Stayed here for a couple of nights during Presidents Day Weekend. The good hotels in Sarasota tend to be expensive, so I decided to save some money and stay in adjacent Bradenton.
The place is a little hard to find as it located behind a Cracker Barrel restaurant. There was plenty of free parking, though, which is always a plus.
During check-in, the front desk person was engaged in conversation with another employee and seemed a little annoyed that he had to stop to check me in. He was very business like during the process, not really unfriendly but not particularly welcoming either.
I stayed in room 205. The room was a little smaller than expected, certainly smaller than how it appeared in the website photos, but it was adequate for a solo traveler.
As other reviewers have noted, the room seemed to have a strange odor that has been likened to mold. However, I did not see evidence of mold anywhere, and the room otherwise looked quite clean. There was no chest of drawers, which I didn’t like and found to be rather odd. Moreover, the toilet made a jackhammer like rumbling sound after flushing. This only lasted a few seconds, thankfully, and the toilet itself was perfectly functional, which is the main thing.
The decor was thoroughly unremarkable as is typical of most mid level hotel chains, but I do have to say that the bed was very comfortable and I slept well during the night.
I am at a loss to understand why this property has received so many five star reviews. Yes, it is relatively affordable and conveniently located near the beaches and just about a 15 minute drive from The Ringling, Jungle Gardens, and other downtown Sarasota sites. However, the hotel itself is the very definition of average, okay for a night or two to explore the area, but nothing special. I doubt if I would stay here again. less