- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Buena Vista Palace
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels [Edit]
1900 E Buena Vista Drive, PO Box 22206Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(866) 397-6516
$99 for Fall Esacpe
Dinner for two, bottle of wine, spa offers, subject to availability, must book online.
http://tinyurl.com/BVP...
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
39 reviews for Buena Vista Palace
Review Highlights
"...value and close proximity to the parks and downtown Disney."
(in 18 reviews)
"The front desk was very helpful and friendly when we were..."
(in 8 reviews)
"Quick ride to the Magic Kingdom."
(in 2 reviews)
Loading...
39 reviews in English
-
Review from John L. H.
New Orleans, LA
12/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The Buena Vista Palace is a nice hotel.
We were headed to Disney and needed a place to stay before moving to a Disney hotel. This hotel was one of the Downtown Disney properties, was four stars and seemed reasonably priced ($119).
The check in process was a breeze, as was valet parking. Our room was a double-queen with a balcony and couch. We didn't pay for the view of the Disney Park, but in the distance we could see something that looked like Epcot.
The hotel is in the Downtown Disney area, but isn't really that close. We tried driving there and all of the parking areas were full, so we just went back to the hotel.
The room was nice and comfortable. I would stay here again if I weren't going to Disney, but not if I planned on visiting the parks.
Note: Make sure to get the free wi-fi password at check in.Listed in: Off Disney Property
-
Review from Keila N.
12/16/2011 9 photos
This hotel is located inside the Disney World property. There are a lot of hotels inside the Disney World property, but I thought this was the best place to stay if you're visiting any of the theme parks.
Reasons why I enjoyed staying here:
1. You can do laundry on the second floor for $7.25 ($3 for wash; $3 for dry; $1.25 for detergent);
2. It has two luxury bathrobes inside the closet;
3. It provides free in-room wifi access (code will be given at check in);
4. It gives you coupons to use at Downtown Disney;
5. Downtown Disney is within walking distance;
6. Bus to Epcot and Universal Studios come to the 1st level; and
7. There's a kiosk to print out airline tickets on the second floor.
$75 per day for resort feeListed in: Orlando, Florida
-
Review from Rick B.
12/9/2011
To "damn with faint praise", I'd say "not bad for a resort".
So I ought to qualify that thought to start with: I find that "resort" hotels tend to over-charge compared to similar hotels orientated at business travelers, and have inefficient and/or poor customer service. I therefore normally only go to these places if, as in this case, I'm at a conference that is located there, or alternatively where there are no other full service options (some holiday destinations).
I should also situate the appreciation to say I had absolutely zero interest in any of the "attractions" (Disney et al) in the vicinity: even as a young child I found Disney's lead character - Mickey Mouse - irritating in his best known form (not a lot of people know that very early cartoons had him as a more acceptable - less "syrupy" - character).
So, for this property:
The Good:
- The rooms are quite good, have normal business amenities (wired internet, laptop safe), and provide bathrobes (a discretionary extra I quite like)
The Bad:
- Customer Service (to deal with minor "glitches") was generally lackadaisical, but I would pick out one member of the Front Desk team - "Rebecca from New York" as very helpful - as the exception that proves the rule
- The Valet Parking staff are some of the rudest I've ever had the misfortune to encounter, trying excessively hard to scam people into using their unnecessary service (my contention remains that if you've trundled your luggage from baggage reclaim to rental car counter to parking lot at one end of a journey, why do hotels believe you suddenly loose this ability at the other end and so need Valet Parking and Bell Service?). When I finally - and not thanks to the (then) obscured sign or aforementioned Valet staff - located the self parking, it is a bit of a mess: scattered around, and with poor walking routes back to property due to lack of bridges over streams
- Predictably, the charges for incidentals (sodas from the shop, guest laundry, etc.) are excessive: about twice what I'd expect to pay at a similar level of hotel in a major city location
- Unless you get a bundled rate - which my conference organisers had fortunately secured - they will charge a $19.95/day "resort fee" to get Internet etc.(another one of those little "features" I deprecate at "resorts") which is NOT quantified in advance on any of the literature
- And a final little trap - unlike most business hotels, check out is 11:00 (not 12:00) ... which meant I was a little surprised by housekeeping banging on my door at 11:05 asking why I hadn't left, when I thought I had an hour left of working at desk time!
The Ugly:
- Nothing to warrant this level of disapproval, hence my original "not bad for a resort".Listed in: Staying
-
Review from Dave J.
