Cambria Hotel Tampa-Brandon opens near cruise port
Cambria Hotel Tampa-Brandon has opened in East Tampa with 104 rooms, positioning Choice's upscale brand as a new pre- and post-cruise option for families and drive-market travelers. Choice Hotels announced the opening on August 19, 2025, highlighting a Snooze & Cruise package with breakfast and complimentary parking for the duration of a sailing. The property is about 10 miles from the Port Tampa Bay cruise terminals and less than 17 miles from Tampa International Airport (TPA). Amenities include an outdoor pool, a fitness center, and on-site dining at Brick N Forge.
Key Points
- Why it matters: Adds fresh, family-friendly inventory close to Port Tampa Bay for cruise turnarounds.
- Travel impact: Free on-site parking and cruise parking offer simplify one-car trips for families.
- What's next: Fall and winter sailings should boost weekend demand as Tampa's cruise calendar fills.
- Where it is: Roughly 10 miles to the cruise terminals, under 17 miles to Tampa International Airport (TPA).
Snapshot
Set at 9970 Delaney Lake Drive, the 5-story Cambria Hotel Tampa-Brandon brings 104 keys, modern rooms with premium bedding, and spa-style baths to Tampa's Brandon corridor. Families get an outdoor pool, free Wi-Fi, and on-site dining at Brick N Forge for breakfast and dinner. Cruise travelers can book the Snooze & Cruise package, which includes breakfast for two and complimentary parking while at sea. For small meetings, the hotel lists two rooms totaling about 1,172 square feet. Drive times typically run about 11 minutes to the port area depending on traffic.
For flight status, ATC advisories, and local airport news, see Tampa International Airport - TPA.
Background
Choice introduced Cambria as its upscale, design-forward, limited-service flag, focusing on approachable style, local touches, and value-add amenities. The Tampa-Brandon opening is part of a four-property August expansion spanning California, Florida, Massachusetts, and Oregon. While earlier filings and pre-opening materials listed the project at 102 keys, the brand's launch communications put Tampa-Brandon at 104 rooms, a small but meaningful bump for high-demand weekends tied to cruise departures and Busch Gardens visits. Tampa's continued growth as a homeport makes inventory east of downtown attractive to drive-market travelers who want quick interstate access and free parking over waterfront valet rates.
Latest Developments
Opening details and cruise-ready offer
Choice's August 19 announcement frames Cambria Hotel Tampa-Brandon as a "cruise-ready escape," with a Snooze & Cruise package bundling breakfast for two and complimentary parking during the voyage. That positioning, paired with weekend sailings, should push Friday and Sunday compression, especially when the Florida Aquarium and Tampa Riverwalk events stack near embarkation days. The property marks Cambria's fifth in Florida, reinforcing the brand's focus on leisure-led, drive-market metros.
Amenities aimed at families and small groups
Rooms are individually furnished with premium bedding and workspaces, and the hotel lists an outdoor pool, a fitness center, free self-parking, and on-site dining at Brick N Forge. For group needs, two meeting rooms total roughly 1,172 square feet, supported by a business center. Daily cooked-to-order breakfast is available for a fee, with kids' meals at the restaurant. These touches put Cambria squarely in the family-friendly, road-trip sweet spot for pre- and post-cruise stays.
Location and access
The hotel sits roughly 10 miles from Port Tampa Bay's cruise terminals and lists "less than 17 miles" to Tampa International Airport (TPA). East-side placement near I-75 and the Selmon Expressway offers straightforward highway access to the port, downtown venues, and Seminole Hard Rock Casino. For flyers, TPA's landside efficiency and robust airline schedules simplify late arrivals before early embarkations.
Analysis
For cruise passengers, Tampa's hotel calculus often splits between downtown waterfront convenience and suburban value. Cambria Hotel Tampa-Brandon aims at the latter, trading channel views for free parking, highway access, and modern rooms that work for families or small groups. The Snooze & Cruise parking inclusion is the differentiator, removing a nagging pre-trip chore and expense that downtown properties frequently monetize through valet. Two meeting rooms support small sports teams, wedding blocks, and embarkation-day gatherings without the overhead of a big-box hotel.
Brand positioning matters here. Cambria is Choice's upscale, limited-service flag, so travelers should expect design-forward public spaces, a polished quick-serve F&B program at Brick N Forge, and reliable in-room tech, not full-service frills. The 104-key count is also operationally smart, enabling weekend-heavy staffing and revenue management around Tampa's cruise wave while keeping midweek costs controllable. With Tampa International Airport's broad domestic network and steady leisure demand, the property should capture drive-market families and fly-ins seeking a friction-light launchpad before or after a sailing.
Final Thoughts
Cambria Hotel Tampa-Brandon fills a practical gap for cruise travelers who prefer suburban ease, free parking, and family-friendly amenities over downtown rates. The brand's upscale but approachable design, plus the cruise-parking package, should resonate across the fall and winter sailing peaks. With quick access to the port, TPA, and area attractions, the new opening gives Tampa cruisers another well-priced base to stage their trip. That combination makes the case for Cambria Hotel Tampa-Brandon.