“We wanted a space that really matched the vision we had in our heads, something beautiful, full of character, and with the option to be indoors (since Florida weather can be so unpredictable!). We also knew what didn’t feel like us; for example, we knew early on that we didn’t want a barn or something too minimal. We’re drawn to venues with personality and charm and leaned more toward an urban, stylish setting that still felt warm and inviting.

We loved that Hotel Haya was historic and a little industrial, yet still refined and colorful. The textures, stained glass, and exposed brick gave it so much personality. It also felt so authentically Tampa, which was perfect since much of my husband’s family was visiting from out of town, and we wanted them to really experience the city. The service was incredible from start to finish, too; so helpful, accommodating, and genuinely kind. We couldn’t recommend them enough.”

Hotel Haya was amazing to work with from start to finish. Our initial tour of the space with Meghan Hygh immediately gave us a great feeling, and Logan was incredible throughout the process, helping us with the menu, tastings, and ensuring that every detail reflected the vibe we envisioned for the day. Their attention to detail and commitment to making our day special made the entire experience unforgettable!

Being from Plant City, the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World, and having served as the Florida Strawberry Festival Queen in 2018, I knew I had to incorporate a nod to my hometown. For dessert, we had a ‘make-your-own’ strawberry shortcake bar, which was such a fun and unique touch. The Hotel Haya catering staff brought this idea to life beautifully, allowing our out-of-town guests to get a delicious taste of Plant City.

Knowing we had to get married during hurricane season, we wanted an indoor ceremony and reception space. We ultimately chose Hotel Haya because it checked all of our boxes and more: indoor venue, great food and drinks, nice hotel, and walkable to other bars and restaurants for out-of-town guests. Also, my father’s side of the family is Cuban, so the Cuban flare of the hotel felt right. James and I have also always loved Ybor. Coincidentally, both of our offices are in Ybor, so we spend a good amount of time there!

I wanted somewhere with a unique character. Hotel Haya had such a cute vibe, and the food menu was so unique and fun. Their service was amazing, they really worked with us and made the planning process a breeze. The day of, the entire team was so helpful and kind.

I wanted the vibes of a downtown wedding, and Tampa is meaningful to me since I’ve spent most of my life living near the city. We wanted a modern venue with a large ballroom to accommodate our guests and give enough space to dance. Hotel Haya was our favorite venue in terms of aesthetics. Stephen and I loved the unique personality of the hotel and were especially drawn to the modern yet classy ballroom. Having food included with the venue also appealed to us, as it made planning easy. We had a fantastic experience with the staff. Everyone was so accommodating, the service was professional, and everyone raved about the food!

We wanted something that was indoors and somewhat of a blank canvas so we could really customize our wedding with décor. It was extremely important to have a venue that makes the food onsite that had a good menu that wasn’t your typical ‘wedding food.’

We only toured one other venue, but we knew before stepping into Hotel Haya that it was going to be our venue! I fell in love with everything about it! The ballroom is absolutely breathtaking. I love that they preserved its history by keeping the brick walls and not making it feel industrial. We felt the venue represented both of us with its modern charm. The service was phenomenal, and I recommend Hotel Haya to all of my brides! I always hear couples say they didn’t get to eat on their wedding day, so I especially appreciated the catering manager personally taking care of us to make sure we ate and were well taken care of throughout dinner.

With Jake being from Kentucky and a lot of our family flying in from all over, we wanted a place with accommodations. I love the idea of everyone being nearby and family mingling throughout the weekend.

There are so many things we love about Hotel Haya. The neutral ballroom, the sexy but timeless feeling, the amazing staff, and the fact it was pet-friendly. Plus they have a cafe and restaurant downstairs, and our guests could explore during the day by walking around historic Ybor or taking the streetcar for free. We also loved that our guests’ room rate was cost-effective. We wanted everyone to have a great time and not have to worry about driving.