San Jose, CA
2/5/2012
This place reeked of mold! all of the conference rooms we awful because it just circulated the mold in the air. In my bedroom the shower curtain reeked like body odor that's how bad the mold was. Woke up the next morning wheezing from the circulated air conditioning. When I checked out I even told the front desk how bad it was and the lady said oh I will make a note of that for our staff, and she didn't write anything down and went right back to what she was doing. Overall I would not recommend anyone stay here until they fix the mold issue!
-
Review from Cristina C.
Orlando, FL
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Buena Vista Palace is my go-to hotel when I need to get away from home for a few days and pretend I'm on vacation.
I'm not really going for the location. While it's nearly across the street from Downtown Disney, as a local I have no need to go to Mickey's Evil Shopping Empire. If you're not from around here, knock yourself out. It's a good mile-long walk.
I'm not really going for discounts to the parks or as a base camp after going to theme parks. As a local, I don't really go to theme parks. If you're not from around here and like theme parks, there's a shuttle to Disney. Knock yourself out.
The hotel is in itself my destination, and I like it.
Pros:
-Modern rooms with absolutely no floral patterns anywhere
-Spa items in the bathroom
-Balconies in every room
-A staff that isn't overly friendly but doesn't spit in your face
-Affordable
-Never crowded
-Awesome pool that appears to be open 24 hours
-A poolside bar so you can drown out the screams of children with alcohol
Cons:
-Absurd parking situation. If you're smart, you'll cut through the convention center and laugh at the poor suckers in suits who are stuck working
-A bit nickel-and-dimey. Resort fees and a food shop that is ridiculously overpriced
-Huge deposits. I booked with a debit card on my last trip using http://Hotels.com. The hotel felt it necessary to put a $350 hold on my debit card which took five days to come off. I was not warned upon check-in about the hold, and this bothered me. I'd recommend using a credit card
The debit card hold was an irritant that might make me look elsewhere in the future, but this is a good stay in the area for a vacation or, in my case, a staycation. -
Review from Wolf G.
Westbury, NY
1/12/2012
Ever since my mom and I have come to the Walt Disney World Resort, we have stayed at this hotel every time we have visited with one exception when we stayed at the Hilton in Downtown Disney and we even stayed at this hotel when it was owned by Wyndham. We choose to stay here as the rooms are nice, the amenities are plentiful, and it is on Disney property without the Deluxe Disney Resort price tag. Like always, my mom and myself chose to stay in the Island Suite for around $279/night as it is roomy enough for us to stretch out after a long day in the parks. On January 4th, 2012, we arrived at the Buena Vista Palace where Dolan and Sean greeted us in a friendly manner and Sean the Bellhop got our bags up to our room quickly. We were checked in in less than ten minutes by Rebecca from New York, who was very friendly and chatty as well! After checking in, we went to park our car as we did not want to valet. Once we parked, we made our way to Room 4424 in the Island Suites building, which was clean with little to no wear and tear. We found the pressure of the showers to be excellent and the beds were very comfortable! When we were not at the parks having a magical time, we enjoyed the swimming pools, which were kept at a nice warm temperature, immaculate, and well maintained, despite the fact that they seemed like they were constructed in the Reagan era. I also enjoyed soaking in the pleasantly warm hot tub to soothe my body after long days at the theme parks. I should also note that the pools are open 24 hours, making them perfect for swimming anytime. My mom and myself enjoyed the fitness center as well, which had equipment that worked well, was a nice size, and was clean. While we rarely ate the hotel as we bought groceries and usually ate at the parks, there were certain exceptions in which we used the hotel to eat. At the Watercress Mini Market, I bought Starbucks coffee for my mom which was delicious, but overpriced at $3.99. While most of the room service items were expensive with their markups and different surcharges, the Pizza special was an exception as I had a Whole Pizza and 2 liter Diet Coke for $13 with the 20% surcharge and it was high quality as well! Also, we ate at the Watercress Cafe for breakfast before we left on our last day for the airport, which was reasonably priced at $21 in change and had delicious food. In addition, from bellhops to maids to maitenance people to the concierge to the front desk, everyone served us with a smile! Checking out was easy as we were able to call the front desk to check out without having to trek to the front desk. All in all, I recommend the Buena Vista Palace as a deluxe resort to stay at on Disney property without the Disney Deluxe Resort price tag!
-
Review from Amanda S.
