Just back - Sheraton Safari review

[Valentine]

Hey there.. just thought i would post my review of my brief stay at the Sheraton Safari. I needed a room for the one night I was not using my points during my stay this past week. My first impression of the hotel after staying the entire week at the Beach Club villas was "UGH"... the staff was just unpleasant.. I had to wait too long to check in and then was hardly given the time of day... I had to ask all the questions.. I wasn't given any information regarding time my room would be ready.. parking pass... ticket options.. etc. So, if I was a newbie at Disney I would have been sore out of luck. So... I went off on my merry way back to the parks to recapture some Disney Magic... I actually headed back to the Beach club and hung out at the pool since I had just checked out that morning so, technically had use of the pool for the day. After the weather chased me off however, I headed back to the Sheraton Safari to see if my room was ready. I head into the lobby with great trepidation.. and was pleasantly surprised when I was greeted by a Very pleasant Hostess who was very informative and friendly. She gave me a glimmer of hope that this place may not be so bad... I then went out to my car to get my bag and head up to my room... Okay.. so now the elevator and hallway leave quite a bit to be desired... but then the hotel redeemed itself... I opened the door to my room.. and wow... what a great room.. the beds were great, the bathroom beautiful and HUGE... the room was very clean.. and extremely comfortable. So, if it is just a room you are looking for.. this is the place to stay. The pool looked okay.. nothing special... but nice. The location of the hotel can't be beat. It is near everything. Crossings is down the block. Many food options are withing walking distance. and Downtown Disney is Down the road... less than 5 minutes away. The parks are also close.. approx 10 min to any park if you drive. I don't know if there was a shuttle.. I didn't need it, so I didn't take note. There seemed to be a breakfast buffet offered.. which I also didn't partake of. The Hotel lobby always seemed to have activity... at the bar and just hanging around. So... would I stay there again? If i Needed a room for just a night again like this last time I definitely would stay here.. nice clean accomodations and the price was great! Hope I helped.. and ask any questions you need!

Kathy

 

[SB in KY]

I know a lot of people really like this hotel...but I agree with you....it is an OK place to spend the night, but that is about it. We had a wretched experience there last summer (rooms weren't ready until after 7PM...and we had arrived at 3PM after driving for 12 hours....lots of housekeeping issues, etc...all in all very bad experience)...after returning home I emailed the hotel general manager and he very kindly responded in writing and sent a certificate good for a free night....so 3 weeks ago I used the certificate for the night before we checked into BWV....we arrived about 2PM (posted check in time is 3PM)...desk clerk was quite friendly but stated room was not ready yet (OK...it isn't check in time)....so we hung out in the lobby until 3PM...nope, not ready yet (and I am beginning to have flashbacks of our previous experience)....finally gave us room keys about 3:30PM (not bad actually) and gave us a complimentary upgrade to a Safari Suite which was very nice of them. Had an outside entrance, tiny elevator....very dated exterior, I am thinking roadside motel, 1975....but the room was fine. Good beds, extra space was a nice touch, kind of smallish bathroom. Kids loved the pool....the python slide was fun. My only concern was when I got back to the hotel at 11PM alone, I had to park VERY far away....and did not feel very safe hiking back to the room...lots of unsavory looking characters loitering in the parking lot next door, no security around....just felt creepy.

Next AM at 7:10AM housekeeping is rapping on our door and wanting to know when we would be out!! (I am standing there in my PJ's, obviously awakened by her and I told her we would call before we left the room and we would be out before check out time....then at least twice an hour she was back knocking on the door wanting to know when we were leaving...after her second visit I hung the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door....but it didn't slow her down much...by the time we walked out at 9:45AM she had banged on the door 4 times!! Then my DD's and I took some stuff down to the car (quite a hike since I had to park 1/2 way to Ocala), DD's friend was in the bathroom when we went down and yes, you guessed it, the woman payed her a visit too!! She had set the rest of our luggage out on the walkway outside the room before we got back and told DD's friend "you go NOW" as she walked out of the bathroom!! I felt like we had been evicted....where was this over zealous housekeeping Nazi the day before when my room wasn't ready at check in time??

I know you can have a bad experience anyplace and except for the early wake up it wasn't bad....if I had gotten it on a $40 Priceline bid, had a free night or something it would have been fine....if I had paid rack rate for the place I would have been pretty let down I think. I would not pay more than $50 to 60/night max I don't think to stay there.

 

[Valentine]

LOL!! when i read your Exterior description I had to laugh!! That was exactly what I thought!! And the Housekeeping was banging on my door at 7 am also... Man.. I would have been P'O'ed if I wasn't already up!! LOLO!! I wanted out of there and back to Universal at that point.. so early rising was in the cards for me!!