| Reviews from Members |
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Earning More Ears
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We were a party of 7, staying in a villa for 2 weeks. However, in order to take advanage of the fast pass tickets at Universal, we opted to stay at the hard rock in two seperate rooms for one night. This was such a god idea! We were able to check in early and make use of the fast passes.
The checkin process was slow, but it was busy. They took our phone numbers so they would be able to let us know when the rooms were available. It was about 2pm which was about right for us to escape the heat of the parks. The rooms were not massive but were fit for purpose. If we were staying any longer i would have wanted a much bigger room.
we did not eat at the hotel so can not comment on that. we did have drinks by the pool. These were expensive but worth it to have them delivered to our sun loungers.
Over all good value considering the passes and would stay again. |
August 2022 |
![Cleanliness [5]](images/rating/cleanliness5.gif)
![Child Friendliness [5]](images/rating/childfriendliness5.gif)
![Location to Attractions [5]](images/rating/location5.gif)
![Value for Money [5]](images/rating/value5.gif)
![Overall Impression [4]](images/rating/overall4.gif)
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VIP Dibber
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We love the HRH. We stayed for 3 nights on the Rock Royalty 7th floor. The location alone makes it worthwhile.
The 7th floor was worth the extra money as we ate breakfast each morning and headed to the parks. The dinner time snacks were not for us. They filled us up and put us off dinner but were not enough in themselves for dinner, so we gave them a miss the next couple of nights. With 5 of us we saved money on breakfast and the bag full of soft drinks and snacks taken each day for the walk to the park. We also made several trips from the pool and back and saved us a fair amount too.
Being so close to the parks we went early and were back by 1:00 for lunch and a few hours around the pool before heading back into the parks. We only took the free boat once as it was quicker to walk through a beautiful wooded area with lots of shade.
We loved the pool and especially the music (most of the time i.e. Rock) not such a fan of the occasional Urban Grime but the vibe around the pool was relaxed and the Hi-de-Hi games (not compulsory) were fun to watch, especially the hula hoop... The waiters at the pool are really quick and come around on a regular basis. The fish taco's are a must have for me, you get 3 so it is big enough to share.
I can understand why it is not everyone's cup of tea. The rooms are not that special especially for the money. The vibe of the restaurants and pool may not be for everyone, with the load music, but it is right up our street.
We will be back, next time without kids and will probably make it a 7 night stay. |
July 2019 |
![Child Friendliness [4]](images/rating/childfriendliness4.gif)
![Value for Money [3]](images/rating/value3.gif)
![Overall Impression [5]](images/rating/overall5.gif)
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Very Serious Dibber
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Oh I just love this hotel! If we could afford to stay here for the full duration of our trip, we certainly would.
The rooms are so clean, beds are comfy and the air-con is nice and quiet! I loved the theming and décor in the rooms from all music memorabilia.
Pool was lovely and warm, loved the beach area and the slide too - was a hit for the 10 year old.
The smell in the lobby was divine to the point I asked concierge what was the smell. He laughed and said everyone asks that and no one actually knows. Said the closest he's found was Yankee Candle Sage and Sea Salt. |
April 2019 |
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Apprentice Imagineer
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Eight of us stayed in 2 club level rooms for one night in August, in order to make use of express passes. There was myself, dh, ds(11). Ds (13) niece(14), neice (17) and my mum and Dad.
Having previously stayed at Royal Pacific (club level) for one night earlier during this holiday, we had high hopes for this (more expensive) hotel.
The themeing is amazing and it’s good to be able to wander around seeing all the different celebrities around, the land be do in the foyer was a great touch too. Check in was swift and professional, not quite as cheerful as RPR, but then it does depend on who you get.
After going to the parks in the morning, we decided to make our way back to the rooms at about 2pm. We’d had a message saying the rooms were ready while we were taking the river boat back. We were fortunate to get inter-connecting rooms meaning we all could chat and relax in both rooms. The club level offerings were not great at this time (hot food doesn’t start until 5pm and the snack on offer were minimal),we decided to get a few portions of chilli chips to keep us going from the Starbucks shop near the pool. These were awesome, four portions easily kept all eight of us happy.
The pool was disappointing. I’d really been looking forward to going in the pool here, maybe it was because of the music underwater, or maybe it was because it was the hard rock hotel and I had high expectations, but it was very busy and a lot shallower than I anticipated. It is definitely a pool for just sitting it. No volley ball nets were set up as they had been at Royal Pacific, meaning it seemed a little unfriendly in comparison. Saying that, the kids enjoyed the slide, however there was about a 15 minute wait each time to use it. The music under the water was almost inaudible, I’d don’t really know what I expected to be honest - I obviously set the bar way too high!
