Homewood Suites

[michelle_g]

Hi, we're staying at Homewood Suites by the Mercado this time, anyone know what it's like?

[gala]

Hi Michelle
You are going to love Homewood. Have a look at these threads and at Tripadvisor. I have never seen a bad review. It is a fantastic hotel.

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52520&highlight=Homewood

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=50006&highlight=Homewood

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30283&highlight=Homewood

Margaret

[DAN]

I've stayed in this hotel twice and i thought it was fantastic, the staff are great, rooms are clean and comfortable and the area around the hotel is spotless. Security is excellent with all door being keycoded. the breakfast is very nice and the managers special in the night is brilliant, free food and drink! Facilities are excellent but the pool is a little on the small side, but who goes to florida to sit in the pool? A brilliant hotel to stay in!

[KK_Cat]

We have just returned from this Homewood Suites last weekend, it was absolutely fantastic, couldn't fault either the hotel itself or the location. There are some great restaurants within a few minutes walk (Race Rock, Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze to name a few). The rooms are lovely, staff very friendly, breakfast great.

Location great, we had a rental car which helped and it was an easy drive to both disney and universal parks. 24 hr Walgreens few minutes walk away also, and there's a supermarket on the other side of I-Drive just slightly up to the right again less than 5 min walk. We would (and will) stay here again without hesitation.

Feel free to ask any questions (you can pm me if you would rather). I'm just going to upload 2 or 3 photos I took in hotel to my gallery if you want to look. I chose this hotel based on other peoples reviews both here and on tripadvisor.com and wasn't disappointed.

[Sweeney_Todd]

What are the ones at WDW and LBV like?
They are a bit cheaper than the one at the Conference Centre. I would be interested to know if there is any drop in standards at them.

[mart77]

Thats great to know. I am staying at the Homewood suites on I-drive at the end of July. Seen lots of good things about it so went for it. Glad that somebody has just returned and given it a thumbs up.

I am slightly curious about its proximity to various places on I-Drive. Universal especially. Also any tips or things you found out about the place would whilst there be great. :D

[gala]

Universal is a few miles away but there is a free shuttle to US and IoA - I think several per day. We went on the early one and arrived at 8.40. We were able to go straight on to Spiderman and the Hulk.You can also take the I Ride to Wet n Wild and cross the road to Universal Boulevard and walk to US.
Homewood is in a lovely quiet spot on the south of I Drive and there is just nothing bad you could say about it - it is set back from the road.However there is plenty of activity nearby - lots of restaurants. The I Ride stop is just a couple of minutes walk away.

Margaret

[KK_Cat]

Originally posted by martyates77


I am slightly curious about its proximity to various places on I-Drive. Universal especially. Also any tips or things you found out about the place would whilst there be great. :D


Not sure if you have a rental car or not, but as Gala has replied about the I-ride trolley (which we didn't try out) I will reply about using rental car. Homewood Suites has 2 exits, main exit onto I-Drive and back one onto Universal Boulevard. For Universal parks, Wet and Wild, Belz etc avoid the busy part of north I-Drive by exiting out the back onto Universal Boulevard which is very quiet and drive north straight into Universal parks about 1.5 miles north, couldn't be easier. As Universal Boulevard is a dual carriageway you will have to turn right when exiting out from hotel and then take a left u-turn about 50 yards or so down the road (all the roads seem to have these left turns to do u-turns, makes it so easy to correct yourself when you miss a turn). When coming back to Homewood via Universal Boulevard watch out for the Amerisuites entrance as they don't advertise Homewood, it is just after the Castle hotel, which you can't miss with the turrets!

[mart77]

Thanks a lot Kat and Gala. Good tips. Especially the back entrance way to Universal.

[bosco]

Is there a walmart near homewood suites?

[gala]

No - you will have to either go by taxi or bus- you can organise that at the front desk or catch a Lynx bus from I Drive. When we were there we went to Universal for the day and then caught a Lynx bus to Walmart.( as there is one that goes from US) Then at Walmart we got a taxi back to Homewood.

Margaret

[bosco]

Thanks Margaret for that.

[mart77]

Hello again. What is the nearest Wal-Mart to Homewood suites? Is it the one on 192 by Medieval Times? If not then roughly where in relation to Homewood Suites is the nearest?

[KK_Cat]

Nearest Walmart would be Sand Lake Road about 3 miles maybe from Homewood, if you are driving take back exit onto Universal Boulevard north and take a right onto Sand Lake Road. Walmart will be on your right about 2 miles or so out that road.

[mart77]

Thanks loads KK_CAT. That will be perfect for us. we now know which way to come into I-drive after the flight. Is this Wal-Mart as big as the one on 192 by Medieval Times?

[KK_Cat]

Sorry I don't know answer to this as I haven't been in the one on 192 (or any other Walmart for that matter:p: ). It is big though, we spent 3 hours there and didn't 'do' it all (skipped all the grocery parts and plenty of the clothes area too). We preferred Super Target though (although both are worth seeing). Super Target is near Mall at Millenia (only way I could direct you there is to take I4 north towards downtown Orlando and you will see Super Target a few miles out on your right, backs onto I4), exit is Conway (or is it Conroy?) road. You can't miss seeing it though, we found it by accident this way.