Mint House Tampa Downtown by Kasa

I was heading out on a cruise, and this downtown spot was very close to where I needed to be. You could walk there if you wanted, though Lyft was only $12. The room was clean and well stocked, and I felt safe walking about 10 minutes to Top Sports bar. There are several restaurants nearby, and I went there for the wings.

The check-in was confusing because no instructions came ahead of time. We arrived and spent a good 40-50 minutes on the phone with customer service just to get them texted or emailed. Once we got that sorted, everything went smoothly. The building is modern, and both the rooms and amenities were great. I'd recommend staying here, though the owners should improve the check-in process.

We booked last minute for the Journey concert and paid about half what the other nearby large chain hotel within walking distance was charging. The virtual front desk was easy to use, and the arrival and check-in instructions were accurate, so getting to the room was no trouble. Parking might be tricky during an event, I guess. We got a spot right in front for less than any of the lots, since we arrived at a time when parking was free between midnight and 8:00 am. They texted to say there was parking available at the building, but we'd already parked out front, so I don't know what that would have cost. The room had a full-size kitchen, useful for a stay of several days, and we heard no traffic or highway noise from the nearby expressway. I'll use this place again for hockey games or other arena events.

The laundry setup was handy: unlimited supplies were provided, and the washer and dryer were large. The kitchen had silverware, plates, and pans, but no seasonings beyond salt and pepper. The coffee maker worked all right, and coffee supplies were unlimited too. There was no gym access, only the pool, but the outdoor pool area was nice and had a grill you could use anytime. The first night was a nightmare. A smoke detector started beeping at 1am for half an hour, then kept going off every four hours or so until I left. I told management, maintenance, and property customer service, but nobody could stop it. I said the heater was triggering it, but they blamed people cooking in their units, which wasn't the cause. I spent almost $700 and got only $100 back after asking for a refund. Parking across the street is another $26 a day, so the money you save compared with a hotel goes to parking. I'm very disappointed and won't return.