Anyone stayed in a hotel on International Drive, Florida?

[linnet]

And if so, which one was it and would you recommend it? Looking to maybe going there next October Holidays but since dh and I don't drive we need to stay on International drive so we can get the buses out to the theme parks. any advice welcomed.

The Rosen Plaza at the south end of I Drive is worth having a look at. This end of I Drive is generally quieter but also has some life to it. This hotel is near enough opposite Pointe Orlando.

Northern end of I Drive past junction of Sandlake Road is very much more built up in terms of shops, hotels etc. That end is generally noisier.

Depends what you want really.

HTH

Meerkats

Stayed at the Rodeway Inn years and years ago and it was fine, nice pool, but like most places in the US didnt do breakfast only coffee and dougnuts, but there was a Dennys in walking distance which I loved and was open for any meal of the day.

i stayed at mic lakefront, that was quite nice and its near a bus stop to get you to disneyland, universal, sea world, florida mall etc. we had to get the buses everywhere too!

Thank you all. So long as the hotel is near to restaurants and shops etc we'll be happy. We're quite happy to walk to restaurants etc.

Pepsi, the Rodeway Inn is the hotel that the travel agent we went to see in town suggested. He said that he's had people stay there before and they said it was really good.

We're still in the process of getting other quotes from other travel agents and I'm waiting on my cousin to get back to me, she's an independant travel agent and usually gets some really good deals.

We stayed at the Ramada one year & the Howard Johnson the next. Both had free buses to Universal and Disney & both were near restaurants. The Ramada was in the middle & seemed to be closer to the breakfast restaurants, while the HoJo was further up (past Wet & Wild) & handy for Green Tomatoes (or is it Sweet Tomatoes?).

Both were at the cheaper end of the market but both fine as a base.

We stayed at the Best Western and to be honest, would not recommend it. This was the first league of our honeymoon and after a long flight, the last thing you want to meet you when you open the door, is a stale, musty smell. Also, the hotel did not have a lounge area where you could relax before going out.

Linnet, if there is any way you could stay at a Disney property you will find the transportation system great. You will also get early entry (hour early) to one of the Disney parks each day, this makes a great difference to queuing times.

The park tickets are also included in the price (although obviously Disney is more expensive). We stayed at the Fort Wilderness campground last time in a caravan disguised as a log cabin but it was great. There was a boat service that took you to the parks, restaurants and shops on site.

They do recommend you hire their golf carts to get around and this was great fun too.

We stayed at Best Western in 2000. Agree with Uhu that it is, perhaps, past its best. But that said, we found it clean - our room wasn't musty - and functional. If you are looking for luxury, this place is not for you and I certainly would not have wanted to be staying there for part of my honeymoon. If, however (like us), you spend all day at the theme parks and just want a base (we ate out nearly every night) it was quite adequate. the Rosen Plaza did look very swish, but tbh I dont think the Best Western and the Plaza is in the same league. Good Luck and Enjoy, wherever you end up {smile]

Thanks everyone. Secondhandrose, I'd love to stay in a disney hotel on site but the price is just too much for us. My cousins when they go stay in Disney hotels as they don't drive either but then the mother is a travel agent so gets really good deals, plus they have a higher income than us, they can afford to go every year. this will be our one BIG holiday for the next few years.
But my cousin, the travel agent, got back to me today with quotes and the hotel she quoted us for is the Quality Inn Plaza. I had a look at it in the brochure and it looks really nice.

We are really just looking for a base, but a touch of luxury wouldn't go amiss After all it's not like we'd be going every year, unless we win the lottery of course

Linnet if you are going as a family try and get a suite hotel like Days Inn Suites, you'll get a whole lot more room and a full kitchen for not a lot more money. I think Quality do suites too. At least then you can put the kids in bed and not have to sit in silence!

Linnet - we've stayed at Sheraton Vistana villages twice now and really love it. It is at the quite (nearer disney) end and has a shuttle bus to the parks. It is just round the corner from sea world and you can get a bus along I-drive. Also within walking distance of a big publix supermarket and a designer outlet mall. IIRC we paid $120 dollers a night with teh 7th night free. This for a beautiful aprtment that slept 6. Big bonus was the full size american washer dryer in the apt whihc meant we could throw clothes in everynight and all dry by morning.

The swimming pool is lovely. At one of the pools they do a swim-in movie night once or twice a week where they erect a big screen next to the pool and you can swim and watch the movie - usually its a child friendly film.

Only down side was that the Marriott vacation sales reps could be a bit eager to sign you up for a visit, but just be very upfront and say you have no intention of buying at all and they will back of pretty quickly!

Oops quiet - not quite!!