Rum Fish Beach at TradeWinds, St. Pete Beach: Great for a Quick Trip, Not Enough Room for Us
We flew from Charlotte to Tampa for a quick trip to St. Pete Beach with our two kiddos, one was four, the other was a couple months old. Short answer: lovely trip, kid-friendly, but the one-room setup meant my husband and I were in bed by 7pm every night right along with the kids. Here's how it went.
CLT > TPA = Trolls and bubbly water
Our Stay at a Glance
Room: one king bed, pullout couch, pack-and-play squeezed in
Kitchen: no full kitchen, just a coffee bar with mini-fridge, microwave, and dishwasher
Pool: we used the pool closest to our room
On-site dining: Rum Fish restaurant, kid-friendly with a live band
Length of stay: 1.5-2 days, and that was the right amount
Best for: a quick beach stop, not ideal if you want adult time at night
What's the Room Like at TradeWinds?
One king bed with a TV, then a middle section with a little coffee bar, sink, some dish storage, a microwave, mini-fridge, and a dishwasher. Not a full kitchen, but the mini-fridge mattered a lot to me since I had formula and breastmilk that needed to stay cold. There's a pullout couch that my four-year-old slept on and absolutely loved, it was a novelty to her. We put the pack-and-play in that same area too, so it got pretty crowded. Past that there's a balcony with a little table and two chairs, you can close the door or just keep the screen shut so you can still hear the kids if you want a few minutes of air.
Is the Restaurant at TradeWinds Kid-Friendly?
Yes, and my four-year-old had a blast, there's a live band and she danced the whole time. We got there kind of late and hungry, so they weren't seating people in the main dining room with the floor-to-ceiling fish tanks (which would've been the more exciting spot for a kid), we got sat over by the band instead. Service was a little slow, but we got there late enough that I'm guessing they were short-staffed by then. My four-month-old slept through the whole thing, so at least someone had a peaceful dinner.
What's the Pool and Beach Situation Like?
We used the pool closest to our room, which felt like a lot of people had the same idea. There was a little outdoor bar and a joining restaurant for lunch. We ended up parking ourselves there for most of the day since it was close enough to the room for naps, though "close enough" mostly meant going back up to the room anyway since we didn't want to wander far while the kids were sleeping. Beach access was easy, just a walk down the boardwalk, but honestly the kids preferred the pool, and so did we at the time.
RumFish hotel here. Easy walk out to the beach from the pool.
Can Parents Actually Get a Break Here?
This is the real answer for this one: not really, but not because of the hotel itself, it's the one-room setup. Once the kids go to bed at 7, you're going to bed too, whether you're ready or not. Normally that's not the best part of a trip, but it wasn't a huge deal for us this time either. It just meant we didn't really get to take advantage of the property or the hotel at night. If you want two rooms or a bigger separate space to actually stay up once the kids are down, this isn't set up for that.
Any Hidden Wins Worth Knowing About?
The coffee shop in the lobby. I am not a fan of the little coffee packets in the small in-room machines, so getting a real coffee every morning downstairs was genuinely great. One morning my kiddo got a muffin there too, a nice little routine to have built in.
This was the pool we mostly stayed at. We were waiting for our poolside drinks at the bar here. Very convenient.
What We Loved
Pullout couch was a huge hit with our four-year-old
Live band at dinner, instant dance party
Mini-fridge for formula/breastmilk storage
Lobby coffee shop, real coffee, no packets
Easy beach and elevator access
What We Didn't Love
One room meant no adult time once the kids were down
Overcrowded pool
Missed the floor-to-ceiling fish tank seating
Room felt crowded with the pack-and-play added in
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Yes, the restaurant especially is kid-friendly with a massive aquarium built into the dining room, and the room setup works for a family, though it's tight with a pack-and-play added in.
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No, just a wet bar with a mini-fridge, microwave, and coffee maker, not a full kitchen. We ate out for every meal.
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The resort has multiple pools, including a family pool and an adults-only pool. We mostly stuck to the one closest to our room with two young kids in tow, so we can't speak to the adults-only pool firsthand, but it's there if a break by the water is what you're after.
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Not really in this room setup, it's one room, so once the kids go to bed, you're going to bed too. If evening adult time matters to you, you'd want two rooms or a bigger separated space.
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We did about 1.5-2 days and that felt like the right amount, we wouldn't have extended.
