The Castle Hotel

[TraderAsh]

Ill be staying at Universal in July and I think i have selected the Doubletree Castle hotel ( www.doubletreecastle.com ) Has anyone stayed here? any inside info on it? I would really love to stay onsite but it'll be like $200 bucks a night for RPH and I dont think i can afford to do that and everything else we like to do. We would like to dine in nice places... any sugestions... also we were thinking about VIP...is it worth it??? need the info!!!!!! especially on the hotel... thanks!!!

 

[jtopicz1]

The hotel, for an offsite hotel, is VERY nice. It is owned by Grand THeme Hotels, who owns several nice, upscale, well-themed hotels in the area, including the Sheraton Safari, Sheraton Studio City, and the Celebration Hotel. They are all known to be clean properties. The Castle has great theming throughout the property.

As for whether VIP is worth it....I would say no. Spend the extra on onsite ressies, get the front of the line access, and you would have no need for VIP. Perhaps if you posted your dates, someone could help you find a better rate for onsite...

As for nice places to eat: Emerils at Citywalk. Upscale, great food, and a unique experience. Fairly expensive however. I also recommend Jimmy Buffetts Margaritaville at Citywalk. Very casual, but great food, a fun theme, and good live "Buffett cover bands".

Jim

 

[TraderAsh]

awesome!! Glad to know I have good taste. Buffets and emerils both sound right up my alley... im going to be going with my (rather adventurous) grandmother and she is "low carb" so I thought sit down restraunts would be better (actually I just wanted an excuse to eat at nicer places... but anyway) Emerils looks a bit pricey but we may try it... I was thinking about Lombards and Mythos also what do you think???... Ive tried Finnegans and I like it allot. Oh!!! im aiming for the weekend of the 18th(friday) through the 21st (monday)... ill be leaving on the 21st. Im also possibly going to check out the UCF campus. I think the castle will be great!! plus its pretty close to Universal... yay!! more ifo!! thanks!!! ASHTON

 

[Howling Howie]

I know I might get sandbagged for this, but IMHO Emerils just doesn't cut it for the $$ they charge. I ate there last fall and while the food was very good, the tables were very close together, atmosphere was nearly non-existent and the service was only good, not excellent. I believe the 2 of us spent about $150 for split appetizer, dinners, glass of wine, split desert. I really enjoy nice, sit-down restaurants, but I don't enjoy spending $ to drop a name. On the other hand, all 4 of us really liked Margueriteville. The food was good, the atmosphere was fun and the service was excellent. I am by no means comparing the 2 restaurants apple to apple though. We had Thanksgiving dinner at Mythos -- great restaurant!! Try to wild (or exotic) mushroom appetizer, unbelievable. Three of us did not opt for turkey by the one who did (age 11) got a kids' Thanksgiving platter for $10 or less and I couldn't believe the amount of food, including desert. We also had sushi (don't know why we had this here but it was very good as well). Like I said, I know I'm of the few that doesn't agree Emerils is worth it, but maybe you might try Tchop Tchop at RPR and give a review of that.