Orlando Convention Center Getaway: Your Dream Residence Inn Awaits!
Orlando Convention Center Getaway: My Dream Residence Inn… Well, Almost! (A Messy Review)
Okay, folks, buckle up. I’ve just returned from a whirlwind trip to Orlando… specifically, to the area around the convention center. And the “Orlando Convention Center Getaway: Your Dream Residence Inn Awaits!”… well, let’s just say my dream had a few stray glitter bombs thrown in.
First things first, the Accessibility is mostly on point. I'm not in a wheelchair myself, but I did notice ramps and elevators, so that's a HUGE win. They seem to be trying seriously. (Now, if only they could get those automatic doors working every time…)
Accessibility – Wheelchair accessible: Yep. See my earlier point.
Services and Conveniences: The Concierge? Bless their hearts. They were trying. Really, really trying. Got me a cab (eventually, after a minor comedy of errors involving a misplaced phone…) and pointed me in the right direction for… well, everything. The Facilities for disabled guests are there, thankfully. Gotta give 'em credit for the basics. Elevator? Check. Doorman? (Sometimes) Check.
Internet Access: Ah, the internet. A tale as old as time. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! is the claim. Sometimes true, sometimes a cruel, frustrating lie. Internet [LAN]? Never even bothered trying to hunt for a cable. Internet services? Generally, just… existing. You know, trying to keep up with the demands of modern existence. It’s there, it’s just… well, let's just say I spent a fair amount of time yelling at my laptop. Wi-Fi in public areas, though? Pretty decent.
Cleanliness and Safety: Look, I’m a bit of a germaphobe, especially after… well, the last few years. So, I appreciated the effort. Anti-viral cleaning products? Probably. Daily disinfection in common areas? Hopefully. Hand sanitizer? Everywhere! It felt like they were waging a full-scale war against the dreaded germ armies. Rooms sanitized between stays? I knew they were trying their best. Staff trained in safety protocol – I saw them scrubbing and spraying, which gave me some peace of mind. Hot water linen and laundry washing - Thank goodness! Hygiene certification - Probably. Professional-grade sanitizing services - Seemed like it. Room sanitization opt-out available - Not sure I would ever opt out, but good to know. Cashless payment service - Yes, please! Individually-wrapped food options - The struggle is real, and the extra packaging showed. Safe dining setup - Absolutely. Sanitized kitchen and tableware items - Felt clean enough. Shared stationery removed - Smart. Physical distancing of at least 1 meter - In the elevator, impossible. Everywhere else? Sometimes. Sterilizing equipment - They had that covered.
Dining, drinking, and snacking: Here's where things get interesting. The Breakfast [buffet]… oh, the breakfast buffet. (Let's be honest, I went for the convenience of the buffet, so I won't complain about being able to Breakfast service.) I'll be honest, it was the usual hotel affair, but the pancakes were glorious one morning. Seriously, fluffy, slightly sweet… I swear, I ate like five. Then the next day… completely different, sadder pancakes. This inconsistent pancake performance, however, is part of the fun of hotel breakfast, right? The A la carte in restaurant was alright, but, it wasn't the best. The Poolside bar was a lifesaver after a long day. Coffee/tea in restaurant? Yep. Coffee shop? Yes, but not an amazing one. Desserts in restaurant? Meh. Restaurants? There's a few. Snack bar? Basic. Asian cuisine in restaurant? I didn't see any, but hey, whatever. International cuisine in restaurant? Yeah, probably. Salad in restaurant? Fine. Soup in restaurant? Pass. Western cuisine in restaurant? Definitely. Vegetarian restaurant? Not explicitly, but there were some good veggie options. Buffet in restaurant? See above, pancakes. Bottle of water - Yes, they gave me one, when I asked. Room service [24-hour]? Fantastic! Saved me a few times when I was too fried to leave my room again. Alternative meal arrangement? Probably. Happy hour? Yes, yes, and yes! The Bar? A must-visit. Breakfast takeaway service? They do that.
Things to do, ways to relax: Now, this is where the "Dream Residence Inn" part could kick in.
Swimming pool [outdoor]? Oh yeah, and it's got a view! (Of the… parking lot, mostly, but still, a pool!) A real lifesaver after a long day of convention-ing. Swimming pool? Yep. Pool with view? Sort of.
Fitness center? Yep. A small gym with all the usual treadmills and weights. I managed to squeeze in a workout one morning. Gym/fitness? Yep.
Spa/sauna? No. Sauna? No. Steamroom? Sadly, no. Massage? Nope. Body scrub? Not that I saw. Body wrap? Not even. Foot bath? Nowhere. I had fantasies of a luxurious spa experience after all that conference-ing, but alas.
