Dates of stay: Feb 8 to 12
Room type: Standard 1 room suite with two double beds
Price paid: $75.00 / night Travelzoo special
My family of 3 have just returned from a short stay at the Embassy LBV. Here are some thoughts on our time at this hotel.
Location: Excellent if you prefer a quieter area away from the busy main road. A short convenient drive to Downtown Disney and the parks.
Room: Clean. Nicely laid out. Furnishings starting to show some wear (some stains on the upholstery, carpeting looking worn). A comfortably sized front living room area with a small wet bar section and typical small hotel bathroom. Single sink with full-length counter top. IMPORTANT NOTE: The (separate) bedroom is a good size but the double beds are not full 4'6" doubles. Instead, they are "small doubles" of only 4" width. My 6'1" husband found the bed size to be only slightly irritating, as we all still managed to sleep very comfortably at the end of our long days in the parks. Only one small 3-drawer dresser in the bedroom. An additional or larger dresser would have been very much appreciated.
WARNING: We were charged for all local telephone calls made from our room. (thank goodness we did not make many!) It may be that patrons paying a higher rate or the rack rate have local calls included.
Noise level: In the living room area, noise from the hallways and open atrium can be heard. The sound of other toilet flushes can be heard from the bathroom (I suggest keeping the door closed). The bedrooms, however, are very quiet.
Supplies: Towels were plenty, thick and comfortable. No robe. Complimentary soap, shampoo and conditioner were supplied. Coffeemaker is a 2-cup "teabag" style, not a basket-drip. Microwave and fridge are small but work well.
Housekeeping: Unobtrusive and fine.
Laundry Room: One only, on the second floor. Small and dingy. 3 washers and 3 dryers. Each load is $2.50. Change machine in the room, detergent available. The washing machines are small-capacity top loaders. The commercial dryers gave 1 hour dry time and worked well - our clothes never came out damp.
Pool / Hot tub: Pretty design, never crowded. The indoor portion of the pool came into good use in the second part of our stay - we experienced a severe cold snap that kept the adults sitting on the deck, fully dressed, watching the children jump around in the water like little seals. The hot tub was never crowded. Pool towels were plentiful.
Complimentary Breakfast: We are early risers, and were at breakfast before 8am every morning. No lineups, no waiting at that time. The made-to-order station (staffed by the wonderful Ed), provided any type of eggs and omelettes made as requested. Sausage cakes, bacon, oatmeal/porridge, pancakes/french toast, melons, breads, cereals, muffins, coffees and teas made up the rest of the daily selection. All the food was fresh and tasty. The coffee is weak. We noticed that the breakfast started getting busy by 8:30 and lineups were typical by 9:30. Late risers beware.
Complimentary Manager's Reception: A limited selection of free drinks (yes, alcohol ones too!) was provided from 5 to 7, with snacks (carrot & celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, tortilla chips and salsa, pretzels). Interestingly enough, although I did not expect to take advantage of this particular perk, we were in the hotel every afternoon for our "rest time" by 3 or 4 pm. As a result, DH and DD enjoyed the Manager's Reception every single day that we were there.
Shuttles: I cannot comment, we never used them or saw them.
Internet / Computer: Complimentary computers were available at the front lobby with full internet connection and a printer. We took advantage of this service several times to search for restaurants and complete our on-line flight check in. We did not bring a laptop to use in our room.
Parking: Convenient and very easy. There were plenty of spaces. The lot was accessed with the room key. Lots were well lit.
Overall Building Condition: Clean, but starting to show wear and tear. Trim paint showing moderate wearing and chipping. Carpeting starting to show wear. Pool concrete in need of minor repainting and touchups.
Overall Service: The majority of the staff were friendly and the front desk staff were especially helpful and polite. The biggest, most glaring exception were the two middle-aged women who bartended the manager's reception. Their service was sullen and reluctant. Questions regarding drink selection were answered curtly and with obvious resentment. No helpful information was volunteered - only direct questions were answered and only in an annoyed tone of voice. Tips were accepted (and I was surprised they were being offered!) with only grudging thanks. Interestingly enough, DH's experience with a younger male bartender on a different evening was quite positive. DH experienced much more courteous professional service (and tipped accordingly).
Summary:
Did we enjoy our stay? Yes. Would we go back again? Yes.
The things that we most enjoyed about Embassy LBV: Having a separate bedroom. Having a quiet bedroom. The free hot breakfast. For my DH, the free dinner cocktail. For my DD, the "cool" indoor/outdoor pool. For me, the quieter (but still convenient) location near Disney.
The things we did not like about Embassy LBV: The surprise local call charges. The unprofessional attitude of the two middle-aged female bartenders. The small double beds.
Overall, I would recommend this hotel to any family interested in off-site accommodations near Disney, but not at their rack rate. Look for their discounts and you will be pleased with the value received. But at their higher price point, you can certainly find fancier accommodations and amenities elsewhere.
