Trying to decide on hotel-BVS or Caribe

[ADisneyQueen]

We want to stay for 2 nights before the Disney trip to go to SW. My choices are Buena Vista Suites for $89 (includes breakfast) or Caribe Royal $99 (better pool). We want a one BR and residence inn was $169 with breakfast- I can't believe they can't do better than that. What should I pick or is there something better?

 

[4Seasons]

BVS and Caribe Royale are sister properties, you can use the pool at Caribe if you stay at BVS.
Just spoke to the BVS sales manager this evening at a tradeshow and that specific question was brought up.

 

[NaplesRI]

Top-Rated Hotels
Fairfield Inn & Suites Orlando International Drive
Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club at Orlando
Crowne Plaza Orlando Universal
Homewood Suites Orlando-Nearest to Universal Studios
SpringHill Suites Orlando Convention Center
Homewood Suites Orlando/International Drive/Convention Center
Floridays Orlando Resort
Marriott's Cypress Harbour
Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
The Villas of Grand Cypress

I was on Tripadvisor.com this morning and they list the above as their top rated Orlando hotels.
You can do a search for the hotel you are interested in, and they will show you ratings and customer comments. Good luck!

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

By any chance anyone know if any of those are small pet friendly?

 

[flyguy]

We want to stay for 2 nights before the Disney trip to go to SW. My choices are Buena Vista Suites for $89 (includes breakfast) or Caribe Royal $99 (better pool). We want a one BR and residence inn was $169 with breakfast- I can't believe they can't do better than that. What should I pick or is there something better?

Just returned from Buena Vista Suites Feb 23. Last Feb we stayed at Caribe Royale. We liked the location near Disney, we decided to stay at BVS to save some money after staying at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal. BVS includes breakfast, suites are the same(separate living room,2 tvs, 2 beds plus pull-out
sofa). Caribe pool was nice, did not go to the BVS pool. Both property have a one day sale rate on their websites. Check Caribe on Wed and BVS on Thurs. I was able to get Buena Vista for $80.86 per nite with the one day sale.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

Thanks, I booked BVS for 2 nights after our stay at CBR. Got a mousesavers rate of $89. How far is BVS from Sea World?

 

[flyguy]

Thanks, I booked BVS for 2 nights after our stay at CBR. Got a mousesavers rate of $89. How far is BVS from Sea World?

I started with a Mousesavers rate, phoned and got the lower Thurs one day sale rate a few weeks later.

 

[KayakDaddy]

I've stayed at both BVS & the Caribe now, and they are both great. As has been stated, you can get BVS a little cheaper and with free breakfast. The free breakfast was great - good quality, plentiful, & delicious.

The rooms are basically the same between the two. I'm not sure if it is still this way, but I remember a difference between the refridgerators. At BVS, you had unrestricted use of an empty fridge. I remember our fridge at the Caribe being filled with overpriced snacks and they didn't like you putting your own stuff in there. That was in 2008, so this could have changed, but it sure was annoying. The BVS has been remodeled and you now have two HUGE TV's in the suite (though we only turned them on once).

The big difference is the pool & fitness center. At the Caribe, the pool was beautiful, with a great waterslide and water fall. The fitness center is one of the better ones you'll find in a hotel - two stories overlooking the pool area through large windows. I didn't know you could come over from BVS we didn't even think to ask.

 

[Wendaeh]

BVS and Caribe Royale are sister properties, you can use the pool at Caribe if you stay at BVS.
Just spoke to the BVS sales manager this evening at a tradeshow and that specific question was brought up.

Thanks for that info - what a great perk! I was thinking of going over to Caribe for Easter dinner (we are staying 1 night/Easter night at BVS before moving to Universal) and was wondering how the awe factor of that cool pool would be as my kids walked by it wishing to jump in. Do they have towels, or would we need to bring them? Can we use the workout center?

Thanks!

 

[Atotty]

Hey,

I'm in the same place: trying to decide between the two. I emailed BVS this morning and asked about using the pool at Caribe Royale and was told: "The pool over at the Caribe is for the Caribe guests only."

I was also told "We do have brand new rooms, right down to the carpeting" because I was worried about asthma issues. I wasn't sure if all of BSV had been rehabbed.

So I'd just go into it knowing that pool sharing is iffy; someone may say yes and other employees may say no.

