Holiday Inn Family Suites Resort

[Buckleybunch]

Does anyone have infomation about this resort? And pictures??

 

[from Canada]

If you do a search of these boards, you will find a ton of info about this resort. We stayed there and LOVED it! We are going back! The HIFS website has great pictures, and "video" of the property and rooms. go to www.hifamilysuites.com.
HTH
Karen

 

[Debs5angels]

I made reservations in HIFS for this August. After reading many posts I feel very comfortable about going there. Everyone says it's a really nice place to stay. I just received a brochure from them, it looks like a fun place to stay. Hope this helps.


Debs5angels

 

[Buckleybunch]

Originally posted by from Canada
If you do a search of these boards, you will find a ton of info about this resort. We stayed there and LOVED it! We are going back! The HIFS website has great pictures, and "video" of the property and rooms. go to www.hifamilysuites.com.
HTH
Karen

Karen, I tried to do a search, and I kept on getting an error.
I was wondering about the bathrooms, where are they in the room? I couldn't really tell on the map of the room. also is there a place in the resort that is good or bad to stay at?

 

[marie32]

We stayed there last October and thought it was completely
misrepresented. Checked out the next day and got a room
at the Doubletree Downtown Disney. About a 100 percent
improvement.
HIFS does have separated rooms but very very cramped.
The room just didn't feel clean. The beds were hard as
a rock and it had a really bad smell. I didn't feel clean in it.
The breakfast in the morning was plentiful and kids do eat free
but the quality was so so. We got a govenment rate of $99 a night which was the cheapest I could find at the time and felt
taken. I was so excited to go there because it looked like a real good choice but was saden with the property. I can't believe
people pay more than what we did to stay there. Go stay at downtown disney or on property. You'll wish you had.
Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[taylor1293]

The bathroom is off the living room, towards the back of the room. There are diagrams on the website, here is a direct link:

http://www.hifamilysuites.com/kidsuites.html

It's a great resort, especially for kids, we were there last year and are returning this summer!

There are some negative reviews on this board about HIFS, but the positive ones far outweigh the negative ones. I think any resort can have a couple of bad rooms and a rude employee or two.

When we were at the Polynesian last year the first room they tried to stick us in was horrid! And that room was 3 times the cost of HIFS.

Teresa

 

[Buckleybunch]

Originally posted by taylor1293
When we were at the Polynesian last year the first room they tried to stick us in was horrid! And that room was 3 times the cost of HIFS.

Teresa

Teresa
I was at the Polynesian in Dec, and we were very unhappy with the resort. We had no hot water. I got food poision on the 19th. and was sick rest of the trip. I'm not too thrilled about going back, but the kids wants to. So I figured since we have AP"s it doesn't cost that much, but I won't stay on property.

I 'm glad I'm not the only one that had poor service at the poly.

 

[taylor1293]

I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience at the Polynesian too. Not having hot water is completely unacceptable! I've herad so much about people getting food poisining at WDW, it really worries me.

We were in the Concierge building. Our check-in took 3 hours! Yes, 3 hours! The first room they gave us smelled like mold, I can't believe anyone would ever accept the room. We had a lot of other minor problems (no turn-down, remote didn't work, mold in the bathroom ect.). By the end of the first night I had enough. I was considering moving to another resort, but spoke to the General Manager the next morning. He assured me things would get better, and they did. Plus, he took one night's stay off of our bill (that always helps, lol!).

Still, I wouldn't consider staying there again until after the renovations. DH says there is no way we will ever stay there again no matter what!

I think you will really like HIFS, we really loved it! If by chance you get a room that isn't acceptable, call the front desk and they will be more than happy to switch you to a better room.

Teresa

 

[MrsMud]

Keep trying the Search function, it works intermittently. As stated before, there ARE tons of posts, and most are favorable. We stayed there in Dec. '01, and are going back in Oct. Believe me, I researched our lodging possibilities for months before our trip. You cannot find another hotel that offers: accomodations for 6 (possibly 7), kitchenette, kids activities, free breakfast, and SUPER close proximity to WDW, at least not for triple the price. This is not a deluxe onsite hotel, but to the kids it's heaven!

 

[marie32]

Ok I know you guys really like HIFS but please try the Doubletree Downtown Disney before you settle for HIFS. If its the same price or cheaper I really think you would be much happier at the Doubletree in DD. It's no skin off my nose. I just know when we were looking for hotels I saw alot of good things about HIFS and a couple of negative and really wished I would of listened to the negative ones because they were right on the money. I know everyone has different tastes. Everyone have fun!!!!