Available in All Rooms: Okay, here's the nitty-gritty. Air conditioning? Definitely. Alarm clock? Check. Bathrobes? Nope. Bathroom phone? Nope. Bathtub? Mine had. Blackout curtains? Thank goodness. Carpeting? Yep. Closet? Adequate. Coffee/tea maker? Yes! Essential. Complimentary tea? Yes. Daily housekeeping? Yes, and they did a great job. Desk? Yep, and it was a good size for working. Extra long bed? Yes. Free bottled water? One, upon arrival. Hair dryer? Present and accounted for. High floor? I think so, maybe. In-room safe box? Yep. Interconnecting room(s) available? Probably. Internet access – LAN? See above: forget about it. Internet access – wireless? Fine. Ironing facilities? Yes. Laptop workspace? Yes. Linens? Clean! Mini bar? Nope. Mirror? Yes, many. Non-smoking? Yes. On-demand movies? Meh. Private bathroom? Obviously. Reading light? Yes! Refrigerator? Yes. Safety/security feature? Smoke detectors, etc. Satellite/cable channels? Yes. Scale? Nope. Seating area? A small one. Separate shower/bathtub? Yes. Shower? Yep. Slippers? Nope. Smoke detector? Yep. Socket near the bed? Yes! Brilliant. Sofa? Some rooms. Soundproofing? Pretty good. Telephone? Yes. Toiletries? Basic. Towels? Clean. Umbrella? Nope. Visual alarm? Probably. Wake-up service? Yes. Wi-Fi [free]? See above. Window that opens? Yes, thank God!
For the kids: Family/child friendly? Yes. Babysitting service? I didn't see it. Kids meal? Probably. Kids facilities? Doubtful.
Getting around: Airport transfer? Available. Bicycle parking? Not that I know of. Car park [free of charge]? Nope. Car park [on-site]? Yep. Car power charging station? I don't think so, unless I totally missed it. Taxi service? The concierge can help with that (see above). Valet parking? No.
Dining, drinking, and snacking: Okay, I already covered this pretty thoroughly, but here's a quick recap: Food was… food. Not gourmet, but perfectly serviceable. The bar saved me more than once.
Services and conveniences: Again, already mentioned. The Meeting/banquet facilities looked professional, and I saw them at a function. Business facilities seemed adequate. Air conditioning in public area? Yep. Cash withdrawal? I saw one Convenience store in the lobby! Currency exchange? Nope. Doorman? (Sometimes). Dry cleaning? Check. Elevator? Yep. Essential condiments? Yes, in the restaurant. Facilities for disabled guests? Yes. Food delivery? Yes. Gift/souvenir shop? Yes. Invoice provided? Probably. Ironing service? Yes. Laundry service? Yep. **Luggage
Escape to the Brandywine Valley: Luxurious Fairfield Inn Stay Awaits!
Okay, buckle up buttercup, because this ain't your grandma's meticulously planned itinerary. We're going to Orlando, specifically the Residence Inn Convention Center, and let's be honest, anything remotely perfect is just… well, it's not happening here. This is going to be a beautiful, chaotic mess, just like my brain.
The "Orlando? Ugh, Fine. Let's Do This (Maybe)" Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival & The Great Hotel Room Hunt (And Maybe a Mild Panic Attack)
1:00 PM (ish) - Arrival & Check-In: The Hunger Games of the Lobby. Okay, picture this: you just flew five hours, your hair is a disaster from the recycled airplane air, and you're already questioning all your life choices. Welcome to Orlando. My first thought was, "Did I pack enough snacks?" (Spoiler: no, I never do). Checked in, and instantly felt a wave of… "Meh" wash over me. The lobby was a swirling vortex of stressed parents, squealing kids, and the faint aroma of desperation. Finding your room feels like a quest in itself!
2:00 PM - Room Reconnaissance & The Bed Test. The room. Ah, the room. Pray, pray, pray it’s not on the first floor next to the ice machine. Thankfully, we got away with a slightly less horrifying location. The first thing I always do? The bed test. A full-body flop to assess squishiness and overall comfort levels. Success! Mild squishiness achieved. I also tested the air conditioning, which, thankfully, didn't sound like a dying jet engine. Phew. Small victories.
3:00 PM - Grocery Store Panic (or, What Did I Forget?) Okay, so I'm supposed to be super organized, right? Nope. I ran to the closest grocery store, with what I thought was a thorough list. Of course, I forgot the crucial items: snacks, soda, and maybe an emergency chocolate bar. Wandered around, aimlessly, feeling the familiar pang of "am I even doing this right?"
4:00 PM - Settling In (and Pretending I'm Not Exhausted). Unpacked the essentials (phone charger, the aforementioned snack stash, and the book I'll probably read a chapter of). Started to relax, which mostly meant collapsing on the bed and staring at the ceiling. Maybe a quick nap… who am I kidding? Definitely a nap.