Melbourne, FL
11/12/2011
Overall, this hotel was average or met most of my expectations. The rooms were clean, but small. My room did not have a bathtub, which might matter to some. The king bed room has a small desk, small closet, and small vanity area, limited storage, and awkwardly placed electrical outlets. Overall great location, within walking distance to Downtown Disney and other restaurants and attractions. Bus service was never on time and very slow, it took nearly 45min to drive 6 miles from Epcot to the Hotel at 8pm. I did appreciate the Balcony view of Epcot, request this and you can see the fireworks from Epcot and Magic Kingdom to avoid the late crowd of people leaving the park.
Although the hotel was nice, I can't give it a great review because of hidden fees and extra charges not outlined online when I booked, upon arrival to the reservation desk I was told I must pay an extra $22 to receive a promotional package I was told was included in the price I already paid. The promotional price was $89 a night, but after all the fees and extra charges a nightly rate was over $125. I was left rather unsatisfied with the outcome as I was stuck with a bill I didn't agree with after arguing with managers around the hotel. So, you have been warned.
Dinner at the Outback was very nice, quiet, and speedy. -
Review from Michael L.
San Diego, CA
8/14/2011
The good: Super comfortable beds, great location, nice clean rooms, friendly staff.
The bad: Parking is waaaay far from the lobby. The showers are mega death ray powerful. The water shoots out of the shower head so strong and fierce that if you jump in unprepared, it feels like a laser is slicing through your body. I made the mistake of facing the showerhead, turning it on full blast, and took a piercing shot of water right to my johnson. It was funny as far as dick jokes go. -
Review from Jenny B.
Frankfort, IL
7/23/2011
I was so excited to visit Disney since the last time I was down there was over 10 years ago. We had a "free" stay at this hotel so we were pretty excited and was told that it was a Hilton hotel, which we felt was a good brand.
When we arrived we paid about $30 extra a night to have a "Fireworks" view. When we got to the room we couldn't believe how small it was. We felt pretty uncomfortable so we asked the front desk to switch rooms.
After trying 3 different rooms, we ended up offering to pay $90 extra a night to stay in a "water view suite"....WHAT A JOKE! All I could see out the window was the corner of a pool that looks like it wasn't updated since 1970. There were two double beds that looked like the sheets/comforters weren't cleaned and the table looked like a dog chewed the edges.
All of the walk ways were pretty run down and things just weren't in the best shape. I felt like they tried to cover up the ugliness the best they could but it didn't work.
Basically...I would never recommend this hotel....We end up packing out things and drove to the beach for a real water view! -
Review from Julia W.
4/25/2011
My fiance and I were going to be in Orlando and doing the "disney" and Universal parks. We went over Memorial Day weekend and knew it might be a little busy.
We chose Lake Buena Vista due to it being a 'downtown disney' resort as well as value. The Downtown Disney hotels had free shuttles to and from the Disney parks (where we'd be seeing 3-4 parks). We ended up getting a rental car for the whole stay as we wanted the option to leave early and for Universal trips.
We got in pretty late on Thursday night and our room was ready. There is 'free' parking but the one downside is that it is not near the entrance to the hotel. We were never able to find parking in the lot closest to the door and had to park a ways out and walk in. Most of the time, I'd be fine with this but it was a very wet weekend in Orlando.
We had to haul our stuff up the long escalators as well as elevators to get to our room. I enjoyed our room as it was very large and had a fridge (which we used for bottled water and some snacks).
The one downside to the room (which other reviewers had mentioned) is that the rooms 'are' super thin. We had a neighbor next door who was partying (we could hear bottles clinking) at 1am as well as slamming doors in the halls all hours of the night. We did our best to ignore them but it definitely didn't help us sleep after a long day at the theme parks.
They also did not have breakfast included for the price that we paid for the room. I know some 'lower' end hotels provide breakfast (even if continental) but ours did not. We ended up buying breakfast items at the grocery store and eating them in our room before heading out for the day.
I really enjoyed the bathroom setup as the sink was separated from the bathroom so you could still use it while the restroom was occupied.
Overall, it wasn't a bad stay although the noise was a concern as well as the parking. We did not end up using the shuttles at all so I can't speak to that. -
Review from Grace C.
3/7/2011
It was a decent hotel for its price. We were "upgraded" to a lake view room so we got to enjoy the sunrise the following morning on our balcony.
The bathroom was smaller than I imagined for a "four star" accommodation. I was happy with the room overall.
I was not pleased to see that the sliding chain lock on our door was broken. There were two holes in the door where the lock used to be.
The pros of the hotel is that it's very close to the parks. It is also across the street from Downtown Disney. The hotel lobby was very beautiful and modern. The front desk was very helpful and friendly when we were checking in. We could checkout by calling the operator and leaving our keys in the room.
