DoubleTree at Entrace to Universal. We like it!

[mm6mm6]

Three years in a row, we've driven from north of Chicago for two days to Orlando. We did WDW in '02 and '03 and Universal/SeaWorld/Discovery Cove in '04.

Each year, we get to Orlando around 3pm and we have stayed at the DoubleTree at the entrance to Universal Studios theme park.

It used to be called the Radisson Twin Towers in '02 and '03 but I guess DoubleTree bought this hotel out.

Our first year, we got a $57 night's stay with two queen beds.
The second year, it was again $57.
The third it was $69. I guess DoubleTree raised the rates.

I still think it was a great price. The first two years, we just brought our basic luggage up to the room (actually, I had a bell boy do it), changed into our suits and hit the big pool.

Then we would walk next door to TGIFridays for dinner.

Then we'd go to sleep (very tired) and wake up early for the excellent all you can eat breakfast buffet. Then off to our WDW resort to check in early, park, and take a bus to whichever theme park we were going to.

This has worked really well for us.

So well, in fact, that this past year, we stayed three nights at the DoubleTree while driving to Discovery Cove and SeaWorld and saving the money over staying at a bigger resort.

Each year we moved on to Caribbean Beach Resort (02) or Coronado Springs Resort (03) or Royal Pacific Resort (04) but we sure saved some money by staying those nights at the DoubleTree.

So anyone else stay at the DoubleTree?

Pay any more or any less and if you paid less, how'd you get a deal?

-Steve

 

[Sandy22]

I stayed there in 2002 when it was still a Radisson. I got it for $25 a night from Priceline. We stayed two nights and that was too long. I would not have stayed there again even at $25 a night. The room smelled awful, was shabby and worn, bathroom was not very clean (we changed rooms but the second was not that much better). The pool was small and basic and the food court was overpriced. And the free shuttle to Universal was a joke - instead of going straight to Universal (a 5 minute drive across the street) it picked up from a bunch of other hotels and took over 45 minutes! But maybe that's all changed now that it's under new ownership. Last trip I stayed at the Doubletree Castle and was pleasantly surprised.

 

[mm6mm6]

Wow!

Sounds like we stayed in two different places.

Our room was almost spotless every time. It was very clean with only the usual wear and tear (minor scuffing on furniture) that comes with a place that's been in operation for a bunch of years.

Our bathrooms have always been spotless.

I know the pool doesn't have a slide or anything but it certainly was huge. And the hottub was nice with the little boulder wall and the waterfall pouring over it.

Plus, our double queen room was quite large. We ate in the room during the years (pizza from downstairs and garlic crab and shrimp from a local carry out down the street) and found the table and chairs to very roomy.

We didn't eat at Scuba Joe's in the lobby area but it sure looked like a fun place to shoot pool, throw darts, have a beer and burger or fried shrimp.

Each year we've loved the breakfast buffet of eggs, bacon and sausage. We load up for our first day walking all over Magic Kingdom.

We've even seen celebrities put up there and felt it was a very nice hotel....

 

[Aurora63]

I just got back from a stay at this hotel. I had no problems with it, in fact, our stay was nearly problem free, and what few problems there were were very minor.

The bed was very comfy (down comforter), the room was clean and well kept, and the hotel staff was very courteous and helpful.

The only downside was the smell of the room...for some reason, it smelled a bit of paint, but this wasn't too bad and seemed to go away after a few days.

Anyway, I would definetly stay here again, if going to Orlando for non-Disney reasons (it's a tad far from WDW, but not too bad.)