Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel

As one of the most affordable chain hotels in downtown Tampa, the Sheraton Riverwalk attracts a practical crowd. Typical guests include business travelers, concertgoers, sports fans, parents of college students, and people with family members in the hospital -- Tampa General Hospital, the Convention Center, Forum sports arena, and University of Tampa are all within a mile of the hotel.

As far as style goes, this Sheraton looks run-of-the-mill and somewhat dated. Bright spots include the riverfront pool area, sixth-floor Club Lounge, and a well-equipped fitness center.

The hotel restaurant, Ashley Street Grille, has indoor and outdoor seating with pleasant views of the river. Lucky guests may even see a dolphin, manatee, or college crew team pass by. The restaurant also has a bar, though it doesn’t stay open past 11p.m.

The Sheraton Riverwalk is located on the banks of the Hillsborough River, which runs through the center of downtown Tampa. Tall corporate buildings and two small parks fill the blocks immediately surrounding the hotel, and the closest strip of restaurants is about two blocks to the north on Tampa Street.

Over a dozen downtown attractions are within fifteen minutes of the hotel, including the Lowry Park Zoo, Convention Center, WestShore Plaza shopping mall, historic Ybor City, The Florida Aquarium, Tampa Bay Times Forum sports arena, the art museum, and the airport. The hotel shuttle transports guests anywhere within a three-mile radius, free of charge. A local water taxi also stops at the hotel dock and gives private charters and harbor tours.

Guests should rent a car if they want to visit the area’s nice beaches, located about 45 minutes away on the Gulf Coast.

• 3-minute walk from Lykes Gaslight Square Park
• 4-minute walk to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
• 5-minute walk to the Tampa Riverwalk
• 6-minute walk to the Tampa Museum of Art
• 8-minute walk to the Tampa Convention Center
• 10-minute walk from The University of Tampa
• 14-minute walk to the Tampa Bay Times Forum sports arena
• 5-minute drive to The Florida Aquarium
• 6-minute drive from the Amtrak train station
• 6-minute drive from the Port of Tampa (for cruise ship travel)
• 10-minute drive from shops, dining, and nightlife in historic Ybor City
• 10-minute drive from shopping at WestShore Plaza
• 15-minute drive to Tampa International Airport (Taxis cost about $25.)
• 15-minute drive to Lowry Park Zoo
• 25-minute drive from Busch Gardens amusement park
• 35-minute drive to St. Petersburg International Airport (Taxis cost about $40.)
• 36-minute drive to Clearwater
• 45-minute drive to most gulf coast beaches

The rooms are a bit run-of-the-mill and outdated, but they still come with modern features like flat-screen TVs, iPod stereo docking stations, and free Wi-Fi. The best views are from the fifth and sixth floor Club Level. These rooms cost slightly more and include access to the Club Lounge, which has an outdoor patio with river views and serves free breakfast, beverages, and snacks.

Guestrooms range from 267 square feet to 347 square feet (except for a handful of Executive Suites, which are 765 square feet). Bathrooms are fairly small and unremarkable.

Rooms fit a maximum of four people, due to fire regulations. Connecting rooms are available, but only between rooms with king beds -- meaning up to three people can sleep in each room using rollaways.

• Free Wi-Fi
• iPod stereo docking stations
• 32-inch flat-screen TVs
• In-room coffeemakers
• Shower/tub combos
• Jetted tubs in Deluxe Suites
• Connecting rooms available (between rooms with kind beds only)
• Balconies in suites
• Rollaways (available in most rooms with king beds)
• Sofa beds (in rooms with king beds and river views)
• Mini-fridges, but no minibars

The Sheraton has one heated outdoor pool, located in a scenic spot beside the river. The pool area has a number of shaded tables and stiff-looking lounge chairs. No poolside food or drink service is offered. The pool itself looks generally clean and inviting.

• Four treadmills
• Two ellipticals
• Two cycles
• Free weights
• Free water, magazines, and headphones
• Individual TVs on select cardio machines

Aside from the heated outdoor pool, there isn’t much for kids to do at the hotel. No kids' club or on-site babysitting services are available, although staff can recommend babysitters through a local service. The hotel restaurant also has a kids’ menu.

The most family-friendly aspect of the Sheraton is its location. Two parks, the Tampa Riverwalk, Museum of Art, and The Florida Aquarium are all within five minutes of the hotel. The Tampa Water Taxi Company will also pick up guests at the hotel dock for educational harbor tours.

Due to local fire regulations, a maximum of four guests are allowed per room. Using connecting rooms and rollaways, a maximum of six people could conceivably fit across two rooms.

The hotel restaurant, Ashley Street Grille, is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It serves a decent buffet breakfast and American cuisine, such as burgers, wraps, steaks, and jumbo shrimp. Indoor and outdoor seating is available, and most tables have a nice view of the river. Best of all, the food is affordable.

Guests staying on the fifth and sixth floors have access to the Club Level Lounge, which serves a free breakfast buffet in the morning and snacks in the evening. Room service is available from morning 'til night.

The restaurant’s Ashley Street Bar serves a typical array of wines, beers, and cocktails. Guests staying on the fifth and sixth floors have access to the Club Level Lounge, which has a self-serve espresso machine, free beverages all day, and wine and beer in the evenings (for a price).

With no 24-hour room service or in-room minibars, don’t count on finding a drink at the Sheraton after 11 p.m.

The hotel has a 200-foot private dock where guests can access water taxis, run by the Tampa Water Taxi Company. These boats take reservations for private charters and harbor tours, including night tours, sunset tours, history tours, and eco tours.

• Business center with four computers, printer, and Internet access
• Guest laundry room
• Free Wi-Fi in public areas
• Gift shop with snacks, wine, and toiletries
• 200-foot private boat dock with water taxi service
• Shuttle service (for a fee) to and from Tampa International Airport
• Free shuttle within three miles of the hotel
• Free dog beds and bowls are available

• 12,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space
• Two ballrooms
• Up to eight boardrooms (when ballrooms are partitioned)
• Riverwalk Ballroom fits up to 500 people
• Bayshore Ballroom fits up to 355 people
• Riverview Room fits up to 200 people
• Plated and buffet catering is available from Ashley Street Grill.
• On-site event coordinator
• Private poolside events offered

• Packages include cocktail hour, catered dinner, and reception.
• Plated and buffet catering is available from Ashley Street Grill.
• Two ballrooms and a spacious Riverview Room
• On-site event coordinator
• Indoor and outdoor ceremonies available
• Can accommodate receptions of 150 people or more

Sheraton Riverwalk is a certified “Florida Green Lodging” hotel. To qualify for the certification, the resort needs to recycle, minimize waste, and conserve energy, among other criteria. Guestrooms also contain recycling bins.

Six guestrooms meet ADA accessible standards, and two rooms have roll-in showers. Handicap guests are also eligible for free valet parking.