Tahitian Inn

I was embarrassed that I booked here and really disappointed. The online photos gave a completely false impression, and the building had fencing around half of it. Our room had black mold throughout, loose door locks that didn't work, and gaps around the door frame where light came through. There was a strong marijuana smell around the building, too. For $142, I booked a two queen room and got awful conditions. A pool renovation notice came by email an hour before check-in, and when I arrived I was told the elevators didn't work. Because we had a lot of luggage, they put us in room 130 on the lower level. There was no free breakfast or shuttle. I asked the front desk for a different room or compensation, but they refused, saying the elevators were out of service.

It's a basic place, and the value seemed fair for what I paid. The room was clean, the staff were friendly, and the location was good. The hotel could use some updating, but if you just need simple accommodations for a short stay, it should be fine. I didn't check out the pool or fitness room, so I can't speak to those.

Black mold was the first thing that hit me when I opened the room door, and I got sick on the third day after leaving this nasty place. The manager was rude and arrogant, and wouldn't refund me. After a wonderful vacation, we ended the last night in what felt like the worst room, given to us by the woman who checked us in. The doors wouldn't lock, and the elevators weren't working, so we had to haul our bags. There was no shuttle, the pool wasn't open, there was no Tiki Bar, and not even chairs outside. Service was awful. At the desk, the woman seemed bothered by us while eating and looking at her phone through check-in.

We came away with a memorable vacation and would love to return to Tampa and the Tahitian Inn. Linda, the general manager, was friendly and professional, and showed us around while explaining the room updates and the planned pool bar. Jose at the front desk welcomed us warmly and made sure the room we requested would work for us after a tiring trip. Eladia, our housekeeper, set it up just how we like, with extra pillows, blankets, and towels, and was happy to handle our special requests. The staff made us feel really well looked after.