Comfort Suites Maingate or Maingate East??

[Jill Schwartz]

Hi all-
I am looking for a moderate (don't need too many frills) hotel since part of our trip we will be spluring and stay on site for the Universal portion.
Comfort Suites Maingate and CS Maingate Ease seem to fit our requirements:
2 adults and 3 school aged kids
heated pool
Queen sized beds
sm. frig and micro

I've only been to Orlando/Disney once and am a bit confused...
previously we stayed on the southern end of Internation Dr (Vistana Villages). Where is Maingate vs. Maingate East??? Are they both on the east side of WDW?
Is one significantly more convenient than the others? East prices are a tad higher, is it newer?
UG 2005 talks about CSMaingate as being a best bet for families, doesn't mention Maingate East. Yet, some of the recent reviews of Maingate seem a bit scary compared to ME. (Reading them its hard to believe the people are writinga bout the same places...seems the reviews are excellent or horrible, nothing in between!)
Also, I read about the choicehotels rate guarantee...yet I don't I couldn't find anything on the website??
I would appreciate any guidance one way or the other as far as newness, cleanliness, convenience, etc.
Thanks
Jill

 

[winterman]

Comfort Suites Maingate EAST is the classy one with the best amenities.

Re-check www.choicehotels.com for the best rate guarantee.

Have a great trip

 

[Sumac]

We stayed at the Comfort Suites Maingate East last year for a couple of nights prior to checking into our timeshare for the week. I thought it was very nice. It was clean, and affordable, and the breakfast was pretty good.

 

[philliplc]

haven't stayed at either place but have done a ton of research on both.

maingate is just off 192 near mile marker 5 about 1.5 miles west of main disney entrance, and very close to AK. maingate east is just off 192 near mile marker 9 a little over 2 miles east of disney main entrance, and right next door to kissimmee old town. east is slightly less convenient, but apparently is a much better property.

maingate reviews seem to definitely be mixed, particularly recently with how they handled guests during the hurricanes.

maingate east is a newer hotel opened in 2001, and seems to have consistently better reviews. notice on the choice website it's the only choice hotel in the entire orlando area with a platinum hospitality award. i remember reading somewhere on these boards that the current east manager use to manage one of the disney deluxe resorts, which if true could have a lot to do with that.

edit: the "best internet rate guarantee >>" link is on the bottom of the main choicehotels.com page

 

[floridagirrl2]

DH and I stayed at Maingate (not East) for a couple of days and thought it was nice enough. We liked that it was walking distance to a bunch of restaurants and a grocery store. It had a very pretty pool area and the room itself looked new. Only 2 minor criticisms: the room was dark (we replaced the compact florescents with regular lightbulbs for the length of our stay!) and a bit noisy (couldn't figure out where all the noise was coming from--sounded like plumbing or elevator noise, maybe there was a mechanical room nearby).