 

[Brian Noble]

Don't under-estimate the "friction" in getting over to another place's pool. Even when I stay at one of the larger Disney resorts, half the time I can't quite bring myself to go to the "big pool" if a quiet pool is closer. It just seems like too much effort.

That said, my kids have two hard-and-fast requirements for any pool: It must have water, and the water must be wet. As long as those are both true () they are happy.

 

[JennSaint]

Hey,

I'm in the same place: trying to decide between the two. I emailed BVS this morning and asked about using the pool at Caribe Royale and was told: "The pool over at the Caribe is for the Caribe guests only."

I was also told "We do have brand new rooms, right down to the carpeting" because I was worried about asthma issues. I wasn't sure if all of BSV had been rehabbed.

So I'd just go into it knowing that pool sharing is iffy; someone may say yes and other employees may say no.

We just stayed at Caribe royale last month and I thought the pool there was for guest only??? I would have booked BVS if we could have used the pool at Caribe Royale. Would have been less money and include breakfast.

 

[WUVmyDISNEY]

I originally booked at BVS at the mousesavers rate and thought the free breakfast buffet would be a great perk. I was not happy with the pics of the pool and since this is an adult only trip, we like to spend some time relaxing at the pool. I checked out the Caribe site and loved the pool. I called BVS and asked since they are sister properties, if BVS guests could use the pool at Caribe and was told that was not allowed due to insurance and liability etc. I know others are under the impression that you can use the pool, but I decided not to chance it. I changed my res to Caribe and sure, we'll be paying for our breakfast now but that big waterfall pool looks worth it!

 

[4Seasons]

I originally booked at BVS at the mousesavers rate and thought the free breakfast buffet would be a great perk. I was not happy with the pics of the pool and since this is an adult only trip, we like to spend some time relaxing at the pool. I checked out the Caribe site and loved the pool. I called BVS and asked since they are sister properties, if BVS guests could use the pool at Caribe and was told that was not allowed due to insurance and liability etc. I know others are under the impression that you can use the pool, but I decided not to chance it. I changed my res to Caribe and sure, we'll be paying for our breakfast now but that big waterfall pool looks worth it!

I got it straight from the director of sales for Buena Vista Suites that it is allowed. I'm sending him an email right now to clarify it but that was exactly what he told a group of agents at the tradeshow I attended.

 

[manhattan]

We just stayed at Caribe royale last month and I thought the pool there was for guest only??? I would have booked BVS if we could have used the pool at Caribe Royale. Would have been less money and include breakfast.

We just stayed at the BVS this past weekend and I also asked at check-in and was told that we could only use the restaurants at the Caribe Royale - what about the pool? She said no. I guess it depends who you ask

 

[Wendaeh]

Both these resorts have one day sales - today (Wed) it's Caribe - here's a link: http://www.cariberoyale.com/offers/1_Day_Sale.html

My date is 30% off today - and less than last Thursday's one day sale for BVS in case anyone wants to check it out.

 

[4Seasons]

I got it straight from the director of sales for Buena Vista Suites that it is allowed. I'm sending him an email right now to clarify it but that was exactly what he told a group of agents at the tradeshow I attended.

Got a response from the director of sales today, and he backpeddled a bit from what we were originally told. He stated that they reserve that privilege for groups, but individual leisure bookings it was a "gray area".
That is most definately not what was said the night of the tradeshow, and it really upsets me because I almost booked a client into BVS on monday (but she decided to do onsite Universal hotel instead).
I called my friend that attended with me that night, and she also said he told us it was no problem.

 

[Wendaeh]

Thanks for checking the info - bummer that the information he gave you wasn't accurate....but better than being thrown out of a pool we shouldn't be at.. now THAT would be embarassing!

I went ahead and booked with Caribe with their 1 day sale rate and got it cheaper that BVS by about $7 - we'll put that toward aDenny's breakfast.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

I doubt anyone would get thrown out if they went over to Caribe believing that they were allowed to use the pool since they are sister resorts. I don't believe you wear any type of wristband, like at the beach club.
I have read somewhere else( it was some review site-maybe trip advisor) that somebody asked the desk people if they could use the Caribe pool and they said yes. Sounds like the employees give out different info-like at bookings?

 

[Brian Noble]

I vaguely recall that it used to be true---I could have sworn Mary Waring's writeup on the place used to say this. It doesn't say it now, though. I just checked.