It’s not all fun and games at the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Downtown, in Orlando, Florida, but for a lot of travelers, myself included, that’s a good thing.
The Downtown DoubleTree isn’t trying to be the kind of hotel where you lounge by the pool all day without ever leaving the grounds. It’s also not a Disney property, and if you’re traveling with kids and planning on spending a lot of time at area theme parks, this may not be the best hotel for you.
But if you’d like to see what the city of Orlando itself has to offer (spoiler: lots, including great dining), the Downtown DoubleTree is ideally located and provides excellent value for the money. And of course, there are the famous warm cookies any time you ask. (That’s right; they’re not just for check-in and turn-downs. You’re welcome.)
I was pleasantly surprised at the size of my room, which wasn’t as large as the one I stayed in at a more suburban Florida DoubleTree, but which still had lots of room to manoeuver and roll the sleek armless desk chair around in. Wi-Fi was free and fast, and floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of warm Florida light. Warm Florida humidity, though, was kept at bay by air conditioning that actually got too cold on one occasion. (My bad; it’s perfectly adjustable.) The bathroom was nice, too, with a real tub and plenty of sweet-smelling Crabtree and Evelyn bath products.
If you find yourself on-site at mealtimes, you’re in luck. I particularly enjoyed breakfast, a generous buffet where you are greeted by a charming maître d’ and seated at a cloth-covered table. (If you’re in more of a hurry, there’s also a Starbucks in the lobby.) The Sixty South restaurant serves sit-down meals, and also has a large lounge area where you can sit at the bar with a drink or watch a game on the flat-screen in an over-stuffed chair.
It was when it did finally come time to leave the property that I appreciated another amenity: location. A free shuttle takes you anywhere within three miles, a radius that includes the central business district; Thornton Park; Lake Eola; and the Amway Center, a major concert venue that is home to the NBA’s Orlando Magic. There’s plenty of parking on-site and easy access to Interstate 4 if you’ve rented a car. Universal Studios Florida is about a 15-minute drive, and Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park is 30 minutes away.
Also worth mentioning is the fact that the Downtown DoubleTree is a very comfortable place for female travelers. Staff have clearly been trained not to ask awkward questions about husbands that may not exist and not to panic if the number of women checking in is greater than the number of beds in the room.
Bottom line: This hotel is ideal for the business traveler. It might not be perfect for families with kids, but it is excellent for couples or solo travelers, especially if theme parks are not the sole focus of your visit.
And it helps to like cookies.
THE FLUFF
DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Downtown, 60 South Ivanhoe Boulevard, Orlando, Florida. 407-425-4455. doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/florida/doubletree-by-hilton-orlando-downtown-MCOODDT/index.html.
RATING: 4
TYPE OF LODGING: Chain Hotel
CHECK OUT: From $189
(lowest price for a single night in a standard room during peak-season)
SWEET DREAMS: Dream of warm chocolate chip cookies; wake up in cool comfort overlooking the Orlando skyline.
WORTH THE SLEEP?: zzz = Like being at home
(z = Not worth the overnight; zz = Had a good time, but I’ve slept better; zzz = Like being at home; zzzz = This was divine!)
VIBE: More grown-up than you might expect from a kid magnet like Orlando, but you’ll still feel like you’re on vacation—not like you crashed a convention.
SCENE: Business travelers and others who have trouble unplugging tap away at laptops in the lobby Starbucks. The rest of us enjoy a drink at the bar or relax in a clubby high-backed chair in the lounge.
LOCATION: The hotel is located just off Interstate 4, in the business district on the shores of Lake Ivanhoe. The setting is perfect for anyone who came to see the actual city of Orlando, as opposed to just the theme parks.
ROOM: Large and airy, full of elegantly minimalist dark wood furniture—you get a lot of square footage for your money here. Not all rooms overlook the lake, so try to request one that does. The free Wi-Fi works well.
BATHROOM: Not as generously spacious as the rooms in general, but more than adequate, with a full-sized tub and good counter space.
AMENITIES: They had me at “free chocolate chip cookie,” but there are even more services than that, including a pool and exercise room, business center, 20,000 square feet of meeting and ballroom space, and a free shuttle operating in a three-mile radius of the hotel. Some kid’s services are available, including activities, video rentals, and an activity program. Virtually the whole property is wheelchair accessible. No pets are allowed. Parking costs $17 per day.
Book your getaway to Florida with Girls That Roam Travel. Contact Heather Cassell at Girls That Roam Travel at 415-517-7239 or at .
To contract an original article, purchase reprints or become a media partner, contact .
