Orlando, Florida

[shineybomb]

Recommendations for Hotels to stay in and Hotels I should avoid (further to my post yesterday). Can anyone recommend good hotels to stay in for two 27 year old big kids. Is there anywhere you have stayed which I should avoid? A bit of nightlife would be good, mainly looking for a bit of variety in restaurants rather than nightclubs. We are looking for 14 nights with a budget of �700 - �1,000. I have been looking through the Virgin brochure but there are so many to choose from. Thank you

[NixnJay]

Avoid staying at the Disney resorts. Unless you pay top wack, the standard accomodation is cramped, basic and very reminscent of 1970 Butlins!!Def def def recommend a villa! Rather than fly to orlando international , look for deals to Sanford International which is usually much cheaper and very easy to get to and from. Fly drives sometimes work out well, and driving outhere is almost a pleasure! Pleasure Island is the big clubbing place, but please, be very careful...Friends of mine had their drinks spiked last year, and they were in a crowd of couples, not even girls out on their own! Hope this helps!

[Metz]

Have a look on the Travel City Direct webpage you might get it cheaper on there than virgin.
We usually stay near Pointe Orlando (cinema,shops,hooters etc) , a short walk away is The Mercado, but i think it's gone down hill a bit.
Loads of restaurants to choose from too !

[cherryelm]

Be adventurous shineybomb and be an independant traveller ditch the brochures and you can do it cheaper.Book flights car and hotel seperately. There are thousands of hotels etc to choose from check out ones you fancy on www.tripadvisor.co.uk.

[seat151]

I have stayed in the Wyndham Lodge, on International Drive and enjoyed every minute of it.

Most places on International drive are fie.

[shineybomb]

We did fancy the Animal Kingdom Lodge but it costs �1399 the fortnight we were planning to go (end of April).

So we'll give the Disney park hotels a miss unless I win the lottery before we book it.

Don't really fancy a villa as we don't want to hire a car because we have both only been driving for a couple of years and neither of us feels experienced enough (there is no way I'm letting him drive in another country, its bad enough here!)

I don't think we'll be clubbing while we're there, its not his thing and I would only if I was with my mates.

Wyndam Orlando does look nice and its only �859

A friend at work recommended staying near Downtown Disney as there is plenty to do at night - is that a good idea?

[cherryelm]

homewood suites on i drive are also very good with a lot of extras although the pool is a little dissappointing.

[xanderma]

I beg to differ on the Disney hotels! We've stayed at Port Orleans 3 times, once in the French Quarter (before the kids were born) and twice in Riverside.

With 5 of us, yes it was a bit cramped, but for just 2 of you, the FQ is lovely, reasonably priced and you get all the Disney Transport free of charge, plus you never lose the Disney atmosphere - which can be a good or bad thing depending on your viewpoint!

As a Disney guest, you are free to use any of the other hotel restaurants, again you can use the Disney transport to get to and fro.

Have a look at tripadvisor.com for some good information, but remember it is all subjective!

[flipflop104]

As per my previous post, if you're going with Virgin you could stay at the Travelodge on Interntaitonal Drive (it's just set back about 100m off I-Drive). It's a pleasant hotel, near to a few restaurants and also like I previously mentioned near Wet and wild which you can pop into every day if you have a spare hour at the end of the day (providing you get the Universal, Island Of Adv, Seaworld and W&W pass) and Beltz (shopping, shopping, shopping!!) is only a short trolley bus ride away.

Mercado is being closed down unfortunately. :o(

[shineybomb]

The Travelodge is definately one of the top options on my list at the moment - just got to run them by the boyfriend, although I know he'll just say that he's happy wherever he stays (as long as I organise it!)

It will definately be International Drive too

Thanks everyone for your suggestions

[maidon]

hi shineybomb

hope I'm not to late with my suggestion - it's the Clarion Hotel Universal which is very handy - have stayed there a few times and have never been disappointed.

Just off the world famous International Drive, across the street from Wet-n-Wild water park
Minutes to the Mercado shopping, dining and entertainment pavilion, Belz Factory Outlet Malls, Pointe Orlando, the New Mall at Millena, the Florida Mall and many of the top attractions that put the �Magic� in Orlando
2 miles from Orange County Convention center
9 miles from Orlando International Airport
10 miles from Disney World�s Magic Kingdom, MGM Studios, Epcot Center and Disney�s Animal Kingdom
Transportation services at the hotel

[shineybomb]

Thanks for your suggestion - I've not booked anything yet. I will take a look at your recommendation, I don't think I've looked at that hotel yet. Thanks

[SAM1CH99]

Our hotels all come well recommended... by me!

Hotel Boulevard:
Hilton
Royal Plaza
Courtyard by Marriott

International Drive
Marriott Grand Vista - used by us 3 times.

You canna wack it man!