Hope this helps.
Room type: Standard 1 room suite with two double beds
Price paid: $75.00 / night Travelzoo special
My family of 3 have just returned from a short stay at the Embassy LBV. Here are some thoughts on our time at this hotel.
Location: Excellent if you prefer a quieter area away from the busy main road. A short convenient drive to Downtown Disney and the parks.
Room: Clean. Nicely laid out. Furnishings starting to show some wear (some stains on the upholstery, carpeting looking worn). A comfortably sized front living room area with a small wet bar section and typical small hotel bathroom. Single sink with full-length counter top. IMPORTANT NOTE: The (separate) bedroom is a good size but the double beds are not full 4'6" doubles. Instead, they are "small doubles" of only 4" width. My 6'1" husband found the bed size to be only slightly irritating, as we all still managed to sleep very comfortably at the end of our long days in the parks. Only one small 3-drawer dresser in the bedroom. An additional or larger dresser would have been very much appreciated.
WARNING: We were charged for all local telephone calls made from our room. (thank goodness we did not make many!) It may be that patrons paying a higher rate or the rack rate have local calls included.
Noise level: In the living room area, noise from the hallways and open atrium can be heard. The sound of other toilet flushes can be heard from the bathroom (I suggest keeping the door closed). The bedrooms, however, are very quiet.
Supplies: Towels were plenty, thick and comfortable. No robe. Complimentary soap, shampoo and conditioner were supplied. Coffeemaker is a 2-cup "teabag" style, not a basket-drip. Microwave and fridge are small but work well.
Housekeeping: Unobtrusive and fine.
Laundry Room: One only, on the second floor. Small and dingy. 3 washers and 3 dryers. Each load is $2.50. Change machine in the room, detergent available. The washing machines are small-capacity top loaders. The commercial dryers gave 1 hour dry time and worked well - our clothes never came out damp.
Pool / Hot tub: Pretty design, never crowded. The indoor portion of the pool came into good use in the second part of our stay - we experienced a severe cold snap that kept the adults sitting on the deck, fully dressed, watching the children jump around in the water like little seals. The hot tub was never crowded. Pool towels were plentiful.
Complimentary Breakfast: We are early risers, and were at breakfast before 8am every morning. No lineups, no waiting at that time. The made-to-order station (staffed by the wonderful Ed), provided any type of eggs and omelettes made as requested. Sausage cakes, bacon, oatmeal/porridge, pancakes/french toast, melons, breads, cereals, muffins, coffees and teas made up the rest of the daily selection. All the food was fresh and tasty. The coffee is weak. We noticed that the breakfast started getting busy by 8:30 and lineups were typical by 9:30. Late risers beware.
Complimentary Manager's Reception: A limited selection of free drinks (yes, alcohol ones too!) was provided from 5 to 7, with snacks (carrot & celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, tortilla chips and salsa, pretzels). Interestingly enough, although I did not expect to take advantage of this particular perk, we were in the hotel every afternoon for our "rest time" by 3 or 4 pm. As a result, DH and DD enjoyed the Manager's Reception every single day that we were there.
Shuttles: I cannot comment, we never used them or saw them.
Internet / Computer: Complimentary computers were available at the front lobby with full internet connection and a printer. We took advantage of this service several times to search for restaurants and complete our on-line flight check in. We did not bring a laptop to use in our room.
Parking: Convenient and very easy. There were plenty of spaces. The lot was accessed with the room key. Lots were well lit.
Overall Building Condition: Clean, but starting to show wear and tear. Trim paint showing moderate wearing and chipping. Carpeting starting to show wear. Pool concrete in need of minor repainting and touchups.
Overall Service: The majority of the staff were friendly and the front desk staff were especially helpful and polite. The biggest, most glaring exception were the two middle-aged women who bartended the manager's reception. Their service was sullen and reluctant. Questions regarding drink selection were answered curtly and with obvious resentment. No helpful information was volunteered - only direct questions were answered and only in an annoyed tone of voice. Tips were accepted (and I was surprised they were being offered!) with only grudging thanks. Interestingly enough, DH's experience with a younger male bartender on a different evening was quite positive. DH experienced much more courteous professional service (and tipped accordingly).
Summary:
Did we enjoy our stay? Yes. Would we go back again? Yes.
The things that we most enjoyed about Embassy LBV: Having a separate bedroom. Having a quiet bedroom. The free hot breakfast. For my DH, the free dinner cocktail. For my DD, the "cool" indoor/outdoor pool. For me, the quieter (but still convenient) location near Disney.
The things we did not like about Embassy LBV: The surprise local call charges. The unprofessional attitude of the two middle-aged female bartenders. The small double beds.
Overall, I would recommend this hotel to any family interested in off-site accommodations near Disney, but not at their rack rate. Look for their discounts and you will be pleased with the value received. But at their higher price point, you can certainly find fancier accommodations and amenities elsewhere.
Hope this helps.
