Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tampa-I-75 @ Bruce B. Downs
A Tampa hotel with bay views from the pool and an above-average hot breakfast with pancakes and cheese omelets.
The verdict
Pick a traveller type to re-weight the scores and re-rank the rooms around what you actually care about.
This hotel serves as a practical base for exploring Tampa or embarking on a cruise, offering perks like airport and port shuttles alongside an outdoor heated pool. Mornings are anchored by an above-average hot breakfast featuring cheese omelets, pancakes, and sausage gravy. However, guest experiences are marred by reports of unhelpful management and severe cleanliness lapses, such as hair on beds and sewer odors. 141310
Every line below traces back to something a traveler actually wrote — open a line to read the original sentence and follow it to the source.
What travelers noticed
- The complimentary hot breakfast earns praise for offering pancakes, cheese omelets, and sausage gravy with biscuits. 14
- Guests enjoy the outdoor heated pool and exercise room, which both feature views of the bay. 13
- Travelers appreciate the convenience of the shuttle service connecting to the airport and cruise port. 13146
The catch
Who it's for
- — Cruise passengers utilizing port shuttles
- — Guests wanting a substantial hot breakfast
- — Travelers looking for rates cheaper than hotels near Busch Gardens
Skip it if
- — Light sleepers placed near the downstairs disco or bar
- — Travelers wary of inconsistent room cleanliness and bedding
Seen on camera
7 moments · 2 videos · Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tampa-I-75 @ Bruce B. Downs
Each moment is pulled at the second a cited reviewer said the words. Play it here, or open the original video at that timestamp.
“this was a great place to stay and a great jumping off point before my 13-day transatlantic cruise from Tampa to Barcelo…”
youtube.com4:23“And of course, there is free Wi-Fi so you can stay connected, post your gorgeous vacation photos, or just stream your fa…”
youtube.com1:53“check-in was quick and eventful exactly what you want after a long day of flying across the country”
youtube.com0:29“I am happy to report that after I got to my room I couldn't hear a thing”
youtube.com1:32“one of the standout amenities though is the complimentary shuttle to the cruise port which runs several times throughout…”
youtube.com4:05“As soon as you pull up, you are greeted by the warmest, most inviting atmosphere. The staff here is just wonderful, supe…”
youtube.com0:47“I found the room very clean especially the bathroom and the mini kitchenette”
youtube.com1:58Frames are citations: each one links to its second in the source video, attributed to the creator who filmed it. Nothing here is supplied by the hotel. Creators who want a moment removed can ask and we take it down.
How to book
Score breakdown
How the 94/100 is built, category by category — each one with the strongest thing travelers actually said, and the source it came from.
Bathroom
96Nothing quotable yet on this one — the score leans on the rest of the coverage.
Food
92Location
91Noise
91Room
93Service
96Bed & Sleep
93Value
92- “Different strokes for different folks but we thought it was a great deal for the money and the view of the bay from the hotel was a definite plus.” 14
- “This three and a half star hotel is perfectly positioned in the vibrant area of Tampa, Florida, making it an ideal choice for travelers who prioritize both ease of access and high value.” 9
Where it is, how to reach it
Details checked 2026-09-10
Where it sits
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tampa-I-75 @ Bruce B. Downs and the 38 other hotels we cover in Tampa. Hover a marker for the hotel; click to open it.
Stay value
How this property reads against the hotels we cover alongside it. Measured on review evidence, not on a nightly rate.
Beats what $ usually buys
Scores 12 points above the modest median of 82, across 404 hotels in the same bracket. In Tampa it sits 10 points above the local median of 84.
- This hotel
- 94
- Bracket median
- 82
- Index median
- 86
Based on 404 comparable hotels.
Which room to ask for
What reviewers say about where to sleep inside this building — by room number where one is named, and otherwise by floor, wing, aspect and position. Every line opens onto the quotes behind it.
Nothing is yet praised often enough to recommend.
- 1 mention
Where travelers agree — and don’t
The topics reviewers split on most. A wide bar means your experience depends on which room you get — or whose opinion you trust.
View the 55 things travelers said behind this verdict▾
Quotes run exactly as travelers wrote them — spelling and all. We trim for length, never for tidiness.
