The Cordova Inn, St. Petersburg FL

BEWARE OF FRAUDULENT CHARGES FROM THEM! DOUBLE CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARD STATEMENTS!

Upon check in they told us to pay for city parking which would be reimbursed at the end of our stay (3 nights, 4 days, $20/day), however when we checked out they CHARGED our card rather than refunding for parking (confirmed by checking the charges outlined in the folio they sent me when I checked out). When I called the hotel about this, they only reimbursed the $61 they charged us, not $122 ($61 they charged us plus the $61 they initially said they would reimburse for city parking). Additionally, overnight parking must be renewed at 9am, but checkout isn’t until 11am, but they will not reimburse you for parking on the day of check out despite having to pay for an entire additional day of parking. I spent a total of $81.96 on parking but was told I would only get back $61.47 and was actually charged an additional $61.47 instead.

If you book using a third party reservation system they will charge you an additional $15/person/day “resort fee” upon check in (that was $90 for a 3 night stay for my husband and myself) despite having NO amenities to be able to even consider themselves a resort; no pool, no gym, no dining, no parking, not even a 24/7 front desk attendant, all they have is a small bar in the lobby.

As for the hotel itself, they merely threw makeup on a pig. Furniture and finishes look really nice, but the building is old and the beds are super uncomfortable; no support and super bouncy (you will feel EVERY move your partner makes in the night). I left two items in my room (a small set of concert ear plugs in their case and a full size umbrella) and went back a couple hours after checking out, but they said someone else had already checked into the room and housekeeping didn’t find anything (even though I know exactly where they were left in the room). Their proximity to the pier and downtown is their only redeeming quality.

Side note: this hotel does not appear to be handicap accessible! They have golf carts parked on the blue lines of the loading ramp area of the handicap parking spots and the only way to get inside is via stairs, no ramps or elevators.

This hotel is a rip-off. They quoted one price for the room and hotel stay and then added a "hotel services fee" for each night of our stay. When I asked the staff what this fee was for no one could explain it.
When I called, e-mailed and wrote the hotel manager, she completely ignored my request for an explanation of all these fees.
The fees were not mentioned when we booked the hotel, they were not mentioned in the e-mails the hotel sent confirming our reservation, and they were not mentioned when we called prior to coming to the hotel.
Stay away if you don't want to pay bogus and unadvertised fees.

Checking in after hours was very simple. Instructions were very clear. Better yet, the security on staff, CJ, was readily available and incredibly helpful. Since I wasn’t from the area, I was unsure of the parking garage but CJ got me situated with parking and was very attentive to see if I needed help getting into the hotel after hours.

The room itself was clean, cozy, and better than expected tbh.

What an amazing hotel.
Stopped on a food tour for drinks.
Great people who work there.
Great history.

Killer spot downtown St Pete, lots of history and great atmosphere with friends and family!

NO, GOD NO - Michael Scott. I don’t even know where to start. The directions for after hours checking in were the WORST. They sent me only half the directions, and I couldn’t get in without roaming around for awhile, and finally a “security” guard came to help.
The room felt clammy, and ac didn’t work. You can hear every car pass by, and the shades only keep out like 30% of the city lights so don’t expect to sleep well here. At 5am the fire alarms went of, so that’s nice. Just all in all the worst experience ever.

Note: at the time of this review there is construction going on next to the building, so be prepared for some real loud noise and vibrations in the morning, around 7-8am. For me, that means to get up and start the day! Also I'm writing this review as a solo traveler.

I'd say the best way to enjoy this place is as if you're visiting your grandparents and you're staying at their house while you're there. The building and decor is old, but well kept and clean. Door locks are electronic using key cards and shower fixtures are modern. I found my room to be prepared neatly and clean. They do not offer daily room service, which I personally like so that a stranger doesn't have access to whatever I leave in the room. Since the building is old, sound does go through the walls easier so keep that in mind if you need absolute silence in your room.

The location puts you right next to the nightlife area with many places to enjoy and the pier, parks, and museums are also close by. They have a cafe/bar in the lobby which is available to anyone, not just guests staying at the hotel. Sydney was exceptionally friendly and was part of making my visit in St Petersburg amazing.

I personally loved my stay, and I will stay here again next time I visit St Petersburg.

Outstanding Hospitality and Customer Service Fm: Keaton, Eli, Sydney, Kayla, Karel! Fabulous Historical Vibe. Perfect Location - walk to restaurants/shopping/waterfront. Safe Parking. Gorgeous lobby & caffe bar! Comfy beds with crisp linnens. Claw foot tub. Note: not ADA Accessible.

