I’ve partnered with Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa for this review.
One thing I love about living in Florida is having the ability to visit Orlando and all of its attractions on a fairly regular basis. At a minimum, we visit Orlando at least twice a year, so at this point I’ve stayed at quite a few hotels and resorts in the Kissimmee / Orlando area. In our younger years (read: before kids) we sought out luxury, 4 or 5 stars resorts and hunted for the best deals possible since we could drop in on a whim, but things are a bit different now that we have children. Now, we plan far in advance and search for family friendly resorts that offer awesome amenities while still offering some of the comforts of home, like plenty of space and a full kitchen. On our latest trip to Orlando, we had the opportunity to check out the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa for two nights and it really delivered on our wish list.
Upon pulling into the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa I noticed a few things: the property was large and inviting, and it was located directly next to the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores. I quickly checked in and was assigned to a 1,080 square-foot, two bedroom suite in one of the buildings closest to the factory stores (there are 5 buildings; 3 around the large pool and 2 right across an access road with another pool shared between them). You can choose from 1-4 bedroom suites depending on how many people are traveling with you.
While making our way to our building I took note of Frankie Farrell’s Irish Pub & Grille and the Pizza Hut Café Express that were located on property and I saw a convenience store also located in the tower adjacent to ours. It’s always great to have some place to grab a quick bite and a store to get those item you may have forgotten or find yourself in need of.
Our suite was on the second floor and we were really impressed when we entered the room. The rooms at the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa are more like condominiums and extremely spacious. The living area was large with plenty of seating and a large TV set and there was a dining table for meals. The suite featured a full size kitchen with granite counter tops and all the dishes, silverware and cookware you might need for meal preparation. To our surprise there was also a washer and dryer in the suite. Each suite also has a private balcony with seating so you can enjoy the atmosphere and Florida weather.
The kitchen and washer/dryer are truly amazing for families. We often find ourselves whipping up small meals for our toddler when he’s in a picky mood, so being able to heat up some food or keep the food he likes on hand in the refrigerator is fantastic. I also like having the option to prepare some of our meals rather than eating out three times per day. This can save a ton of money if you’re vacationing on a budget. You’ll also be happy to know that internet access is included in the nominal resort fee.
The two bedroom suite was designed to accommodate 6 guests – our suite had a king bed in one room and two doubles in another, along with a pull-out sleeper sofa in the living room. As a parent, having a bathtub is key for washing little ones, so we were delighted to see a full bathtub in the bathroom and a huge jacuzzi tube in the master bathroom.
The rooms and bathrooms were very clean and totally functional for families. Having a separate bedroom for the kids is a major benefit in my book and means that everyone gets a better night’s sleep. I hate being crammed into one room and tripping all over our belongings. We definitely did not feel this way at the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa. I didn’t realize that housekeeping services were not included in the stay and we didn’t have the foresight to hang our towels to dry. Luckily, we were able to grab a few from the other bathroom in the suite so it wasn’t a big deal, but just know that towel service is additional fee (as are other housekeeping services like making the beds, cleaning the room, etc). If you’ve traveled with kids before, you know that unexpected things can happen and unfortunately our son got car sick during a short trip to the store on the morning of our departure. Luckily, I was able to visit the convenience store on the property to pick up Lysol wipes to clean his car seat, but this really put me behind on packing up. I called the front desk to see about a late check-out but was told it would be a $50 fee. I decided to forgo that and just packed a little hastily instead.
We visited the resort in December and the days we stayed were a little overcast and chilly, but we did check out the property’s amenities like the Pirates Plunge Themed Pool and Lani’s Luau Poolside Bar & Grille. Simply put, the pool area is AWESOME. My son was so excited about the huge pirate ship and playing on the pool deck. I already promised him that we’d return when the weather was warmer so he could take full advantage of the pool and pirate ship. There’s also a shallow play area for kids which is perfect for families traveling with small children.
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind just visiting this hotel to hang out by the pool all day. I know our kids would be entertained for hours. There’s even a tiki hut that designated just for kids with games and fun things to do for them.
The resort is also home to the Reflections Full Service Salon & Spa where you can get pampered during your visit. You can also take advantage of the 24 hour fitness center. During our visit we did some shopping and visited SeaWorld and were very pleased with the location of the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa. It’s only 1 mile from the entrance of Downtown Disney and only about 6-12 miles from SeaWorld, Universal, and the Disney theme parks. We used our own car since we were traveling with kids and car seats, but visitors can take advantage of the complimentary shuttle service with regularly timed intervals between pick-up and drop-off to the parks and points of interest.
Overall, we had a great stay at the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa and would absolutely stay there again. It’s a great value and the rooms are so spacious that it’s truly a home away from home.
Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary stay to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
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