 

[lejaf]

Marie32,
I'm sorry you had such a bad experience at HIFS. WE've been twice and this year I was absolutely positive taht I was gonna stay someplace different only because I like to try different things...my kids begged that we stay at HIFS again. I told them I'd find someplace just as nice (nice in kids terms is different than nice in my terms) but as I was looking around, I didn't find anything that had everything that HIFS had for a cheaper price ($99 per night) I'm curius, does the Doubletree have a two bedroom suite? I adore my children, BUT I don't want to be sleeping in the same room with my kids for 8 nights and I don't want to have to fold up a couch every day either. I like the fact that they have a room with their own t.v. and I have a t.v. in my room as well as one in the living area. (sad to say, there were a number of times when all three t.v.s were tuned to something different) The other things that are a big draw for me is 1) the breakfast buffet...not the best food in the world, but it was just SOOO convenient..especially on the mornings when I sent my husband to get take out to bring back to the room so we couild eat while we got ready. 2) The zero depth entry pool for my non-swiming toddler! 3) the nightly entertainment that we enjoyed on a few occaisions 4) the putt putt golf, shuffle board, play area and 5) the close proximity to Disney.

 

[from Canada]

I'd like to know if the Doubletree has all of those features too? If not, are there other features that you feel make it more appealing than HIFS?
Karen

 

[marie32]

First off I hope I didn't offend anyone if you did enjoy
HIFS. I'm glad you did. I was just let down when we got there.
I think we ended up getting our room at Doubletree for 119 a
night.

There were two room divided off by bifold doors.
One was the bedroom with two queen beds a tv
closet, mirrored vanity on the outside of the bathroom to help
speed things up and the bathroom, two hairdryers, which was very spacious and clean. The other room had a table with four chairs, refrig, microwave, sink, coffe maker and on the other side of the room a tv, pull out sofa and chair and coffee table with both rooms offering views of downtown disney. One night we actually saw fireworks. I would say overall the room was at least twice the size as HIF's and just felt more like a luxuries hotel.
The had an arcade, tennis court, baby pool, heated big pool,
pool bar, restraurant, buffet breakfast, convenience store, gift store, and most importantly walking distance to downtown disney, and free shuttles to the parks and dd.

 

[taylor1293]

Hi Marie,

Your posts certainly don't offend anyone and your opinion is greatly appreciated.

For our family, HIFS has a different appeal than just a hotel with two rooms. Since we have young children, they love the rooms that are themed for them with the bunkbeds. They love the hotel activities, including the free kids show, facepainting and balloon making!

As parents we appreciate the free breakfast buffet that has something for both my picky eaters! I love the zero entry pool, this means that both my girls can play in one pool. DH doesn't have to take one to the big pool while I keep the other at the baby pool.

Our youngest DD loves the train in the lobby and the train she can ride around the resort!

Both resorts have restaurants and arcades, which I would imagine appeal to all children!

I like Doubletree resorts, and though I've never been to the one at Downtown Disney, I'm sure it's wonderful. It just isn't what my family is looking for on a Disney vacation. Maybe when my kids are older, but not at this time.

I'm not sure how large the rooms are at the Doubletree, but I think the way they divide up the room at HIFS makes it appear smaller than it is. They are 486 sq. feet, and we found them to be plenty spacious for the 4 of us.

We love to try new resorts and that is the only reason we aren't spending our entire time at HIFS this trip. We plan to spend our first 2 nights at the resort, and have no plans to go to the parks. We are staying their soley to enjoy the hotel and its activities! We enjoyed it that much last time!

I'm sorry you were disappointed in your room and the resort. But I'm happy that you were able to find a resort that fit your family needs!

Teresa

 

[lejaf]

Marie32
Please don't take my response as being offended. I learn so much from reading everyone's opinions on these boards. If we all had the same opinion, what a boring world this would be! I was just trying to explain why I like HIFS. If it were just me and my husband traveling, I would not chose HIFS, but my kids adore the place and it really suits all our needs, so we are returning for a third time. If we go to Orlando next year, I hope to convince my family to try something new, but then of course I'm afraid they will spend the week telling me why the new place isn't as good as HIFS. HA,

The Doubletree sounds great, although I really prefer a two bedroom suite rather than just a two room suite when traveling with kids. A lot of the suite hotels are set up that way and finding two bedroom suites is not as easy as it would seem so this year I'm back at HIFS, but next year it might be a timeshare, we'll see!