Bryan's Spanish Cove

At the price this resort is clean and served by attentive courteous staff, but unfortunately its age and limited activities make it too expensive for what you get.
My teen states we are spoiled because because we have stayed at Bonnet Creek, an affiliated higher tier resort. A fair comment. Still, he advised 2 stars.
Shuffle board was the one element that seemed up to date and functional.
My rating is affected by the fact that the lake is the key attraction here and the single canoe and the single kayak are old, beat up and leaky. There is only one power boat, and that seemed maintained. But if someone got ahead of you, then you're left with equipment you would decline at a yard sale.
As for living quarters, the beds, utensils, bathrooms are clean. So minimum requirements met.
For those who appreciate quality customer, you will like hearing the last line of every staff conversation will end every time with "is there anything else I can help with?" Nice!
Kudos to the maintenance man who stopped everything when I asked who could show me how to work the dishwasher, came to my room and showed me step by step til it ran.
Pool=small. Jacuzzi listed in amenities, permanently closed.
Three TVs had HDMI inputs, a pleasant surprise. Wifi worked through the week.
Plenty of space with King, 2 twins and fold out couch to accomodate 3 couples.
Attractive 20 minute drive to majority of metro Orlando attractions.
So, a solid 3 star.

This is really a hidden little gem, nestled on the waterfront with docks and free kayak rental. It's not luxury or high end, so don't set those expections but come and enjoy it for what it is-clean, friendly, well maintained, not "cookie cutter corporate", homey, and as a bonus it's certified as a green resort- it has pervious pavement, lots of trees and some natural / wild areas off of your screen porch, and even two Cyprus trees growing on the bank. (I have never seen a majestic native Cyprus at any other chain hotel, they all clear cut and destroy native Florida trees) This place had huge spacious suites with full kitchens, a screen porch, 2 br, 2 baths. I was really pleasantly surprised at the bang for my buck. I played pool side bingo and there were just a few other folks but it's a very small resort. It was a lot of fun, the manager dj'd and called the numbers. The staff is also SUPER kind and responsive. They don't seemed rushed or harried. I said the QR code was glitching and the manager offered to come to the room to check it out!! (I have had managers at other hotels in the past ignore water leaks, broken beds, and no AC --and this dedicated manager was going to come for my QR code! Mad props!! Great job!)

My favorite part about this hotel I mentioned above was it actually had native Cyprus trees growing along the bank. Too many chain hotels absolutely destroy the native plants and wildlife. This hotel allows wild areas to grow off of the back patios, creating a bit of a nature trail. It also plants more trees and shrubs than other hotels, but I would like to see even more. There were landscape beds with rocks that could have had flowers / shrubs for example. They could put fish in their little pond. The landscaping could also be heavier in the back area to block out the neighboring property. With a little more thought and planning, they could perhaps become an eco hotel- there are precious few like this in Orlando area. They do have some recognition from the state as environmentally friendly which made me feel good.

Finally, I feel like I got a huge value for what I paid for the room- large, full apart-hotel that would comfortably sleep 6 with full kitchen, 2 br/ 2 bath, sunken living room, and screen porches that opened onto the "nature walk".
I would definitely come here again for a pleasant, comfortable, friendly and affordable stay. Easy parking too. I hope to return!

We absolutely loved everything about our stay at Bryan's. From the check in to the departure. The rooms were perfect for what we needed. Each room was spacious and had its own bathroom. The beds were comfy. The kitchen was perfect for a get away with all the necessities. A full size fridge and microwave, dishes and cookware included. We grocery shopped for the week and were happy to have the ability to cook instead of having to go out every meal for 10 days. We loved loved loved having the washer and dryer in our unit. We went to the pool and hot tub a couple times and enjoyed that amenity. The staff was incredible and very accommodating. We could not be happier with our experience with our lodging. Will definitely come back!

