With our new Disney Annual Passes, we find ourselves in Orlando but keep searching out the best value for money in the area. Previously, we loved Hilton Bonnet Creek and our daughter favored the bi-level suite at Hyatt Grand Cypress. We had an incredible upgrade at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace near Disney Springs.
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Location
Located just off Hotel Plaza Dr and connected to Disney Springs by a walkway, the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace has an enviable location for any visitor to the parks.
Address: 1900 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830, United States
Phone: +1 407-827-2727
Suite
We were upgraded (due to my Diamond status) to a townhouse suite on the 4th floor in the east wing. The room would have been ideal if travelling with more family because of the copious amount of space in the suite.
Bedrooms
The master bedroom would have been large in its own right. It had a sitting area, a table, desk, ensuite bathroom and king bed. I captured a few images to demonstrate just how large it was.
The only drawback of this room was the view which overlooked the driveway awning. There was also construction at the time so that made for noisy mornings.
The second bedroom featured two queen beds and was about the average size of a hotel room for a full-service property such as this. Lucy made it her own which we loved and it was nice to have some additional space. Had we travelled with additional family members, the separation of space and privacy would have been ideal.
Bathrooms
The bathrooms were a little disappointing for an otherwise impressive suite. They were standard issue Hilton bathrooms, with the vanity outside of the bathroom door, each identical to the other. A shower over tub with a toilet was functional, but a dedicated shower with rain showerhead would have been preferred.
Living Room
The couch pulled out to make yet another bed, in case you were travelling with as many as eight people on a single reservation. For a family or for hosting others, the living room was ideal. A large glass dining room table had room for six, couches hosted a few more. A mini-fridge was also available along with a coffee maker and microwave.
Property
Though the property is likely attended mostly by those who wish to visit Disney World parks or Disney Spring shopping and dining across the street, there was plenty to occupy guests while on site. The pools were expansive and featured a lazy river, zero-entry pool and one more suitable for adults-only though not marked as such.
The property also featured a sizable marketplace for grabbing something quick and simple to eat, on-site rental cars and a full-service restaurant with a pair of bars. We weren’t able to eat breakfast on-site during our stay, but it is offered in the restaurant complimentary for Gold and Diamond members of the Hilton Honors program.
Value
For 50,000 Honors points per night or about $220 we found the property to be a good value. Valet parking was a bit pricey at $35/night but on our award stay we opted for it. We didn’t have to pay the resort fee but (as we often find) it didn’t deliver a lot for the money. Anyone who signs up for an account with Hilton would have been given free WiFi that the fee included, we did utilize a free DVD rental to see a movie not yet available on Netflix but that was about it.
If you’re looking for a convenient location and are a Diamond member (avoiding the resort fee and potentially scoring an upgrade such as this) I would wholeheartedly recommend this property.
What do you think? Have you stayed here before? How did our experience compare to yours?
I loved this hotel. It is our to go family vacation hotel went visiting disneyworld. I normally opt to stay in the island side. The rooms are like condos and it is very quiet and a quick walk to pool area and to park shuttles. You actually are not inside the main hotel building. I have been able to pay $120xnight and went I stay with award night I remember paying similar amount you mentioned plus 5th night free. We actually got 2 free nights. Great place dir family vacation.
If you’re not a Diamond, have to pay the resort fee (would’ve been nice if you posted more details), have to pay for parking, and don’t get an upgrade to a 2-bedroom suite, is the hotel still worth it? Or are there others that would be better value?
@Tennen, I have stayed as a Gold, and I would say that it’s still worth it. For the location and price, it’s one of the best places to stay off-property, and (I think) the best place in Disney Springs. I did have to pay the resort fee, but it included credits that could be used at the market cafe, and we used these to get coffee, water, and snacks to take to the park in the morning.