Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista

[Bea]

I am looking for a cheap hotel in the Lake Buena Vista area. I found this hotel for $49.00 a night, which is pretty good. I plan on using Priceline, but it is the week of March Break so I may not get anything and need a back up hotel.

Has anyone stayed here and if so, how recently? Is it clean? How is the pool? Any comments on the free continental breakfast? We will rent a car so I am not worried about the shuttle.

I did a search and came up with mixed reviews. Just wondering how one of my "fellow Canadians" would rate it.

Thanks

 

[grover]

I have not stayed there but a co-worker has-she said it was great for the money they paid for it-I totally trust her opinion of it. There is also someone else here who stayed..TimandDansMOm I think and recommended it as well. I have friend who is coming to the wedding and can't stay on site with us the whole time so she has booked a room for herself there.
Grover in Winnipeg

 

[TimNDansMom]

Yes, I have stayed there several times and think it is good value for how close it is to Disney. We usually stay there on our first night of arrival after driving down, in case we run into any delays. It's located on a nice tree-lined street very close to Crossroads and we have even walked to DTD from there. I have taken the scheduled shuttle to Disney a couple of times and it was certainly adequate for me. I have found the rooms clean and come with a fridge and microwave, wall safe, coffee pot and hair dryer, if I remember correctly. Since it is beside the I4, I usually try to get a room facing the parking lot although the one time I had a room facing the expressway, I was so tired, if there was any road noise, I didn't hear it. We haven't been in the pool but it looks okay from standing on the balcony walkway and looking down on it. They have a buffet breakfast and dinner and a complimentary deluxe breakfast bar. We usually get the buffet breakfast, which has cereals, various fruits, eggs, bacon, sausages, biscuits, grits and a table that has 3 Mickey waffle irons where you can make your own! I don't really remember what was on the complimentary continental breakfast bar but it seemed to be substantial. There is also a small convenience store for snacks, a gift shop and a small bar.

I know there have been some negative comments about the CILBV here on the DIS, but we have generally been satisfied with our stays there.

 

[mbb]

My brother and SIL stayed there with my parents last winter - we were at OKW, five minutes away - and they found it to be absolutely fine. Breakfast was great, beds were fine, and front desk staff was more than helpful.

They got a rate of $39/night, but that was for the first week in February. I don't think you'll get much better than $49 for March Break...Great rate!!

Enjoy!!

 

[wee-haggis]

We stayed at the kids suite there and it was really good.Great value for money and handy location.
One piece of advice...call a few days before your trip and try and book a room on the Palm Parkway side (some of the rooms on the I4 side can be a bit noisy).
Food is fine, as is security .Pools are quiet and clean.
We would go there again.
(you can't always seriously listen to some of the negative comments because these folk are expecting the same as what you would get from a $100-200 a night hotel.
For the price ,its great (I would book directly through their own website)
I have to be honest ..I doubt if the price for Spring Break is $49 ?
(I would say closer to $70-90)

 

[Bea]

Thanks for all your replies. I am even considering not doing priceline and staying at this hotel. We had a terrible experience at Sheraton World this past April (threw priceline). We would be paying around the same amount for a 3* bid on priceline, but with the added bonus of knowing where we are staying.

Wee-haggis, I got the rate of $49.00 a night for the whole March break-it is a government/military rate. The website stated that it could be US military or foreign military. It is nice to be able to take advantage of that. I think, the next closest rate was AAA which was $62.00/night.

 

[MommaBear]

We stayed in August 2002. It was our first trip down with the kids and I couldn't have asked for a better hotel. We stayed on the 3rd floor overlooking the pool in a Kids Suite room. It was equipped with a safe, microwave, outside vanity and sink. This came in handy for those using the toilet while others could brush teeth, etc. The Kids Suite was nice as my boys could go into their own little area and watch TV while my husband and I could check out the news on our TV. 3rd Floor had a laundry facility beside elevator which was nice. We arrive after 2 days on the road. I was able to do laundry and watch kids from balcony as they played in pool with my husband. The highway did not bother us at all. We were gone most days into WDW and the rooms were very sound proof. Every night at 10 p.m. the guards came by and cleaned out pool area and locked gate so there wasn't pool noise in the late evening. Breakfast Buffet was very good. Had excellent selection and we filled up every morning at 7 a.m. Hotel is minutes from Downtown Disney, Walgreens and several nice restaurants. I would highly recommend to anyone!

We hope to stay again next year for one night only (parents own a condo in St. Pete's Beach and that's were we will spend the rest of our vacation) and this time we will be taking along our little toy poodle. I have checked with hotel and they do accept animals. We hope to head over from St. Pete's in early afternoon, have the evening in Downtown Disney and then next morning drop doggie off at WDW Kennels and then spend the day in the World before heading back to St. Pete's in the late evening.