The cons: the parking lot is very far from the main building so unless you resort to valet parking, you would need to walk a fair distance between the hotel and your spot. The pillows were not comfortable and way too soft. The resort fee is approximately $17 per day. The TV channels were not very clear. -
Review from Irene Y.
3/10/2011
Expedia had a promotion for this hotel and after extensive research, we decided to give it a shot. Very comfortable and luxurious rooms. The room was large and had a mini fridge, tv, and a beautiful view of the lake.
They also had excellent pool facilities, was directly across from downtown disney, and had complimentary shuttles to all the parks (leaves every 30 mins). My only complaint is the hidden resort fee that is added to the bill. ($20 bucks a night). Ugh..
Overall I'd give it a 3.5 since we had a great stay until I saw the bill :/ -
Review from Jennifer K.
Bradenton, FL
8/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Very nice view. Clean, modern style rooms. My husband and I will definitely stay here again.
-
Review from Josh U.
Metairie, LA
9/17/2010
When traveling to Orlando I've always stayed at Disney or Universal resorts. However on this trip I was able to get a really good deal on a room at Buena Vista Palace ($100/night).
The room was very modern and looked to have been updated somewhat recently. However it felt a bit tattered. The only real complaint here is the parking situation. I chose to park the car myself instead of using the valet option. The walk to and from the hotel was by far the longest walk I've ever had at any hotel.
Overall at $100/night this was a great value. -
Review from Shannon B.
Seattle, WA
9/13/2010 3 Check-ins Here
On Disney property, adjacent to Downtown Disney - location can't be beat!
The hotel upgraded some things recently and it shows. The room interiors are now updated and have a chic feel to them, and the beds and bedding are very comfy and great for sleeping.
Good cleanliness overall, but the fact that someone else's oily forehead mark stayed on the window glass of my room for THREE DAYS before the window was cleaned kinda grossed me out. And, it made me wonder what else they skipped over in their cleaning.
Room service was good, the restaurants appear solidly decent and the service was timely. Valet service was friendly without exception as well. I enjoyed the pool twice, and again, great service from the woman overseeing the sundries and towels hut. Loved being able to watch the exotic birds strut/gambol/walk across the lawns while I relaxed and read my book. -
Review from Ronald J.
Tallahassee, FL
8/24/2011
So I'm going to talk about the hotel. Is really great! The rooms are very spacious. The service was good. The handicapped accommodations are some of the best I've seen. They have a full bar with a good scene.
The hotel has an Outback in it. The menu was limited.
The room service had a better menu than the Outback. The prices seemed high, and the wait for room service was 2 hours. But, I would recommend hotel. -
Review from Eric L.
Monterey Park, CA
12/29/2010
This was a nice hotel that is basically across the street from Downtown Disney. We got a good deal from Expedia. Our room was in the second building which is kinda a long walk from the main building. Also, the parking lot was also a long walk from our room. But we didn't have to use the car too much because they have shuttles that take you to the theme parks every 30 minutes. The rooms were nice and clean.
My only complaint is that the internet stopped working while we were there. I contacted the front desk and they said that the technician came but couldn't fix the problem. And they didn't offer any apology of any kind. Since I was on vacation, I didn't mind too much but it would suck if you were there on business and really needed the internet. In this day and age, it can't be that hard to fix the wi-fi at a hotel. -
Review from Melissa F.
Sarasota, FL
2/7/2011
I will start with the good...
- Beautiful hotel inside and out.
- Walking distance to Downtown Disney.
- Quick ride to the Magic Kingdom.
- Close to the highway.
- Clean hotel room and bathroom.
- Could buy tickets to Disney in the hotel.
- Many restaurants to choose from.
- Lots of TV stations
- Price was pretty cheap $99 a night
- It was a safe place to stay.
- Had many amenities.
- They had CEILING FANS! Thank you GOD!
The bad...
- The sheets were so hard and loud. The sounds kept me up all night. If you bring your own sheets you might be fine.
- The air wasn't working, they fixed it though.
- The phone couldn't call guest services. Could never get the message that was blinking.
- Shower handle came of and almost hit my fit. It didn't but it was close and heavy!
- The feather duvets are nice, BUT it is FLORIDA and the duvet was the only blanket you had. So, it was either a paper sheet that was hard or a soft duvet that made you sweat all night. Florida needs light blankets.
Overall...