We have visited Bryan's Spanish Cove several times in the past and were always very happy. NOT ANY MORE! Roches, Raccons , and ants! Oh My!! That is right. The first day we checked in, we had a long day of traveling, so I went straight into the shower turned on the faucet and three HUGE roches scurred out and took off into the door trim and baseboard. I notified the front desk.... nothing. I left a cookie on the counter and when I went back to it a bunch of crazy ants were on it in. I told the front desk.......again, nothing. On the fourth day I went to throw out the trash. I oprned the door to get to the container and was staring into the eyes of two HUGE raccoons. I told the front desk....again nothing. Two days later I opened the door to our room and staring up at me was a HUGE raccoon(Not sure if it was the same one.) I told the front desk ....again... nothing. There were mininal pots and utensils. I went to barbecue some steaks on the grill.... NO PROPANE!! The wifi was terriable and we lost connection several times a day. The staff had to come to the room to hook it back up again. I have to applaud the staff as besides from not taking care of any of these problems (which I am sure was not their job, except to report it to admin) They were GREAT! I used to love this place. It had been two years since we have been here. We will NOT return!

We visit Disney often. We are DVC members, but when there isn't availability, we stay offsite. We recently stayed at Bryan's Spanish Cove and were quite happy with our stay.

The location is great, and a very short drive to the parks. Our unit was clean and apparently recently updated. No yucky carpet, a huge plus. While some of the work was pretty sloppy, it did not bother us. The beds were comfortable and having two bathrooms is a plus too. Have reasonable expectations and you won't be disappointed. For us, it offered what we needed. Location, cleanliness & comfort.

It is an older property and while updated a bit, there is still room for improvement. Also, there are no elevators, so if you have trouble with stairs try to request a first floor unit. Having a full kitchen is great. Not that we cook or anything. But for snacks and drinks.

Unfortunately, we were only there for three days and didn't even get to check out the rest of the property or the amenities. There is a $13 per day "resort fee" but if the daily rate is fair, I don't mind. This is a timeshare, so they do try to get you to attend a presentation. Not too, too pushy though.

We wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

This review represents January occupancy. The resort is 4.5 out of five stars if based on a unit's good location, but only 2.5 if one has a poorly located unit (about half of them, see below).

General location: Immediately off FL 535 / Apopka-Vineland Road across the street from Vistana Community a half mile south of I-4; close to Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) and Sea World. Nearby retailers include Walmart, outlet malls, Chick-Fil-A, and Publix. Mini-golf is next door.

Resort Overview: It has a small, white sand beach on Lake Byran. The heated pool and trex decks are located close to the water. The lake is 250 acres with clear, deep water and a lightly developed shoreline. The fishing is mild with bass and crappie. Some paddleboats were available, but use of the resort's canoes and kayaks was oddly not permitted until late in our stay. 16 units on the south side backup to an industrial site, four units face east on the lake (highly unlikely to be assigned one of these), and the remainder of the units back-up to wooded areas - some close to the highway and its noise and some more removed toward the lake and thus somewhat quieter. All units are two stories high and all kitchens and the smaller bedrooms face the parking lot with the master bedroom and living area in the back. Normal sound does not carry from upper to lower units but it does carry some from side to side. Booze-talk and crying babies in any nearby unit will be heard on both sides (one side if you have an end unit). The resort is arranged into one large "U" shaped complex with all parking in the center. There's sufficient convenient unassigned parking for all guests and the spots are charitably wide (see below for exceptions). Care should be taken to avoid the lawn sprinklers that soak the car with hard water at night. No elevators are found within the complex. The rarely-used common lounge-business center is on the second floor above the check-in area. It's attractive with a fireplace, restrooms, many windows, occasional coffee, and small library, but it lacks side chairs and sofas. Overall, it is a nicely laid-out, clean, well-maintained resort mini-complex. It was purchased by Hilton in 2022. There is no orientation/get-together meeting. Towels, tables, lounges, hot-tub, and pool are available, sufficient, and comfortable.

