Hotel or Villa ?

[kevin harrison]

I am planning my next visit to Orlando for next summer....

For the first time I am considering hiring a villa, but am torn between this and the luxury of the Hard Rock Hotel again...

What I want to know are all your opinions and pros and cons of both..

For me, a villa is cheaper, but what if you make a bad choice, the villa is dirty etc - thats stress you don't need.

Also who do you all trust when hiring a villa? where are the best locations?

 

[BRobson]

It really is a personal choice. We have never stayed in a hotel so I cant compare. We love staying in a villa for many reasons. We love having our own space - the kids have their own bedrooms. Having your own pool is fantastic. The villas we have stayed in are very luxurious and we have never had a bad experience.

For us it is an advantage that when the kids go to bed we dont have to creep about the hotel room and can chill by the pool with a beer .It does help that it is also a cheaper option as well.

We tend to stay near the 192 which is closest to Disney property.It depends which attractions you want to be closer to. We have stayed in Formosa Gardens and Rolling Hills.This area is close to supermarkets and restaurants and I personally dont think you can beat this area.

 

[lexie32]

i have to agree with jackie especially as sharing a room with my ds wouldn't be a hol for me! The villa we stayed in this year and have rebooked for next was far more luxurious than the room we stayed in the HRH! and still cheaper!

http://www.luxuryorlandovilla.co.uk/


hth alex

 

[minnie29uk]

I am planning my next visit to Orlando for next summer....

For the first time I am considering hiring a villa, but am torn between this and the luxury of the Hard Rock Hotel again...

What I want to know are all your opinions and pros and cons of both..

For me, a villa is cheaper, but what if you make a bad choice, the villa is dirty etc - thats stress you don't need.

Also who do you all trust when hiring a villa? where are the best locations?

Hiya,what do you mean by "luxury of Hard Rock cafe"...in a villa you can have 4 / 5 bedrooms each with their own telly,bathrooms each ,your own pool ,jacuzzi spa,fully fitted kitchen (freeze all your water bottles etc.)
Many villas have free phonecalls,free internet,games rooms etc... If you drive,then villas are great!!!!

Lynn

 

[wayneg]

As others have said its a personal choice. We prefer hotels, When on holiday we want totally spoiling, not making beds or tidying rooms, washing up etc. We want someone to come in every day and do that for us with the extras of a towel creation or a bow made out of toilet roll when we get in on an evening. We also prefer larger pools not a small private one, like to mix and talk to others.
Another factor is cost. We prefer to be in US around 60 days a year and spend less on accomodation, where we are now is perfect for us at £25/night(Courtyard by Marriott). last time I priced a villa it was well over double that.
We have been in villas and think of them as a home from home, not a holiday, if you want the luxury and spoiling go for the hotel.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I agree with what everyone else has said.

We started staying in villas a few years ago, mainly for Joshua's benefit.
There are many advantages, your own private pool, cooking facilities, all that extra room, plus just that feeling of being able to relax - something which is very important to us.
There are downsides, you can sometimes feel a bit isolated and having to drive everywhere can be a handicap too - especially if you want to go out for a drink occasionally.
However the positives win over the negatives for me.

To be honest we have kind of changed our thinking now, last year we stayed in a villa for 17 nights out of 21, and to be honest I wouldn't stay that long in one again - but this is mainly because often Joshua was tired by late afternoon/early evening and didn't want to go out anywhere.
Guess we kind of missed having 'on-site' facilities as it were.

Hence next March we are just staying at a villa for 12 nights, with the remainder split between DVC resort and a 2 bedroomed villa at an Omni resort.
At least then if Josh wants to play indoors or watch a DVD/video then Julie can have a walk to DTD (we are staying at Saratoga Springs for a few nights), or I can go and sit at the bar or have a game of pool (when we are at the Omni) etc etc - just gives us both the option of having something else to do.