It wasn't a bad hotel, but when you can't sleep it kind of overshadows everything. I brought my own pillow and still couldn't sleep. My husband and son didn't either. The location was amazing and so convenient. If I could have slept nothing else would have mattered because the location was great and price was decent. I don't like to pay a lot for hotels in Orlando because you are barely there, but a comfy bed is a must so I might need to spend more next time. -
Review from Linnette L.
Los Angeles, CA
7/22/2011
Pretty terrible. Nice lobby and conference room, but that's about it. Low quality customer service--I've had much better.
-
Review from Wanugee N.
Pleasant Hill, CA
2/2/2008
This Hotel is located in the "Downtown Disney" resort area hotel row, actually on Disneyworld's property, albeit some distance from attractions. There is a bus to Disney World. The Hilton Orlando Resort is also a part of Downtown Disney, as well as the Doubletree Guest Suites, Regal Sun Resort, Holiday Inn, and Royal Plaza.
The BV Palace is part of the Luxury Resorts "LXR" collection of more upscale settings. Similar hotels belonging to this affiliation include The Boulders in Carefree, AZ, The London NYC, Carmel Valley Ranch, CA, The Saratoga in NY, Georgetown Inn, in DC, and several properties in Puerto Rico, Florida and the Florida Keys.
What do you get in a "Luxury" Hotel that you may not get in a business hotel?
A) 2 terry bathrobes
B) Larger and more bath products
C) Finer, more elegant appointments, rich wood, clean lines/patterns
D) Slightly better and larger bath towels
E) 4 pillows instead of 3
F) Less riff raff other guests
G) Spa, Golf, or both
H) Larger grounds
This place has a full service spa. Examples from their price list:
Massages in either 50 minutes or 80 minute sessions:
Swedish 100/150
Deep Tissue or Aromatherapy 110/165
Shiatsu 120/170
Hot Stone 130/180
Mother-to-be or Cranial/Sacral 120
Facials 75 - 150
Body 75 - 175
Manicure (50 min) 50; Pedicure 65
Full hair Salon with cut, color, treatments
Also full nail salon, waxing, tanning, and kid treatments
Actually, the Buena Vista Palace is pretty reasonable for supposedly being Luxury. Winter time specials can be had for $139/nt. Normally a room is between $169 - 199. Suites from $200 - $299
This place is more for couples than families. There are better choices for families in the area. There is a convention center for meetings, with many meeting rooms. Self parking is free but out of the way. Valet is $15/day. There are 2 restaurants and 2 bars on site. Service is average. Buena Vista is also the name of Disney's Film distribution arm. I think they used it for their hotel properties. There are at least 2 other hotels named Buena Vista. One is the high rise Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort, lower end adjacent to this one. The other is mid range Buena Vista Suites, next to the Caribe Royal. This is the Palace, the better of the three.Listed in: Wanugee! Hotels, Wanugee! Orlando
-
Review from Mary Beth H.
Jackson Heights, NY
2/19/2009
I stayed at this hotel while working for a dance convention/competition on site, in the hotel's ballrooms. My employer arranged to pay for my room tab, along with my 12 coworkers' room tabs.
As with most hotels, the Buena Vista Palace required me to put down a credit card to cover "incidental" costs. Upon doing this, I asked the woman at the desk if the room charge was going to be put on my credit card, and she said, "Oh no, this is only to cover room service."
When I checked out of the hotel, my balance was 0.00, and my employer was charged for my stay, per usual.
Six months later, the Buena Vista Palace Hotel has charged my credit card $850! I never would have known, had I not looked at the transactions on my credit card bill. My coworkers received the same charges, as well!
Apparently, the dance company I was working for, skipped out on their bills, and the Buena Vista Palace went after all of us who were working for them. Every one of us that checked into the hotel had been charged for our week-long stay.
When we tried to dispute the charges, we were told by our card companies that we signed a paper that says we would pay for our rooms if our employer didn't cover the costs!
The people running this hotel are deceitful human beings. There's no better example of an overpriced, "take your money and run" sort of hotel, than this. -
Review from Craig M.
Orlando, FL
6/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Old pool, update from 5 years ago is nearly worn out. Nothing palatial about it (honestly, I expected it to look like a palace - lol). It's nice for $99/night. Shocking that they charge a resort fee - especially since everything resortish is old and dilapidated. However, they put on a nice event and congrats to the newly married couple.
-
Review from Carrie U.
