Offsite Hotel recommendations?

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

Anyone stay offsite & wish to offer a hotel recommendation or hotels to stay away from?
Hoping for free transportation to Universal too

Saw a hotel for $45 a night - pictures looked great, but seems very inexpensive & a bit leary of it so wanted to get recommedations from everyone.

Thanks!!!

 

[Metro West]

I'm going to move this to the Orlando Hotels and Attractions board so you can get more responses.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

Thanks! I just found this section & was just about to post it here too!

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

No one has stayed off site Universal & been pleased with their hotel?
Not everyone stays onsite at Universal do they?

Anyone???

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Have you tried the Universal Boards here on the DIS? Unfortunately, we always stay onsite, so I can't help. Hopefully, someone who can will come along. In the meantime, you'd probably have more luck on the Universal boards.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

Have you tried the Universal Boards here on the DIS? Unfortunately, we always stay onsite, so I can't help. Hopefully, someone who can will come along. In the meantime, you'd probably have more luck on the Universal boards.

Thats where I had it & as you can see above they moved it here!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Oops, sorry about that. The Orlando board seems to be the place threads go to die. It would be nice if they'd allow more topics on the other boards. If you're staying in a hotel in order to visit Universal, it makes sense to me that the Universal boards would be the best place to find info. Offsite dining for a WDW vacation is another example. It gets many replies on the restaurant board, then is moved here & dies. I really don't see why it's such a big deal to have a thread on a different board, as long as you're planning a vacation to those parks. The fact is you get more help on the main boards. Most people probably don't even check this board. Sorry, rant over. I really just don't get it though. I'd get frustrated, if my threads were moved frequently. IMHO, it doesn't hurt anything to leave them where they are.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

I had never seen this board until it was moved... then ya kinda had to follow it! lol
I will try again - maybe word it differently, will see
Thanks!!

 

[crazelion]

I have stay at the Hawthorne Suites on Canada Avenue which off I-Drive I thought was great location. Quick easy trip US without getting lost. I also stay at the Residence Inn on Universal Blvd too.

As which I would stay again is Hawthorne Suites because it had a better location. Don't get wrong Residence Inn was great and awesome.

I am looking at this too. But I am looking at staying on I-Drive or Sand Lake Road or Canada Avenue because they all is close to US

 

[aquagreenpbc]

Ive stayed at Homewood Suites (nearest Universal) and really enjoyed my stay. I thought it was a pretty good value. Free breakfast & shuttle to Universal. It's about a mile from Universal, so it is walkable in certain situations.

 

[thewigs007]

You did not mention your price range, but remember you get what you pay for.

Try any of the Hilton properties. Tons to choose from all offering different things. The two newest are the Orlando Hilton and the Hilton Bonnet Creek. Great pools for kids and top notch properties.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

You did not mention your price range, but remember you get what you pay for.

Try any of the Hilton properties. Tons to choose from all offering different things. The two newest are the Orlando Hilton and the Hilton Bonnet Creek. Great pools for kids and top notch properties.

I can't say price isn't an issue - otherwise I wouldn't hesitate staying on property. Just want something reasonable & free shuttle to Universal. Don't plan on spending much time at the hotel itself anyways....

Thanks!

 

[spiceycat]

you have to carefully with Free transportation.

first of all it is generally pretty awfully. It will go to several other hotels besides yours.

it generally only goes in the morning and comes back in the afternoon and evening.

so you will stuck at the park for a long time. would go for one near US/IOA that hopefully you can walk too.

this is not like WDW - where you can't walk from offsite to any of their parks.

there was a near US hotel list with pictures on it - on the US site.

here is the hotels at US/IOA site - includes those on US and offsite

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=75

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

you have to carefully with Free transportation.

first of all it is generally pretty awfully. It will go to several other hotels besides yours.

it generally only goes in the morning and comes by in the afternoon and evening.

so you will stuck at the park for a long time. would go for one near US/IOA that hopefully you can walk too.

this is not like WDW - where you can't walk from offsite to any of their parks.

there was a near US hotel list with pictures on it - on the US site.

here is the hotels at US/IOA site - includes those on US and offsite

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=75

So the Free Transportation isn't just for that hotel then... hmmm - I may look back to staying onsite! Thanks for the info!

 

[Metro West]

Have you tried the Universal Boards here on the DIS? Unfortunately, we always stay onsite, so I can't help. Hopefully, someone who can will come along. In the meantime, you'd probably have more luck on the Universal boards.

Offsite hotel threads that don't directly relate to Universal need to be posted here. This board has more traffic for offsite hotels than the Universal section.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Offsite hotel threads that don't directly relate to Universal need to be posted here. This board has more traffic for offsite hotels than the Universal section.

This forum gets very little Universal traffic. That is the reason I recommended the Universal forums. Most people who visit UO hang out there. No offense was intended. The OP mentioned they were going to Universal, & experience tells me this forum offers little help with Universal vacations, whether that be for hotel accommodations or restaurants near UO. It's a great resource for off-site WDW hotels, & especially time share & home rentals near WDW though. Again, I didn't mean to offend anyone. I was just trying to help the OP by pointing her in the direction that historically provides the most UO planning advice.

 

[MIChessGuy]

Last year I had a pretty good stay at the Holiday Inn Maingate to Universal (Kirkman Rd and Major Blvd). They had free parking, no resort fee, in-room internet service and a compact fridge. You can actually walk to Universal from the hotel, no shuttle needed. I did that more than once. I should also mention that I "won" this hotel on a Priceline bid for, I believe, less than $40 a night (plus taxes and Priceline fees). Other good hotels in this area are the Doubletree, just across Major from the Holiday Inn, and the Hyatt Place Universal which is just a bit down the street on Caravan Court. (Warning: I'm pretty sure the Doubletree charges a parking fee. The others do not.)

 

[Metro West]

This forum gets very little Universal traffic. That is the reason I recommended the Universal forums. Most people who visit UO hang out there. No offense was intended. The OP mentioned they were going to Universal, & experience tells me this forum offers little help with Universal vacations, whether that be for hotel accommodations or restaurants near UO. It's a great resource for off-site WDW hotels, & especially time share & home rentals near WDW though. Again, I didn't mean to offend anyone. I was just trying to help the OP by pointing her in the direction that historically provides the most UO planning advice.

I didn't mean Universal traffic...I meant offsite hotel traffic. I would venture a guess that more people who've stayed offsite at either Disney or Universal have come to this section whereas not as many have visited the Universal section. I don't think offsite questions related to either Disney or Universal really belong in those sections. The problem I have is if too many offsite questions flood the Universal section, the really important threads will be overlooked by people having to wade through the offsite stuff that do not relate to Universal or it's hotels...which is why this thread was moved.

 

[spiceycat]

Offsite hotel threads that don't directly relate to Universal need to be posted here. This board has more traffic for offsite hotels than the Universal section.

when someone mentions free transportation to Universal - then Universal is to be implied.

 

[spiceycat]

So the Free Transportation isn't just for that hotel then... hmmm - I may look back to staying onsite! Thanks for the info!

there are some offsite hotels that are close enough to walk to Universal. that is why suggesting you ask on the Us hotel boards. someone there should be able to tell you which you can walk to US from.

it is not like WDW. It is more like Disneyland in California.