Inside the Units: All are 2-bed and 2-full bath with washer and dryer. No recliners or side chairs; only two sofas that are barely comfortable and worn. Furniture is scheduled for replacement and upgrading by Hilton. Two large sliders off the back open to a single spacious fully screened deck with patio furniture - super nice (unless the neighbors are loud)! Shared gas grills and picnic tables are located in the rear common areas every few units apart. The staff cleans the grills almost daily (pack a long-handled propane lighter for starting). TV screens are newish but not "smart" or blue-tooth compatible, and there's no DVD player. Printed instructions do not exist for anything; all helpful resort info is found online only. The king-size master bed is really comfortable. The kitchen is full size in every way with lots of storage and an in-sink disposal. Both baths have a combo shower and tub but the needed safety assists are misplaced (entry and exit are very high/steep). Storage is thoughtful and readily available throughout all rooms. Light fixtures and general lighting are completely LED updated, in good condition, abundant, and excellent (except for the small bedroom). Floors are wood-look vinyl throughout. Units are clean and maintained with quiet effective HVAC and two overhead fans.

Staff: Pleasant, sufficient, willing, likable, and capable.

Recommendations: We had several pair of quality earplugs and used them regularly at night, on the unit's patio, and at the pool and water areas (the overhead common area music was often too loud for those many who want to read, sleep, think, play games, do puzzles, write, or talk). Road noise is significant. The average person at the pool is above 60 in age and prefers quiet, so the areas more distant from the music are in demand. It is recommended that the resort modify its current background sound practice in the common areas. The resort charges a stiff $14.00 per day for "amenities" or some such excuse. That's $4,312 dollars per week! (14x44x7). No idea as to what, where, and why it is justifiable. The fireplaces are former wood-burners that are no longer useable (much better to convert them to electric insets). Handicapped parking spaces are available but are regularly used long-term by non-qualified guests and employees without enforcement. Trailers, kayaks, employees, and campers park long-term in front of the units, which is a waste of precious resources when the empty center area could/should be utilized. We were always dealing with more vehicles coming and going than there were guests.

Rooms were super spacious and clean. Kitchen, washer, dryer, and screened balcony this place was like an apartment. Everything was clean and organized. Definitely planning on staying there again.

I was pleasantly surprised with this place. About 5 to 7. Minutes away from Disney Springs, this little resort was clean, spacious and comfortable. We rented a villa for about $122 a night through hotels.com including resort fee. We got a very spacious two bedroom, two bathroom villa with kitchen, family room and screened in porch. Most importantly for me it seemed very clean. I checked the bathrooms and everything was decent. The kitchen was big too with a big kitchen table for eating. Two couches and cute fire place with tv for lounging. The beds were comfy and the water pressure was good. You do have a room above and one of the downsides was I could really hear movements above us early in the morning. But it wasn't anything horrible. The screened in porch was nice and led to a little walkway that headed for the lake. We were only there for a night so we didn't get to enjoy the amenities but they looked great. Nice pool area with lots of tables and chairs and a great dock overlooking the lake with canoes. It looked super cute. I would definitely stay here again especially in a group because the separate rooms are great.

Bryan's Spanish Cove is a small, cute, quiet and cozy resort on Lake Bryan two miles away from Walt Disneyworld. The resort amenities are limited, but the villas are spacious, equipped with full kitchen amenities, large bedrooms and living room. What a lovely surprise it was to find an enclosed, screened in porch off the master bedroom!

We arrived at midnight and had to wait for the security guard to finish his rounds to check us in. We were assigned a room on the first floor which is great, because the resort has no elevator. The villa was immaculately clean. The housekeeping staff even cleans under the bed. The walls were recently painted a baby blue and pale yellow color, which adds a nice touch to the rooms. The decor reminds me of Disney's Yacht Club minus the location and the price tag.

I called the front desk a few times and noone answered. My messages were not returned. I doubt anyone here checks the messages. The resort seems understaffed.

Overall I would stay here again if all the other Diamond properties in Orlando are booked like this busy weekend. Otherwise they charge too many points for a 3 night stay for the amenities they offer. If they fix that and decide to answer the front desk phone and return guest's messages they will get five stars next time. For sho.

My girl friend's parent bought a timeshare at Bryan's Spanish Cove about twenty years ago and they offered it to us for a couple of weeks so we decided to fly down to Orlando a stay there.

The people in the office were very nice and practically fell over backwards to help us in any way they could. The grounds were nicely maintained and there was a nice comfortable room where they served coffee and had computers that were not working the whole time we were there. It was a good thing we brought our own. The only problem was that we did not have a printer.

