Luxury Room

This room has a city view. It suits guests who plan to spend their days at the beach and pools, which are a short walk away, and who want a comfortable base at a good rate. Blackout drapes help you sleep in after a late evening.

The room measures 250 sq. ft., which is cosy for four, so it works best for a small family or two couples travelling together. A complimentary crib is available for little ones, and connecting rooms can be arranged when available if your group needs more space. The Don CeSar is a family-friendly beachfront resort with kids' and teens' activity programs.

The private bathroom has a shower/bathtub combination, free toiletries, a hair dryer, towels, bathrobes and slippers. The tub suits a quick rinse after the beach as well as a soak at the end of the day.

In the room you will find a 36-inch flat-screen TV with cable, pay movies, an iPod dock, a minibar, a coffee/tea maker, a desk, free local calls and room service. The hotel charges a mandatory resort fee, officially $40 plus tax per room per day. It covers premium Wi-Fi, bicycle rentals, up to three beach loungers and an umbrella daily, fitness center access and daily yoga and aerobic classes, two bottled waters daily, pool and beach games, and airline boarding-pass printing.

The Don CeSar sits on the Gulf of Mexico in St. Pete Beach, and the beach is about a 5-minute walk from the hotel. The resort has two outdoor heated pools with Gulf views, with food and drink service and family games at the pools through the day.

There are several options on site. Society Table serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Maritana is the AAA Four-Diamond dinner restaurant, open Wednesday to Sunday. The Rowe Bar and Beacon Pool Bar are casual spots, and the Lobby Bar has live jazz in the evening. Uncle Andy's Market sells ice cream and coffee from 6:30am to 10:00pm. The concierge can help with reservations.

Check-in is from 4:00 PM and check-out is at 11:00 AM. The primary guest must be at least 21 and will need a photo ID and credit card; the hotel is cashless. Self-parking is about $31.64 per night and valet about $42.94. Tampa International Airport is roughly 25 to 28 miles away, about a 30 to 40 minute drive.

The Luxury Room is one of the resort's more accessible categories, offering a city view rather than a direct Gulf view, which keeps it a strong value choice while still including the same resort amenities as higher categories — the two heated pools, dining venues, and beach access are all just as close. Guests who most want an unobstructed water view from their window should ask about Gulf-facing rooms, but for travelers who plan to spend their time at the beach and pools anyway, the Luxury Room delivers the same location for less.

Because the Luxury Room looks over the city side rather than the pool deck or beachfront, it tends to sit a little further from daytime pool activity and evening bar noise, making it a reasonably quiet option for light sleepers, while the Gulf and the resort's two pools remain an easy five-minute walk away.