When booking a villa I tend to always rent one that is fairly new , this way you know you will have a nice one - plus if you stay close to the Formosa Gardens area in Kissimmee you are close to Disney, I4 plus have restaurants and a Publix supermarket closeby too.
I have driven around many of the developments - following our 1st villa rental which was a disaster - so I have a good idea what the homes are like, just makes choosing one easier.

Have you considered a split stay?

 

[kevin harrison]

As others have said its a personal choice. We prefer hotels, When on holiday we want totally spoiling, not making beds or tidying rooms, washing up etc. We want someone to come in every day and do that for us with the extras of a towel creation or a bow made out of toilet roll when we get in on an evening. We also prefer larger pools not a small private one, like to mix and talk to others.
Another factor is cost. We prefer to be in US around 60 days a year and spend less on accomodation, where we are now is perfect for us at £25/night(Courtyard by Marriott). last time I priced a villa it was well over double that.
We have been in villas and think of them as a home from home, not a holiday, if you want the luxury and spoiling go for the hotel.

Many of your points are what I have been considering also...

If you have a villa, doesn't it feel like you are just in a house somewhere and not on holiday? Surely you end up tidying up, dusting, all the usual chores...

Also the point about pools is spot on also, I too like mixing and talking to others.

For me the major selling point is the lower price of a villa.

Any more views?

 

[Dimplenose]

Although we often have self catering holidays in UK and Europe we still prefer hotels at WDW (to be fair we've only stayed at All Stars).

Our last trip, encouraged but such enthusiasm from villa users on this site and elsewhere, we booked a villa. It was a beautiful place just 8 minutes (we timed it) drive from Animal Kingdom carpark but we really missed being in an hotel.

Here are the pros (for us) of a villa

- More space
- 3 bathrooms
- 3 TVs
- private pool
- private laundry facilities
- garage for car

And our cons

- pool was small
- we had to plan more, buying snacks, where we would eat etc.
- we had to drive EVERYWHERE - no option to use a bus(I suppose we could have got a taxi but it's nice just to wander to the hotel restaurant sometimes)
- we had to clean up after ourselves, put the bins out on the right day etc.
- once we left the theme parks the disney/holiday atmosphere was gone for us (I'm one of the sad individuals who wouldn't go to Florida if WDW wasn't there)

We did leave the villa to spend one night at RPR, great for front of line at Universal, but it just underlined that we really should have gone for an hotel for the whole stay.
The only thing I'd miss by not being in a villa is a private washing machine!

Even though the villa option wasn't for us we still had a great holiday and if I'd hadn't stayed at an hotel for my previous trips I would probably have been over the moon as it is by far the best self catering accommodation that I have ever stayed in (actually it was better than my own house!).

Libby

 

[JohnnySharp2]

If you have a villa, doesn't it feel like you are just in a house somewhere and not on holiday? Surely you end up tidying up, dusting, all the usual chores...

Well you are right, we do hoover/washing up/some cleaning/Ironing (Julie's job) as well as a few trips to the supermarket (my job ) - it is someone's home you are staying in so you have to respect that. We are not 'messy' people as such and always keep the home looking clean , it's not a chore in anyway just a matter of keeping things looking nice and clean.
Personally though it doesn't affect us and we never feel like we are not on holiday no.
I am sure some people wouldn't want to do that on holiday - again it's just personal choice. Overall the pro's of a villa stay beat the con's.

To be honest I would rather do this than be in a hotel room but that's just my opinion and a split-stay is now the best bet for us , this way we get to sample both types of accomodation.

Maybe it could depend on what type of holiday you are after? Must admit we are Florida fans rather than just WDW one's, and we like to shop/relax too on holiday rather than just be at Disney all the time - everyone is different though.

 

[AliceGardner]

If you have a villa, doesn't it feel like you are just in a house somewhere and not on holiday? Surely you end up tidying up, dusting, all the usual chores...

Depends how long you were in a villa for... If I was in a villa - which didn't provide maid service - for a week, then I wouldn't feel a need to clean/dust. We are tidy people by nature, so "keep things tidy as we go along". We don't eat many meals in a villa (maybe just breakfast and a few drinks): so that just requires loading popping some things in the dishwasher and running it, and wiping down a worksurface or two... Any other spill/mess can be tidied as we go along.