6:00 PM - Dinner: The Quest for Decent Food (Or, Survive The Restaurants!). Alright, dinner time. My mantra is: "Not everything is a culinary masterpiece." Found a decent enough place near the hotel. Ate some pizza (because pizza is always a reliable option). The sauce was slightly sweet, which initially threw me, but… it was fine. The waitress, bless her heart, looked like she’d seen things. I tipped her well. She deserved it.
8:00 PM - The Pre-Theme-Park-Anxiety. Okay, here's where the real fun begins (or maybe ends?): Tomorrow, the park. Thinking about lines, crowds, and the potential for meltdowns (mine, probably) filled me with a mixture of excitement and dread. Decided to watch a comfort show in bed to prepare. Emotional Rating: 7/10 (Mostly good, with a healthy dose of "what have I gotten myself into?")
Day 2: The Theme Park Gauntlet (Or, How I Survived on Caffeine and Sheer Willpower)
8:00 AM - Breakfast (and a Desperate Plea for Coffee). Hotel breakfast buffet. It's never good, but it's edible. Devoured some very mediocre scrambled eggs and, more importantly, three cups of strong coffee. I was on a mission.
9:00 AM - The Theme Park Experience: A Rollercoaster of Emotions (Literally). Oh. My. God. Theme park day is a blur of screams, lines, and sheer sensory overload. The sheer volume of people! The heat! The overwhelming everything! Found myself laughing hysterically one minute and ready to cry the next. The crowds were absolutely insane, I saw a kid throw up in the middle of it all, and then I rode a scary rollercoaster (hated it at first, then loved it, then hated it again).
- Highlight: That feeling of pure joy on the ride that wasn't terrifying. Victory! (even if it was fleeting).
- Lowlight: The moment I realized I'd forgotten sunscreen. My pale, easily-burnt skin was not pleased.
1:00 PM - Lunch (And a Much-Needed Sit Down). Found a spot to sit down and eat some overpriced, slightly stale food. The only sound was that of kids running around, and everyone was so hot.
3:00 PM - The Souvenir Debacle. "I'm not buying anything," I declared. Famous last words. Ended up with a ridiculously overpriced stuffed animal. No regrets. (Probably).
6:00 PM - Dinner & The Post-Theme-Park Exhaustion. Collapsed back at the hotel restaurant, absolutely wrecked. Everything hurt. All I craved was a pizza. Seriously, the pizza!
8:00 PM - "Early" Bedtime (And the Dream of Air Conditioning). Tried, and failed, to stay awake past 9 PM. Slept like the dead. Emotional Rating: 9/10 (Peak emotions. Good, bad, exhausting, wonderful. All of it.)
Day 3: The "Get Out of Orlando" Escape (Or, The Art of Packing and Goodbye)
9:00 AM - The "Last Breakfast" Blues. Another breakfast, another bout of existential hotel breakfast questioning.
10:00 AM - The Packing Apocalypse. Packing is always the worst. I realized I'd accumulated a mountain of dirty clothes, a collection of random park maps, and, of course, the souvenir thing. Everything was crammed into my bag (or so I thought)
11:00 AM - Last-Minute Grocery Run (For Snacks! This Time, I Swear!). One last grocery store visit for the car ride home. My packing was good. This time I wasn't going to miss snacks.
12:00 PM - Check-Out & The Sweet Taste of Freedom. Checked out, walked back to my car, breathing in the fresh air, and started the long drive home.
1:00 PM - Car Ride: Reflecting. Thinking about all the things that happened. Realizing I really need to get some rest.
6:00 PM - (or whenever) - Home Sweet Home. Unpack. Recover. Remember.
Important Notes & Disclaimers:
- This is not a rigid plan. Flexibility is key. Embrace the chaos.
- Snacks are non-negotiable. Pack more than you think you need.
- Stay hydrated. Drink water. Lots of water.
- Embrace the weirdness.
- It's okay to feel overwhelmed. It's Orlando. It's kind of the point.
- Don't be afraid to break down and eat that ice cream you always denied yourself.
And most importantly, have fun! (Try not to lose it.)
Canton, GA Getaway: Unbeatable Comfort Inn & Suites Deals!
Orlando Convention Center Getaway: Your Dream Residence Inn Awaits! (…Maybe?) – A Messy FAQ
Okay, spill the beans! Is this really a "dream" Residence Inn? Like, rainbows and unicorns dream?
Hah! Rainbows and unicorns? Look, let's be real. We're talking about a Residence Inn. The *dream* part? That's marketing, darling. It's more like… a reliably comfy, clean, probably-has-a-slightly-too-firm-mattress sort of dream. But hey, after a day navigating the Orlando Convention Center, even concrete sleeps like heaven. So, maybe… a slightly-less-dreamy-but-still-pretty-awesome kind of dream? Depends on your definition of "dream." If your dream involves complimentary waffles, then yes. If your dream involves a personal butler and a mountain of caviar, probably not. Let's be clear: the waffles were good, though. Seriously good. I may or may not have had three…and then felt slightly guilty about the bread basket I'd devoured the day before. It's a lifestyle, you see. The Orlando Convention Center Getaway Life.