4/17/2008 4 photos
This hotel is located right across from Downtown Disney, yet seemed secluded. Maybe it was the nature preserve to the right of the property, or the lake bordering the back. Whatever the reason, I had a relaxing time here. I had a great view of the lake and part of the nature preserve. (stayed in a lake-view room on the 22nd floor)
Apparently the rooms were recently renovated. They are really nice. They didn't finish painting the exterior of the building, however. They cut corners and forgot to paint the undersides of the ceilings over the balconies.
Keeping it concise:
Pros:
-24 hour (heated) pool/hot tub
-Great toiletries
-Nicely furnished rooms and stuff to use (bathrobes)
-Nice landscaping
-Nice housekeepers (ran into them a few times, always asked if I needed anything)
- Resort fee actually got you something (at least 2 waters a day, spa usage (sauna, steam room, gym)
-Free internet (you can get a coupon at the front desk with a code for free internet)
Cons:
-No (free) airport shuttle. No Magical Express.
-No "key to the world" Disney pass
-No parking pass= no hopping/visiting Disney resorts (boardwalk, port orleans..)
-Convenience store not open late (inconvenient!)
-Resort fee
-Expensive bar/restaurants
-Lots o suits (business people) bring down the party atmosphere
-Even though Downtown Disney is across the street, getting there is like playing Frogger/ you still have to walk across the entire parking lot
-Small tub. Had to ask for one
Oh yeah: Skip the spa. The staff is really nice and friendly, but the facilities are in desperate need of renovation. -
Review from V A.
Miami Beach, FL
6/29/2011
I loved it! Great value and close proximity to the parks and downtown Disney. We booked our stay through Orbitz so we got a great deal. The lobby and rooms are contemporary and kept very clean. We enjoyed the fresh white terry cloth robes and fragrant toiletries. The rooms are also equipped with a mini fridge and coffee maker (with instant coffee & sweeteners). I was very impressed with the front desk staff and overall all the employees were friendly and professional. The free shuttles to the parks were very convenient and run up to an hour & a half past park closing times so you don't feel rushed. Very cute hotel, we enjoyed every minute of it! It feels like an upscale escape without any pretentiousness. I would definitely stay here again!
-
Review from justin m.
Naperville, IL
9/5/2008
We stayed here for 4 nights at $159/night.
Location was good, $58 cab ride from the hotel. Various buses will take you to the nearby attractions and downtown Disney is walking distance.
Had a cockroach in our hotel room, hotel comped us $75.
Restaurants on the property are bad (Steakhouse was terrible, sports bar is neutral)
Internet access is $12.95/day.
Decent workout facility, treadmills and free weights.
Overall, decent not great. Cockroach and poor onsite restaurants lead us to a 2 rating. -
Review from Andrew G.
San Francisco, CA
6/13/2008
I had a lovely time at this property last weekend, and plan on staying here as an actual registered guest when I return next June. I didn't intend on sampling so many rooms, but one thing led to another and I kicked my Starwood-whoreness to the curb.
I didn't try the spa facilities, but I did try the pool. At noon. at 3pm. at 3am. and at 6am. My what a nice facility, at all hours of the day. We never were really admonished after-hours pool use, as some other hotels tend to do, rather, the hotel staff was very professional and allowed us to play music, swim, and converse amongst ourselves. The music got kinda loud in the afternoons, but there was some special event happening so I'll excuse that.
My friends were mostly in the back building next to the pool. I spent a couple of nights in what seemed to be a high floor double queen. The amenities looked nice, and the room looked like it had a recent remodel. The bed was fantastic and comfortable, although I think we had a few too many blankets for the hot humid air. Plenty of soft pillows as well, although I think we lost one.
The two level suite I viewed appeared to have the same stuff, just much much bigger (duh!). It had nice balconies on both levels, upstairs being very private (if you can slip out with others noticing) for spending time with someone special, or perhaps some sun bathing. There was a nice full bathroom downstairs, which really lacked in privacy when showering, but I suppose that's my fault for opening the door at the wrong time.
I got the opportunity to meet some of the staff, they were very dedicated and took great pride in ensuring guests had a comfortable experience.
Cell service sucks in the conference center, come on, the state is flat! -
Review from Carl S.
Arlington, VA
5/12/2011
This is a nice hotel that is right across the street from "Downtown Disney". it has a (small) Fitness Center and a nice pool area, which are both pluses. I have a few complaints. The temperature in the room was not adjustable and was set at 62. I just turned the AC off most of the time, to avoid freezing my ass off, but the room got pretty hot and muggy. The shower head is shorter than I am (6 feet), so I had to crane my neck to shampoo my hair. And the maids seem baffled by "do not disturb" signs (they came in to make my bed anyway).