After getting changed we went to the club lounge for their hot food. There was plenty of it, chicken wings, samosas, salad, but nowhere to sit. We were one of the first groups to enter but seating is much more limited then in RPR. Fortunately we were just down the hallway, so we grabbed our (tiny,saucer sized) plates and went back to the rooms, making trips back as necessary. We are not greedy people, however in comparison to the club level at RPR the food offerings were ridiculous. The plates were a lot smaller, meaning people were piling food up at then trying to carry it down the hall to their rooms as there wasn’t anywhere to sit. I saw a number of chicken wings fall during the journey!
After eats no we made use of the water taxi back to the park, although it’s close enough to easily walk.
The rooms were clean and well kept, the theming was great -I loved the height chart mirror. One of our rooms had a much more modern bathroom than the other, I think it was an accessible room, but it just didn’t have the same wow factor as the other one. There wasn’t any problems with noise levels ended to go to the reception desk in the early hours of the morning to ask about a 24 hour pharmacy and it was manned by two members of staff who were extremely helpful and who pointed me in the right direction.
As I was awake anyway, I noticed that at about 6am I received an invoice for parking, which I’d already paid , so needed to go and sort that out which was easy enough to do.
Breakfast in the club lounge was fine, we had cereals and bagels, and took some water for the journey. We were lucky enough to get a seat in the lounge, probably because we went in as soon as it opened!
We used the bus service to Volcano Bay. It was a bit strange as buses were coming up frequently but were showing as going to city walk etc. Finally a bus came, but was not labelled as Volcono Bay, instead as Portifino. It sat there' with the bus driver sitting in his seat and the engine running, for about 5 minutes. There were about 20 if us waiting for some clue as to what this bus was for. Finally, I went up to the driver and asking if it was for volcano bay, to which he said yes! I’m not sure why he hadn’t changed his signs, or even why he didn’t make any attempt to communicate with everyone who was sweating it out at the bus stop, but at least we were on our way. Check in was easy enough, mum and Dad didn’t come to volcano bay with us so used the pool and club level for the next few hours. They said that no snacks came out at 3pm, so they had teas and coffees instead.
Overall, had I not stayed elsewhere onsite this holiday I think I would have been more impressed. However, as I could compare with Royal Pacific I just didn’t think it quite hit the mark. Club level was not worth the money in my opinion, if I were to stay here again I would stick to standard rooms. The hotel is lovely and clean, the service a bit hit and miss, but a good experience to have.
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August 2018 |
![Child Friendliness [3]](images/rating/childfriendliness3.gif)
![Value for Money [2]](images/rating/value2.gif)
![Overall Impression [3]](images/rating/overall3.gif)
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Imagineer
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We had a great stay, music and theming are good and we didn't find it noisy at all although we did request a quiet room (recommended - just in case). Pool area has a nice lively atmosphere without being tacky and the location close to Citywalk etc. is hard to beat. Note that kids can't go into the Velvet Lounge/bar which we found annoying as a family. Great rooms and a great stay we will try to return! |
July 2018 |
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Excited about Disney
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I have already left a review on this hotel previously but honestly it is the best hotel at Universal. We have stayed here many times. The hotel is immaculate. We have only stayed in a standard room although would love to try out Club level. This hotel is very child friendly and offers a wide range of day and night activities for children. The boat from Hard Rock to Universal runs very regularly and often the captain of the boat keeps you entertained while taking the 5 minute boat journey. Hard Rock Hotel prices have increased so much through the years and is expensive to stay but we love it. Even the public bathroom in the lobby is amazing. It has been decorated so beautiful. I would highly recommend staying here. |
July 2017 |
![Value for Money [4]](images/rating/value4.gif)
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Imagineer
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Stayed in a Queen club room. Lovely hotel and great room right next door to club lounge. Great size bathroom. Short walk to parks.Only downside club room a little small and would be nice to have a balcony. |
May 2017 |
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Apprentice Imagineer
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This hotel is perfect to stay in even if its for one night. Being a guest here means early access into Harry Potter land and gives you an express pass for most of the rides in both parks!
However this time I stayed for 4 nights in one of their suites. It was beyond incredible! You get treated like a real rockstar.
The food is amazing, the free alcohol on club level during happy hour is great.
And the fact that the parks/city walk are a small walk or boat journey away is fantastic.
Also, sometimes they do a dive in movie which is great! |
December 2016 |
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Excited about Disney
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Best feature of this hotel is the pool - fantastic! My kids loved the pool - rock music plays under the water and watching movies by sunlight every night was brilliant. The reception/lobby staff and pool bar staff all very nice and engaging could not do enough to help - but cleaning staff and those who work in the lounge could do with some customer service training! Overall very nice place! |
August 2016 |
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Getting Excited
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Great hotel, we stayed in a club room. Rooms are really well appointed, big room and big bathrooms. We had a pool view which actually had view of the fireworks in the evening.
