Tampa · USA
Gram's Place BnB/Hostel
Bed bug reports
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Confirmed Google Maps
owners were nice but overall the place is horrible the sheets were dirty the bathroom too and my bed had bugs I spent a whole week with allergies cause of the bed bugs
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Confirmed Google Maps
horrible bed bugs
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Confirmed Google Maps
All was good except for the bed: unbelievably uncomfortable, even for a hostel. I stayed at the cheapest hostel in Miami after this and my bed there was 10 times more comfortable. I itched for a week and a half after staying here, and I think it might have been due to bed bugs. It’s a shame because the property itself is very cool and the employees friendly. I can’t bring myself to go back. Too bad it’s the only hostel on the FL west coast.
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Confirmed Google Maps
Horrific experience, contracted scabies - the contagious, intensely itchy skin condition caused by a tiny, burrowing mite. Day two I began waking up with several bites I thought were spiders or bed bugs. By the time I left a few days later, my body was completely covered in 100's of bites/rashes. Only after an urgent care doctor visit did I discover scabies was the cause. Agony, trauma of having crab-like insects mating under my skin, a large medical bill and use of a special cream was the gifts from Gram’s Place Hostel.
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Confirmed Google Maps
Let me start by saying I really wanted to like this hostel. Unfortunately, this was possibly my worst experience in a hostel ever. The beds were extremely uncomfortable, the rooms funky with all sorts of horrible body odors, and the lack of customer service was shocking. In the "train room" my feet literally touched the feet of the person who was sleeping in the bed adjacent. Not a pleasant sleeping experience to say the least. During my stay, my tolietries were thrown away and upon inquiring I was met with an aggressive and argumentative manager by the name of Christine. (Side note: Christine apparently hates letting anyone have a late checkout so don't even ask). To summarize, the hostel is a very cool building and you can tell at one point that it had a good thing going. Unfortunately it was clear that its best days were long gone. The only negative thing missing from this hostel were bedbugs, and that was only because I didn't stay long enough to find them.
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Vibe Analysis
A bike in a tree sets the frequency at Gram's Place: odd, handmade, musical, and very far from chain-hotel normal. This Tampa hostel has a Gram Parsons and rock-and-roll streak, with band posters, themed rooms, pirate-beach clutter, patios, shared kitchens, a bar area, and a hot tub that can turn into the main social node at night. The best version of Gram's Place feels like an eccentric house with a built-in cast: friendly staff, laid-back common areas, local tips, shared meals or tacos on lucky nights, game nights, pub trivia, and easy conversation around the spa or patio. Private rooms and dorms both exist, and a few rooms have private bathrooms or sinks. The location can work well for downtown Tampa, Riverwalk, Ybor, breweries, the airport, and rideshare or bike trips, though walking distances vary by plan. This is a personality-first stay, not a polished comfort machine. The same maze-like, treehouse-ish layout that gives it character can also feel cramped, cluttered, old, smoky, or rough around the edges. Cleanliness, linens, bathrooms, room condition, staff availability, and check-in communication have been inconsistent, with serious complaints about mold, bugs, missing toilet paper or soap, weak showers, musty rooms, and neglected shared spaces. Book it for the strange little scene and the price; skip it if you need hotel-grade reliability.
Signals to check
- Cleanliness and maintenance can be inconsistent, including bathrooms, linens, kitchens, and older rooms.
- Check-in can be confusing or slow when staff are not immediately available.
- Smoke, weed smell, noise, and thin room separation may be an issue.
- Some rooms are small, musty, hot or cold, or less private than expected.
- The layout may be difficult for anyone with mobility needs, and lockers are not always inside rooms.