Doubletree Lake Buena Vista

[ricka47]

I'm going to use my Hilton Honors points at the Doubletree Lake Buena Vista on our early May trip this year. It's been a while since we've stayed off-site, but we figured we'd give it a try. Has anyone stayed there before?

I note that they have shuttle service, does it work well? I also note that it's near Downtown Disney? Can one walk there and use the WDW transportation system?

 

[bellelinus]

If this is the Doubletree that is just outside of Downtown Disney and looks like it has a huge pineapple on the side, I can tell you that my sister stayed there for one night of a week's vacation last August and checked out the next day, finding another hotel by calling Disney CRO while at Epcot. I didn't see it, but she said the place was dirty, had carpet pulling up at the edges, smelled bad, the pool was murky, etc., etc.

If it is the Doubletree suite hotel actually in Downtown Disney, I think I have heard that it is OK.

No personal experience with either, but be careful if it is the one just outside of DD.

 

[ricka47]

Yup, it's the pineapple one and used to be a Days Inn which should be a warning. I think that's why it's called a Doubltree "Club" and not a regular Doubletree. While I'm not paying for it, I still don't want something dirty and will do some more checking...thanks!

 

[bellelinus]

Generally I don't like to post negative things, but based on what my sister said, I think you can do better! Have a great time.

 

[HopperFan]

Look at the Doubletree Suites in Downtown Disney. That is the nice one!

 

[DJT]

My sister and I have stayed her several times on girls trips and my DH and I have stayed here as well. In fact, the last two times were February 2006 and October 2005. Because we are Hilton Honors members, we are given the 7th floor. We've not noticed offensive odors and have not noticed carpets torn up. Our experience has always been fine with good service and very friendly employees. Our rooms have always been very clean and we have never had a problem. We like their comfy beds and they have down comforters which are nice also. We would definitely not stay here if it was dirty or had a bad odor, that's for sure. We will continue to stay here as long as it is clean as it has been in the past, and we can get good rates as we have previously.

Since we did not use the pool, I can't comment on that. However last month we did take the shuttle one morning and it was timely with plenty of seats. It went straight to the parks from the Doubletree Club without any other stops. We didn't take the shuttle back in the evening so I don't know how that would be.

Walking to DTD could be done, but it would be quite a long walk. We went to DTD every evening and always drove.

 

[prestonsmomma]

Hello fellow Hilton Honors member. Those points are great aren't they?? We just booked it for our December trip. I am reading nothing but good things about it everywhere I have looked. It is actually getting higher ratings than the Hampton Inn LBV that we stayed at in Nov and it was wonderful.

 

[ricka47]

Yes, the points are great. I was considering changing to the Hampton, but then I read some more encouraging reports about the Doubletree Club. I also called the HHonors Diamond VIP desk and was told that we'd get a room on the 7th floor for HHonors folks. So, I think we'll stay with it...thanks!

 

[DeeCeeSW]

About two years back, when you could get a Point Stretcher stay at the Doubletree Club, DH, DS and I stayed for three nights for only 10,000 points per night. Hilton soon wised up and realized how popular this place is and how convenient it is to the parks and soon raised point levels (like they plan on doing with the Homewood Suites Universal after June 2006).

We had a great stay. We were on an upper floor and were given a Kid suite, one with a king bed plus bunk beds and another twin in its own little "room" (I think there are pics on their website?). Warm cookies were given to us at check-in. The staff was wonderful, our room was always clean, and we had no odors.

We took their shuttle but it was crowded (this was in May) since Doubletree is the last hotel stop before the parks. Coming back the bus was less crowded, but we made several stops (Sheraton Safari, Radisson and others I can't remember). The pool is large and nice and there is a little kiddie pool and a hot tub as well. A big plus (at least for me with a toddler) is that the hotel is next door to a walk-in clinic (though you wouldn't know it, there is no noise).

I highly recommend the Doubletree Club, pineapple and all. Enjoy!

 

[DJT]

One more thing I forgot to mention is that the desk clerks printed our boarding passes for us which was wonderful (some hotels won't do this), as we fly Southwest so this pretty much guaranteed us getting "A" passes. We've found the front desk has always been very helpful.

We, too, LOVE those warm chocolate chip cookies at check in and the bottles of water in our room is also a plus!

 

[RC Fan]

I stayed at the Doubletree Club last year. I really liked the place. The location is quite good, it was clean, and the staff were nice. Also, we found the bus service to be quite good. I would definitely stay there again.

Have you looked up the hotel on TripAdvisor?

 

[Aimeemee]

We stayed there in 2000. At that time I thought the hotel was "ok". Nothing luxurious, but clean. We had a kidsuite with a king bed. It was kind of neat, the room was divided by a wall (decorated in fun decor, tropical if I remember right) and on the other side of that divider was a bunk bed on one side, TV with playstation & cable TV for the kids & I think on other side of "kid area" was another twin sized bed. My son loved it. And it allowed for some privacy.
The pool was fine, and like the pp said it has a round shallow pool for the little ones. Now this was 6 years ago, things may have gone downhill since then. But at the time I would rate it as a clean economical place to stay that is very close to the maingate to Disney. I would say it was maybe a 2 minute drive to the maingate. Very convienient.

 

[abbie13_15]

some people here are talking about the doubletree in DTD not the Doubletree outside the gates. The one on DTD are the ones how give the free cookies.

 

[DJT]

The free cookies and water are given by the Doubletree CLUB Hotel on Apopka-Vineland Road (a/k/a Highway 535). This is the Doubletree CLUB Hotel with the pineapple on the top of the building. It is located about a long block from the entrance to Hotel Plaza Boulevard where the DTD hotels are located, which includes the other Doubletree, the Doubletree Suites. I've never stayed at the Doubletree Suites so I don't know if they give free cookies.

 

[DeeCeeSW]

some people here are talking about the doubletree in DTD not the Doubletree outside the gates. The one on DTD are the ones how give the free cookies.

NO, the Doubletree Club also gives free cookies. I was there, I remember receiving them and eating them.