Havana Inn — Hotel in Saint Pete Beach

Before you go spending outrageous amounts of money on this place. It must be stated the encounter experienced as well as the horrific communication with the potential owner? ||To start…Be sure it’s not the “tiny cottage” my girlfriend and I booked this inn as to not deal with potential Airbnb nightmares of careless home owners. Turned out to be just as awful.||The place seemed great at first glance, but bad weather forced us to spend more time inside than we had hoped being in Florida, thus allowing us to see the true colors of this place. Water damage was all over. Could have been from a recent issue as th ere were pipes exposed in the ceiling outside the front door like some work had been done. Which would explain the musty smell when we first got there as well as the air purifier on full blast!||Mid way through the trip we were informed there were complaints of ants from other tenants. We had not noticed any up to that point, but then again we weren’t looking that hard. But come to find out what we thought were air fresheners scattered throughout were actually ant traps (forgot to grab photos of them)…||The nasty atmosphere feel and infestation was only a small frustration to the $1700+ they charged us! Again, bad weather forced us inside to where we had to brave spotty internet at best if it even worked at all most days. And good luck with cell service as the material of the home causes conflicts with connection. And talk about first world problems. But the remote didn’t even operate the tv so volume adjustment or on and off had to be done manually! (I work in the industry and by habit attempted to make that portion work as well as the internet) but nothing helped.||||This leads into the communication factor, you can contact the front desk (Christine was awesome and super caring) but she mentioned chain of command. She contacts supervisor and supervisor contacts owner…I mentioned at the beginning of my trip that my grandfather went into hospice and we may have to leave and if there was anything that could be done we’d be super grateful! Even mentioned understanding deposit being non refundable and whatever nights we stay. All we got back was “weather is bad so won’t be able to re book, so won’t be able to help and have to charge the final amount.” That’s another thing THEY CHARGE HALF FOR A DEPOSIT!!!||Feeling hopeless and stuck we stayed and prayed all would be well by time we arrived home.||||After all this I posted a review on google, and within 12 hours got a response in short apologizing for the stay and how they could make it right. Explaining the entire situation I simply said a refund I believe is in order to make it right. 2 days go by with no response, I send a follow up and receive a response same day manipulating my emails and accusing me of extortion for saying I will continue to post on any media platform to express the truth of our stay REGARDLESS if refunded. They also added threats of attorney involvement. ||||I gave a final response to re state reviews will be made regardless and their expression of removal of my reviews is a sure sign they only care about profit and not the people trusting them who provide said profit. So be mindful and watch out if this is a place you are considering….it’s unfortunate because it is a beautiful location, the one and only staff we met was great. But the ownership and response to complaints was...

It’s the worst leaving a poor review. But the truth needs to be told, and before you go spending A TON of doe on something that sounds wonderful (which they will not at all help you with if even the worst happens) you gotta read this. (For Havanna inn rear studio) My girlfriend and I were ecstatic about the location! Seemed super quaint tucked away in the back. WiFi, laundry, parking, bikes…At first glance all seemed wonderful. Second and third glances are what got us. Unfortunately this may not be the case for the other rooms they have. But this unit seemed to be poorly taken care of. Also during the stay I presented a family emergency that had come up. Although the staff was gracious and had kind words to share…there was no direct communication with owner about possibly working out something. Just because weather was bad and they wouldn’t be able to rebook. There was no willingness to even give a partial refund. So feeling stuck we ended up sticking out the trip and hoping all was well by time we would arrive back home. Thinking we’d be spending most our time out we didn’t think much of it. But bad weather brought us back to the room more often than we would have liked. Not sure if it’s been on going or a recent issue but water damage was all over the place. The cubed windows didn’t help when it came time to sleeping as they let in A LOT of light from their spot light camera and exterior lights. Internet definitely a HUGE issue. Weather trying to use cellular (spotty at times) due to home materials. And the WiFi…forget about it. I rebooted all units (experience in networking industry) thinking maybe they’ve never done it. But nothing helped. Poor placement of all tv and internet units behind the TV also doesn’t help the matter.

And ants…we weren’t the ones to complain, but the one nice day we had we were out and told their exterminator was around to check on an ant issue some tenants were seeing. Not being home we didn’t feel comfortable just letting someone into the place. (We had not seen any at this point so thought all clear) Last three days we were a consistently spotting them from the lights above the bed! (Also poorly installed) and randomly throughout the place!

Did I mention that the house keeping knocked when the privacy tag was on the door? All round, not worth the price at all! Very low...

Of the three hotels I stayed during my latest Florida trip, the Havana Inn was my favorite. This humble abode has an exceptional disposition on Pass-a-Grille beach, as it’s conveniently located to restaurants and shops, and boasts two balconied rooms with striking views of the gulf framed by palm trees. Guests in all the rooms can quickly access the beach as it’s just a few steps across the street. The décor is casual, authentic, and unfussy, as your eyes will be drawn to the view. During this trip I stayed at the sumptuous Vinoy Hotel in St. Pete and a swanky Airbnb near the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, but by far, I enjoyed my stay at the Havana Inn the most. ||The atmosphere of Pass-a-Grille feels more intimate and laid-back than the larger beaches with their massive towers; it feels a tad like Provincetown without the crowds, but with warm aquamarine waters, and ample direct beach access. The nearby restaurants have fully stocked bars offering refreshing cocktails; and the staff at the Inn, as well as all the places I visited, were incredibly kind and happy. This secluded area is evocative of an earlier Florida, before the coasts were overtaken by massive developments, like we see just a short drive north. ||This is the type of place you don’t want to tell too many people about, so the atmosphere isn’t annihilated by over-development, flippers, and hordes of tourists. Before you drive to Pass-A-Grille, I recommend stopping by the grocery store or drugstore for whatever necessities you may need because large stores aren’t convenient… and I prefer it that way. What it may lack in luxury, it more than makes up for in rejuvenation, relaxation, convenience, and a closer connection to your environment. ||You can sit on the balcony, savor the sea breeze with a crisp beer, watch the world go by, and reeeeeelax. I didn't get this blissful feeling of complete exhalation and freedom from judgement during my previous trips to places like Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, or South Beach. The Havana Inn on Pass-A-Grill is a special place, indeed. Perhaps, even a bit magical: especially during sunset, or as you become entranced by the moonlight dancing upon the waves on the horizon; but let us keep it that way by telling only those we...