The Westin Tampa Bay
Waterfront resort on Rocky Point Island
About this hotel
The private beach and boat or jet ski rental set this property apart from every other hotel in this cluster, a genuine waterfront resort experience rather than a standard suburban pool stay. Rooms include a work desk and flat-screen TV, and Palmette Brasserie and Bar, a coastal cuisine restaurant, sits on site alongside a Starbucks for easy mornings. Rocky Point Island is seven miles from downtown Tampa and a real drive from Busch Gardens and Adventure Island, so this suits a family building a beach-resort stay into a wider Tampa Bay trip rather than one centred on the water park alone. A concierge desk and fitness centre round out a genuinely full-service stay.
- Private beach access
- Boat and jet ski rental
- On-site restaurant
Our take
This is a resort-first pick, not a park-proximity one: the private beach and water sports rentals are the draw, and the drive to Adventure Island is a genuine commitment. It suits a family wanting a few resort days bookending a park visit, rather than one built entirely around the slides.
- ✓Book a jet ski or boat rental early in your stay, since Rocky Point Island's waterfront access is the property's signature draw.
- ✓Plan real drive time to Busch Gardens and Adventure Island, since this is not a park-adjacent stay.
- ✓Eat at Palmette Brasserie and Bar at least once for coastal cuisine without leaving the property.
Why we love it
- Private sandy beach on site
- Boat and jet ski rental
- On-site coastal restaurant
- Rocky Point Island waterfront setting
Why guests love itI would choose The Westin Tampa Bay for a family that wants resort days on either side of a park visit, not a stay built around the slides. It is set on Rocky Point Island overlooking Tampa Bay, with a sandy private beach, boat and jet ski rental, and Palmette Brasserie and Bar on site. Adventure Island is a real drive away, so I would plan the park as a single day out and treat the water as the main attraction here.