- “The only problem was the shuttle service. They picked us up from airport without any problem, but I know others waited over an hour for them.” 14
- “We stayed 2 nights pre-cruise at Holiday Inn Express RJ Staduim, very nice, nice pool, great free breaky, I read many complaints about the shuttles but we used them many times and never waited very long at all and it was a busy spring break week.” 13
- “id also just like to reiterate i did ask for clean sheets in the first 3 rooms which the manager refused to give us until the 5th room. i wouldn't have gone to 6 rooms to begin with had we just been given clean sheets.” 11
- “Mind you, every trip we go on we stay at an IHG property, almost exclusively Holiday Inn Express specifically. He then screams at us and tells us now he can't rent those rooms out to other people because housekeeping went home. Probably shouldn't have been renting them out anyway.” 11
- “The rooms were comfortable, the staff very nice.” 14
- “id also just like to reiterate i did ask for clean sheets in the first 3 rooms which the manager refused to give us until the 5th room.” 11
- “check-in was quick and eventful exactly what you want after a long day of flying across the country” On camera60:29
- “No bellmen, but did have luggage carts. We were met with very friendly and helpful people at the desk.” 13
- “Reply Share capn-crunch419 • 7mo ago yeah my boyfriend & i just are talking about making the switch to another brand. we had issues with an IHG overcharging our card back in december and that took almost 2 months to resolve and even then our bank resolved it not IHG.” 11
- “The shuttle service took us to a mall, and they were very prompt when we called for our ride back to the hotel.” 14
- “No carpet in the rooms, just vinyl floors throughout. Beds are incredibly comfortable with quality linens.” 4
- “The room was really clean and the staff very friendly.” 14
- “At this point, we want to talk to the manager. He has not come to help the front desk employee or help us resolve the issue. Instead, he tells us that "we clearly have no intentions on being happy here".” 11
- “I know how much we all hate long waits, but check-in here is a total breeze starting at 3:00 p.m.” 10
- “When you arrive, check-in begins at 3:00 p.m., giving you plenty of time to settle in and start exploring the local area. Our friendly and efficient staff is always on hand to ensure your arrival is seamless.” 9
- “All the employees were more than helpful!” 14
- “one of the standout amenities though is the complimentary shuttle to the cruise port which runs several times throughout the morning make sure you reserve a spot when you check in” On camera64:05
- “The shuttle service was well organized and the return pick-up after the cruise was a big $$ savings.” 14
- “i also really just didn't expect the rooms to be so dirty every time. i get mistakes but that many rooms is crazy.” 11
- “As soon as you pull up, you are greeted by the warmest, most inviting atmosphere. The staff here is just wonderful, super friendly, and so efficient.” On camera100:47
- “Rates are much more reasonable at this hotel than other properties that are located closer to Busch Gardens.” 7
- “Different strokes for different folks but we thought it was a great deal for the money and the view of the bay from the hotel was a definite plus.” 14
- “Many Thanks. Just wanted to state that what was said about Marriot Waterside not always being 302.00 is true. We booked it on night before our cruise in upcoming may for 200 plus taxes,etc. I realize that is still expensive but since it is our first cruise we wanted to "celebrate" a little.” 13
- “This three and a half star hotel is perfectly positioned in the vibrant area of Tampa, Florida, making it an ideal choice for travelers who prioritize both ease of access and high value.” 9
- “Parking is in a garage. There is a excellent steak house (Shula's) on the premises - expensive.” 13
- “Breakfast in the morning was fine, a few choices of cereal, breads, pastries, yogurts, bananas, bisquits and gravy and little premade omelets.” 14
- “The breakfast was the standard and the rooms were clean.” 14
- “The breakfast was IMO above average. In addition to the usual pastry, bagels, fruit and yogurt they also had pancakes, cheese omelets and sausage gravy and biscuits.” 14
- “Rooms were fine, breakfast was good, and the pool area was very nice with a view of the bay.” 14
- “To make your mornings even easier, we provide a delicious complimentary breakfast, allowing you to fuel up for the day ahead without having to search for a restaurant first.” 9
- “One of my favorite things about staying at a Holiday Inn Express is that you get those little luxuries that make life so much easier. You can wake up to a delicious hot breakfast to fuel your day.” 10
- “:) We spent two nights at HI Rocky Point before our cruise in April and felt they exceeded our expectations for a reasonably priced hotel with shuttle and breakfast. They did vary a couple of items on the buffet each day, so we were quite happy.” 14
- “Had clean one bed studio suites on floor five (there was also a single pullout).” 13
- “Best for road-trippers, less so for anyone needing reliable in-room climate control.” 4
- “First room we checked in there were probably 15-20 hairs all over the bed.” 11