Both hotels and villas have a lot going for them. Probably the best asnwers are:
- to split your stay (maybe a week on-site at a hotel or something) and a week in a villa. That way you can have a week in the action being pampered, then a week with more space and peace to relax.
- stay (or have part of a split stay) at a full-service villa/condo resort. Generally you need to book this through the resort itself (examples include condos at the Hyatt Grand Cypress or condos/villas at Reunion). You will pay more than booking direct, but you get the full miad service (so daily clean, tidy, change of towels, empty rubbish, load dishwasher etc.).

Alice

 

[CoralCayTownhome]

Many of your points are what I have been considering also...

If you have a villa, doesn't it feel like you are just in a house somewhere and not on holiday? Surely you end up tidying up, dusting, all the usual chores...

Also the point about pools is spot on also, I too like mixing and talking to others.

For me the major selling point is the lower price of a villa.

Any more views?

It really is all down to personal choice as Wayne says. On our first visits we stayed in hotels but that was only good until the kids got up a bit and we found that it was just too small a space. We then tried a couple of private villas - which were lovely - but it was quite isolated.

When we decided to look into buying our own place we have chosen something in between - a townhome on a resort with community facilities. This gives us the extra space needed but 80 yards away is the Clubhouse we can chill out in, use the pools etc and meet up with other holiday makers. The kids also get their own gamesroom in the house and we get the private hot-tub on the patio..........nice

As far as chores are concerned - well I always end up ironing a few things whether in a hotel or not and there is a dishwasher to throw any dishes into. To be honest I never cook much on holiday but we do get take out once or twice and the full kitchen is handy for making breakfasts and lunches. In a hotel I end up tidying the stuff up before we leave the room (Ok don't make the beds) and find that in a home the family aren't as messy

If you can't decide what you want to do, how about doing a split stay to give you both the hotel luxury and then the extra space luxury. That will probably make you decide which you really prefer

Tracey

 

[Jakey Rowling]

Villa for me for much the same reasons as stated before.

Time to spend with the kids, time to spend apart from the kids
Villa allows both, they can have a hired film on the TV, we can sit in another area and relax at night after a hard day at the parks and all enjoy the pool and a bit of sun as you want.

Usual chores are much less than at home, after all your are only keeping it livable for your stay, longer term care in the owners responsibility.
You can live out of a few teeshirts and shorts with the laundry facilities and they are dry overnight in the garage.

The freedom to go out to eat, the dining facilities to get a takeaway or cook which is rare I have to say.
Simple lunches made from some nice varieties of bread and meat/cheese from the supermarkets. A fridge/freezer full of juice, ice cream, beer is a relatively cheep welcoming sight coming "home".

The hotels are great no doubt, but the space, facilities and flexibility of the villa wins it for me.
You have to factor in the car and petrol but the ability to jump in and go wherever, whenever is important to us and the cost can be easily offset against the savings in accommodation and food.

It honestly depends on what you want from the holiday and how you spend your days. You can't go wrong with either choice, hence the popularity of both.

So really I've not been a great deal of help have I.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Simple lunches made from some nice varieties of bread and meat/cheese from the supermarkets. A fridge/freezer full of juice, ice cream, beer is a relatively cheep welcoming sight coming "home".

That's a good point - I agree it is nice having a stock of groceries available and helps to give you a great choice of when and what to eat.

We also get a take-out from the nearest Outback (usually a 5 minute drive away), and it's much easier with Josh too as he doesn't like eating out in restaurants at all.

 

[Morgstar]

It is down to individual/family preference and you are not really going know until you try the villa option. As someone else suggested why not stay in a villa the first week you are there as a kind of trial. At least you will know you will have your tried and tested hotel for the second week. But if you do enjoy it you know what to do for future trips.

We have stayed in both and also done the split stay i have suggested. Here are my opinions on the matter.

