Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa

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  • The recently expanded Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is an all-in-one entertainment compound with the largest casino in Florida, the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center, the Rock Spa & Salon, three pools, and many food and drink venues.
  • The hotel has 800 rooms and suites, including 500 that were newly built in 2019. Stay in the West Tower to party like a rock star, or in the new 15-story East Tower for the most updated rooms.
  • I stayed in a Deluxe King, which starts at $219 but cost me $619 in high season. I loved the modern and expansive space, but as a whole, the venue smelled like cigarette smoke and was loud. This hotel is best for groups or couples who like to party rather than business travelers or those looking for romance.
  • Read all Business Insider hotel reviews here.

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Located just off I-4 on the Tampa Reservation — one of the six governed by the Seminole Tribe of Florida — the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is a massive compound. Founded on nine acres of land, it sits relatively isolated, with only the Florida State Fairgrounds and its MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre nearby for competition.

But the self-contained complex doesn't really need any company. It debuted in 2004 but has undergone a glitzy $700 million expansion that was completed in fall 2019. Florida's biggest gaming site and one of the largest in the nation, the casino alone is nearly 200,000 square feet. And the many milling guests justify all that space.

The new enhancements include a 15-story, 564-room East Tower, which brings the lodgings to a total of 800 rooms and suites, as well as a 25,000 square-foot Rock Spa & Salon, and a 30,000 square-foot Seminole Hard Rock Event Center. Six shops and a 200-seat Italian restaurant, gelateria/coffee shop, and wine cellar were also added, as well as three enticing pools and a 120-seat pool bar and grill. Finally, 600 parking spots were tacked onto the 6,000 that already await wheels.

I decided to go and check out all these numbers — and play a few of my own, because I'm something of a blackjack addict. I booked a standard Deluxe King in the East Tower, which typically starts at $269 and drops to $219 in the summer. On coveted peak nights, these standard rooms run between $599 (West Tower) to $619 (East Tower). And that's without the upgraded pool view.

Being a Florida resident and signing up for a Wild Card can help reduce costs as well. But even though I live in Miami and registered for the account, I wound up shelling out, with taxes and fees, $685.85 for a room overlooking the parking lot. Next time I'll know to upgrade to the Luxury King Suite in the West Tower, which ranges from $499-849 and includes a bathtub with jets, floor-to-ceiling windows, and contemporary, custom-crafted furniture that likely feels more worth the inflated price.

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