BEST / WORST Off-Site Hotels - GRAND TALLY

[gigi1313]

any input on this hotel? travelocity offered a good rate, so a friend is considering it...
thanks in advance

 

[safetymom]

I would take any results you find here with a grain of salt. People are more likely to post if they had a bad experience. Many people had great experiences but they didn't post.

I wouldn't base my stay on these results.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by safetymom
I would take any results you find here with a grain of salt. People are more likely to post if they had a bad experience. Many people had great experiences but they didn't post.

I wouldn't base my stay on these results.

I think there is some truth to this. Unhappy guests tend to complain. Happy guests don't usually say much.

What I do when I read reviews is to focus on exactly what people complained about. Sometimes, the things they didn't like are things that we do like. For example, one person may complain that there were a lot of kids at the pool. Well, since we have a young child, going to a hotel where there will be other kids her age might be a positive for us. Another person may complain that the view from the rooms is lousy. Personally, I couldn't care less what the view was as long as the room was clean and comfortable and the rate was good. This works in reverse too. Someone may post that the hotel had a really good bar and great live music. Those two things would steer me away from that hotel.

I've read lots of negative reviews for hotels that we were quite happy with. You just need to know your own likes and dislikes and priorities and evaluate the reviews accordingly. So I wouldn't totally ignore other people's reviews. Just use them appropriately.

 

[fairytinkerbell]

I booked Hawthorn Suites tonite 8303 Palm Pkwy in Lake Buena Vista ,

and I am wondering how good this hotel is... did anyone stay here?

How was the location to the parks? close, far??

Also, how was the "full hot breakfast?" they say they have a buffet w/ eggs, sausages, hashbrowns, etc.. was it good?

Any info is helpful!

 

[tednvon]

You will love it...all the work you have put in these boards will pay off!!!

Now Relax and get ready for a great time...

 

[susie6505]

My husband has to be at Universal Studios for more than 8 weeks to do some work, and my son and I will be joining him over Columbus Day weekend. I need to book a hotel for a couple of days, and found a $35.00 rate at the Quality Inn & Suites Univ Studios. I want to book it, but I would like some feedback on the hotel. Can someone give me some information about. Here is the address: Quality Inn & Suites @ Universal Studios; 5635 Windhover Drive , Orlando, FL, US, 32819

Any help would be great. If this is not a nice place, any suggestions for around $60.00!
:thewave:

 

[endkaos]

Just what I was looking for ....THANK YOU!

 

[paigevz]

We stayed at Holiday Inn Sunspree.............yuck! It was one of those free ticket deals, though, so we got our money's worth, but did we ever hate the room! It made us absolutely KNOW we are always staying on-site from here on!

We also stayed at Royal Pacific. It was nice .... great location, great Express pass privileges for Universal and IOA and very, very friendly staff. They didn't do anything special for our son for his bday, though, his first ever away from home, and only offered to makea cake for $50. We drove to find a bakery, instead, and finally came to a panaderia, where we got a lovely pineapple cake for $7, and used decorations I'd already brought (spiderman) to make it "his". However, if we couldn't speak spanish, we'd never have made ourselves understood.........they kept the cakes in the back in a cooler. I thought Royal Pacific should've offered SOMETHING.......if not for free then at least for a reasonable price. Like the other poster said about someone sending a cookie and balloon bouquet up. Also, one day there was a flea in the bathroom. I asked at the desk, and they do allow pets in all Universal hotels, and I guess the rooms aren't restricted, so that's something to think about!

We are happy to see Hard Rock towards the top of the list, as that is what we are going to try for our next Universal trip. I think the Express pass you get for staying on site there is a major incentive!

 

[disneysteve]

I posted to the best/worst thread a while back, but we just got home today from our most recent visit and I have to update my best recommendation.

We just spent a week at the Orbit One Vacation Villas on Entry Point Blvd. and 192 in Kissimmee. It is an RCI timeshare resort. We booked through SkyAuction and paid a total of $261 for the week, just over $37/nite! We had a 25 x 40 foot 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo with a full kitchen that looked practically new, a nice glass-top dining table for 6, living room with sofa bed and love seat and 27" tv, bedroom with 2 twins, tv and stereo, master bedroom with king, tv, safe, master bath with large jacuzzi tub, screened in patio, washer and dryer. The complex has all types of sports courts - even raquetball. 2 pools. And lots of scheduled activities each day.