Staying here, all in all, was still an enjoyable experience. -
Review from Heather M.
Menlo Park, CA
7/26/2009
I stayed here for a conference for a week in July. The setting was attractive and you could not beat the fact that you were in walking distance from Downtown Disney. They offer shuttles for free to the various Disney parks. The gym was nothing spectacular but there were enough treadmills and a variety of weight training machines. I was traveling alone and felt safe. They have on-site car rental. They helped arrange a shuttle back to the airport and the food was average.
The following is what I experienced during my week stay, 1 out of 4 staff were helpful and in general the staff seemed to be annoyed. My room door had been left open by housekeeping and it took three phones calls to the front desk to stress my concern and to feel like they understood that the door was broken. The worst was part was there were cockroaches in my room, and when I reported my findings I was told that they would "make a note". I would recommend that you make appointments for spa before 5:00pm, I felt rushed out because they wanted to close (i.e. the spa attendant would not give me a pair of spa slippers since i was wearing flip flops and she took my away from me as I was getting dressed).
I would not stay there again as I feel there are other hotels that would provide much better service even if I have to pay more. That said if you know that you are going into an average hotel and not the "luxury" hotel it is presented as than maybe you would not be disappointed. -
Review from Henrik C.
1/23/2010
This hotel is located inside the Disney Property in Orlando. It is thus in an ideal location if you want to explore the different theme parks at Disney. Easy access to a variety of places, especially great if you go there with kids.
Went there for a conference. The cab ride from the airport is ~$56-60. The hotel is a bit run down. The layout of the hotel is at best confusing. I am sure it is fun to run around the place if you are on vacation. For business, maybe not.
The room are spacious but the bathrooms are tiny and really not up to present standards. Beds are soft and of good size and quality. The TV/cable selection is minimalistic. There is no mini-bar (really!)
The room prices are ~ 160-220, which is to be expected for a facility on Disney land. However, there are quite a few better options at that price, so be choosy.
Went to their restaurant for breakfast. The food is greasy - the omelet was close to swimming in fat. Not a great experience and the service was barely seen.
The conference facilities are pretty good for groups up to 200-300 people. Obviously there are easy ways to entertain the rest of the family while you attend a conference. So if you want to make a mixed vacation / conference it could be an OK place, but regular conference attendance there are many other better places around Orlando.
Would I go back? Not, if I can avoid it. -
Review from Sam H.
Redmond, WA
6/11/2007
Summary: The room was nice, but the hotel itself sucked.
If you're not going to Disney and you're in Orlando, this is not the place for you. There's NOTHING to do around the hotel, which has been recently renovated. Despite that, the hallways around the lobby smell like urine.
My room itself was nicely equipped... nothing extraordinary, but pleasant.
Also, when I was there a gay pride convention was happening. The men were wearing nothing but speedos everywhere and there was a lot of... umm... public affection around the pool and in the lobby areas. My friend got hit on in the elevator.
If I were there with my family I would have been livid. Also, I didn't book that far in advance... it would have been nice to put out a little warning for conservative folks like me.
If I were headed to that vicinity, I'd stay at the Residence Inn about a mile from Disney. It has excellent rooms and great staff and the rooms were cheaper last time I was there. The only reason I didn't this time was because I was at a Microsoft convention. -
Review from Grace M.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
Ants, late room service, dirty bathroom, and poor customer service.
I have found two large ants in my room. Yuck!
My room service was supposed to come within a 1/2 hour period but it came 10 minutes after the period. No apologies just a really lame "oh".
I had the hotel call a cab for me but when I got outside no taxi. They said there was one earlier but it was for another lady. They called another cab and when one came they gave it to someone else whom they say was waiting 10 minutes. I was waiting 15 minutes and I called 45 minutes earlier!!!
And, the showers hurt. The pressure is so hard it's like pins and needles.
I don't recommend this hotel. -
Review from Chris S.
Arlington, VA
8/6/2009
Be prepared for lots of kids but that is a given considering you are on Disney property.
Rooms were decent size, flat panel TV's, all rooms have balcony's. Pool is open 24/7, there is a Bar and restaurant/snack shop at the pool.
Overall, good hotel for the price. Where else can you be within walking distance to downtown Disney for only $99. -
Review from TeaBoy A.