I checked out other hotels - most were fairly expensive for one night and they would not accept dogs so we will head back to the Comfort Inn!

 

[MommaBear]

Sorry I can be such a space cadet! I wrote this review for Mouseplanet.com just after we arrived back. I may have missed a few things on my earlier post and this review has more info.

We were lucky enough to get a Family FunSuite on Orlando.Resbid.com for approx. $54 US a night. The Hotel was clean and staff were extremely helpful and friendly. We stayed in the 2nd Building on the 3rd floor (each Building has 5 floors) which overlooked the large swimming pool. The room was clean and tidy. Suite consisted of 1 double bed and an enclosed area (this is where the other double would have been put) which contained bunk beds,junior bed, dresser and 2nd TV. This was an added bonus. My boys (age 13 and 9) were able to watch their own programs while my husband and I could catch up on the news and weather. Room also contained ironing board, iron, safe and small refrigerator. The laundry facilities were located opposite the elevator on the 3rd floor. Pricey - $1.75 per load for both washer and dryer but convenient. Grounds were well kept and Security was onsite. Towels offered at pool area and Security made sure pool was empty and closed by 10 p.m. Onsite restaurant was nice. Excellent morning breakfast buffet for only $5.95 (children under 11 eat free). Expensive onsite store. We found Walgreens down the street and loaded up on munchies, water and pop. Downtown Disney and theme parks were only minutes away. We would definitely stay here again!

 

[Muziqal]

Just stayed there for 3 weeks in May (6 - 25)

If you're looking for luxury, you're headed to the wrong place...but if you've read the other posts then you must know you're going for a room, a decent bed, a microwave, fridge, 2 pools, $4.99 hot buffet breakfast and free continental breakfast (cereal, bananas, poppy seed lemon muffins, juice, coffee, etc.), free shuttles to all parks - including universal and seaworld - with pretty good service (if you take the 1st shuttle in the morning to Magic Kingdom/Animal Kingdom, you'll make it well before park opening to any park - just take disney transportation to your destinaton from the TTC. Or, if you rent a car, it is very close to the I-4 for all other destinatons).

If you ever need to get back after the shuttle have stopped running (the last one is usually an hour after each park closes), it's a $5.50 cab ride to downtown disney. The cab divers try and take you down there 'cause they know you're a tourist. You have to tell them to turn on the meter. You can bartar, but most will kindly offer you a ride for $10 back to Comfort Inn. If you accept, I wouldn't tip. If you're smart, you'll tell them just to turn on the meter.

The Orlando Magicard gives a rate of $39/night all year round. I would suggest getting this (order for free or print off the internet) and making your reservation with this. Also, there is an additional $2.50 resort charge/night no matter what rate you get.

The place is fine for those not needing to be pampered in the Grand Floridian. If you need a place to crash at the end of an exhausting day at the parks, you found it. You can visit all of the fancy resorts for the day if you want - that's what I'll do every time I go. Spend a night at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and eat at Boma, do the same for the Yacht Club and eat at Cape May Cafe (my favourite) or the Wilderness Lodge and eat at Whispering Canyon. Save the $ you'll spend on the ridiculously priced rooms and treat yourself too al of the extras (great dining and shooping) all over the world.

If you have any specific questions about the place, just let me know...you get to feel at home after 3 weeks anywhere!

 

[ChisJo]

They were wonderful over the phone. I have the Entertainment card and the Magicard, and they were very patient and extremely courteous when I was booking. I wanted the cheapest and best deal that I could find. I specifically told them that I did not want a room that a pet had been in (allergies). They ensured me that I would not get one. Then I specified that I would also not like to be facing the highway. She also honored that request. She was very helpful with every question I asked. I know that I am not heading to a 5 star hotel, but their customer service outpased many others that I tried.
I hope that your trip is wonderful!
Jo

 

[Bea]

ChrisJo,

Do you mind me asking what rate you got, or if you recall how much they charged with the entertainment rate? I know we got a good deal with the gov't rate ($49.00) but still trying to get a better deal. I didn't realize they had an entertainment rate. Thanks

 

[ChisJo]

The entertainment rate was $44.95, and the Magicard rate was $39. If you don't know what the magicard is, here is the website:
http://www.orlandoinfo.com/magicard/offers.cfm
I thought that this was a great rate!
Jo

 

[Bea]

Wow, those prices are good. We aren't going until next March so I will wait a few months before I call(the Magicard deals expire end of February 2005 and the new Entertainment card isn't effective until November). Thanks so much for the info! Please don't forget to post a write up on your opinions of the hotel when you get back.