Any one ever stayed in a really really cheap hotel?

[HopperFan]

The Rosen hotels have a reputation for being good value. It's a small local chain, and the founder is known as a philanthropist in the area. We stayed at the Rosen Closest to Universal, and it was a really positive experience. Definitely no frills or anything, but it was just so CLEAN, and the parking lot was gated with an attendant, so I didn't worry about the car. I think this is one of the brands where it's pretty safe to grab a low price if you see one.

The Rosen College of Hospitality Management, considered the nation’s best, and No. 2 in world, is part of UCF and the campus located next to Shingle Rosen Creek Hotel (amazing place to stay).

While there are some less expensive, he does have standards for the Rosen hotels. Students also work at all their Orlando hotels and intern at others as well. If I were going for a lower brand hotel, I would pick Rosen.

EDITED

 

[Robbie Cottam]

A few years ago I was in Orlando for training.
Ironically Hotel Impossible was on in the lounge I was having dinner at.
The episode was about a hotel on I-drive.... The place at that time was called "A Nice Inn and Suites".

There was mold, killer bees, fees of things the hotel couldn't offer.... etc...
The host of the show left...

Goggle it...

The point, when staying in a popular destination, I strongly recommend that you stay at a named brand.
You get what you pay for.

Last time I checked, You could stay in a nice Hilton or Marriotts branded tier 3 or 4 hotel near Disney for around a 100 buck a night...

Just say.... Hilton or killer bees..

 

[Pooh's World]

The Rosen hotels have a reputation for being good value. It's a small local chain, and the founder is known as a philanthropist in the area. We stayed at the Rosen Closest to Universal, and it was a really positive experience. Definitely no frills or anything, but it was just so CLEAN, and the parking lot was gated with an attendant, so I didn't worry about the car. I think this is one of the brands where it's pretty safe to grab a low price if you see one.

Harris Rosen was the first director of hotel planning for Disney World.

The Rosen Lake Buena Vista you can see the theming is like the old version of the Caribbean Beach Club or Coronado Springs.

It's too bad that Rosen LBV is no longer Clarion Rosen LBV because that was a great place to rack up Choice Points at a good hotel, at a great price in a good location.

 

[robinb]

I once paid $1 to stay in a Travelodge on 192 (now a Holiday Inn) with $20 per night bonus money on Priceline using their "name your own price" tool. It was okay, but I was happy it was for only 1 night. It wasn't the worst hotel I stayed at. That claim to fame still rests with a rental at my DH's grandparents' snowbirding destination in Palm Springs over 30 years ago. I've never seen so many roaches in one place.

Are you looking for an affordable place to stay? If so, there are many recommendations on this board that won't break the bank.

 

[Lilsia]

We stayed in a hotel in vegas for $25 and it was ok... but I know it's just to get your business. Orlando & Kissimmee is full of really old properties I see them listed when I do my searches, just wanted to know does anyone actually stay here that's going on vacation? View attachment 606213

Those look like by the hour pricing, not per night. LOL

 

[Lewisc]

[QUOTE="HopperFan, post: 63431550," ] Rosen has bought up many lower brand "hotels" along International and now the one at Disney, along with his higher branded ones by the convention center. While less expensive he does have standards for his hotels. Students also work at all their Orlando hotels and intern at others as well. If I were going for a lower brand hotel, I would pick Rosen.
[/QUOTE]
Rosen owned and operated many of those hotels under.a franchise contract. He now operates them under his name

 

[HopperFan]

Rosen owned and operated many of those hotels under.a franchise contract. He now operates them under his name

I did look and I see it wasn't as I thought on most.

Rosen has always owned Rosen Shingle Creek, makes sense it's a standout in Orlando and next to the college. Two of the hotels on International they only had a partial interest in them up until 2017 when they actually bought them out. They have no ownership in the rest, they just manage the hotels for others, which is like any others like Marriotts, Hiltons etc.

 

[Donna M]

We stayed in a cheap place to be near the airport in Orlando. The floor was linoleum squares, no carpet which was very unusual for back then, but the most striking for us was the guard in the parking lot. We were glad to leave in the morning, but had no problems and it was clean enough. I wish I could remember the price.

 

[jrsharp21]

Look at the pics on TripAdvisor for Maingate Lakeside Resort.

 

[Lewisc]

Look at the pics on TripAdvisor for Maingate Lakeside Resort.

Trip Advisor rates it 3*, 120 out of 162 hotels in Kissimmee.
Recent reviews are very bad. Even a 3* rating is suspect. There are dozens of hotels as bad or worse.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

We stayed in a cheap place to be near the airport in Orlando. The floor was linoleum squares, no carpet which was very unusual for back then, but the most striking for us was the guard in the parking lot. We were glad to leave in the morning, but had no problems and it was clean enough. I wish I could remember the price.

Thank goodness for the lack of carpet... can only imagine what it would be like.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

About 27 years ago when my kids would've been 4 and 1+ we left Macon, GA for home (WI) because 1+ had an ear infection. We didn't intend on driving straight thru BUT it in Nov sometime and there was BIG DEAL College Football games and all we saw on the Motel signs were NO ROOMS AVAILABLE and we just kept driving. We finally stopped somewhere in Indiana at a very low budget place, it was already past sunset and I remember being one of only a few "cars", the rest were semis. We jammed the desk chair under the doorknob and collapsed. The next day seeing the place in the daylight made me cringe. NEVER AGAIN!!!! Our drive home was only 3 hrs.

