Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park

Free parking and a good price were a nice start. I got upgraded to a suite with a balcony and wet bar, and the restaurant was reasonably priced. There was also a counter service sandwich shop and Starbucks coffee. In the lobby, a large computerized vending machine had toiletries, medicine, and snacks. Probably the best Hilton I’ve stayed at in a while. Wonderful stay, and I’d come back.

I want to be honest even though I don’t want to seem ungrateful. My stay hasn’t been the best. To me, this feels like somewhere between a fancy 2-star and a 3-star hotel, a long way from a 4-star. The receptionist wasn’t very friendly, and seemed to have a “you get what you get” attitude. We were put in a room for disabled guests, and the bathroom floor had dirty stains. When we turned on the shower, black water came out, and the shower kept dripping all night. We told the front desk, but nothing happened. When we returned from the beach the next day, the pool was crowded. We asked why and were told there was a pool party. For a moment, I felt like I was on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Most likely, I won’t come back.

The wedding was lovely, and the food was genuinely good, especially the butler service. We chose this hotel for a weekend wedding because it’s conveniently located near the airport and easy to reach. The rooms were okay but seemed dated and could use a refresh. The grounds were fine, though the place didn’t have the polish suggested online and looked better in photos than in person. It served the event well, and with some updates it could live up to its potential.

A great weekend getaway, with a beautiful hotel, lovely lighting, and a walking deck around the pool and hot tub. The staff were courteous, and the food and drinks were great.