I-Drive Hotel Recommendation Please

[pixiepower04]

Hi there,

Want to stay at the top end of I-Drive for 4 nights before WDW and was looking for any recommendations for a decent hotel or suite (not cheap, not expensive).

We want to make the most of Universal/Islands and all the shopping at that end.

Hope someone can help

 

[Belle68]

We have stayed at Holiday Inn on idrive and really loved it, its across the road from wet and wild and not far from universal. They even have a free bus which takes you to all the parks.

 

[kirst_al UK]

I personally wouldn't look at hotels any further up than wet n wild....IMO i-drive area isn't fantastic to stay in the further north you go . We stay at the fairfield, on canada ave (just off i-drive), about 10 minutes walk to wet n wild and 25 to universal. Stayed here last year and will be heading back next without a second thought.

 

[wayneg]

Personally I wouldnt stay betweeen the Convention centre and Wet n Wild, above or below are not too bad, although I prefer LBV 10 times more.
If I have you dates correct its 20th Sept for 4 nights.
Just looked there is http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...eraton_Studio_City_Hotel-Orlando_Florida.html
Good reviews, good area Hotelopia.co.uk have it at £33.20/night use code 170470 brings it down to £30 book via Quidco for another 10% cashback total cost £27/night

Wrong end of Idrive for you but http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...-Marriott_s_Grande_Vista-Orlando_Florida.html is coming up at a very good price after discount and caskback £49/night

Loads more on there some bargains at LBV Regal Sun Resort, just had $25 million spent on refurb £33/night or Cypress Pointe Grandevillas £29/night

 

[Snowy-girls]

I love I-Drive it's where we have always stayed.I-Drive is getting bad press of late especially the North end,but it won't stop me from staying there,you have bad on your own doorstep at home if not worse.We have stayed at Quality Inn and Holiday Inn,liked+disliked both-for different reasons.I am staying at the Hilton Embassy Suites International Drive South next year and it does look fabulous,it's also a suite.The South is apparantly the better end to be on I-Drive now.
You have so many choices in shopping+dining,Seaworld really close.Uni+IOA also close.x.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

The southern end is much better, Holiday Inn I drive is a nice hotel but I don't like the location.

Rosen Center and Rosen Plaza are the best hotels we have stayed at down here and are located at the preferred south side.

 

[Daysleeper40]

We stayed at Sheraton Studio City (now called Four Points by Sheraton I think) which is just over the road from WNW. We liked it and thought it was a great location - 5min walk to WNW, 15min walk to US/IOA, hop on the I-Ride for Seaworld, and some good eateries just down the road (VERY handy for Sweet Tomatos which is cost effective and YUM!)

We would happliy stay at this hotel and in this location again

Oh, and they did do shuttle transport to Citywalk if you didn't fancy the walk, or a cab back was nice and cheap. Also had transport to Disney / Seaworld.

 

[PudseyChancer]

I love I-Drive it's where we have always stayed.I-Drive is getting bad press of late especially the North end

I don't buy into the criticism of the i-drive, I've stayed at both ends and I think it's a great place to base a holiday. For next years holiday, we're staying at the Sheraton Four Points, great access to Wet n Wild and Universal, as well as the shops and restaurants. At the north end there are some souvenir shops that are deemed 'tacky', to me there harmless fun and a good place to get the in-laws their holiday presents!

Have stayed at the Sheraton World resort at the southern end, great as you can walk over to Seaworld and over the road is a Bennigans, The Village Inn, Dennys, an off licence, flippers pizza, plenty of choice without having to walk very far.

To be honest, I think that the i-drive is comparable to a being in a major city in the UK, loads of choice and alternatives in a (relatively) small area.

 

[wayneg]

I don't buy into the criticism of the i-drive, I've stayed at both ends and I think it's a great place to base a holiday. For next years holiday, we're staying at the Sheraton Four Points, great access to Wet n Wild and Universal, as well as the shops and restaurants. At the north end there are some souvenir shops that are deemed 'tacky', to me there harmless fun and a good place to get the in-laws their holiday presents!

Have stayed at the Sheraton World resort at the southern end, great as you can walk over to Seaworld and over the road is a Bennigans, The Village Inn, Dennys, an off licence, flippers pizza, plenty of choice without having to walk very far.

To be honest, I think that the i-drive is comparable to a being in a major city in the UK, loads of choice and alternatives in a (relatively) small area.

