Hi friends! This week I am bringing my first resort review! While I live in Orlando now and don’t often stay in hotels (except for the occasional staycation), I grew up around four hours away from the theme parks and would often frequent Orlando hotels for our vacations!
Now whether you are an Orlando local or a visitor looking for a place to stay, I’ll be
sharing my experiences at the various Florida hotels we happen to stay at!
Wyndham Orlando I-Drive
Coming up first: Wyndham Orlando Resort on International Drive! Located in the heart of I-Drive - one of the best spots for dining, shopping and entertainment - this resort is a budget friendly location close to all the theme parks as well as local activities.
Location
We stayed at Wyndham I-Drive for two nights during the holiday season for a mini-staycation where we visited ICON Park one day and Universal Studios the other. ICON Park is a short walk away from the resort so you don’t have to worry about parking and can experience a variety of restaurants, shops and activities. There’s a wax museum, aquarium, and even a larger than life observation wheel providing great views of the City Beautiful. Check out more about ICON Park here!
Heading to the theme parks? Universal is a seven minute drive with Walt Disney World around twenty minutes away depending on which park you’re going to.
Amenities
At the actual resort, we checked out both outdoor swimming pools as well as their 24-hour fitness center. It was a bit too chilly to swim, but the fitness center comes well equipped with standard work-out machines and accessories.
This property also has an open air bar & grill called Gatorville! You'll find items such as sandwiches, chicken fingers and nachos with generous portions. There are also affordable drink options like $5 margaritas (my favorite), $3 beers and $4 wines. If you're familiar with drink prices at the theme parks, the contrast is incredible refreshing. I'd love to return to this property when it's a bit warmer to fully enjoy Gatorville and the pools, they're a huge selling point of the resort.
Our Room
We stayed in a Premium King Suite, and let me tell you, this room was incredible! There was a spacious living and dining room area, generous kitchen, and a cozy King sized bed. The bathroom included a shower and bathtub which I always look for in a hotel room. While the space was absolutely more than we needed, it would be excellent if you had several groups with you and wanted a "hub" to meet up and hang out after your day of adventures.
While we are typically more concerned about location of a hotel over the actual resort (being theme park people and all), this resort did not disappoint and had us spending extra time just soaking up the atmosphere. The furniture was all very comfortable as well as the bed (a comfy mattress is essential!)
Final Thoughts
We very much enjoyed our stay at Wyndham Orlando Resort I-Drive and would recommend, especially if you’re looking to experience more local Orlando entertainment as well as Universal Studios. While it is set up more like a motel, the elegant touches and prime location on International Drive makes this a great option for your next vacation.