 

[Kate_45]

30 years ago we stayed at the seralago when it was holiday Inn main gate east. It was a package from a UK travel agent and would have been relatively inexpensive.

It was great- had a separate kids check in and goody bag and newspaper. You could buy a refillable drinks bottle, kids ate free in a little gingerbread house in the restaurant and they had a kids clubhouse with a cinema and lots of organised activities.
I dread to think how much you'd have to pay for that sort of kids experience nowadays, then it seemed standard.

Sad to think that it is a Florida project type place now. (Though the third time we went there was an issue my dad took us next door to a quality inn hotel and suites so maybe it was going downhill even then?
The new hotel had a nicer shaped pool and felt pleasant then. I wonder what it's like nowadays, whether it's in cheap motel category or family holiday. It's called staybridge suites royal parc resort if anyone can comment).

 

[DodgerGirl]

One motel chain to avoid when you're planning to go to Walt Disney World or anywhere else is America's Best Value Inn and I cannot figure out how America's Best Value Inn is a very popular motel chain and how Red Lion owns them. But when I went to Texas I stayed at an America's Best Value Inn and I thought it was gonna be cool but when we got there I saw maids being crushes to the staff and flirting with them when they would service rooms but when we came back to get some rest we were so tired and Mom and I were getting ready for bed when suddenly Mom opened the closet door to get our nightgowns and a big roach came out and Mom was freaking out like crazy. And the bed was very uncomfortable and hard and I felt like Goldilocks trying out Papa Bear's bed and the pillows were not soft but felt flat and had sweat on them and it was so hard to sleep. So the next morning we got a room at Residence Inn which we liked a lot. But why America's Best Value Inn has survived i'll never understand

 

[Wakey]

In the UK we have ‘Premier Inn’ which are actually very good (think a bit like a Holiday Inn Express. They can be reasonably priced even in London and are worthwhile staying in, many in prime locations. Central London on a weekend is usually about $130 but they are much cheaper elsewhere. We are staying in one in December at Heathrow Airport before our flight to MCO- £35 a room, so about $45. That includes tax. That’s for a family room. Breakfast is on top, full English is £12 I think, buffet, kids eat free.
Makes my $1200 a night Boardwalk 1 bed Villa I’ll be staying at the night after (if I was paying cash), $25 parking and $50 breakfasts seem mildly ridiculous.

 

[DodgerGirl]

When my aunt would take my cousins on vacations when they were little she and my uncle always picked Motel 6 because that was her perferred motel chain and I cannot figure out how Motel 6 stays in business because to me they were a low budget motel chain. When my family stayed at a Motel 6 once after a camping trip we were shocked at how cheap the room looked and the bed was okay but they had no bathtubs and just showers but it was only for one night and what's really shocking is the same company that owns Motel 6 owns Red Roof Inn which is just like Motel 6 but more cheaper. I have read about Knights Inn and from what I've read about Knights Inn is that they're like Super 8 and are owned by Wyndham. But if you are going to Walt Disney World you can always join hotel rewards programs to get good deals on a good room

 

[Centopar]

Lord - I did, about 25 years ago, in Paris. It was a total dump in the Marais district, running for about €15/night.

The mattress was made of horsehair and was probably older than I am now. It was sort of hammock-shaped after decades of use. The room was BEYOND filthy - including the little washbasin in the corner.

The toilet was shared with all the other rooms on that floor. It was what they called a Turkish Toilet: a hole in the ground with foot-shaped porcelain bits to put your feet on while you squatted.

The shower was also shared. Since we were only there for a weekend I decided, on having a look at it, that I'd probably stay cleaner by NOT using it.

 

[Pooh's World]

When my aunt would take my cousins on vacations when they were little she and my uncle always picked Motel 6 because that was her perferred motel chain and I cannot figure out how Motel 6 stays in business because to me they were a low budget motel chain. When my family stayed at a Motel 6 once after a camping trip we were shocked at how cheap the room looked and the bed was okay but they had no bathtubs and just showers but it was only for one night and what's really shocking is the same company that owns Motel 6 owns Red Roof Inn which is just like Motel 6 but more cheaper. I have read about Knights Inn and from what I've read about Knights Inn is that they're like Super 8 and are owned by Wyndham. But if you are going to Walt Disney World you can always join hotel rewards programs to get good deals on a good room

Motel 6 was ahead of it's time with the no showers to save money from water.

Now alot of the big chains copy Motel 6 and have gotten rid of their bath tubs.

 

[Lewisc]

Motel 6 was ahead of it's time with the no showers to save money from water.

Now alot of the big chains copy Motel 6 and have gotten rid of their bath tubs.

You mean no bathtub. The shower wall is a wrap with no grout. Significant time savings in cleaning

 

[markpenske]

our first trip to WDW was about 25 years ago. We stayed at the Ramada Inn Maingate. It was $38 per night. For us, being the fist time there it was fine. The next year we stayed at the All-star movies and from that point on my wife refuses to stay off property.
But, there are lots of hotels and places to eat off site. You can save alot of money