So, what *actually* makes this a good option for a convention visit? Beyond the… waffles?
Location, location, location! The Residence Inn is practically *next door* to the Convention Center. Like, you could probably roll out of bed (maybe literally, if you partied too hard at the networking event – I'm not judging!) and stumble into the registration area. Seriously, the convenience is worth its weight in gold... or, you know, the inflated Orlando hotel prices. And believe me, Orlando hotels are an *experience* in themselves! I once stayed at a place where you could hear the guy in the next room snoring through the walls. The walls! So, proximity is a massive win. It also avoids the dreaded Orlando traffic. Trust me, the less time you spend in a car in Orlando, the better. The traffic is a beast. A very slow, perpetually-stuck-behind-a-tourist-bus beast.
What about the rooms themselves? Decent, I hope? No flickering lights or questionable stains?
Look, I'm a seasoned hotel veteran. I've seen things. Things you wouldn't believe. (Okay, maybe just a few questionable stains. We all have our moments...). The Residence Inn rooms? Generally decent. Cleanish. Spacious *enough*. I definitely wouldn't consider it a luxury suite, but they're comfortable, with that familiar, slightly generic hotel vibe. The kitchenettes are a nice touch for reheating leftovers (because convention food is often an… experience), and the separate living area gives you some space to, you know, breathe without feeling like you’re crammed into a shoebox. My biggest complaint? The lighting. So, so… fluorescent. I swear, I aged five years during my stay. Bring a good book and a strong flashlight, just in case. And maybe some mood lighting.
Is breakfast included? And if so, is it edible? I’m not a fan of rubbery eggs.
YES! Breakfast is included! And YES, it's *mostly* edible! (See waffle discussion above). They have the usual suspects: eggs (sometimes rubbery, sometimes… less so), bacon or sausage (usually okay), cereal, yogurt, fruit, and the aforementioned waffles. My strategy? Stack the plate with waffles and hope for the best. There's also the make-your-own-omelet station, which is a nice touch if you’re feeling ambitious (and don’t mind waiting in line behind a crowd of hungry salespeople). Seriously, those omelet lines are a battle. You gotta be quick, strategic, and prepared to elbow your way to the front. I witnessed some real Hunger Games-esque maneuvers. Also, the coffee? Let's just say it's… coffee. It will get you through the morning. Just don't expect gourmet.
Are there any downsides? Besides the fluorescent lighting and the potentially-rubber-eggs?
Okay, here's where we get real. First of all, remember the price? This is Orlando, people. Expect to pay. It might not be the *most* expensive option, but it's not exactly a budget-friendly getaway. Also, some of the rooms can be… well, a bit noisy. You're in a hotel, next to a convention center. There's going to be foot traffic, slamming doors, and the occasional late-night revelers. Bring earplugs. Seriously. And the pool? It's fine. Nothing to write home about, but it's a welcome reprieve from the Orlando heat. It’s seen better days – the tiles seemed to have a life of their own, maybe a bit of algae here and there, nothing serious. One time, I saw a rogue plastic flamingo escape into the bushes. It made me laugh, though. And parking? Can be a bit of a hassle, especially during peak convention hours. You might have to hunt for a spot. But hey, at least you're not dealing with the Orlando traffic, remember? Small victories.
What about the gym? Is it a death trap or does it have decent equipment?
Okay, the gym. Let me be honest, I walked past it. Twice. Once while muttering something about "commitment" and the other while stuffing a pastry into my face. It *looked* like a standard hotel gym - treadmills, ellipticals, some weights. Nothing fancy. Probably not a full-blown death trap, but also not a state-of-the-art fitness facility. If you're a serious gym rat, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you're just looking for a quick workout to counteract all those complimentary waffles, it'll probably suffice. Just… don't expect miracles. I'm guessing the equipment has seen plenty of action (and a lot of tourist sweat).
Is there anything *really* special or memorable about this place? Besides the… waffles?
Ah, good question! Besides the waffles… Hmm. Okay, here’s one. The front desk staff. They were genuinely friendly. Like, not that fake, forced friendliness you often get at hotels. Actually helpful, with a touch of real personality. One woman, I think her name was Maria (maybe?), remembered my name! And she always asked how my conference was going. It was a small thing, but it made a difference. Made me feel… less like a cog in the convention machine. I’m sure she deals with a *lot* of stressed-out attendees. And maybe the location. The sheer convenience can't be overstated. To be able to walk to the Orlando Convention Center is just wonderful.
So, would you recommend it? Waffles aside. Be honest!
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