Homewood Suites by Hilton Orlando Airport

Homewood Suites by Hilton Orlando Airport is a mid-range apartment-hotel in a long salmon-and-white building with gable roofs and a row of palm trees planted at the front entrance. It almost looks like a schoolhouse, owing partially to the presence of a small game court with a basketball hoop out front. Inside, the lobby is bright and sunny, with recessed lighting and a mix of tile floors and colorful patterned carpets, plus a fireplace feature at the center to add to the contrived -- but not unpleasant -- homey, casual feel, as does the presence of piped-in pop music. Doors lead out to a side patio with a fenced-inn pool area and a collection of padded wicker chairs situated around a raised fire pit. The hotel gets a mix of airport transit passengers, including lots of families who check in just for a night before departing to the airport, as well as business travelers needing self-catering digs while visiting Orlando.

This Homewood Suites is located just off of South Semoran Boulevard, a main artery that leads away from the airport, about a five-minute drive away. The whole area is dominated by similar mid-range chain hotels, and there's a Hampton Inn on the opposite side of the parking lot plus a Long John Silver's restaurant just next door. There are also plenty of chain restaurants (including a TGI Fridays and a Hooters) in the immediate vicinity and a nail and hair salon just across the parking lot. It's around a 20-minute drive to Universal Studios. Walt Disney World and Epcot take about 25 minutes to reach by car. SeaWorld takes just under 15 minutes to reach by car, while downtown Orlando is closer to 20 minutes away. Factor in 45 minutes to get to Cape Canaveral or the Kennedy Space Center by car.

This Homewood offers a variety of large suites in Studio, One-Bedroom, and Two-Bedroom configurations, each with either one king bed or two queen beds, plus a sofa bed. Rooms are designed for long-term guests or those in search of a self-catering option so all units include full kitchens with dark parquet floors and chrome appliances including dishwashers, microwaves, large refrigerators, stoves, and cookware along with coffeemakers, flat-screen TVs, and irons/ironing boards. Note that rooms lack safes, though there is a safe deposit box at the front desk. Decor is on the dated side, with patterned carpets and retro 1970s-style floral patterned sofas, plus comparably more modern dark-wood finish tables and dressers, sleek white lamps, and a few generic art prints on the walls. Bathrooms are large, with walk-in showers and tile floors, plus separate marble-top vanities and sinks just outside the bathroom doors. All units come with free toiletries and hairdryers. ADA rooms are also available for the hard-of-hearing and wheelchair users.

This hotel has a nice set of amenities, particularly for an apartment hotel. A hot breakfast is included in room rates and there's an evening social held Monday through Thursday featuring free beer and wine along with a rotating menu of free food. Theme nights focus on everything from Vietnamese pho to nachos. Wellness facilities include a medium-size gym with Precor cardio machines and free weights and though it's not open 24/7, the hours of operation are long. There's also a lovely outdoor kidney-shaped pool surrounded by palm trees and a small sport court with a basketball hoop. Other hotel features include coin-operated laundry facilities, a minimart in the lobby with sundries and snacks, and a small business center with a few computers and a printer. The hotel also offers a free shuttle service to the airport along with free on-site parking, free Wi-Fi, and a meeting room for up to 60 guests with a theater-style configuration.