Beautiful architecture of this restored Inn and the location was perfect for our visit.
The room itself was nice, however the reason for the low score has to do with the poorly executed bathroom.
Room 207
Where do I begin? …. Let’s start with the lack of shelves needed to hold the toiletries used for a shower.
The pedestal sink had barely enough space to lay your toothbrush down and the soap wouldn’t even stay put once used.
The shower curtain was useless and left water everywhere after showering.
The tub wasn’t draining properly and the toilet was very close to the claw foot tub which could cause problems for some people.
The staff was friendly but the morning of checkout, someone from housekeeping lightly tapped on the door and did not announce herself and then let herself in just as I was opening it.
This was a bit disturbing as we were making two runs before we were ready to checkout and thankfully I was dressed when it happened.
Had we been in a room with a functional bathroom, we would definitely return.

Cute hotel with the old world charm. Room was small but comfortable. Small things broke here and there, like the window blinds, but not significant enough to break the experience. There’s a small bar/small bites inside the inn serving up some of the best drinks we’ve had. Wrap around porch that you can take foods/drinks outside and sit out with palm trees. Super adorable experience.

I booked this "boutique" hotel based upon the high reviews it had on Tripadvisor and was unpleasantly shocked by my stay. The hotel definitely has curb appeal. The common areas and patio were very nicely decorated but it is clear that this establishment cares more about appearances than substance. Our room was disgusting. I understand that this is an older hotel but the strong smell of mold, the broken furniture, and the dirty bathroom were completely unacceptable. I actually felt dirtier staying in this hotel room. There was a giant claw tub bathroom that was very difficult to get in and out of even for a younger and able bodied person. Honestly, I feel like I got ripped off.

The location of this hotel is the only positive I have to say. Be aware:
1. There are limited parking spots. So while the parking is included in the ridiculous hotel fee (I could have paid for parking much cheaper) - you have to pay for it and then get reimbursed. Make sure you aren’t a cash only family! Oh and make sure that the machine has receipt tape so you can show you’ve paid.
2. Allergies? The place smells dingy and moldy. Not sure this was the place to stay.
3. The claw foot tub wouldn’t drain! Gross! My shower had 4 inches of water in it. Not to mention, the shower curtain wasn’t clean appearing and wanted to stick to me. Same problem for friends in another room.
4. Room pictures online are deceiving. These rooms are small! Setting up a pack and play for a baby and then thinking you can walk anywhere in the room is a mistake.
5. Employees need training in hospitality. Shockingly unimpressed.

I’ve traveled to a lot of non chain hotels. This was one I will never return to. Curb appeal was great - don’t be deceived!

We sat at the bar and found the service to be exceptional, the attention to detail in crafting our cocktails spot on and the environment, welcoming.
Will definitely go here again!

Our favorite place for Happy Hour. Both the bartenders are very talented and super friendly. The drinks are some of the best I have had. The ambiance and location can't be beat. Give it a try!

The bar counter was fabulous - beautiful setup and with great service! Syd made wonderful and delicious cocktails, super friendly and engaging! Great experience overall!

I booked a night as a staycation Christmas present. I booked in advance and should've checked the rate closer to our stay since I paid quite a lot more then the going rate. I probably would feel better about the higher rate had there been free coffee or drinks included in the rate my but oh well!

The parking situation is a bit confusing as you park across the street at SPC's parking lot and need to get a guard to let you in and out of the building. However, the Cordova did text me parking info in advance so we knew what to expect. It was nice to not have to worry about looking for parking in DTSP during our stay.

The hotel is historic. Lobby was very cute and decorated for the holidays. We were on the 3rd floor facing the street. Room was drafty and you can hear traffic noise from the street. We were awoken by an alarm going off in a room nearby at 6: 00 and went off for about 15 minutes before turning off. Our room did have a space heater and warm bedding which definitely helped with the chilly room. I would also recommend black out curtains to the hotel staff since the sun does shine through and can make sleeping in difficult.

Everything is within walking distance which was very nice for our staycation needs. We were able to walk to a lot of different bars and restaurants and even to the museum around the corner.

During a scavenger hunt around town we decided to stop at the inn to take our brake and the staff was amazing. Super friendly and accommodating. I had no power on my phone and an employee lend me hers so I could continue playing the game. The place also looks very nice. A great combination of new and old fashioned.

I loved the intimacy of being in a boutique hotel and the charm due to its history made it delightful.

Great service for the check in process. Great hospitality until night time. The walls are very thin meaning we could hear the TV next door all night long which disrupted our sleep. Will not stay here again: (