My stay was excellent, the inmates were lovely, and the food was delicious, unfortunately, they had…read moreto kick me out after six months.

There are pros and cons to this venue; no pun intended. The nice thing about it is it's relatively…read morenew if you're lucky enough to book a room in one of the new wings, which are plentiful as they always seem to have people clamoring to book a stay here, so more rooms are regularly being built. There are older wings too though which are a little dilapidated so try to arrange for a newer wing; you may have to fight for it, literally. Their rooms feel a little snug; they can't be much larger than 6x10, and that includes the bathroom facilities and vanity, which is conveniently integrated into the toilet itself for space savings. The walls are solid concrete which feels a little institutional but they're good for giving you a nice sense of security should inclement weather present itself. I would take a picture but the gentlemen working at the front desk took my camera and my clothes, hence the two star rating; I would have preferred to have kept my belongings while they have my outfit dry cleaned. A big complaint I have is with the phone situation. I realize hotels like to nickel and dime you to death, 25 cents per call, 50 cents per call, but this place is really ridiculous; you are required to call collect and the person on the other end has to pay a few dollars just to talk to you. I mean really, that's excessive. The common areas are well maintained, seemingly by the guests themselves as odd as that sounds. There is a communal shower kind of like what you'd find at a nice European hostel. It seemed clean enough but some of the other guests were a little more affectionate than I'd have liked while showering; one even referred to me as "Honey" which I found quite odd. There is no swimming pool, and the gym is also outside, so if you want to get a workout in while it's raining, that probably won't happen. The food is mediocre and they do not give you metal utensils, just plastic. The surrounding area is likely a little sketchy because there seem to be an abundance of security guards patrolling the grounds. Other than that though, hard to give it one star since the stay is free.

Visited the downtown Tampa courthouse to find needed records on the ground floor, Clerk of Circuit…read moreCourt Customer Service Center, 'Room 101.' It was a nice touch to have a person assist you after going through security. She walked me to the computer kiosk and assisted. There are 30 or so service windows divided by category. My number was called but they then asked me to go back to the kiosk for a different category. The woman at window four seemed 'bothered' to find solutions in helping me. A very rude coworker stood behind her meddling in my business while working on something shaking her head no and mumbling "no." They are there to serve the public and find solutions since they are trained and the public is not familiar with the processes and options. The woman said I needed to hire an attorney to get the records. No, not an option. I am not paying to get records I can get myself. They were not helpful and unwilling to do their job. I went back to the kiosk a third time and went back to a different rep in the first category, records. I was called immediately. The man at window 29 was SO HELPFUL. He asked questions and even asked a manager for guidance. He filled out papers for a record search and said the archives would work on it and I would be contacted. I received a call within a couple of hours. She had questions and was researching. Received two more calls from the nice lady as she was broadening her search. She called me a fourth time and found the records. I thanked her profusely on the phone. She replied, "it is my job to serve our customers." That is a public servant. This woman and the nice man are what is right with the staff on the ground floor, Room 101. Tax dollars well spent. Heading in today to pick up my papers, WITHOUT SPENDING MONEY ON AN ATTORNEY.

Final judgment. Judge ruled in my favor. He's ordered that Brickpavers showroom pay me $500 and…read morecourt costs of $130. Now comes the fun. I have to collect the money from the owner Andre. I was a fool for not checking the BBB first. This guy has some really bad history. Wish me luck.

When my son was arrested, I was stressed out beyond belief and had no idea what to do. I found One…read moreStop for the bond and was immediately put at ease. I went to the office, posted bond and the woman there took care of everything. Then, afterwards, she sent texts regarding the hearings. And thank goodness she did because we never got any notice from the court. I highly recommend them!!!

