendor and at $20 a day not worth it. The staff was fine. Would probably look into another property if going back to St. Pete Beach.

Great Place to Stay

This place was a great value. The Beach and Location were perfect. I recommend staying here, however don’t expect the Ritz. The Hotel is dated, but is a great value and was perfect for my needs.

Great place to stay

This hotel was great, right on the beach. It was also close to restaurants and grocery stores. It is also a short drive to Clearwater Beach or there is a bus that you can take. The pool is really clean and the beach is right there. This place was affordable and really nice. I will definately go back.

Great Weekend

We have stayed here several times, but I think this was the best time. There were no weddings at the hotel so it was very quiet. Upon chcecking in, the front desk manager, Gloria, gave us many up-grades, and went out of her way to send goodies up to the room. The beach bar food is excellent, the shrimp poppers are the best!!

WONDERFUL! Loved the area! Can’t wait to go back!

Hotel was gorgeous, beach even more so. Very clean, lots of shells and sea life. We rented a jet ski right outside the hotel, and saw several dolphins. I found oysters and hermit crabs in the warm clear water. It was fantastic! Everyone at the hotel was very helpful and kind. The rooms were large and the beds so comfy. Lots of shopping and restaurants nearby. The area was just beautiful overall. We will be back this spring! Make sure you rent a car. The hotel is 30 minutes from the airport and you need one to do any shopping or dining other than at the hotel.

Traveler's tip on dining

Eat at Gigi’s italian restaurant just down the way. Yum! Ricky T’s is great for live music and good comfort food.

Best deal

When we arrived they had no problem checking us in a little earlier than the posted"check-in-time". The staff was very accomodating and friendly.The room looked just as good as it did on line.We requested a room with a view and we got it.There was plenty of ample free parking.Kind of pricey to rent a cabana everyday at the beach so plenty of stores across the street to buy an umbrella.The retaurant in lobby for breakfast buffet is not worth the money.I highly reccommend Spinners roof-top restaurant for the view and the great food.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

McDonald’s for breakfast and Skidder’s for dinner.Also if you’re planning to go to Busch Gardens,get your tickets at the chamber of commerce ,about a mile north on Gulf Blvd.,ahead of time.

Great views and close to Tropicana Field

The Murphy bed was a super idea. Although when it is down the room is a bit cramped. Our son was home on mid-tour from Iraq and we were able to take him to see the Boston Red Sox (his fav team)play the Rays at Tropicana Field. We enjoyed the cabana bar after the game. Due to time, we did not get to the revolving restaraunt which was a disappointment.

Good Value

Smooth out elevator ride. A/C hallways.

Great Beach!

georgeous beach views.

The hotel was not kept up as I felt an upper end price shoud be. the tub enamel was pealing. it was awsome location right on the beach with the pool right there also. I would love to come back when i can stay longer. 2 days isnt enough

Traveler's tip on shopping

bathing suit shop accross the stree had every size you could imagine.

Grand Plaza

Great Staff, great location, great rooms. My Husband and I highly recommend the Spinner’s restaurant located on the roof of the hotel. Not only does it rotate and provide excellent views, the food and service is exceptional and affordable. Breakfast buffet is OK, nothing special. Neither is Bongo Bongo’s. But overall, excellent hotel. The only thing that irritated us was the fact that beach chairs and cabanas must be rented, so just take extra beach towels and lay out on the white sand and observe dolphins swim. My husband and I are already plannig another trip.

Traveler's tip

Across the street from the hotel, there is a liqour store with a lounge (Hideaway Lounge) that serves take out food. The food is great and so are the prices. So, don’t spend your money in Bongo Bongo’s.