Hotel advice please: Best Western Raffles vs Suncoast Park

[Laur0406]

I posted in the big hotel thread to no replied, so I thought I'd make a separate post if that's ok.
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Hotel advice please!! There are just 3 of us (me, husband, 6 year old son). On park days, we plan on being at the parks for open and some days may stay until 9 or 10 at night.

I currently have a reservation w/free cancellation booked at the Best Western Raffles. It really appealed to me because of the large rooms with separate bedroom, being right on S Harbor Blvd for restaurants, shopping and ART, and proximity to the toy Story parking lot for taking the shuttle to he parks. Reading that it is older, the pool is ok and that the breakfast is so-so. Also read that parking is a bit of a nightmare (though we only have a car for 2 of the 9 nights).

I just saw a really great price on a king studio suite at the SunCoast Park Hotel (Formerly country Inn) on S Clementine. Looks really nice and is newer/updated, and it looks like a pretty easy walk to DL. Nice pool area, hotel vs motel with external hallways. Price will be about $50 cheaper a night, but we'd have to pay for breakfast at $9/person so overall around $25/night cheaper. I grabbed it w/free cancellation up until March 9. We could walk to Pumbaa and take the shuttle to the park, but that might not save much time. (but would save our feet at the end of the night).

Biggest con to SunCoast for me is not being on S Harbor Blvd and the room size (even though it is definitely more than liveable for us!). Pros/cons to both? Thanks!

 

[Princess351]

I am wanting to see how others answer here! I have stayed several times at the Raffles, but never at SunCoast. I do like the Raffles; easy walking to Toy Story, free breakfast (which, I have no complaints about!), and the fact that you can get a two room suite for a very decent price! It is our go-to hotel when we need that additional separate bedroom.
I went ahead and googled the Sun Coast's location. I am curious if anyone else has walked to Pumba and hopped the shuttle. Is it similar to Toy Story? Also, looking at the walk; it seems as if it is only 1/2 mile, though I have walked that road to get to the Garden Walk and it did seem a little deserted to me. (I feel better walking back at night - even all the way to the Raffles - when there is more foot traffic.)

 

[Cookiemonster156]

Suncoast looks like new. I have stayed there twice since the refurbishments.

If possible, try to upgrade your reservation from the Hilton website to a Double Queen Studio Suite. You’ll have plenty of space for all your family. As for breakfast, I wouldn't eat there as its not worth the price; offerings are terrible. For parking, if you booked when it changed from the Country Inn it should be $0 per car, before President Day Weekend $17, after Presidents Day Weekend $24.

Other than that, the distance to the park is pretty long and at the end of the day it’ll be a ~15min walk (rectified with Uber).

 

[Katiebird]

I don’t have experience with either hotel, but I though Pumbaa was CM parking only now?

 

[Laur0406]

Suncoast looks like new. I have stayed there twice since the refurbishments.

If possible, try to upgrade your reservation from the Hilton website to a Double Queen Studio Suite. You’ll have plenty of space for all your family. As for breakfast, I wouldn't eat there as its not worth the price; offerings are terrible. For parking, if you booked when it changed from the Country Inn it should be $0 per car, before President Day Weekend $17, after Presidents Day Weekend $24.

Other than that, the distance to the park is pretty long and at the end of the day it’ll be a ~15min walk (rectified with Uber).

Thanks for the feedback. No double Queen studio suites available, we got the last king studio suite.

I am wanting to see how others answer here! I have stayed several times at the Raffles, but never at SunCoast. I do like the Raffles; easy walking to Toy Story, free breakfast (which, I have no complaints about!), and the fact that you can get a two room suite for a very decent price! It is our go-to hotel when we need that additional separate bedroom.
I went ahead and googled the Sun Coast's location. I am curious if anyone else has walked to Pumba and hopped the shuttle. Is it similar to Toy Story? Also, looking at the walk; it seems as if it is only 1/2 mile, though I have walked that road to get to the Garden Walk and it did seem a little deserted to me. (I feel better walking back at night - even all the way to the Raffles - when there is more foot traffic.)

How has your experience been at Raffles? Have you been recently?

I'm still torn lol!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I don’t have experience with either hotel, but I though Pumbaa was CM parking only now?

It usually is a CM lot. Sometimes Disney will open it to guests as an overflow lot, e.g. on major holidays when they expect the other lots to fill, but this isn't to be expected.

 

[Laur0406]

It usually is a CM lot. Sometimes Disney will open it to guests as an overflow lot, e.g. on major holidays when they expect the other lots to fill, but this isn't to be expected.

Oh, I had no idea haha, I just saw it on Google Maps

 

[Princess351]

Ah, good to know about the Pumba Lot! (I thought it was weird that I'd never heard of anyone using it's shuttle before; but if it is CM Parking only, that explains it!)
The last time I stayed at the Raffles was a few months ago. It is consistently clean, friendly staff, pretty decent breakfast offerings. I really have no complaints about it. (Other than the parking- it does get fairly packed, but we never take a car)
I like that it is on the smaller side. Rarely a wait to speak with the font desk staff, check in or out, etc. The Toy Story shuttle is usually what we use to get from the hotel to the parks, although, we have walked it as well and find it doable. The price for what you get can't be beat (atleast not that I've found near the park).

 

[Laur0406]

I ended up keeping the SunCoast reservations and cancelling the Best Western Raffles. The draw of saving $25-$50/night (depending on where we do breakfast), safes in the rooms, and being a bit closer to the park was too sweet. I will update during/after our stay!

 

[crystal1313]

@Laur0406 when are you staying? We are considering the Suncoast as well. Online it says parking is $17, but when I called the person said $24. I called because on yelp people were saying parking was free. Just curious what you have read about the parking rates?

 

[Laur0406]

@Laur0406 when are you staying? We are considering the Suncoast as well. Online it says parking is $17, but when I called the person said $24. I called because on yelp people were saying parking was free. Just curious what you have read about the parking rates?

Next week, but I was pretty sure when I called the guy told me $24 per car for the whole stay...

 

[crystal1313]

Next week, but I was pretty sure when I called the guy told me $24 per car for the whole stay...

Weird! Seems odd that the website is not updated to reflect that!

 

[Cookiemonster156]

For parking, if you booked in November it should be $0 per car, before Presidents Day Weekend $17 per day, after Presidents Day Weekend $24 per day.

Hilton is messing around with parking fees, but they should charge you the fee that is present on your confirmation email (found all the way to the bottom near the Tax section).