Clarion Inn Suites Clearwater

Hotel is OK, especially if one wants to be close to the Phillies spring training site. Otherwise the neighborhood is rather bland (strip-mall, definitely no beaches). It is near a busy highway, although most rooms are set back so the noise is not a problem. The facility is rather dated, putting it solidly in the 3-star (out of five). Room comfort: tolerable, but nothing great. Staff are reasonably accommodating. Restaurants are within walking distance. Bottom line: Not great, not a disaster.

We recently completed a 7-night stay in a first-floor room facing the pool courtyard, so we got a thorough feel for this property. Here's our honest take. The highlights are genuinely impressive. The beds, bedding, and pillows were wonderfully comfortable — exactly what you want after a long day. The room was clean, the shower had great water pressure, and the air conditioning worked perfectly. The lobby has clearly been recently renovated and looks stunning; a nice touch is the complimentary ice water and coffee available there throughout the day. The pool area is an absolute standout. There's a huge main pool, an elevated hot tub, a separate kiddie pool, and an abundance of lounge chairs — including a shaded covered portico with deep cushioned seating. Front desk staff were consistently friendly and helpful, and the included breakfast covered all the bases: scrambled eggs, sausage, breads, muffins, cereal, yogurt, a waffle machine, orange juice, and coffee (with potatoes added on weekends). Vending machines are also available for drinks and snacks. A few things to know before you book. The toilets are quite low — worth noting if you're tall. Housekeeping is by request only (there IS a sticker on the bathroom mirror explaining this), so just ask for fresh towels, extra coffee supplies, or a full cleaning whenever you need it. Our biggest complaint was the adjoining room door. It is essentially paper thin, with a gap of at least an inch at the bottom.....we could hear our neighbor coughing in her sleep and rustling a paper bag. We ended up buying duct tape to seal the gap ourselves. If you're a light sleeper, request a room without an adjoining door or come prepared. One morning we woke to one very large (but thankfully dead) palmetto bug in the center of the floor, and a smaller bug on the wall heading toward the cabinet area. We reported it to the front desk and someone came to spray within the hour, and we didn't see another bug for the rest of the week. Responsive handling, but worth mentioning. Something that caught us off guard: it became clear during our stay that a number of guests are actually long-term residents using this as their permanent address. We're not here to judge anyone's situation, but it's something to be aware of... it does create a noticeably different atmosphere than a typical vacation hotel, and may affect your comfort level depending on your expectations. Finally, a little caution about the fitness room: it's small with limited equipment, and the treadmill gave us a scare one morning. My husband was running at about 5.5 mph when it abruptly stopped without warning, sending him flying backward and landing hard on his back and tailbone. Please be careful. We did let the front desk know right away and they said that they were super thankful that we let them know and obviously glad that my husband wasn't seriously injured. Overall, the property has a lot going for it, especially for families who will love the pool area. Just go in with eyes open on the adjoining room noise situation, the long-term resident dynamic, and maybe the treadmill.

I booked this “hotel” for a three night stay for a spring training trip. As soon as I saw my room, I did a 180 and checked out, asked for a refund. The room was absolutely horrendous- dated, dirty, and smelled beyond terrible. This is not walkable at all- located on a highway. The area is sketchy. The staff is nice, and did grant me a refund.