This hotel has seen better days
Written: Jan 05 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Less expensive than staying in a Disney Resort - very clean.
Cons: Sleazy time-share pushers accost you every time you need assistance. Free buses very crowded.
The Bottom Line: If you cannot find another motel for the same price, avoid the Guest Services counter and lose weight before your trip so that you can squeeze into those free buses.
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| LinneaB's Full Review: Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites MAIN GATE EAST |
We stayed in this motel from December 30, 2002 to January 2, 2003. I have never stayed in Orlando before, so I cannot compare this motel to others in the town, but I must say that it is not up to the standards of Holiday Inns in other areas.
Our room was in an older part of the motel, and the building was not well-maintained. There were rust stains around all of the interior and exterior doors and frames, the paint was peeling, and the tub and toilet finish was blistered and warped. This gave the room a very unclean appearance, but to be fair, I must say that the room was actually very clean and the housekeeping staff was doing a great job.
The pools and hot tubs were very nice and again, very clean. We didn't spend much time there because our goal was to go to Disney World.
The hotel offers free transportation to Disney World, but only in the mornings. There were four departure times before noon, and that was it for the day. Reservations were required 24 hours in advance for these buses, but this did not seem to be strictly enforced, and we were able to reserve a spot the night before.
To return to the hotel from Disney World one did not need reservations, and the bus schedule was much more frequent, ending when the parks closed. The buses were extremely crowded for the return trips, and on one trip there were so many passengers that all small children were in their parents' laps and still the standing passengers were packed in so tightly that it was difficult to breathe. I have had more pleasant bus experiences in developing nations.
The thing that really bothered me about this motel was the "Guest Services" counter. After check-in, we were told that we "needed" to stop in at this counter, so we obediently did so. When we arrived, we were subjected to a high-pressure sales pitch about a new resort/club that is owned by the same people who own the motel. These sales people were very aggressive. On two more occasions we needed to ask questions at the Guest Services counter and were again forced to listen to this sales pitch before we could get our questions answered. It did no good to tell them that we were not interested.
Not only were there sales pitches going on at the counter, but various promoters were wandering around the lobby, trying to get us to fill out forms and give them our e-mail addresses. Maybe this is just a part of the "Disney Experience" but I found it intrusive.
The registration staff were helpful and friendly, and our check-in and check-out went smoothly.
Another reviewer mentioned that local calls are free at this motel and this is no longer true. We were charged $0.50 for each call. One bonus was a VCR in our room, and a self-serve video rental machine in the lobby. I also appreciated the coin-operated laundry room.
Overall, I am used to a much higher quality of room for $100 per night, but then again, this is Disney World and everything costs a fortune. I would say that our experience was not a bad one, but that I would try another motel if I ever return to Orlando.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
LinneaB
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Reviews written: 66
Trusted by: 3 members
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