Mom-to-2-Princesses
Lovin' It!
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2005
- Messages
- 1,570
I just came back from a four night weekend in the Orlando area and wanted to share our hotel experiences.
Background - 2 ladies leaving the husbands and kids behind for a Girl's Weekend. Went to EPCOT and Kennedy Space Center.
Thursday HYATT AT THE AIRPORT -
I am getting in at 2:30 at Orlando International but my friend is not arriving until 11:00 at night, so thanks to the Dis Boards I got a room at the Hyatt Airport for $75 - if I had gone through the Hyatt site it would have been over $200. (On Hotwire, chose Airport only, the 3 1/2 star with no shuttle is the Hyatt). The hotel was supurb! The room was so clean it looked like no one had ever stayed there before us. Every small detail was perfect - the bathroom floor was marble, the bathroom accessories were a wonderful heavy nickel, the carpet a cool box square design. The pool was beautiful - not too large, but not crowded. It had a fountain in it at one end, very peaceful. The bed was comphy!!!! And the room was quiet (yes you could hear some planes taking off/landing, but just slightly - more of a low background once in a while, nothing to keep you up) I felt like royalty staying there.
Friday COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT, PALM PARKWAY -
I got this hotel on Priceline for $52 (the Marriott site wanted $129 with AAA discount). It was an OK deal at $52, I would have felt ripped off at $129. While it was nice and clean it had NO personality and color at all. They have a wonderful new bed, but do not use bedspreads! They have a white feather duvet with a white satin stripped sheet on top of it with a pile of white pillows. So you can see the box springs, etc. The floor was beige and the walls off white - I think there were two pictures on the wall. The bathroom was white with an ivory curtain. Very blaugh. The lobby is very nice but the rooms don't make you feel special. Not even a desk in the room.
Saturday DOUBLETREE COCOA BEACH -
We used my friends Hilton bonus points to get this room. The entrance was poorly marked (the sign doesn't even have a light?? - maybe they are getting a new one). The hotel is set far off the road right on the ocean. It is built so all rooms have a side view of the ocean (but no chairs on the balcony). It is an older hotel, but very well maintained. Our only complaint was the thin walls - we had to call the front desk on the room which conected to ours. His radio was so loud we could not hear our TV. And then at 2:30 in the morning some college students decided to do timed races in the hallway
Again a call to the front desk solved that problem. The beach is wonderful - lots of walking room. Pillowtop mattress, nice decor, flat screen TV, etc. And their restaurant was fabulous! The brick oven pizza at dinner was great and the banana foster's french toast in the morning was suberb! And you have to love the Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookies! Doubletree also had a super comphy bed with pillowtop.
Sunday FAIRFIELD VINELAND MARRIOTT VILLAGE -
My Mom got this room with her Marriott points. I was upgraded to a deluxe double and it was very nice. I thought the room nicer than the Courtyard. The staff was so kind and helpful. In my room it was nice and quiet. While going to my room the first time, I noticed the screaming kids coming from the room next to me - I went into my room and could not hear a sound and they had been very upset kids. So it passed the noice test! While the bed was very comfortable, I did notice immediately it was "normal". The other three hotels had special pillowtop beds that look so enticing. If you stay at this Faifield you can use the ammenities of the other Marriotts in the Village (a Courtyard and a Springhill Suites) The free breakfast was nice as well - they do check your room key. I would definately stay here again.
Lee Ann
Background - 2 ladies leaving the husbands and kids behind for a Girl's Weekend. Went to EPCOT and Kennedy Space Center.
Thursday HYATT AT THE AIRPORT -
I am getting in at 2:30 at Orlando International but my friend is not arriving until 11:00 at night, so thanks to the Dis Boards I got a room at the Hyatt Airport for $75 - if I had gone through the Hyatt site it would have been over $200. (On Hotwire, chose Airport only, the 3 1/2 star with no shuttle is the Hyatt). The hotel was supurb! The room was so clean it looked like no one had ever stayed there before us. Every small detail was perfect - the bathroom floor was marble, the bathroom accessories were a wonderful heavy nickel, the carpet a cool box square design. The pool was beautiful - not too large, but not crowded. It had a fountain in it at one end, very peaceful. The bed was comphy!!!! And the room was quiet (yes you could hear some planes taking off/landing, but just slightly - more of a low background once in a while, nothing to keep you up) I felt like royalty staying there.
Friday COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT, PALM PARKWAY -
I got this hotel on Priceline for $52 (the Marriott site wanted $129 with AAA discount). It was an OK deal at $52, I would have felt ripped off at $129. While it was nice and clean it had NO personality and color at all. They have a wonderful new bed, but do not use bedspreads! They have a white feather duvet with a white satin stripped sheet on top of it with a pile of white pillows. So you can see the box springs, etc. The floor was beige and the walls off white - I think there were two pictures on the wall. The bathroom was white with an ivory curtain. Very blaugh. The lobby is very nice but the rooms don't make you feel special. Not even a desk in the room.
Saturday DOUBLETREE COCOA BEACH -
We used my friends Hilton bonus points to get this room. The entrance was poorly marked (the sign doesn't even have a light?? - maybe they are getting a new one). The hotel is set far off the road right on the ocean. It is built so all rooms have a side view of the ocean (but no chairs on the balcony). It is an older hotel, but very well maintained. Our only complaint was the thin walls - we had to call the front desk on the room which conected to ours. His radio was so loud we could not hear our TV. And then at 2:30 in the morning some college students decided to do timed races in the hallway
Again a call to the front desk solved that problem. The beach is wonderful - lots of walking room. Pillowtop mattress, nice decor, flat screen TV, etc. And their restaurant was fabulous! The brick oven pizza at dinner was great and the banana foster's french toast in the morning was suberb! And you have to love the Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookies! Doubletree also had a super comphy bed with pillowtop.Sunday FAIRFIELD VINELAND MARRIOTT VILLAGE -
My Mom got this room with her Marriott points. I was upgraded to a deluxe double and it was very nice. I thought the room nicer than the Courtyard. The staff was so kind and helpful. In my room it was nice and quiet. While going to my room the first time, I noticed the screaming kids coming from the room next to me - I went into my room and could not hear a sound and they had been very upset kids. So it passed the noice test! While the bed was very comfortable, I did notice immediately it was "normal". The other three hotels had special pillowtop beds that look so enticing. If you stay at this Faifield you can use the ammenities of the other Marriotts in the Village (a Courtyard and a Springhill Suites) The free breakfast was nice as well - they do check your room key. I would definately stay here again.
Lee Ann
