WillCAD
01-07-2004, 01:13 PM
Owing to a greatly reduced budget (read: I'm poor) on my recent trip, I found myself an off-site hotel: AmeriSuites Lake Buena Vista South, in a development called Calypso Cay (see map below for location).
http://www.valuetrips.com/AMS/FL/maporlb.gif
AmeriSuites is a national chain that caters to business travelers. Each room is actually a 2-room suite, equipped with microwave, coffee maker, small fridge, sink, iron & board, and hair dryer. Suites are available with either 2 double beds or 1 king bed, and the living area has a sleeper sofa. Continental breakfast in the lobby is included in the room price.
The LBV South location has a convenient location not far from WDW, and features discounted rates that made it a very attractive place for me to stay. The rate for my December 4-12, 2003 stay was the lowest of the year at $49.
AmeriSuites LBV South Rates for 2004 (http://www.valuetrips.com/AMS/FL/ORLB.htm#Today's%20Super%20Value%20rates)
I reserved a TCB suite, which has a king bed and substitutes an executive desk and chair for the sofa. Since I was vacationing solo, and had my laptop with me for internet access and digital photo downloads, the desk seemed more useful to me than a sleeper sofa.
Using a map from MapQuest.com, I had no trouble finding the hotel when I arrived in Orlando. I walked into the lobby at about 10pm; the hotel seemed deserted, with no guests in the lobby and only one person on duty at the front desk. The parking lot was only 1/3 full. The desk clerk checked me in quickly and was friendly and helpful. I got Suite #126, on the first floor, to the right of the main lobby, at the end of the hallway. To my room's left was another suite, and to the right were the guest laundry facilities, beyond which were the stairwell and the hotel's side exit.
During my stay I found the hotel to be in excellent repair, very clean, and very quiet. All of the staff with whom I had any dealings were friendly and helpful. Housekeeping knocked on my door at 8am the first morning only to hear a groggy, "Could you come back a little later, please?" from me; I wasn't yet even out of bed (hey, I was on vacation!) For the duration of my stay, I was put on the afternoon housekeeping schedule instead of morning, and I didn't even request that. I appreciate little things like not worrying about housekeeping waking me up early.
Since my room was the nearest one to the side exit (CSI fans will recognize this location as Murder Central), I made convenient use of that exit by parking my rental car in the small side lot. When I left in the morning, I only had about 75 feet to walk to get to my car.
The Calypso Cay neighborhood consists of the AmeriSuites, a Country Inn & Suites next door, and a surrounding development of condos. I found the area very quiet, the streets not busy, and the grounds landscaped and well-kept. It's a pretty place.
My experience at this hotel was overwhelmingly positive. I found only a few small nit-picker details to complain about: First, the rooms have no safes. Second, the voice mail button on one of the two phones in my room didn't work. And third, I returned from the parks one night to find that my room keys had both ceased to function (a quick trip to the front desk for new keys fixed it).
I give the AmeriSuites LBV South a double thumbs-up and would stay there again without hesitation.
http://www.valuetrips.com/AMS/FL/maporlb.gif
AmeriSuites is a national chain that caters to business travelers. Each room is actually a 2-room suite, equipped with microwave, coffee maker, small fridge, sink, iron & board, and hair dryer. Suites are available with either 2 double beds or 1 king bed, and the living area has a sleeper sofa. Continental breakfast in the lobby is included in the room price.
The LBV South location has a convenient location not far from WDW, and features discounted rates that made it a very attractive place for me to stay. The rate for my December 4-12, 2003 stay was the lowest of the year at $49.
AmeriSuites LBV South Rates for 2004 (http://www.valuetrips.com/AMS/FL/ORLB.htm#Today's%20Super%20Value%20rates)
I reserved a TCB suite, which has a king bed and substitutes an executive desk and chair for the sofa. Since I was vacationing solo, and had my laptop with me for internet access and digital photo downloads, the desk seemed more useful to me than a sleeper sofa.
Using a map from MapQuest.com, I had no trouble finding the hotel when I arrived in Orlando. I walked into the lobby at about 10pm; the hotel seemed deserted, with no guests in the lobby and only one person on duty at the front desk. The parking lot was only 1/3 full. The desk clerk checked me in quickly and was friendly and helpful. I got Suite #126, on the first floor, to the right of the main lobby, at the end of the hallway. To my room's left was another suite, and to the right were the guest laundry facilities, beyond which were the stairwell and the hotel's side exit.
During my stay I found the hotel to be in excellent repair, very clean, and very quiet. All of the staff with whom I had any dealings were friendly and helpful. Housekeeping knocked on my door at 8am the first morning only to hear a groggy, "Could you come back a little later, please?" from me; I wasn't yet even out of bed (hey, I was on vacation!) For the duration of my stay, I was put on the afternoon housekeeping schedule instead of morning, and I didn't even request that. I appreciate little things like not worrying about housekeeping waking me up early.
Since my room was the nearest one to the side exit (CSI fans will recognize this location as Murder Central), I made convenient use of that exit by parking my rental car in the small side lot. When I left in the morning, I only had about 75 feet to walk to get to my car.
The Calypso Cay neighborhood consists of the AmeriSuites, a Country Inn & Suites next door, and a surrounding development of condos. I found the area very quiet, the streets not busy, and the grounds landscaped and well-kept. It's a pretty place.
My experience at this hotel was overwhelmingly positive. I found only a few small nit-picker details to complain about: First, the rooms have no safes. Second, the voice mail button on one of the two phones in my room didn't work. And third, I returned from the parks one night to find that my room keys had both ceased to function (a quick trip to the front desk for new keys fixed it).
I give the AmeriSuites LBV South a double thumbs-up and would stay there again without hesitation.