Dolphin Beach Resort, St Pete Beach

I had to write a review after reading all the negative comments below. I've stayed up and down the beach here and there is not a better hotel for the money. If you want maids and butlers, stay somewhere else. This is a laid back, friendly hotel that gets a lot of locals at the tiki hut. As in most cases, the people here are as nice as you are to them. We never had any problems with the staff. Then again, we are from Kansas and tend to be personable. We stayed in one of the beach front king suites two doors down from the tiki hut bar. Uh, nice. The people we met there couldn't have been nicer. The pool was nice and the access to the beach was awesome. There might be a humidity smell, but honestly I never noticed. Sheets were nice and the room was cool. Can't say we spent much time in the room though. Isn't that the point? We also stayed at Diamond Head in Ft. Meyers and it was nice as well. However, for the money...there is no comparison. The sun and fun is the same in both places! Book it. We'll meet you by the pool!

I was to attend a large party at this hotel last month but had to cancel due to work commitments. When I called to cancel my reservation, 48 hours before my arrival date, I was told, for the first time, that the hotel has a 72 hour cancellation policy. The desk clerk told me that I should call the manager and that she had the authority to not charge my card. I called her the next morning and left voice mail with my contact information and cancellation number. I explained that I had to cancel my trip, lose money on flights since I was from the DC area, and really hoped not to be charged for the hotel room that I wasn't going to be able to use. The manager never bothered to return my call and my card was charged. I sent a message to the hotel to complain and no one from the hotel bothered to responde to that.. There were 300 people at that party. I'm sure the hotel made a great deal of money that weekend and that the less than $300 charge I had to pay really didn't make a difference. Watch out for this place if you have to deal with them. Clearly they don't care about customer service, but about money, however smal the amount. If you want to be sure that you'll be treated fairly, I suggest that you stay somewhere else.

We stay at the D/R everytime we come to St. Pete. Last September we choose this hotel and we were not disappointed! The room we had (pool and ocean veiw) was spotless! The drapes were as if they were brand new and everything sparkles. I don't understand why others here always say it is dirty because I have never seen anything that wasn't near perfect. Course I am a senior, eeuw.. Last year was my fifth time there And I never seen it as others discribed as musty or smelly. I have say beware..Seniors stay here! OMG!

We made a short stop in St Pete Beach after a long cross country trip and liked the hotel beach front location, the fact the hotel was built in the 50's and quite a few guests were senior citizens so we felt the hotel would be quiet and safe. We were wrong!! The rooms are old and evidence of smoke and mustiness. Curtains at patio door stained and ripped. Doors are not secure. Only keycards used but signs of chain or lock broken off. Front desk agents not friendly or helpful. Front desk manager not helpful and did not offer remedy when presented with a problem. The service was not worth the price paid. The hotel is old and in need of major renovation. I do not recommend this hotel and it is not worth the time or money. Except for the white sand beach and sunset the experience was not good!

My family and I stayed at the Dolphin during a family reunion. From the moment that we checked in it was all down hill. The hotel was very musty and out dated. The bathroom facilities did not work properly. We could not use the sink because the fixture broke. We called the front desk about it but no one came to fix it. We were there for 2 days and house keeping never took out the trash or offered clean linens. When we complained about it to the front desk, WE were told that we refused service. The front desk personnel and the housekeeping staff were extremely rude. We would not stay here again if we could stay for free. This place sucks. Save your money and your time and stay somewhere else.

I remember staying at the Dolphin Beach Resort in 1997, in a 1st floor room that opened on to the beach. It was clean and quiet, and I remember it being a pleasant experience. 10 years later, I am throughly disappointed. We had another room in the first floor, this time facing the street. The first thing that greeted our nosees upon opening the door was a completely offensive smell, very moldy and mildewy. Many places on the beach can smell like mildew, since there is high humidity in Florida, but since it's November, 70 degrees and not a drop of humidity in the air, my guess is that the Dolphin has a severe mold problem that needs remediation. Our 5 year old son's nose immediately stuffed up, and his upper lip turned bright red. After being outdoors all next day, his stuffiness cleared up, and his upper lip began to improve. However, after re-entering our room, his problems started up again. Ugh. The only thing the Dolphin has going for it is it's location on St. Pete Beach and a nice heated pool. Otherwise, I cannot recommend it to anyone. Most of the staff were born after 1988 and couldn't care less what kind of service they give you. I agree with a poster above that commented on the Dolphin's need of new management.

My wife and I stayed at the Dolphin for a weekend getaway to celebrate both of our birthdays. I reserved a first floor room that opened up onto the beach but when we arrived to check in, they told us at the front desk that it was just a request; they couldn't guarantee it! Once I demanded the room I reserved, the hotel decor was dated inside and out. The beach was great (no credit to the Dolphin) but their pool area was also very good - the best part of the hotel. The service in the restaurant was unbearably slow even though it was dead, and the food was mediocre at best. After the first night we requested a change to another room because they had rented out the room above us to a bus load of teenagers. At about 10:30PM after listening to what sounded like a heard of elephants, we demanded another room. The new room was in better shape but on the second floor so we no longer had direct access to the beach. No discount was offered for the second night. I wouldn't stay at this place again unless they did a complete overhaul of ownership and management. It has potential if someone actually knew how to run it.

I stay in St. Pete two or three times a year. The Dolphin was by far the worst hotel I have ever stayed at on the beach. Our room was one of the most expensive. However, there was mold on the bathroom ceiling, the toilet did not flush properly, and the air conditioner unit was so loud you couldn't hear yourself think. The hallways smelled of mold and cigarettes. The pool closes at 10:00, which is strictly enforced. This is ridiculous in June and July. After dinner, we would try to sit by the pool and enjoy the beach atmosphere, but each night the guard asked us to leave at exactly 10:00. We would have justed returned from dinner and the last place we wanted to sit was in the noisy, smelly room. At 7:00 am each day there was a industrial leaf blower and lawn mower running outside the room. We were terribly disappointed. PS I am 48 years old so rest assured, I was not rowdy at the pool. Just wanted to relax on vacation. There are many nicer, cleaner, less expensive, and friendlier places on St. Pete Beach. So stay away from this hotel.

I have stayed at the Dolphin four or five times over the past few years. My family uses it as central location to visit my Dad who spends the winter in Florida. This is not the Hotel Danieli in Venice believe me, but it has several positive features - the rooms are a good size and the beach front rooms are great - kids can walk right out to the beach. The pool area is very clean and the hotel conveniently located. The beach is super. There is a small beachside bar which can be fun. Very 60s retro feel to the place. On the downside, the rooms could be cleaner - fingerprints in bathrooms, scuffed walls, etc. Hotel seems to get a fair number of tourists from the UK. Its not pretentious. All in all, don't expect to much but its a great place for the family particularly if you have a beach front room.

Had the displeasure of staying here in May 2006. Room was dirty with stains on bedspreads and floor and smelled very musty and moldy. Homeless person's cart was parked outside the access door leading to our room. That access door was propped open 24 hours a day, with a piece of old wood, so virtually anyone could walk into the interior hallways. Parking lot abuts a garbage strewn lot and there is also garbage and construction debris in the parking lot itself. Room was not ready at check in time and staff could have cared less. The ONLY positive thing about this place (and I really do not know how they can label themselves a "resort") is they are on the ocean. Would not recommend this place to my worst enemy...