My main critisism of Idrive is the traffic, anyone that doesn't drive then its probably as good as anywhere but as a driver its a nightmare. We only go in school hols Xmas, Easter and August, traffic up there is horrendous at busy periods, at Easter took 30 mins to do about 1 mile.
We stayed at Sheraton World and enjoyed it but it had bad reviews a few months ago when I looked.
Many people like myself try LBV area and much prefer it to Idrive but some still prefer up there.

 

[Maves Wife]

We have stayed at the Quality Inn International several times and its in a fab locations, we have also stayed at the Enclave Suites which are great too. Online Florida are doing a deal just now in that if you book before Monday you receive up to 20% off your accomodation. DH and I have just saved over £100 on our accomodation for 3 weeks - he thinks he is getting to spend it at Oakley but how wrong is he..... LOL

 

[wayneg]

We have stayed at the Quality Inn International several times and its in a fab locations, we have also stayed at the Enclave Suites which are great too. Online Florida are doing a deal just now in that if you book before Monday you receive up to 20% off your accomodation. DH and I have just saved over £100 on our accomodation for 3 weeks - he thinks he is getting to spend it at Oakley but how wrong is he..... LOL

Did you check with Hotelopia for your dates?
Online Florida/Travelrepublic are very expensive for PixiePowers dates The above deal I posted at Sheraton Studio is £108 O.F. £189. Thats £80 more on just 4 nights even with 20% off. Same with Enclave suites same dates Hotelopia £127 O.F £169. £42 more.
Might be worth looking for you to change, depending on your cancellation policy, Hotelopia's fee is £15 for our August trip so could be worth paying if uits a similar price.

 

[disneydopey]

We've always stayed at Best Western International but its changed now to Econo Lodge which I don't think is as good. Holiday Inn is good hotel although not the better end of I-Drive.

 

[Mermaid2sea]

Have you considered hotels just outside of Universal Studios???? We've not done it ourselves but my friend has.....

 

[dc1964]

Homewood suites is brill, free beer monday to thursday, great breakfast

 

[The Fetherstons]

We have stayed at HJ Universal Tower which I think its now Sheraton 4 points and we found the hotel to be lovely and a good location

 

[wayneg]

Homewood suites is brill, free beer monday to thursday, great breakfast

Totally agree, we stayed there Oct 04, great place away from Idrive but close to Uni. Only problem is getting a good rate, there never seems to be great offers for it now, we paid £22/night with Airline Network, was a bargain

 

[astrodrummergirl]

Hawthorn Suites universal is a great hotel but probably a bit expensive especially if you're not going to utilise the park shuttles. We don't mind paying that much as we need the shuttles to the parks, free breakfast and it's in a nice central location on I-Drive (canada avenue, near the McDonalds).

 

[jennytablina]

We have stayed at the Quality Inn International several times and its in a fab locations, we have also stayed at the Enclave Suites which are great too. Online Florida are doing a deal just now in that if you book before Monday you receive up to 20% off your accomodation. DH and I have just saved over £100 on our accomodation for 3 weeks - he thinks he is getting to spend it at Oakley but how wrong is he..... LOL

Another Quality Inn fan here too

Admittedly I dont know if my fondness for Quality Inn is nostalga based on the fact my first trip to Florida was spent there. Though I remember it being a pretty decent place considering its one of the cheaper hotels in the area. We stayed in 98 and it was a bit more basic. Since then they added microwaves and fridges to the rooms.

I also recall the buffet resturant at Quality Inn being quite nice. Though dont bother with the giant franchised McDonalds next door, it's not owned by corporate McDonalds for a reason (generally if you like McDonalds keep to the ones on Disney property which tend to upkeep the quality of their food)

 

[PudseyChancer]

dont bother with the giant franchised McDonalds next door, it's not owned by corporate McDonalds for a reasonQUOTE]

Thick Yorkshireman alert! I though all McDonalds were franchises?

Also, I'm not a big McDonalds fan, (prefer Burger King in the UK, and Wendys when in Florida), but I went to the one you're talking about and thought it was quality, had a load of healthier options like wraps and sandwiches, I was quite impressed!

 

[jennytablina]

Thick Yorkshireman alert! I though all McDonalds were franchises?

Also, I'm not a big McDonalds fan, (prefer Burger King in the UK, and Wendys when in Florida), but I went to the one you're talking about and thought it was quality, had a load of healthier options like wraps and sandwiches, I was quite impressed!

I think some are corporate owned and some are franchised, it's always a bit hard to tell

I do have to say I havent been to that big McDonalds since 98 so maybe its improved in the last 10 years (oh man I feel old realising this year is the 10 year anniversary of my first Disney trip XD) Though I remember when I went that the burgers tasted kinda icky compared with the McDonalds burgers I'm used to and the pizza wasnt anything to shout about eather.