Saddlebrook Resort Tampa

Definitely avoid until renovations are over. This is our third year with a family of 4 and we stay here just for the main pool, which my kids look forward to all year. The pool and related amenities are all closed and the website is very misleading when booking a room so you won’t find out until you arrive. We were so upset when we checked in and were told the pool is closed. Still, full 5 star prices for a 1 star experience. Yes the rooms need updating and are shabby but the pool usually makes up for it. Not this time. We were only offered a discount on the early departure fee if we decided to leave but finding a place on a holiday week with zero notice leaves very few options. Please beware!

The resort is under a much-needed renovation, and facilities, including the pool, are closed. Check-in is at the clubhouse, where you are required to valet park, then shuttle with your belongings to the room area. The rooms are dated with dirty carpets, malfunctioning bathrooms, and moldy ceilings.

Until renovations are over, this property is a total NO GO! Almost everything is closed. The pool on the website, 18 or 27 holes, restaurants. It's bad...and they charge a resort fee. The condos that we stayed in were horrible. They are so far out of repair, they shouldn't be renting them at all. Just do the construction and reopen. We brought a lot of families per my recommendation and they were ready to unfriend me. Some families had to change condos 3 or 4 times before finding one that was even doable. Our's was bad too. Closets without flooring, rusted vents, showers that didn't work, stained carpet and furniture. This was like going back to 1985. Does this place have potential? Yes....but really charging what you do and resort fees for the shape this property in is not ethical. Just close down and save the bad reviews....you know it's not in good shape. Your employees know it's not in good shape. They talk about how many complaints they are getting.

After a long flight from UK we arrived in one of the worst resorts I have ever stayed at. The rooms are filthy dirty and uninhabitable. Starting with the huge stains on the carpet on entry to just dust and dirt everywhere. Everything is 20 years overdue for update. There was an extra door on the balcony just propped up against the wall. I asked them to remove it but nothing happened. The telephone did not work, I also asked them to repair it which they did not. Had we not been visiting friends in the area we would have left the next morning. The main pool which was the draw for us was under construction and out of use, which I was not informed about whilst booking. The smaller pool was disgustingly and dilapidated (see pics). The room had cockroaches running around. The shower was disgustingly and dilapidated and the rain had more pressure than the water flow. The lampshades next to the bed had, what looked like bird poo, stains on them. The windows were rotten, you could barely see out of some of them. The gate to the smaller pool had a gate and fence around which had bars missing, how is this safe for children? And as for the canopy to the restaurant, we’ll see my pics. There were electrical sockets hanging out of everywhere which health and safety wise is a major hazard and an accident waiting to happen. The furniture around the pool was fit for the garbage. I was absolutely disgusted that Booking.com are even offering this place to stay. I could go on and on with the failures but I am on vacation and want to put the horrendous stay behind me. Also you cannot self park, you have to wait for a cart (also filthy) to take you to your room. Then you have to ring when you want to go back to reception and then wait for the valet to get your car. It is a ludicrous situation. That said the staff were really great but unfortunately the resort is absolutely dreadful. The only thing that worked was the air con in the room that was great and the bed was comfy. I DO NOT RECOMMEND A STAY HERE.

Beautiful resort just wished I had the opportunity to enjoy and have the full experience of what I paid for and did not because of all the construction work the main pool that’s the biggest one was closed no bar not really what I was hoping for and the staffs aren’t really attentive to the visitors