Add your sail date and the links open on the night before.
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The one with a story. Le Méridien is the old federal courthouse, AAA Four Diamond since 2015, and Marriott says it's one mile from the port — the only splurge pick that states the distance in plain words.
It scored 31 in our top twenty and missed on the tiebreak, because breakfast is paid and it publishes nothing about the car or the ride. Valet is $45.
A mile is a five-minute cab. Book the room for the building, and the cab for the morning.
Book it if
- Anyone who wants a room in a landmark a mile from the ship
- Pet owners who'll pay $50 a night
- Couples who'd rather have character than a rooftop pool
Look elsewhere if
- You want breakfast included.
- You want the car held for the cruise.
What you’re paying for, and what you’re not
A splurge is worth it when you know exactly what the extra money buys. Green is on offer, gold comes with a cost or a catch, and grey isn’t there or isn’t stated.
Your night before, from here
From check-in to the gangway, using only what Le Méridien Tampa publishes.
It's the 1905 federal courthouse, with 130 rooms and suites inside it. Sal Rosa Island Kitchen & Bar does Latin-American dinner and cocktails, the outdoor pool is open 7 AM to 10 PM, and the gym runs 24 hours with Peloton bikes. Ybor City is two miles.
Marriott lists no port shuttle. Book a taxi or rideshare for sail morning; at a mile, it's a short one.
Not free. Sal Rosa Cafe & Scoops does coffee, pastries and gelato.
Marriott says the hotel is just one mile from the port, and less than a mile from the arena. Your cruise line’s documents name your terminal and check-in window.
Valet only, $45 a day ($20 daytime, $5 for dinner). Marriott doesn't mention cruise parking.
Getting here, and on to the ship
Pick where you’re coming from. Solid lines are rides the hotel publishes; a question mark is a leg you’ll arrange yourself. At a splurge hotel, that’s usually the morning ride.
No hotel shuttle. Marriott names Affari Transportation at $25 one way or $40 round trip, and puts TPA 7 miles away.
Affari Transportation
Marriott lists no port shuttle. Book a taxi or rideshare for sail morning; at a mile, it's a short one.
Marriott says the hotel is just one mile from the port, and less than a mile from the arena.
Marriott doesn't mention St. Pete-Clearwater.
Marriott lists no port shuttle. Book a taxi or rideshare for sail morning; at a mile, it's a short one.
Marriott says the hotel is just one mile from the port, and less than a mile from the arena.
From PIE without a hotel shuttle
St. Pete-Clearwater is across the bay, about 17 miles from Tampa by Uber’s count. No official source gives a distance to the port. Uber estimated $36 for UberX to Tampa; Tampa Cruise Ship Shuttle charges $85 for the vehicle from St. Pete or Clearwater.
Valet only, $45 a day ($20 daytime, $5 for dinner). Marriott doesn't mention cruise parking.
Parking for your stay: Valet only: $45 overnight, $20 daytime, $5 for dinner.
Marriott lists no port shuttle. Book a taxi or rideshare for sail morning; at a mile, it's a short one.
Marriott says the hotel is just one mile from the port, and less than a mile from the arena.
Landing on sail morning instead? Some cruise lines and shuttle companies run straight to the terminals; compare the airports and the landing guidelines.
Distance
1 mileMarriott says the hotel is just one mile from the port, and less than a mile from the arena.
Source: marriott.comCruise shuttle
No shuttle statedMarriott lists no port shuttle. Book a taxi or rideshare for sail morning; at a mile, it's a short one.
Source: marriott.comParking while you sail
At the hotel
Cruise parking unconfirmedValet only, $45 a day ($20 daytime, $5 for dinner). Marriott doesn't mention cruise parking.
Source: marriott.comThe port’s own garage
About $15/dayIf the hotel won’t hold your car, drive to the terminal on sail morning. The port’s garage is at 810 Channelside Drive, across the street from Terminal 3, with overflow lots at 810 Channelside and 1331 McKay when a ship is in. Port Tampa Bay doesn’t print a daily rate on its pages; Royal Caribbean and Celebrity put it at about $15 a day, subject to change, and Norwegian says $14. Pay on entry by cash or card, or pre-pay online with a full refund before your cruise date; valet is a $20 upgrade. There’s no shuttle leg. Compare every parking option.
