Doubletree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld

Despite falling under the Doubletree by Hilton brand, which generally skews toward business properties, this gargantuan hotel is much more like a hybrid conference hotel/tourism resort. Guests enter pass through a Spanish Colonial-style awning into a towering 17-floor main building with a long, generally well-staffed reception desk with multiple people behind the desks for check-in/check-out most of the time. A skylit ceiling and a mix of light-brown tile and light wood paneling paired with cream walls keeps the space feeling bright, and there are a few clusters of tables and chairs for guests who want to linger. However, there are more inviting spots across the large resort property for hanging out, including multiple pools and outdoor spaces, from a patio with a pool table to a pavilion with fire pits. Rooms and facilities are pretty spread out, with guest rooms in the main tower and across 19 buildings, most of which run along the edges of the long rectangular property. A parking lot wraps around the hotel making it easy for guests to get their cars pretty close to their rooms without having to rely on bell service (though there are plenty of bellhops with golf carts for transporting guests and luggage as needed). It's open during the day but locked at night, so guests need to use their key cards to get in and out during the wee hours. The hotel gets a good mix of travelers, including convention goers, but its biggest segment is the theme park crowd. The hotel gets a lot of travelers in town to SeaWorld, just a walkway away. Note that an additional daily resort fee is levied at the time of check-in. 

This Doubletree is located on the corner of International Drive -- one of the main strips in the touristy part of Orlando -- and Westwood Boulevard. The area has plenty of hotels and a few chain restaurants, but the biggest draw to this location is its proximity to SeaWorld, a 10-minute walk from the hotel via a path at the back of the property. It's around a 10-minute drive to Universal Studios. Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom takes 20 minutes or so by car. Epcot is a bit closer at around 15 minutes away by car. Both the Orlando Airport and downtown Orlando are closer to 20 minutes away. Factor in about an hour to get to Cape Canaveral or the Kennedy Space Center by car.

There are 1202 rooms at this property, and a huge variety of room and suite types to follow suit. Rooms are housed either in the main 17-floor tower or in one of 19 two-story blocks of rooms spread across the gardens, but all have a similar decor scheme, with tan patterned carpets and coordinating sodas, dark-wood desks, tables, dressers, and wardrobes, and off-white walls with a piece or two of neutral hued wall art per room. All of them feature, at a minimum, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, irons and ironing boards, and free Wi-Fi. Higher categories add mini-fridges and microwaves. Rooms are lit with lamps rather than ceiling lights, creating a warm glow without compromising visibility after the sun goes down. Rooms feature lovely vanity areas just outside the bathrooms, with turquoise-hued mini-tiles and wall sconce light fixtures reminiscent of Japanese rice paper screens. However, the bathrooms themselves are disappointingly cramped, with older taps in shower/tub combos. Note that ground-floor rooms in the garden buildings may feel like they lack privacy as the windows look straight out onto walkways and it's easy for passersby to peek inside unless guests have their blackout curtains drawn. Moreover, while rooms are air-conditioned, the windows don't open and some guests might find them a bit cold, even with the AC off.

This sprawling property offers a ton of amenities for kids and adults alike. Highlights include a beautiful lagoon-style main pool with waterfall features and a ton of lounge chairs and umbrellas, and it stays open late for those who don't want to swim in direct sunlight. There's an additional family pool off to one end of the property, with a pool deck featuring lounge chairs along with its very own mini-ship for poolside make-believe and fountain features. This part of the resort also houses a play area with table tennis, a pool table under a palapa-style shade, a colorful play structure with a slide, and mini-golf. Other features include a fitness center with multiple treadmills and cardio machines plus free weights, but there's no spa. Both coin-operated laundry and valet laundry service are available. There's also a gift shop in the lobby, a pantry selling snacks, an internet terminal, and an ATM. Dining options here aren't too shabby, though they are a bit limited for such a huge resort. The main Laguna restaurant offers a pricey breakfast buffet with a la carte options such as salads and sandwiches throughout the day. There's also a bar with tapas in the lobby (Sonoma) and a second pool bar -- Barefoot Bar. The Market sells sandwiches, pastries, and coffee. There's also room service, but it's not available around the clock.For business travelers, there are three conference centers on the property with a huge variety of conference and event rooms for rent, from small meeting rooms to the aptly named Majestic Ballroom with room for over 2000 guests reception style. There's also free Wi-Fi throughout the property, a business center, and ample free parking. The hotel operates a free area shuttle to SeaWorld, Aquatica, and Universal Studios Orlando. The shuttle to Disney World costs extra.