Hotel Near Eckerd College

[Tinkerfreak]

DD and I are visiting Eckerd next month and I was looking for suggestions for a good beach hotel near the college. I have looked online but you can never trust the pictures online. Doesn't have to be the Ritz Carlton just clean rooms and convenient to the school and preferably with a beach.
Thanks!

[Tinkerfreak]

Tradewinds Island Grand Resort looks really nice with lots to do and several restaurants. Anyone ever stayed there?

[AgentC]

I have not stayed at Tradewinds but it has a good reputation. I have friends staying there this weekend who will be back Tuesday. My mom is taking my kids there for a few days this week and will be back midweek. If you are not in a rush to book, I can ask them both when they get back.

[Hammer]

I stayed at the Tradewinds Island Grand for a long weekend to celebrate my birthday. I found it to be a very nice resort. I paid to have a gulf view room and the view was beautiful. There are lots of activities (some do have an additional charge) for families. There is a daily resort fee (I think it was $25), but for that you received Internet in your room and a cabana with 2 lounge chairs on the beach. Most of the other resorts I researched charged around $15-20 a day for a cabana. Food at all the restaurants and bars was tasty (take advantage of the souvenir drink cup for alcoholic beverages, it is a good deal).

I highly recommend this resort and most people will tell you I'm pretty picky (that smiley is me at the Tradewinds )!

[AgentC]

. There is a daily resort fee (I think it was $25), but for that you received Internet in your room and a cabana with 2 lounge chairs on the beach. Most of the other resorts I researched charged around $15-20 a day for a cabana.

Yes, that is how much my mom is being charged for the resort fee. I am not usually in favor or resort fees but you get quite a bit for it at the Tradewinds.

[Tinkerfreak]

Thanks I think I will book this resort this weekend after all the reviews are in.

[AgentC]

My mom got back with my kids yesterday. They liked it enough that they decided to stay an extra night.

The beach was beautiful and there are tons of activities (some include, some not). The hotel offered her an upgrade at a discount so she moved up from the basic room to the next level. They did not do a gulf view but still enjoyed it. In her building the rooms without a gulf view had a balcony while the gulf view rooms did not. There are different buildings so it might not be the same for everyone.

The Grand has more children and activities. If you want a quieter location, the Sand Piper next door has more adults but it is under renovations right now.

My mom is pretty picky and she said she would go back again.

[murphy1]

Congrats on her going to Eckerd!! It is a great school and you both should be proud. I am from that area and when I stay on the beach, if I don't stay with friends and family, I usually stay over at Sirata Beach Resort. They give a nice return discount too. I usually book a room right on the Gulf, you can literally walk out onto the beach. They have good restaurants too. I love Tradewinds, but it is usually more than I can afford to spend, but it is gorgeous. My daughter was interested in Eckerd when she heard you could have your cat live with you

[Tinkerfreak]

We did stay at the Trade Winds and had a great time. The beach was lovely and we also upgraded to a gulf view room with a balcony and was so glad we did. I would definately like to stay there again, we only had one evening and would have loved more time to enjoy the resort.
My daughter loved Eckerd and out of all the colleges we visited it was her favorite.