Source: royalcaribbean.comThe night you’re paying for
The evening
Pool · Food or drinks on siteIt's the 1905 federal courthouse, with 130 rooms and suites inside it. Sal Rosa Island Kitchen & Bar does Latin-American dinner and cocktails, the outdoor pool is open 7 AM to 10 PM, and the gym runs 24 hours with Peloton bikes. Ybor City is two miles.
Breakfast
Not freeNot free. Sal Rosa Cafe & Scoops does coffee, pastries and gelato.
Address
Downtown, Florida Avenue601 North Florida Avenue, Tampa, FL 33602
Hotel website
Ratings
AAA Four DiamondAAA rates it Four Diamond. It isn't on Forbes Travel Guide's Tampa or Gulf Coast pages. Both lists are for 2026.
Source: newsroom.aaa.comThe fine print, in one place
Times, fees, rooms and the small stuff, as Le Méridien Tampa publishes it. Where it says “not stated”, the hotel doesn’t say, and a quick call will settle it.
Check-in and check-out
Minimum age
Not stated by the hotel.
Resort fee
None stated
Wi-Fi
Free for Marriott Bonvoy members booking direct
Parking for your stay
Valet only: $45 overnight, $20 daytime, $5 for dinner
Cruise parking is in the parking section above.
Breakfast
Paid; Sal Rosa Cafe & Scoops
Pool
Outdoor pool, 7 AM to 10 PM
Pets
Up to two, 40 lb each, $50 a night.
Food and drink on site
- Sal Rosa Island Kitchen & BarLatin-American dishes and craft cocktails
- Sal Rosa Cafe & ScoopsCoffee, pastries and house-made gelato
Rooms
130 rooms and suites in the 1905 federal courthouse.
Accessibility
Mobility rooms, roll-in showers, grab rails and TTY/TTD.
On site
- EV chargingNo
- Guest laundryNot stated
- Fitness centerYes
- Pets allowedYes
Nearby, by the hotel’s count
- Port Tampa Bay1 mi
- Benchmark International Arenaunder 1 mi
- Ybor City2 mi
Distances as the hotel or its brand lists them. Bars use a square-root scale so short walks stay visible.
Also worth knowing
- AAA Four Diamond since 2015
- 24-hour gym with Peloton bikes
- Unlock Art program at the Tampa Museum of Art
Before you book
Worth knowing
- Valet only, $45 overnight.
- Pets are $50 a night, up to two at 40 lb.
- Check-in 4 PM, check-out 11 AM. No EV charging.
What we couldn’t confirm
- Cruise parking
- A ride to the ship
- Room types on the pages we read
Rates and policies are as the hotel published them on September 25, 2026. Confirm anything you’re counting on when you book.
The other splurges near the port
Wake up a short ride from the ship.
Tell us your sail date and we’ll check Le Méridien Tampa for the night before. No payment on the form.
Le Méridien Tampa FAQ
Is Le Méridien Tampa a luxury hotel?
AAA rates it Four Diamond. It isn't on Forbes Travel Guide's Tampa or Gulf Coast pages. It has held its Four Diamonds since 2015, inside the 1905 federal courthouse.
Does Le Méridien Tampa have a cruise shuttle?
No. Marriott lists no port shuttle. Book a taxi or rideshare for sail morning; at a mile, it's a short one.
Does Le Méridien Tampa have an airport shuttle?
Not one it runs itself, but there are options. From Tampa International: No hotel shuttle. Marriott names Affari Transportation at $25 one way or $40 round trip, and puts TPA 7 miles away. From St. Pete-Clearwater: Marriott doesn't mention St. Pete-Clearwater.
Can I park at Le Méridien Tampa while I cruise?
It doesn't say. Valet only, $45 a day ($20 daytime, $5 for dinner). Marriott doesn't mention cruise parking.
How far is Le Méridien Tampa from Port Tampa Bay?
Marriott says the hotel is just one mile from the port, and less than a mile from the arena.
Booking the cruise too?
Tell us your dates and we'll line up the ship, the hotel and the ride. A real advisor does the work. No obligation.
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