If you are looking for a great place and a tremendous value, head over to skyauction and grab a week here.

 

[clearancequeenie]

we have reservations at the Days inn in Old Town. we got the room with 3 beds , living room and kitchen.> Anyone stay there .. We are going to Universal i know its further away but I like the deal we got with Old Town plus we have friends in kissamee

 

[MTMom]

Thx uncucla for doing the tally, what a fabulous piece of research. I read the initial 13 page thread about best/worst and thought that it needed tallying. Well, anyway, from out of all of this I finally decided on the Marriott Orlando World Center for our pre-cruise, off-site hotel stay and am very satisfied that I made a good decision. No worries!

 

[we3are1]

Is there anyway you can add a cost range for these hotels. We are looking for one of the nicest cheapest places to stay. LOL can you actually find that? Oh well I hope so.

 

[bill'sdj]

Thank you so much for compiling this list. I have spent endless hours online looking for reviews, etc... for off-site hotels. I know I can generally trust the opinions of those who frequent these boards and are not afraid to voice their opinions. Have stayed on-site four out of five trips, one off-site at HOJO Maingate on Irlo Bronson was a disaster. Taking four children, grandchildren, large group next year. Need to stay off-site for party of 12 with frig/micro. Thanks again for your help!
Debbie

 

[soccermom5]

please help quick !! westgate resorts 1000.00 7 days awesome villas but with 5 children im just looking to to lay my head down at night my dad suggested days suites in old town can get for 472.. how bad is this place my dad says its nice but how nice could it be for under 500 for 7 days Help

 

[disneysteve]

please help quick !! westgate resorts 1000.00 7 days awesome villas but with 5 children im just looking to to lay my head down at night my dad suggested days suites in old town can get for 472.. how bad is this place my dad says its nice but how nice could it be for under 500 for 7 days Help

Comparing these 2 is apples to oranges. I've stayed at Days Suites and it was fine, certainly nothing fancy but perfectly adequate and in a great location right next to Old Town.

$1000 for 7 days at Westgate is way too much. You could get a week through Skyauction there or somewhere similar for less than half of that. Or you could rent a 3-bed condo at a place like Windsor Palms for under $100/nite. Heck, for under $1000 you could rent a pool home for the week.

So given the 2 choices of Westgate or Days Suites, I would pick neither. Go to vrbo.com and skyauction.com and check out the other options.

 

[streetballa]

personally i think that the hard rock hotel is really cool i stayed there on the 4th floor

 

[OLDMOUSE55]

We are going in May and have booked a room at the Buena Vista Suites. Just wondering if anyone knows anything about this place. Mousesavers recommended this place. Anyone know anything about location and bus transportation to the parks?

Terry

 

[soft_spell]

FYI,
I just had quite the experience with a representative at Buena Vista Suites. Called around 2:00 (MTN) on a Friday, just asking some simple questions about shuttles routes: where they go, if they go directly to DD, if they go to Universal, how late they come back, just wanting some specifics for my vacation, I would rather not be stranded in a place I've never been. Well, apparently I wasn't asking politely, the lady started getting an attitude instead of trying to understand what exactly I was asking. I asked her why she was getting so upset, which made her more upset. She said rudely, "Well you asked me the question three times!" I said, " Well, you know what I'd probably rather not stay here anyway, I wont ask you anymore questions." She said, "Good." and hung up the phone.
Anyway, maybe it was just bad chemistry. But I would reccommend not staying there, less chance of having a similar experince.
I hope that helps.

 

[Tiffa]

Hi all, First time poster long time lurker, I can beat the worse motel - we went in 1999 for the marathon and stayed at the Knights Inn on I92 by world drive we paid with cash and the guy at the desk took our cash and charged our credit card - apparently had been doing this for awhile and we were the first to call the management on it - luckily we got our credit card bill two days after we returned home- we had to write an affidavit and possible court dates, but the doofus plead guilty so no further action on our part. we are going back this year and found a very nice house (I hope) to rent I'll let ya know how that goes in Aug.

 

[Krazy4Eeyore]

Hi! I am new to these message boards and I was wondering if anybody had any positive or negative feedback to the Rodeway Inn, I am booked for November.....Thanks Kathy