Firstly, Villa's do work out considerably cheaper than staying in a hotel if there are 4 or more of you. Its not just the rental cost which are cheaper but the day to day living costs work out cheaper aswell. You can buy bottled drinks and make sandwiches or even full meals which saves on eating out. Children can be etertained in the games room for an hour or two rather than paying for a mini golf/arcade etc attraction. You can sit on your patio and enjoy a glass of wine or bottle of bud in the evening instead of paying resort prices for them.
Villa's are probably more relaxing in the family sense. You are free to spread yourself out and have a bedroom each.
You dont have to worry about getting up early or going to bed late as any noise you make is unlikely to be heard by someone behind a closed bedroom door.
There is normally free internet access to keep you update with any emails you recieve or need to send.
A private pool is an advantage for many people who might not feel comfortamble in a larger public one.
Villas provide the perfect base for you explore more of orlando including excellent shopping malls.

On the down side:
You have to a have a car and be prepared to drive it. It doesnt matter how close the villa is to WDW there is no walking to anywhere in America.
This means you can pretty much forget nights out at the bar because one of you always has to drive.
You are going to feel slighly more out of the action.
You will end up doing some house keeping most people feel they have to wipe down surfaces and clean up after thwemselves as you are using someone else's home.


My best advice take the plunge and try it. Ohterwise you'll never know.

 

[jockey]

We normally stay the Disney GF and had booked again for this year. I have since discovered I am pregnant, we therefore can't go on the DCL and the GF can't fit us in the nights we are supposed to be cruising. We have decided to stay at a villa for the first time.

We feel a villa will give us a lot more space with DS(2), I will be able to use the private pool and not be paranoid about being big! We also like the fact that we can have snacks at hand. We have also arranged extra cleaning so that we don't have to do too much although we are really tidy anyway.


We really enjoyed our last stay at the GF and probably would have done a split stay had I not been pregnant. We do find a toddler doesn't have ,uch space in a hotel room. We also find hotel noisey and DH is always disney out after 2 weeks!


Why not give the villa a go, you will probably love it!

 

[Bigbluebear]

I agree thats it down to you wants from your holiday, but personally i would only stay in a hotel if it was onsite.

Other than that, Villa wins hands down, especialy if there is a group of people going. The only drawback i can think of is that you need to drive everywhere. But then, unless your staying onsite at disney a car is a neccesity anyway IMO.

Theres nothing to beat having your own private pool, and some of the villas ive stayed in have been more luxurious than any hotel you could stay in.

 

[kevin harrison]

Still thinking about it. I am a Platinum Lowes memeber so always get upgraded to a suite at any Lowes property, so we get a big room anyway.

The thing for me is I don't just like WDW so it would be a drive nightly to Universal City Walk or anywhere to eat on I-drive.

For me the only advantages are more space (even though with 2 adults, a 6 year old and a 1 year old, i'm not sure we'd use a lot of the villa) and also it's a lot cheaper. If we were going with another family it would be a no-brainer.

Can someone recommend a good starting place for a nice villa?

 

[mark&sue]

Have you thought about renting out DVC points for the Disney Vacation club villas. They have have villas on site at Disney at Beach Club, Boardwalk, Wilderness Lodge, Old Key West, Saratoga Sprngs and now of course Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge.


Susan

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Can someone recommend a good starting place for a nice villa?

The sites I usually use are :

www.villas2000.com
www.vr360homes.co.uk
www.holiday-rentals.com

100s to choose from but can recommend Indian Creek, Windsor Palms and Emerald Island in Kissimmee all have excellent locations.

An idea of what they are like with the one we are staying at next year below:

http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/Fl...ee-Area/holiday-villa-Indian-Creek/p10860.htm

South facing is a plus point as the pool gets the sun all day long.

 

[kevin harrison]

Have you thought about renting out DVC points for the Disney Vacation club villas. They have have villas on site at Disney at Beach Club, Boardwalk, Wilderness Lodge, Old Key West, Saratoga Sprngs and now of course Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge.


Susan

Is that easy to do, it was something I have considered. Wouldn't know where to start, who to trust, how to rent two weeks....?