Which off site hotel?

[DisneyaholicRaquel]

Don't flame me but, which off site hotel do you recommend? I'm looking for 4/3 - 4/9 at either Hyatt Place (across the street) $600 or Homewood Suites (American Way - closest to Universal) $698. The rates for onsite hotels started @ $2100 and that's way out of my budget!!! Any advice would greatly be appreciated.

A little background info:

Myself 32, DS10 and DF33, DS11 (2 rooms)
Last time visiting Universal 2006
AAA Member

I hope I didn't forget anything.....

 

[macraven]

doubletree is popular and has a promo for $89 a night.
it is a short walk to the parks from there.

 

[Darcy03231]

We stayed at the Sheraton Studio City which is half a mile away and really liked it. I got it on Hotwire for $62/night.

 

[Todd&Copper]

I am going to second the sugegstion of Doubletree. I thought it was a nice room and a good price. They have a free shuttle to the parks, but DH and I never used it back in January b/c it was such a short walk (about 5 minutes).

 

[Metro West]

doubletree is popular and has a promo for $89 a night.
it is a short walk to the parks from there.

 

[ky07]

I have to agree with The Doubletree too and it is a nice hotel but nothing fancy and a big plus is there is a few good places to eat that is cheap and for me they have a place onsite that has pizzahut pizza

 

[stwyatt]

i've been able to get the crowne plaza universal 2x thru hotwire for $59/night. very clean, not much traffic going to/from universal--less than a mile away

 

[DisneyaholicRaquel]

i've been able to get the crowne plaza universal 2x thru hotwire for $59/night. very clean, not much traffic going to/from universal--less than a mile away

How do you know it's the crowne plaza? I'd take $59 a night in a second....

Thanks, for all the replies....keep them coming

 

[Darcy03231]

I've had really good luck using Hotwire for hotels. If you go to their site and limit your search to Universal area and to 3* and up and I don't think you'll be disappointed with any of the hotels you get. I never had. Usually in the 3* and up category I end up with Doubletree, Sheraton, Wyndham, Hyatt, Hilton or Crowne Plaza.

 

[macraven]

Darcy, which one of those hotels require a resort fee also?

 

[Darcy03231]

I don't believe I've ever paid a resort fee at any of these hotels (if I did I didn't catch it). Before I book I check the amenities page and if it lists a resort fee I choose another hotel. Last time we got the Sheraton Studio City for $62/night and I know I didn't pay a resort fee there (l just looked over the old paperwork).

 

[macraven]

Thanks Darcy.
I was checking out a board of users that book with hotwire and they talked about a resort fee for an offsite hotel in the universal area.

 

[Darcy03231]

Just for fun I checked Hotwire for the OP's dates. Only 3 choices came up - a 3* at $52/night, 3.5* at $100/night and a 3* condo at $153/night. None of them listed a resort fee in the amenities.

Did they say which hotel was charging a resort fee? and is it after you book and pay through Hotwire and then they try to charge you when you get there?

I'm really curious as I travel a lot and use Hotwire almost all the time.

 

[8esther8]

Do any of these hotels have queen sized beds? I'm assuming there's no free breakfast. I was also interested in Homewood Suites for these two reasons. Homewood Suites also offers a simple "dinner" every night M-F. With 3 teenage boys, that's hard to beat, but the cheapest price I'm finding for them is 125. a night. I'm afraid to chance Hotwire, and be stuck with a double bed. If they all have queens, it might be worth guessing on the hotel...

 

[donaldduck352]

The Crown looks beautiful and $59 a night-not bad,not bad at all..

 

[ky07]

Do any of these hotels have queen sized beds? I'm assuming there's no free breakfast. I was also interested in Homewood Suites for these two reasons. Homewood Suites also offers a simple "dinner" every night M-F. With 3 teenage boys, that's hard to beat, but the cheapest price I'm finding for them is 125. a night. I'm afraid to chance Hotwire, and be stuck with a double bed. If they all have queens, it might be worth guessing on the hotel...

The Doubletree room we get is standard 2 queen and this is what they look like

As you can see my boys are big and the had plenty of room sharing the bed

 

[DisneyaholicRaquel]

Do any of these hotels have queen sized beds? I'm assuming there's no free breakfast. I was also interested in Homewood Suites for these two reasons. Homewood Suites also offers a simple "dinner" every night M-F. With 3 teenage boys, that's hard to beat, but the cheapest price I'm finding for them is 125. a night. I'm afraid to chance Hotwire, and be stuck with a double bed. If they all have queens, it might be worth guessing on the hotel...

For Homewood Suites I got a AAA rate of $103.50 a night. I looked at hotwire and the $50 - 3* room is hard to pass up. I just don't want to be stuck with something that's not up to par. Does anyone know how to figure out which hotel it is???

 

[Metro West]

For Homewood Suites I got a AAA rate of $103.50 a night. I looked at hotwire and the $50 - 3* room is hard to pass up. I just don't want to be stuck with something that's not up to par. Does anyone know how to figure out which hotel it is???

Isn't Hotwire like rolling dice...you never quite know what you're getting? I've never used them.

 

[Sue909]

We're staying at the Hyatt Place across from Universal (Caravan Court). It looks like they have nice rooms from the pictures. They have two Q beds and then a half wall and then a sleeper sofa that pulls out. I like how it's separate from the beds. Will fit my family of 5 nicely. Plasma TV and free continental breakfast. Also Starbucks coffee, ahhhhhh!!!
I originally booked for $129 per nght + tax and then used my mastercard points for the rest of the nights. However, I saw they were now at $99 per night so I called and they changed my rate to $99.
I will say that everytime I call there, I get someone who is helpful and nice.

 

[Darcy03231]

Isn't Hotwire like rolling dice...you never quite know what you're getting? I've never used them.

Yes, you don't know the hotel until you buy it. If you have your heart set on a certain hotel then I wouldn't use it. If you really don't care what hotel you're in as long as its decent you can save a lot of money. I always pick at least a 3* and have never been disappointed with what we got.