Sacramento, CA
12/25/2010
the buena vista palace website says their hotel is 4 stars and newly remodel, and thats why me and my bf choose to stay there for 6 nights and around 90 per night ( it was a std resort view) . which is a pretty good price compare to all other disney hotels.
when we arrived to the front of the hotel/lobby, we were really impressed by their decorations and settings. We accepted the receiptionist offer to upgrade our room to the top floor and for the better view during check in.
Then the problems come, when we first walked in to the room, the bathroom light was not working.. the private balcony is filled with the bird stuffs. theres no doubt that the view was fantastic, but who will enjoy their room/the view with the bird stuffs all over the balcony?
so we called the lobby to send someone to fix up the light, and it took them around 2 hrs to send a person in. so okay. the light fixed.. then we put our grocery into the fridge and went out again.
when we came back at midnight, we found out that the fridge wasnt working right.. our milk and yogurt were like cold-warmish.. and of course we needed to call someone to fix the mess up. And again, took them like a hr or 2... okay problem fixed and they said some thing the ice block the fan?. Then we found out that our bed sheet was dirty..theres like an orange- colored stain? then we decided to request for a room change.. there was jus too many problems in the room.
the next day, we got our new room and everything looks okay..but guess wut? the fridge was not working again..there were too much ice.. and i beleived our milk was already spoilded by then.. and the internet didnt work for 2 days. i mean wth? the internet is already included wit the fees. -
Review from Ryan M.
Tampa, FL
5/16/2010
Built in 1983, and no longer a part of the Wydham Hotel chain. This properties main plus is its location to Downtown Disney. They offer a free shuttle but you could probably just walk there too. Some of the rooms offer views of Downtown Disney, and Epcot. There is also an older 3 story hotel that is also part of these property, its older and long walk from the lobby, I would avoid these rooms if you can. The walk from the self parking area to the main lobby is kinda long.
-
Review from M P.
Centreville, VA
9/10/2010
Such a wonderful place for the family. Clean, new and beautiful. Customer service was great. Everything about it was great, worth every penny. The bed is SUPER comfortable, the cleaning service was awesome, SPOTLESS. Across the street from Downtown Disney. Great lake/disney view. Easy access to variety of places. 45-50 cab fare from airport. Would love to stay there again.
-
Review from Julienne G.
San Francisco, CA
2/24/2009
I stayed here for a conference. Not super impressed by anything in particular and the restaurants were sub par and over-priced. It's odd they seem to tout that they are all about service but that just didn't come through during my stay. I paid nearly $5 for a latte that came to me room temperature. When I mentioned this to the woman behind the counter, I got this incredible blank look like I had just asked for a dolphin slurpee. Several awkward moments later I asked if she could warm it up. More blank look, then 10 mins later someone came with a new hot latte for me.
-
Review from Les V.
Ontario, CA
12/25/2008 1 photo
We were here for a conference. The rooms were large and comfortable and reasonably priced. It's close to all the major tourist attractions in Orlando. It's a short shuttle ride to the theme parks from where this hotel is. It's also got a nice pool area with a bar. I'd definitely stay here again.
-
Review from S R.
Irvine, CA
1/31/2011
I wish I could give two separate reviews - one for customer service and one for the actual room itself. The customer service was admittedly horrible...the staff acted like they couldn't be bothered. My flight came in very early (6am) and I was told when I got there that obviously the room wasn't available but that we would be called on our cells when it was. Since we had a long night, we basically slept on the couches in the lobby...around noon I went up to the front desk to check on the status of the room and also to tell them I would pay extra if we could please get a room. The new attendant said "oh the hotel isn't even half full AND your room has been ready since 8am...but we don't have your cell number". I asked her to pull the check-in sheet because we had specifically listed two numbers and of course both were indeed listed. Instead of an apology I just got "ooops, well it's too bad you could have spent the morning sleeping in your room and not in the lobby". At any rate, the room was nice and even though we were on a low floor it was a really nice view of the water and fountain. The valet attendants were also pretty much liars (we asked if the taxi took credit card before getting in and they told us "yes all taxi's in Orlando do". Got in the cab and of course...once we got to destination...they didn't take credit. So I had to spend 5 dollars at the ATM for a 5 dollar cab ride. Ridiculous. But the room and hotel are nice...but be forewarned about the employees! Nicest employee I met was at the Disney shop...which isn't employed by the hotel!
-
Review from Mattheus B.
Miami-Dade, FL
1/18/2010
I LOVED the experience at this hotel. It can be pricey but it's VERY well located just right in front of Downtown Disney. We had the lake view which was AMAZING!!! I would definitely go back to this place. Sofia from Costa Rica greeted us at the front desk, she was very nice with us :)
