Hyatt Place or Holiday Inn Maingate pool?

[back2disney]

Hello, I'm looking to find an inexpensive offsite hotel that is within walking distance of the Universal parks. It is important to have a pool that is recommendable for a pre-teen. I am leaning towards the Holiday Inn since I have used them when I have vacationed elsewhere. I searched on earlier threads and see that Baymont and La Quinta are also in the same area, but I do not know how far.

I also have car, so if there is a much better hotel pool that costs the same or is worth risking on priceline I am okay with that, but I don't want to have to pay for parking at the hotel and the park and gasoline if that negates the savings.

Thank you for your time

 

[Metro West]

Are you asking about Universal area hotels? This really should be posted on another board but I'm going to see what kind of responses you get here.

 

[back2disney]

Are you asking about Universal area hotels? This really should be posted on another board but I'm going to see what kind of responses you get here.

Yes Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure

I tried searching the hotels thread but more results came up on this one..

 

[mom4graceandlogan]

Have not stayed at these exact properties but I am crazy about Hyatt Place. So much space, sleeping and living room area semi divided. great continental breakfast. the extra space is amazing and all room have a mini fridge. Can't say enough about the chain and we are hotel snobs. We always stay deluxe at disney and at Loews when at Universal. I am currently planning a Universal trip and I like Hyatt place so much I have struggled over paying the price to stay onsite. The FOTL access sways us over to Loews but otherwise I would love to try that Hyatt Place. My kids thought think the room were 4 star. The breakfast was perfect for our needs, cereal, fresh fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, bagels, toast, muffins etc. Coffee,milk and Juice. You can also order eggs etc. and pay out of pocket if you want. The continental breakfast is included and I think it had free internet access. I find it far superior to any Holiday Inn I have ever tried.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

We stayed at the Hyatt Place Universal and LOVED it. Free breakfast including Starbucks coffee, large rooms and right across from the parking structure at Universal. The pool was nice, nothing special, but certainly adequate. It is off to the side of the hotel near the back of the parking lot, has a few tables with umbellas, several chaise lounge chairs and pool towels available. We definitely would not hesitate to stay here again.

 

[ky07]

I have never stayed at either one but wanted to stay at Hyatt place since we can't afford to stay onsite this year but due to our tight budget we chose the Holiday Inn maingate this year cause we had to save as much as we could and the Hyatt was $30 more a night and I know that shouldn't be an issue but it is when comes to our budget

 

[Leucky]

I have stayed at that Holiday Inn in February for Business. There is no breakfast or charge for parking. The hotel had a musty smell. I have stayed at other Hyatt places, and as other pp have said they are nice and include breakfast. I hope this might help you make a decision.

 

[jimscafs]

I've stayed at the Hyatt Place, and was very satisfied. The staff was friendly, the rooms are spacious, and its within a reasonable walking distance from the park. The pool was closed during my stay, so I can't help you there.

 

[back2disney]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like Hyatt is getting more votes, but may be a little bit more expensive which factors in. I have never stayed at one before. I will pick up a AAA guide book today to read more about each and see if any other hotels are within a mile or 2.

 

[damo]

If you go to googlemaps and plug in universal orlando, you can zoom in on satellite view and it will show all the hotels in the area (their names too). Look at the ones in the Major Blvd. area.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

We paid $30/nt. for the Hyatt Place through Priceline, and it routinely comes up on Hotwire for about $45/nt.

 

[MIChessGuy]

We paid $30/nt. for the Hyatt Place through Priceline, and it routinely comes up on Hotwire for about $45/nt.

Yow, that is exactly the bid that got me the Holiday Inn Maingate/Universal! Which I thought was excellent, by the way. It was a fairly easy walk to Universal (though crossing Kirkman on foot is almost a thrill ride in itself). I saw but did not use the pool, which looked pretty good for all age categories. Also appealing was the Holiday Inn's free parking and lack of the infamous "resort fee." My room had a mini-fridge and a LCD television; in fact I even did some 'homework' by hooking up a DVD player via HDMI and watching Harry Potter before heading to the park the next day.

So I cast a 'dissenting vote' for the Holiday Inn.

 

[ky07]

Yow, that is exactly the bid that got me the Holiday Inn Maingate/Universal! Which I thought was excellent, by the way. It was a fairly easy walk to Universal (though crossing Kirkman on foot is almost a thrill ride in itself). I saw but did not use the pool, which looked pretty good for all age categories. Also appealing was the Holiday Inn's free parking and lack of the infamous "resort fee." My room had a mini-fridge and a LCD television; in fact I even did some 'homework' by hooking up a DVD player via HDMI and watching Harry Potter before heading to the park the next day.

So I cast a 'dissenting vote' for the Holiday Inn.

So glad someone said they liked the holiday inn cause I was getting worried cause this will be the first time we will stay offsite in july in three years and got holiday inn cause it was in our budget

 

[Seeker615]

We are staying at the Holiday Inn in August. On tripadvisor it gets pretty good reviews so I am hopeful.

 

[ky07]

We are staying at the Holiday Inn in August. On tripadvisor it gets pretty good reviews so I am hopeful.

me too for july

 

[SYDCOLEMOM]

I bid and won Holiday Inn Universal Maingate for $40 per night (5/25 & 5/26) from Priceline. Rack rate on this would have been $109.99 per night. No parking or resort fees. Im hoping for the best. I had originally booked Baymont Inn but this looks like a much nicer hotel.

 

[back2disney]

I bid and won Holiday Inn Universal Maingate for $40 per night (5/25 & 5/26) from Priceline. Rack rate on this would have been $109.99 per night. No parking or resort fees. Im hoping for the best. I had originally booked Baymont Inn but this looks like a much nicer hotel.

Thats a great rate! Let me know how the pool was if you get a chance. Thanks and enjoy your stay

 

[aprile]

I just stayed at the Holiday Inn. When I checked in and went to my room they had given me a suite instead of the standard double I had paid for. The people who worked there were all very nice. And if you're planning to walk to the parks every day it and Doubletree (which was more expensive) are the closest.

I didn't eat at TGIF while I was there so I can't say how that was. My suite had a full size fridge and a microwave that I took advantage of.

I ended up not using the pool so I can't comment on that. It was 90 degrees all last week so I went on all the water rides while in the park and didn't feel a need to get all wet again when I got back.

I also had no problem doing the shuttle to Disney from there, but the itrolley was a little time consuming. Even though it picks you up right by the hotel, you need to switch from the green to red line to go to idrive or the outlets.