I really wanted our venue to be at a hotel so that our traveling guests could have the whole wedding weekend experience there. I also wanted to have good food! Our taste-testing date at Hotel Haya was amazing. The history of the building was really cool, and having grown up in Tampa, it felt neat to have the wedding in an old historic Tampa building.

I wanted lots of bright light and airiness and closeness to other things. It is a great space with lots of light and wood flooring that feels like you are outside but with the benefit of A/C! We also had the opportunity to do our cocktail hour by the pool, so it was the perfect amount of being outside. They also had great value for food and drink packages and delicious food. Hotel Haya being in Ybor was so fun leading up to the wedding and after it! Spoiler: We all ended up at Coyote Ugly after! Something we did not think of before the actual wedding weekend, it was so nice to have the majority of guests under the same roof as it felt like we could chat and hang out with every single guest during the weekend, which may not have been possible in other venues,” Stephanie explained. “We had guests get there Saturday night and met everyone at the bar as a casual welcome party, and then we had a buffet breakfast the Monday after the wedding where everyone could get some coffee and bites before they went home. It was so nice to chat about the wedding with everyone and hear their favorite memories

The main thing we looked for in a wedding venue was convenience. We wanted the day to be as convenient as possible for ourselves and our guests. We knew we liked the idea of getting married at a hotel, as you can typically host all events on-site while providing lodging for out-of-town guests.

We decided on Hotel Haya as our venue because of its convenience and beauty. Hotel Haya was a very convenient choice for us, as we and most of our friends and family live within 25 miles of Ybor City. Also, it’s only about a 20-minute drive from Tampa International Airport, making it convenient for our out-of-town guests.

The wedding venue was very important to us, and we wanted a place that would be memorable for our guests and also incorporate the love of Tampa and Cuban culture.

Hotel Haya speaks for itself when we were looking at venues. Its unique design and boutique feel outweighed any other venue we toured. The staff was very responsive, which was extremely important during the planning process.

When looking for a wedding venue, it was two-fold. We knew we wanted a hotel for ease of logistics for us and our guests, and style-wise, we wanted something more modern and fun.

Hotel Haya had literally everything and more. The restaurant and catering customized everything to our dietary needs, the drinks were amazing, our guests couldn’t get enough, and the rooms and decor all really matched our style. It was just a perfect fit! Simple yet decorated perfectly.

We did not do much searching. We had known from the first time we stepped into Hotel Haya that we wanted our wedding to be there. It was elegant but also modern. We loved the high windows and the history of the ballroom. Everything about it was exactly what we wanted!

It was the look we wanted, and it also had the convenience factor, which was important. I loved the idea of having our guests stay at the wedding site. The food was amazing, and the kitchen staff was friendly and efficient.

We envisioned a unique reception venue and made our selections based on our wedding design and style. It was important to us that our venue was local, could support our wedding capacity, and had indoor/outdoor options. The staff at our venues also made such an impact on our decision. Wedding planning can be very overwhelming, but if you are working with people who understand that it makes all the difference.

We were treated like family at Hotel Haya, and every time we walked in, we felt like it was our “Cheers.” We never walked in without a personal greeting.

Having a venue that was all-encompassing was important to us. We wanted our guests to be able to relax and not worry about getting from ceremony to reception, and Hotel Haya made everything a breeze. It was a bonus that our guests could also stay at our venue. We flew down to Tampa one weekend and toured ten venues and nothing we saw could measure up to Hotel Haya.

We loved how it encompassed old Ybor City charm with a modern flair. We are huge foodies and feel that most often wedding food is forgettable at best. We didn’t want our guests to have that experience and felt that the chef at the hotel shared the same vision. They crafted signature cocktails for us that the guests loved and even brought in draught beer from Cigar City. The service was exceptional! It also happened to be Tampa Pride the same day in Ybor (which was a blast), and Hotel Haya didn’t miss a beat with our wedding weekend.