We stayed at the Grand Plaza back in June and have another trip planned next month. I got on here to read the reviews and can't believe what I see.
This hotel is wonderful. The rooms have been updated very nicely. We were very pleased and felt that we were staying in a top of the line hotel (for St. Pete Beach). We've stayed elsewhere and were not very happy. The rooms were very clean. The floors are ceramic tile so you don't get that musty smell that you normally get in a beach hotel.
The staff were very accommodating and friendly. The hotel does a lot of weddings on the weekend so that could be the reason the other reviews stated the hotel was noisy. We had 13 weddings the weekend we were there but the noise was not bad at all. The only thing I didn't like about the hotel was the fact that the pool is in the wrong spot. It stays in the shade until after 12:00 so it is cold. The pool needs to be in morning sun. They need to change the pool with Bahama Mama's. The food was excellent and you can't beat their room service. Inexpensive, very good and it was to our room within 10 minutes!
I highly recommend the Grand Plaza and can't wait till next month so I can be there again!