Howard Johnson Plaza Universal Gateway

[SamsCalling]

Hi everyone

I'm new to this board, so I wonder if anyone could help me. I've been reading alot of posts but can't find any that relate to the Howard Johnson Plaza, Universal Gateway, which is where I'll be staying on May 12th for two weeks.

If anyone has stayed there, I'd be so grateful if you could give me some details!

Thanks!

Sam x

[Pino_Spetzberg]

Hi Sams - welcome to the dibb. :smile:

I am sure you have already read the reviews posted on trip advisor, and looked at the photos on Expedia.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34515-d85265-Reviews-Howard_Johnson_Plaza_Resort_Universal_Gateway-Orlando_Florida.html

We have stayed at this low rise motel several times over the years, from when it was simply The Gateway Inn.
If you are posting the question you hopefully want to know the good and the bad - I am guessing you can change your booking ?

First of all, the good news - it is cheap @ around £25 per night for the room, the location is good, being close to Wet 'N' Wild, and the hotel runs a free shuttle service to theme parks.

Now the bad news.
The hotel security is not good, anybody can enter the corridors day or night, last time we noticed a few doors broken into by being kicked in. The hotel has safe deposit facilities at check-in desk but the in-room safes are usually broken.
The carpets in the corridors smelled badly and the rooms themselves were not the cleanest, there were tiny bugs in the bathroom - removed by housekeeping with bleach.
The beds were sagging, the room furniture and tv was broken.
However, the rooms at the back of the hotel and on ground floor near the pool are worst - if you can - ask for a room on the upper floor - near the " lobby " - these rooms seem better.

If you can possibly change your booking to the Crown Plaza Universal or similar - your holiday experience will be much improved - but probably it will cost more - to give you an idea - last year we paid £44 per night for the room at CPU - fantastic value - check out the reviews.
If you can pay the extra it will be worth it.

If you can't change your booking - as long as you pick the better rooms - the Gateway front desk staff are very friendly - then make the best of it - you won't be spending much time in the hotel anyway.
If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask. :cool:

[milliemollie]

We stayed there 2 years ago and we are going back in June . We didn't have any of the problems above, its a basic hotel. There Were security patrols on the corridors during the evening. The rooms were clean (a bit on the plain side but you're not in there much) .
A good bonus point is that its the first pick up if you use the hotel transport and you're guaranteed a seat.

Hope this reassures you

Millie

[LostGirl]

Hi Sam

I would have to be brutally honest and say don't stay here if you can help it. It used to me my hotel of choice while in Orlando and had 3 years of happy stays, but then things started to go wrong. The hotel used to be under different management but when it became a Howard Johnson it was all downhill from there.

On my last stay there, I received an electric shock from a faulty lamp in the bedroom, and there was blood on the sheets on the bed, when I asked them to change the sheets it took 3 days, and the room was just generally filthy, dirty bath and carpets. I am not fussy as my attitude to hotel rooms is they are just somewhere to sleep, but this place really is the pits.

On the positive side though the transport is good and the staff are helpful, but then they need to be.

If you can change to the Crowne Plaza or Clarion Universal just up the road.

Vikki

[SamsCalling]

AHHHHHHHH!

Thanks for your honest replies! I'll see what I can do!!

xxx

[tworats]

hi i have just come back from florida on tuesday and we stayed in the howard johnson plaza on kirkman drive and too be honest we could not find 1 fault with the place, rooms cleaned daily pool cleaned daily staff very friendly and there is a shop and a resurant inside the hotel what more could you want also free transport too and from the theme parks,we are planning our next trip and yes we are going to stay at the howard johnson on kirkman drive,well it cant be all bad as it was packed

[SamsCalling]

Oh that makes me feel better!

Can you tell me the free shuttle times?

[donnakirby]

we stopped in april 2004 and the shuttle bus times

were 8.00 and 10.30 to disney

and 8.30 and 10.00 to universal

we didnt really like the hotel - we too thought it was very dirty.

the rooms were cleaned every day and at the end of the day we were out every day and only use to sleep there.

[DAN]

Our freinds stayed in the Howard Johnson Plaza and we stayed in the Howard Johnson Hawaiian Ct., Both hotels were horrible. Security was poor with many of the doors broken, i would not let my kids walk around in the hotel unsupervised and someone got into the hotel one night and stole a vending machine. Corridors and rooms stunk, and the Air Conditioning broke down. Rooms were poorly furnished, nails stuck through the carpets and much of the furniture was broken. After a rain storm at our hotel our room flooded in an inch of water, the manager was rude when we went to complain and so were reception staff. Breakfast was awful with very little choice. The only good thing about the hotel was the pool and hot tub, but both of these broke during our stay and took days to repair. Change your hotel if you can!

[Pino_Spetzberg]

Sam,
The HoJo Plaza has a website - you can click on 360* Virtual Tours.

http://howardjohnsonhotelorlando.com

The Crowne Plaza Universal Orlando website also has a Video Tour.

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/1/en/hd/mcouv


Have a look at both - it may help. :smile:

For similar money, you can choose plenty of hotels similar to the former or the latter. There is a world of difference.

I must admit to being surprised that anybody is defending the HoJo in its present state. At the time of writing this - milliemollie has only posted once on The Dibb, and tworats has posted three times - each of which contain positive references to Howard Johnson. They are obviously entitled to their view but I make no apology for being in opposition - forums prosper on opinions.

[milliemollie]

I have only posted once, as about a year ago I was being e-stalked(from another board )and has taken me nearly a year to get my confidence back to post anywhere even though I have been a member for ages . I won't bother again .

c ya
millie:( :(

[Pino_Spetzberg]

Originally posted by milliemollie
I have only posted once, as about a year ago I was being e-stalked(from another board )and has taken me nearly a year to get my confidence back to post anywhere even though I have been a member for ages . I won't bother again .


millie,
I really hope you carry on Dibbing.
A lot of forums should contain the warning " May Contain Nuts ", but in the year or so I have been reading threads here and contributing it appears this forum is relatively free of internet weirdos.

Your opinion about anything is just as valid as anybody else - but obviously not everything you say will be met with agreement - that makes things more interesting.
We are all posting in the hope of making everybody have the best possible holidays - yes ?

Please don't be offended ! :beer2:

[passta]

i am going in march 28 days to go but i had booked the howard johnson plaza & suites but when i read about them i was not sure so i changed so now i am staying hampton inn weather they are better or not i don`t know it cost a bit more but for the price i am paying to go you want the placeyour staying good. best of luck

[SamsCalling]

Thank you all for your help!