Review Holiday Inn Express - LBV East

[MouseLover]

Just returned from a 7 night stay at this resort on Polynesian Isles Blvd. Rate $83/night (government rate)

This hotel looked nice and our room was very clean. We had a standard room with 2 queen beds. All rooms have a microwave, coffee maker, and mini-refrigerator with small (tiny) freezer compartment. Usually I find these little refrigerators to not adequately cool drinks, but we set this one on the coldest setting and had some ice in our water bottles. I read some reviews on tripadvisor that mentioned "thin walls" but I didn't hear much noise. This hotel sits back off the main road and we heard no traffice noise. I did hear a TV next door one evening, and the last night we had noisy neighbors who had a loud TV and they were laughing and shouting until midnight. That is the only night we were bothered.

The pool was large enough, nicely landscaped, and just the right temperature. Temps ranged mostly in the mid-70's to low 80's and it was windy. We usually had to get pool towels from the front desk. There was a small hot tub also, which I didn't try, but the rest of my party enjoyed. They said it was hot. Also, there is a piece of playground equipment with a slide, on artificial grass next to the pool area.

We had a rental car and did not use the complimentary shuttle. I know it left at 7:15 every morning for the Magic Kingdom. I know it left around 11:30 for Epcot, and I don't know the other places or return times. I think you had to make reservations ahead of time to use it.

There is a small business center with 2 computers and a small workout room.

Breakfast is advertised as hot and served daily 7-10am. The seating area is fairly large and there is a large TV there. These are the items we had during our stay: Eggs (alternated scrambled and pre-made cheese omelets)
Sausage or bacon
Biscuits and sausage gravy
Cinnamon Rolls
mini-muffins (I only saw plain and lemon-poppy seed)
white, wheat, English muffins, bagels to toast
Refrigerator with 2% & whole milk cartons, boiled eggs, yogurt
Coffee, orange juice, apple juice
bananas
instant oatmeal
butter, margarine, peanut butter, cream cheese, grape jelly, strawberry jam

The breakfast was okay -- I was hoping for a little better. The bacon was good; the sausage gravy tasted like McDonald's gravy. One day the omelets were still cold in the middle.

The items were usually out a little before 7:00. We always ate between 7:00-8:00 so I don't know how much was available if you are a late riser.
On Friday, we went down at 7:15 and there was NOTHING hot out and a lot of disgruntled people. Apparently the main worker did not show up or call on this day. One girl was doing the best she could to just put out all the breads, jellies, and make coffee. The Manager showed up to help around 7:30 and pulled in a maintenance worker to help out. We left just before 8:00 after having bananas and toast, and they were finally putting out eggs. This is the only day we encountered a problem.

Check-in and check-out were both quick. The location of this hotel was very good. Trips to the Disney gate were between 5-10 minutes. A new super Walmart is almost across the street, as is a quick-service store with gas on the cheap side -- around $3.19-$3.25/gallon during our stay. Toward the crossroads we saw mostly $3.25, but some as high as $3.69

There was a timeshare ticket counter in the lobby. We stopped and asked questions a couple of times and noticed everything said "Westgate" on it, but we were never once asked to do a timeshare presentation.

 

[thumperjr9]

We were thinking of staying at the HI Express Lake Buena Vista but I thought it was on Palm Parkway. Does it have a small slide/waterfall at the pool? Years ago we stayed at a Radisson in the same area which is now a HI Express. When we stayed there it was a nice hotel with good size rooms and queen beds (which is a high priority) Anyway, I'm trying to figure out if this is the same place. I don't want to book the wrong hotel.

 

[MouseLover]

We drove by the HIE on Palm Parkway and it looks nice too (from the outside). The one we stayed at just had a plain pool -- no slide.

 

[suzybeezy]

We were thinking of staying at the HI Express Lake Buena Vista but I thought it was on Palm Parkway. Does it have a small slide/waterfall at the pool? Years ago we stayed at a Radisson in the same area which is now a HI Express. When we stayed there it was a nice hotel with good size rooms and queen beds (which is a high priority) Anyway, I'm trying to figure out if this is the same place. I don't want to book the wrong hotel.

We're staying at the one on Palm Pkwy in May and we chose that hotel due to its high rating/ranking on TripAdvisor. I would image the food served for the breakfast is that same at all Holiday Inn Expresses though. Good to hear this review.

 

[LoveMickey]

These reviews are a few years old. Does anyone have anything recent to say about this Holiday Inn Express?

I booked for one night before our DVC stay. I think it is next door to the Walmart, which we usually stop at before going to our resort.

Thanks

 

[dennise]

It is the one next to Walmart, just down from the Lake Buena Vista Outlet Mall. It used to be a LaQuinta the first time we stayed there. We were fine with it, but never paid more than $60 for it.