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT!!…read more If you need to visit the SS office, make an appointment. No matter what time you get there, all appointments take priority. I made an appointment for 9, and at 840 there was a line of about 20 people waiting outside. I walked up at 858, was let in and they told me that people will line up and have to stand outside for hours sometimes. I walked right in, took care of what I needed and walked out in about 8-10 minutes. Very quick, efficient and the lady was very nice.

I didn't know what to expect because the reviews are mixed, but I have no complaints. We had an…read moreappointment for a replacement social security card. Arrived at our appointment time. Checked in and completed the appointment all within 15 minutes. I say just book an appointment beforehand, know what documents you need prior and you should be in and out.

If you need to get fingerprints done for a license or job application, this is a good place to have…read morethem done. It's $20 for the first fingerprint card, $10 for each extra card. I was in and out of the place in less than 15 minutes (which matched about how much time it took for me to find a parking spot!). Staff was polite.

The City of Tampa's Police Department is one of the finest law enforcement organizations that I've…read moreever had the pleasure of working with. In full disclosure, I do not work for the Tampa Police Department, but our paths cross regularly through my specialized training and work with the City of Tampa's Office of Emergency Management. I had to run down to TPD headquarters this past week to drop off some paperwork and update my records. Since I was not a guest of the City I am unable to pass judgment on the comfort of the mattresses in lockup, or the quality of the meals that they serve their overnight guests. We'll have to wait for someone else to write a review about the City's drunk tank. Sorry Kelleigh! Police Chief Castor and her team are incredibly respectful to both the residents and the guests of the City of Tampa, and as evidenced last year during the Republican National Convention those basic acts of kindness go a long ways towards protecting the reputation of the City. It's always sad to walk up to the front door and view the memorial to the fallen officers, but I always walk out the door feeling good about the people who protect and serve the place that I live.

What can any one say bad about their local Sheriff's Department, if they are smart. Just kidding!…read more I have had the pleasure of being on the right side of the law in many dealings with this County office. I have found all deputies and detectives I have worked with and met very respectful, congenial and human. Yup, I said human. Some people seem to think that anyone in uniform can't be human & fun, boy do they have that wrong. I truly respect these ladies & gentlemen for putting their buttes on the line everyday for our safety & comfort. I think this is an under appreciated and misunderstood department that many people have misconceptions about. I realize this is only my opinion, but I must go back to the book/cover. A uniform does not define a person, there is good & bad in all professions and this is no exception, but I believe the good far out numbers the bad. Next time you see a deputy, why not try saying hello and thanking them for their service or having a light conversation? I think you will be pleasantly suprised to see the human side and not just the uniform. What's a girl to do? I have always been a sucker for uniforms & justice.

At age nine, I was sexually battered until surgery was needed on my pelvic area to put my insides…read moreback where they're supposed to go, my genitalia was permanently damaged, I was not allowed to even file a police report because a white woman did it. I recently had thousands of dollars of my possession stolen, including controlled substance prescription drugs, as well as my inhaler that I needed because I had recently gotten out of Moffett cancer center because I had a mass in my lung, again, I was not permitted to file a police report because a white woman did it. Unless you're an old white entitled Karen, they simply won't help you.

I love calling Tampa home! There's so much to enjoy--from the beautiful Riverwalk and waterfront…read moresunsets to great restaurants, outdoor activities, sporting events, and growing neighborhoods. I especially love being able to walk along the water and enjoy the energy of the city. Tampa continues to grow, but it still has that warm, welcoming Florida feel. Dinah Speck, REALTOR® LPT Realty, LLC Tampa Bay, Florida 727-741-1990 dinah@fittolivewell.com DinahSellsTampaBay.com Helping You Find More Than a Home--Helping You Live Your Best Life.

Didn't realize I could review this incredible city. Champa…read moreBay- the Rays, the Bucs, the Bolts, the Rowdies. Big enough without being too, babe. Lots of water, perfect for boat parades! Lots of amazing food and even roosters run free here! Great restaurants, outstanding law enforcement and super airport TPA. Proud to be living in the Tampa Bay area!