OverviewLocated about an 11-minute drive from Disney World and a 4-minute drive from the nearest Interstate 4 on-ramp, Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa Orlando is geared towards business or vacation travellers who prefer condo-style accommodations with extended kitchen amenities, a free theme park shuttle, an outdoor pool and easy highway access near Disney World.
Each of this non-smoking hotel's air-conditioned one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units offers free Wi-Fi, cable TV, an in-room safe, a full kitchen, a balcony, a living area with a sofabed, a dining area, a jetted tub, a washer and dryer, an iron and ironing board and a hair dryer. The hotel is not wheelchair accessible and pets are not permitted.
Housekeeping services are not included in the price but are available for a surcharge (please contact the hotel for details).
Hotel amenities include a pirate-themed outdoor pool, a hot tub, a spa and wellness centre, fitness facilities, a children's playground, meeting/banquet facilities, a business centre, a beauty/barber shop, a gift shop, free parking and on-site dining at Frankie Farrell's (serving lunch and dinner daily), Lani's Luau (serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily) and Pizza Hut Express (open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily).
The hotel also offers scheduled round-trip transportation to Epcot, SeaWord, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure (please contact the hotel for details).
SeaWorld is about a 15-minute drive from the hotel, while Downtown Disney can be found 9 minutes away by car. Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores are roughly 6 minutes away on foot and Orlando International Airport (MCO) is a 25-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, pets not permitted, not wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: October 27, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's location, staff and rooms.
The hotel's location was praised by many reviewers, who found it close to Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, restaurants, shopping, Walmart and highway access. One guest noted, "Ideal base for visiting theme parks and restaurant, and the outlet village is behind the hotel, which is handy for last minute shopping and bargains. Wal-Mart is a few minutes down the road, and great for stocking up on supplies".
Numerous guests enjoyed the level of customer service they received, characterizing the staff as friendly, helpful, efficient and professional. One patron remarked, "Being from Hawaii, we believe that the beauty of a place is determined by the people living there, or in this case, hosting you. Having a great staff with lots of " ALOHA ", from your reception desk, concierges, housekeeping staff and management makes it easy for us to recommend and return to stay at your resort".
Several lodgers enjoyed their accommodations at the hotel. They described their rooms as clean, spacious and well equipped, with comfortable beds, quiet air conditioning and great views of the Disney fireworks. A few travellers had complaints about their lodgings, however (see below).
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few common complaints about the rooms and housekeeping.
Although the majority of reviewers were pleased with their well-equipped and spacious rooms, a few guests had complaints about their lodgings. They reported worn furniture, carpets and linens, missing cooking utensils and some cleaning issues.
As mentioned in the overview, the hotel's housekeeping services are not included in the room rates, but are available at a surcharge. A few lodgers were disappointed or surprised by this fact, and felt daily housekeeping should have been included in their stay.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.4 out of 5 with a 93% recommendation rate from 3,417 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #43 of 328 Orlando hotels with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 2,562 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 8.5 out of 10 from 199 reviews.
The author called the hotel on October 27, 2013 to verify some information.
