Tampa Bay Area Hotels Earn U.S. News Ranking

The Tampa Bay area’s hospitality industry just got a pat on the back from U.S. News & World Report. While none of the region’s hotels earned top rankings in the publisher’s 2017 Best Hotels list, several did earn recognition. The rankings resulted from the evaluation of more than 3,000 luxury hotel properties in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The magazine singled out the top hotels in the country with “Gold Badge” honors. These properties are three times more likely to offer infinity pools, free fitness classes and free kids clubs than other ranked hotels, according to the magazine.

While no hotels in the Tampa Bay area earned Gold Badge honors, several earned Silver Badge recognition. They are:

• The Vinoy Renaissance, St. Petersburg
• Don CeSar, St. Petersburg
• Epicurean Hotel, Tampa
• Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel
• Seminole Hard Rock Tampa

Other hotel properties in the Tampa Bay area to receive mention in the statewide rankings for Florida included:

• Clearwater Beach Marriott Suites
• Saddlebrook Resort
• Sheraton Sand Key Resort
• Hyatt Regency Sarasota
• Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach
• The Resort at Longboat Key Club
• The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota
• Grand Hyatt, Tampa

U.S. News’ rankings only includes luxury hotels in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Hotels are only included if they consistently receive 4- to 5-star “hotel class” ratings and they must have at least 20 guest rooms. Hotels are rated based on such metrics as awards and recognition, hotel class and guest rating.

To view the full report and state-by-state rankings, visit U.S. News online.

Photo by L'eau Bleue via Flickr used under Creative Commons