The units themselves were not as well kept up as the grounds. Half the grout was missing between the tiles in the kitchen and a few of the tiles themselves had come loose. I have a feeling it was the person they hired to do the tile because the quality of the tile work around the fireplace (believe it or not, there was a fireplace) was horrible. Someone got ripped off on that job. Also, the toilet did not flush very well and the lighting was horrible in the room with the toilet and shower. How is a man suppose to take a dump if he can't see to read?

It wasn't the nicest furnished place I have ever stayed at by a long shot but it had all of the comforts of home including free wireless internet and the air conditioner worked so I could not complain too much. Perhaps the nicest part was the convenient parking. Imagine parking right in front of your unit unlike most hotels in the area where you either have to use valet parking or walk a half mile, definitely a huge convenience worth mentioning.

We spent part of one evening while we were there watching the turtles swimming in the lake. Oh, I forgot to mention we had a lake. It was a pretty good sized lake too. They also have a boat dock along with boats for you to use while you are staying there. We never did get around to using the boats but we did have fun watching the turtles from the dock.

I finally get to officially update this long overdue review! The last time I was here was with my parents back in 1991. The buildings look about the same, but the grounds were upgraded along with more modern furniture and appliances. This time, Joe K and I decided to take a full 12 day vacation and experience as much sight seeing as we could fit in! My parents are too elderly to travel these days, and so I wanted to be able to come to Orlando and give them my eye witness account on how their timeshare condo was being taken care of.

I also wanted to return here for another sentimental reason. My best friend since childhood was able to stay at Bryan's Spanish Cove for her vacation too, compliments of my parents. Orlando was on her bucket list. Sadly, my wonderful friend Debbie Z. recently passed away, and because she had a picture of herself standing near a pirate's ship mast that used to be a decorative part of the landscape, my plan was to have my picture taken in the exact same spot and maybe have our photos combined. Well I found out that the ship's mast rotted away and had to be removed before we arrived....

But anyway, back to our vacation at the cove.... This quiet tropical resort is like a home away from home with once per week maid service. The rooms are spacious, cozy and very comfortable. We had a full kitchen with all the necessary appliances, complete with dining table, washer and dryer, two comfy bedrooms and two full baths. Large screen TV's, cable, and DVD player. Each room (living room and master bedroom), has a lovely outdoor patio area with a relaxing view of nature. The patios are enclosed by a screen which protects you from flying insects, especially those pesky mosquitoes! A short distance from the condo is the nice pool area with heated Jacuzzi, all pleasantly situated allowing another nice view of Lake Bryan. Free paddle boats, canoeing and fishing is permitted, but swimming is not recommended due to the possibility of alligators inhabiting the waters. This lake extends all the way to Disney World! That's right; this place is only a few miles away from "the happiest place on earth"! Bryan's Spanish Cove seems to be centrally located to many popular tourist attractions besides Disney World and Epcot Center. We visited other points of interest such as Universal Studios, Sea World, Busch Gardens, Cypress Gardens and the Kennedy Space Center! There are many local restaurants, night clubs, and shopping centers. And don't forget to reserve an airboat ride for a closer appreciation of Florida's nature and wildlife!

There is free internet service and two computers in the office lounge area for guests to have access to. Unfortunately, those computers were always out of order. But the wonderful and friendly office staff always seemed to be available whenever we needed help or had questions. I kept debating about giving this place 3, 4 or 5 stars, because there were a few minor inconveniences in our unit as well as some simple maintenance repairs that could have easily been done. But as I look back on my vacation as a whole, I have to admit, my trip to Orlando was very memorable even with it's ups and downs. This retreat is a homey, quiet, clean and comfortable, safe haven from all the crazy drivers and hordes of tourists that we had to endure on a daily basis! Returning to our vacation condo was a welcoming place to rest, regroup and make our next plans.

Whether you want to explore all the wonders of central Florida or just rest and relax, this condo complex accommodates whatever your heart desires for young and old! My hope is that we can return sometime again before we are too elderly to travel!

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