Blind Pass Resort-Motel

Flowering hibiscus bushes flank the entrance of the Blind Pass Resort, and just inside the gate there’s a stone courtyard with palm trees, ferns, and a fountain where light classical music sometimes plays. It's a nice enough welcome to this hotel, which, despite the name, isn't a resort and has limited on-site features. The peachy, two-story building has a Mediterranean look from the outside, with a terra cotta-tile roof and a double staircase adorned with a column railing that hearkens back to an earlier decade. Once inside, the small lobby offers a hint of what's to come in the guest rooms -- the dated space has knockdown spackled walls, pictures in brass frames, and white wicker furniture. It's all fine enough for what it is -- a humble beach-town hotel -- and guests include families, couples, and small groups of friends.

The Blind Pass Resort is located in an upscale residential neighborhood, making for a quiet stay. It’s around a 15-minute walk to the beach, though that's not exactly comfortable when travelers are lugging beach gear and a drive will take about five minutes. There are some restaurants within walking distance, including a pizza place across the street. A Walgreens drug store and a Winn-Dixie supermarket within a six-minute walk, which are helpful for stocking the kitchenettes. Expect a 25-minute drive to St. Petersburg, and Tampa International Airport is around a 40-minute drive from the hotel without traffic.

The rooms at the hotel are spacious and pleasant enough, but dated, with tile floors and knockdown spackled walls. Tropical-themed bedspreads and white wicker furnishings create a low-end, beachy vibe, and some rooms still have tube TVs. Soft tropical art hangs on walls done in inoffensive shades like soft green and pale yellow, and many of the multi-room units have proper living areas outfitted with sagging couches. All rooms have small kitchenettes with stove tops, microwaves, coffeemakers, toasters, and cookware/serving ware. These are marginally more modern in some rooms, with granite countertops and white cabinetry. Dish soap is also provided. Tile bathrooms have walk-in showers or shower/tub combos with tropical-print curtains matching the bedspreads. A Honeymoon Suite is also available, with subtler bedding and nicer furnishings plus a huge bathroom with two sinks and a whirlpool tub that is a serious nod back to the early '90s, with its gaudy columns and shiny brass fixtures. Note that when we visited, not all room lights were functioning, and there have been guest complaints about maintenance.

Blind Pass Resort has a lovely outdoor lagoon pool with a tall, stone waterfall, and the pool deck is lined with colorful hibiscus plants and palms. Pool noodles are available for guests to play with, and a poolside gas grill and lounge chairs are available for guests to use. The hotel has coin-operated laundry machines, and there’s an outdoor ice machine. Free parking is offered, and pets are allowed for a fee. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.