Best Places to Stay in St Pete
Wondering where to stay in St Pete? Today, we will be covering some of the best hotels in downtown St Petersburg, Florida. It has definitely grown as a Florida vacation destination in recent years and lots of people want to visit. If you’re planning on visiting and are in the research process of finding a place to stay then look no further. This roundup will help you find the best places to stay in St Petersburg, FL.
One thing to note is that I am keeping this list to St. Petersburg. A lot of people say St Pete to capture the whole area, to include St Pete and the beaches near St Pete (such as Clearwater Beach or St Pete Beach). It does make sense because things are located relatively close together, but since I have travel guides on most of these respective places, I am going to keep the best places to stay separate to each area as well. There is so much to do and see in every place, so to give each place justice, I just keep it separate.
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Where Should I Stay in St Pete?
It is really easy to get back and forth between all that there is to do in downtown St Pete to the beaches. If you have a car, it’s around a 30 minute drive and if you don’t, the Sunrunner is a great option. The Sunrunner is a bus that goes back and forth between downtown St Pete and St Pete Beach.
With that being said, where you want to stay will depend largely on what you want to do. As a beach person, I would personally opt to stay at the beach with a day trip to downtown St Pete. But if you are more of a city person, want tons to do, and only need one day at the beach, you will likely want to do the opposite – stay in St Pete (the hotels mentioned in this article) and take a day trip to the beach.
Staying in downtown St. Petersburg puts you in the middle of the action. Downtown St. Pete has a a lot to do such as shopping, the St Pete Pier, tons of restaurants, bars, sports events, arts, markets, museums, and much more. It’s a vibrant hub for various activities and entertainment.
Boutique Hotels St Pete Florida
The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort and Golf Club
The Vinoy is technically a chain hotel under Marriott, but it is such a unique, beautiful building that I’m including it under boutique hotels. It is a great place to stay in St Pete and is the most expensive hotel on this list of places to stay in St Petersburg. But, if you stay here, you will love the amenities that include two outdoor heated swimming pools, five restaurants, a spa, and a full-service marina. This is a popular place for meetings and weddings.
But even more than the amenities, you’ll likely love the rooms. They are comfortable with chic decorations and private balconies. They do allow dogs up to 40 pounds. Parking is an additional fee.
Hollander Hotel
Like the other hotels, the Hollander is also minutes away from great restaurants, shops, breweries, and museums. The Hollander is a laid back hotel in St Pete with a poolside bar. They also have a non-poolside bar and a coffee shop on site. You can find live entertainment most weekends. The Hollander is an older building that has been remodeled and the decor is vintage. Rooms are on the smaller side here. The Hollander Hotel accepts dogs under 35 pounds. They also have free parking and there is no resort fee.
The Birchwood
There are 18 hotel rooms at the Birchwood, located in the heart of downtown St Pete. You’ll be in a great location to be able to easily enjoy bars, restaurants, and more. You’ll also find Birch & Vine, a romantic fine dining restaurant, and The Canopy, cocktails and light food on the rooftop. The Birchwood is a popular place for weddings, which can be loud at times, but that will really depend on the day. There is an additional charge for parking. Also, there is no pool at the Birchwood, which is pretty rare in Florida hotels.
Larger Chain Hotels in St Pete, Florida
There are benefits to staying at a chain hotel. They can be more cost effective and are also easier if you are travel hacking your trip. Here are some great options for chain hotels in St Petersburg.
Hyatt Place St. Petersburg/Downtown
The Hyatt Place St Petersburg has a good location in the middle of downtown St Pete. They are also pet friendly if you happen to be traveling with a dog. A bonus of staying at the Hyatt is that free breakfast is included, they also have a marketplace and a restaurant in the lobby. The rooms are modern and clean. There is an additional charge for parking.
Hampton Inn and Suites St Petersburg
Like the Hyatt, the Hampton Inn is pet friendly and has a free breakfast. The rooms are more outdated than the Hyatt but the location is just as good. The Hampton and the Hyatt are just 0.1 miles from each other! The Hampton Inn has a nice pool on the second floor. Parking is valet only and does cost extra.
Are there any pet friendly hotels in downtown St Petersburg, Florida?
For pet friendly hotels in downtown St Pete, you can stay at the Hollander, Vinoy, Hampton Inn and Suites, and Hyatt Place all accept pets. If you plan to travel with a pet, I would recommend confirming with the hotel before you book because policies can change.
The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, Autograph Collection, allows for two pets up to 40 pounds. There is an additional fee of $150 per stay.
Hollander Boutique Hotel allows one dog up to 35 lbs for an additional fee of $30 per stay and two dogs up to 35 lbs for $50 per stay.
Hampton Inn & Suites St. Petersburg Downtown allows two pets up to 75 lbs for an additional fee of $50 for stays lasting 1-4 nights and $75 for longer stays. Both dogs and cats are allowed.
Hyatt Place St Petersburg Downtown allows two dogs with a combined weight up to 75 lbs for an additional fee of $75 for 1-6 nights and $175 for longer stays.
What is the distance from St Pete to Tampa?
The distance between St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida, will vary depending on your starting and ending points within each city. With no traffic, you can generally get from downtown St Pete to downtown Tampa in around 30 minutes. But do know that in Florida, there usually is traffic.
Hopefully this article is helpful in choosing where to stay in St Pete. There is so much to do in this amazing city and any of the accommodations in this article will give you a good home base for exploring downtown St Petersburg.