- “Cruise Package: (Weekends Only Friday, Saturday & Sunday Stays Only - I received conflicting info on these days from the desk clerks. Be sure to call about this if staying there)” 13
- “Second room we were given, same thing. The room also smelled like a sewer.” 11
- “Rooms feature generic decor, but are clean and modern, and have mini-fridges as well as microwaves.” 7
- “Best for families, less so for anyone needing consistent room maintenance.” 8
- “We make our own bed. We're finally laying down ready to calm down & a cockroach probably 3 inches big was crawling across the wall.” 11
- “I found the room very clean especially the bathroom and the mini kitchenette” On camera61:58
- “Meh grass is never greener. Im Hilton diamond and marriott plat. They've all went down in quality. Fairfield with 15 year old furniture.” 11
- “- "The rooms directly above the bar have a lot of noise asked for a quiet room."” 13
- “I am happy to report that after I got to my room I couldn't hear a thing” On camera61:32
- “....unable to sleep all night because the music from the disco downstairs can be heard (LOUDLY) in the rooms.” 13
- “We really enjoyed the hotel. We had a King room, last one in the hall by the stairs. It was such a quiet location.” 14
- “While the location is unremarkable (near a strip mall), the hotel is one of the closest options (less than eight miles) from Busch Gardens.” 7
- “The down side, is the location. This is on the corner of an office park out to the E of Tampa.” 13
- “The Westshore area is a lot cleaner and safer than the area where that Econo-Lodge is located on Kennedy Blvd - if that's the one you are looking at.” 13
- “They have free shuttle from the airport, shuttle to the cruise port, and then they pick you up after your cruise and will take you back to the airport. This was a huge plus for me.” 13
- “Marriott Waterside Hotel Cracker Ken: a great location within walking distance of things to do in the S side of the downtown business core, along the water front.” 13
- “Hyatt Regency Hotel - 211 N Tampa Street Downtown Tampa. Nice hotel in the middle of town, not very far from the trolley line at the Embassy Suites and Marriott Waterside area. Easy walking distance.” 13
- “Hilton Garden Inn (www.hiltongardeninn.com) because its location in Ybor City can't be beat.” 13
What we still don't know
What we can’t tell you yet, said plainly. These close as we read more coverage of this hotel.
- No reviewer has named an individual room number here yet.
- Nothing reliable said about room types.
- Nothing reliable said about floor level.
- Nothing reliable said about building or wing.
- Nothing reliable said about which side it faces.
- Nothing reliable said about view.
- Food rests on 3 sources — too thin to rely on.
- Noise rests on 3 sources — too thin to rely on.
Ask about Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tampa-I-75 @ Bruce B. Downs
Answered only from the coverage cited on this page. If nobody has written about your question, it will say so rather than guess.
How much we read
Deep coverage · 57/100We read 14 sources for this property, and pulled 81 traveler insights worth knowing. Last checked 2026-09-11.
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Sources
Everything quoted on this page, grouped by traveler insights, outlets, and video & podcast. Counts beside each group show everything we’ve read of that kind; no one kind can carry the score on its own.
5 of 5 summary lines above are traced to specific quotes. The rest summarise the read as a whole rather than any single document.
View all 14 cited sources▾
Everything quoted on this page.
- 11Having a horrible experience at Holiday Inn Express in ...reddit.comForum thread2026-02-08Recent11 quotes used
“id also just like to reiterate i did ask for clean sheets in the first 3 rooms which the manager refused to give us until the 5th room. i wouldn't have gone to 6 rooms to begin with had we just been given clean sheets.”
Read originalreddit.com - 7Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites New Tampa I-75 Bruce ...oyster.comReview site2024-08-12Ageing4 quotes used
“Rates are much more reasonable at this hotel than other properties that are located closer to Busch Gardens.”
Read originaloyster.com - 12Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tampa-I-75 @ Bruce B. Downs ...top-rated.onlineReview site2019-10-19AgeingRead originaltop-rated.online
- 14Looking at Holiday Inn Express Rocky Point Tampa for ...boards.cruisecritic.comReview site2011-06-14Ageing22 quotes used
“The only problem was the shuttle service. They picked us up from airport without any problem, but I know others waited over an hour for them.”
Read originalboards.cruisecritic.com - 13Hotel suggestions for Tampa - Page 66 - Florida Departuresboards.cruisecritic.comReview site2007-03-21Ageing25 quotes used
“Hampton Inn - Ybor City. 1301 E 7th Ave- 1301 East 7th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605, 5.4 Miles East of TPA Next to the trolley line. Very convenient too. Not far from the cruise terminals.”
Read originalboards.cruisecritic.com - 1Holiday Inn Express- Tourist Class Tampa, FL Hotelstravelweekly.comReview siteDate not statedRead originaltravelweekly.com
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