11000 Westwood Boulevard, Orlando, Florida, United States | (618) 248-8274
Convenient location near SeaWorld and about a 20-minute drive from Universal and Disney theme parks
Apartment-style rooms with kitchens complete with dishwashers
Free continental breakfast buffet with hot and cold items
Huge outdoor pool with fountain features and adjacent whirlpool hot tub
Poolside Bar & Grill serves sandwiches and cocktails at lunch and dinner
Coin-operated laundry facilities with lots of washers and dryers
Small shop selling snacks and soft drinks in the lobby
Fitness center with cardio machines and free weights
Sports court with basketball hoops
Two meeting rooms, the largest of which can seat up to 70 people
Pet-friendly (with advanced notice and for a fee)
Free parking and hotel-wide Wi-Fi
Kitchens lack ovens
Not much of interest within walking distance
Residence Inn Orlando at SeaWorld is a three-pearl apartment hotel that attracts long-stay business travelers and vacationing tourists alike. All 350 rooms feature full kitchens (though they lack ovens) plus sofa beds for extra guests. At the heart of the property is a huge outdoor swimming pool with fountain features and a whirlpool hot tub, and there's a poolside bar for lunch and dinner. Other amenities include a free breakfast buffet, a fitness center, and a couple of meeting rooms. Both Wi-Fi and parking are free for guests and there are no resort fees. There's little in walking distance, but its location is practically equidistant between Universal and Disney. It's a bit far from downtown Orlando so those with work in the city may want to look into a stay at Crowne Plaza Orlando Downtown instead.
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Scene
Mid-range chain apartment hotel with well-landscaped grounds, popular with business travelers and vacationers alike
Residence Inn by Marriott Orlando at SeaWorld is a mid-range apartment hotel that attracts business travelers who want self-catering rooms, along with plenty of vacationing couples and families on a budget. It's housed in a six-floor, two-toned yellow building with the hotel's name emblazoned in red. The grounds here are pleasant, with lots of attention to landscaping and a few benches and tables here and there. Inside, the lobby is simple, with low ceilings and a mix of tile floors and carpeting, but there's not much seating beyond a breakfast room in the back.
Location
Just off Interstate 4, within walking distance of SeaWorld and about a 20-minute drive to Universal and Disney
This hotel has a pretty good location for travelers who want to visit multiple theme parks during their Orlando stay. It's located just off Interstate 4, a five-minute drive or 20-minute walk from SeaWorld. There's not much else within walking distance besides other hotels, a couple of restaurants, and a 7-Eleven. It's a 10-minute drive to the Orange County Convention Center and a 20-minute drive to Universal Studios. Without traffic, Walt Disney World takes about 15 to 20 minutes to reach by car. Getting to the airport should take about 20 minutes, but can take significantly longer during busy times. Factor in around 25 minutes to get to downtown Orlando.
Rooms
Homey rooms and suites with kitchens with dishwashers
This hotel offers five room categories, from 441-square-foot (40 square meter) Studio Queen Rooms up to 900-square-foot (81 square meter) Two-Bedroom Suites. Accessible rooms for wheelchair users and the visually impaired are available in most categories. Decor is pleasant and homey, if a tad generic. Wall prints with nature scenes are a calming touch. Windows open to let in fresh air.All rooms are designed for long-stay visitors and come with almost full kitchens (no ovens), complete with microwaves, huge refrigerators, toasters, instant hot water, coffeemakers, two-burner hobs, and a variety of cookware and utensils. Dishwashers are an unexpected perk. Other amenities include sofa beds, desks with outlets, irons/ironing boards, and flat-screen TVs with cable. Wi-Fi is free in rooms and hotel wide. Bathrooms are simple. They come with Paul Mitchell toiletries, hairdryers, and shower/tub combos plus just enough counter space to keep a few basics. Most rooms offer views of the pool or parking lot.
Features
Outdoor pool with fountain features, restaurant, gym, meeting spaces, and free hot continental breakfast
This hotel's star feature is its huge palm-flanked outdoor pool, complete with dolphin fountain features, a whirlpool, and tons of seating. There's also a pool bar right next to the pool which serves cocktails and sandwiches at lunch and dinner. During our visit, reggae music was playing, giving the whole place a bit of an island vibe. Other outdoor features include a sports court with a basketball hoop and a few barbecue grills for guests to use. Indoors, there's a breakfast room where a free buffet with hot and cold items is served daily. There's also a pretty good fitness center with a few treadmills and elliptical machines, plus a rack of free weights. Other facilities include a large laundry room with coin-operated washing machines and dryers, plus an ATM and a small shop selling snack foods and soft drinks. There are also a couple of meeting rooms -- the larger of the two can seat up to 70 people. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel and there's lots of free parking in the hotel's surface lot. Pets are welcome with advanced notice and require a cleaning fee.
