Get lucky with a quick getaway to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.
Some people have all the luck—but others make their own. The last time I'd won anything was an apple pie for predicting the most Oscar winners. Therefore, I took my seat at the blackjack table with a certain amount of trepidation. Furthermore, this table was in the private high-rollers room at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, one of the largest casinos in the States.
Elvis Presley's 24-karat gold leaf piano has pride of place in the atrium
Fortunately for guests at the recently-expanded resort, Elvis Presley's 24-karat gold-leaf piano has pride of place in the brand-new atrium entrance where gamblers are greeted by a Presley quotation unfurling like a banner overhead: "I just can't miss with a good luck charm like you." Repeat three times and click your red shoes—and then listen carefully as the blackjack dealer and the pit boss explain the rules for the blackjack tournament.
If you grew up as I did in a cutthroat card-playing family where your grandmother would think nothing of bagging your entire allowance, then you'll feel right at home at the tables for a private blackjack lesson at Seminole Hard Rock. As the sixth-largest casino in the world, the resort offers more than 5,000 slot machines and nearly 200 table games. Atop the new 14-story tower, VIP guests access a private gaming parlor with private elevators and personalized check-in.
Being seated at a hundred-dollar minimum table filled me as much dread as exhilaration—that is, until I envisioned my card-playing grandmother. As Frank Sinatra sang, "Luck be a lady tonight"—and if you pay careful attention to the dealer and the cards, then you might walk away as I did with much more than an apple pie.
Funny how a little luck makes you feel like living the high life. Good karma is a boomerang and at Seminole Hard Rock, there's plenty of opportunity for sharing the wealth. The property's recent $800 million expansion has resulted in a full-service resort notable for a three-pool wellness retreat complete with private VIP pool and cabana garden, complemented by al fresco dining at Pool Bar & Grill.
As any Hard Rock guest will attest, music is Hard Rock's blood—and Seminole Hard Rock showcases more than 500 pieces of musical memorabilia throughout the resort. Apart from Elvis's golden piano, there's also Lady Gaga's crystal-encrusted Super Bowl jacket, as well as garments belonging to nearly every LGBTQ+ icon from Janis Joplin to Beyoncé. In keeping with Hard Rock's focus on musical entertainment, the resort's brand-new, 1,500-seat Hard Rock Event Center includes a ballroom for concerts and private events.
Hard Rock guests who wish to host their own concerts are urged to do so in their suites and rooms. The resort's Sound of Your Stay in-room music amenity program offers Fender guitars (such as Stratocasters, Telecasters, and bass guitars) along with Fender Mustang floor amp and headphones (to ensure zero noise complaints from fellow guests). Complimentary vinyl records and Crosley turntables are also available, as are curated music playlists compiled by Hard Rock's team of music experts.
Hard Rock Tampa's brand-new, 14-story tower houses nearly 600 spacious rooms with 77 new suites, all of which feature 42-inch entertainment centers alongside banquette seating and in-room kitchenette with coffee machine. Floor-to-ceiling windows face onto the pool complex with panoramic city views of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. For those who prefer singing in the shower, the spa bathrooms offer walk-in rainforest showers with built-in marble benches—for private audiences.
Given the resort's 24/7 vibe, in-room dining is available around the clock—but it's equally tempting to use your winnings at Council Oak Steaks & Seafood. As popular with Tampa Bay locals as it is with Hard Rock guests, the award-winning destination restaurant serves U.S.D.A. prime steaks dry-aged for 28 days and cut to order from the on-site butcher shop. Steaks and local seafood are complemented by a superlative wine cellar—and few desserts are more crowd-pleasing than the fabled 151 Volcano, flambéed tableside. Equally indulgent, The Rez Grill offers handcrafted cocktails that tap into every guest's inner child, such as cocktails masquerading as sippy cups.
Steak and seafood at The Rez Grill
For those guests in need of a rock-n-roll makeover, the resort's glistening new Rock Spa & Salon provides a sanctuary for well-being and transformation. Hard Rock's signature Rock Om yoga program enables guests to practice in the privacy of their own suites and rooms—without the stress of yoga wear competition.
In recent years, the greater Tampa Bay metropolitan area has become one of the region's more alluring LGBTQ+ destinations, thanks to various annual events such as Tampa Pride and the Tampa Pride Diversity Festival, both of which are held at the end of March. In June, the annual St. Pete Pride weekend features the only night parade in Florida—and, in nearby Sarasota, the annual Harvey Milk Festival is a non-profit music and arts festival honoring the legacy of Harvey Milk.
Plenty of Pride in Tampa, St. Pete and Sarasota
Cigar aficionados know that Tampa proudly wears the sobriquet "Cigar City," thanks to the historic neighborhood of Ybor City, which was populated in the 1890s by thousands of Cuban immigrants. A cigar factory tour at Tabanero Cigars features dexterous Cuban artisans rolling handmade cigars in the heart of Ybor City. Nestled within the neighborhood, GaYBOR is immediately recognizable by the rainbow flags and GayYBOR signs along 8th Avenue and 15th Street—and the cool kids at Hamburger Mary's. The annual GaYBOR Days in July attracts thousands of LGBTQ+ people and their friends and family for a jubilant street party.
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Tampa is known as "cigar city"
Adjacent to the eight-acre Hard Rock campus on the Florida State Fairgrounds, the MIDFLORIDA Amphitheatre is Tampa Bay's largest concert-only facility with a 20,000-person capacity. Originally opened for The Cure's Curiosa Festival in 2004, the venue hosts various music festivals, thereby enabling Hard Rock guests an opportunity to witness musical events both on- and off-property.
Regardless of where you wander throughout Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, what becomes increasingly clear is how well the resort and the greater Tampa Bay area honor the Hard Rock tagline Love All Serve All. It's enough to make you feel lucky all over again. Light a cigar and place a bet: you just can't miss with a good luck charm like that.