Absolutely worth staying in one of the hotels that give you EXPRESS unlimited passes - made our days at the park 1000 times better. Yes the hotels are a bit more but if you stay elsewhere and buy unlimited pass it could work out more expensive!
Hotel is about 8 mins walk to the park or you can jump on the boat.
Our 1st day we arrived at the hotel at 7am, you can't get in your room but they take luggage and give you a room key which you put into the EXPRESS machine in the lobby for your passes. Then you can go straight to the park for the day and you room is ready upon your return.
CLUB level - room is same as a standard room but you have access to the club lounge. It's a small room with seats you can take a plate of food (chicken wings, nachos, and other basic stuff) they have a small selection of soft drinks and either eat in the lounge or as we did take it back to our room.
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May 2016 |
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Excited about Disney
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We stayed in the club level where the room was big enough for 2 adults and 2 children. The breakfast provided was ok ...just ok, scrambled eggs small sausages , pastries coffee , tea , fresh orange . bottled water and cans of cola and Fanta available to take away all day . In the evening beer, wine, vodka etc and some kind of vol-au-vents which was disappointing, was looking for something more than that. We hired a Cabana for the day which is well worth it for all of us , you get your own sunbeds a fruit basket ,bottled water, tv..yes a tv and your very own waiter who will appear every 15 mins to see if you need anything. At night I was left with the young ones while the rest headed over to the hhn , so it's 8pm we're in the pool watching men in black on a large screen they have by the pool. There's a restaurant downstairs where you can have the best breakfast ever , it's got everything. There's a shop next to it where you can get a Starbucks and lots of pastries. The Palm restaurant is worth a visit they do a massive fillet steak it is expensive but really is worth it. We spend a couple of days at the Hardrock whenever we're in Florida it's definitely worth it |
September 2015 |
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Imagineer
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A really great hotel and lovely staff! Pool area was good, although we felt it didn't go quite deep enough. Rooms were recently refurbished and were fantastic! Distance to parks and FOLP are a massive draw to staying here. Amenities were good although no quick service eateries available apart from the pool bar that adds on tip. It was a lovely stay but portofino and royal Pacific blow this hotel out he water- it is over priced for what it is and not as nicely themed - you're paying for the brand, rather than the hotel itself! |
July 2015 |
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Very Serious Dibber
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We stayed one night at HRH a mainly to get the Express passes. We had a standard bedroom and paid extra $25 for a rollaway bed, this was worth it for us as kids 14 yo boy and dd 11 are too old to share a bed and like to have their own space.
Room was well maintained and with a good layout, you went into the bathroom where there was a vanity unit then a separate door into the loo and bath/shower. This worked well when you are all trying to get ready at the same time.
The kids used the pool and would have liked to spend more time there although given we were only there for one night time was limited.
The boat shuttle was fab, really relaxing and took just a couple of minutes although the walk to the parks was very short too. We took the boat to Citywalk for our evening meal and it was so convenient.
There is a small shop in the hotel that sells a big variety of snacks and drinks, it's open quite late but is very expensive but then you're a captive market.
DH is a big Hendrix fan so all the memorabilia etc was a real treat, the whole hotel had a cool atmosphere.
Being a few days before Christmas we paid a fair amount for our room however it was worth every penny especially with the express passes and none of us wanted to leave. If we get a chance to go back we will definitely stay longer! |
December 2014 |
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VIP Dibber
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We stayed for 5 nights between Dec 2014 and Jan 2015. We enjoyed the theme of the hotel and overall really enjoyed it. Our room was on the 6th floor overlooking the main pool area. We could also see the parks in the distance, though IOA was really distant. Just a note for anyone who may have younger kids and would like to take naps during the day, the pool can be very noisy, so I'd ask for a room away from there. We had 5 in the room so DD used the rollaway. She said it was comfortable though she preferred the pull downs in the BWI & BC.
We found the hotel to be clean and honestly would think it a higher standard than the Disney Deluxes. We rarely had reason to interact with the staff, but when we did we found them friendly, efficient and courteous. Housekeeping always tidied and cleaned the room well and left plenty of towels etc.
Being there at Christmas time the FOTL pass was invaluable and I would be unlikely to go at any time without them. With 5 the cost of purchasing them is prohibitive so the room makes sense. We generally only sleep & shower there so the size is not of major concern.
We ate in 'The Kitchen' on one night and really enjoyed it. It's right up there with our all time favourite meals and was pretty good value in comparison to Disney we felt.
A lot of people talk about value for money and cost obviously, but I think that comparing like to like, ie HRH to a Disney Deluxe such as the BC, the HRH comes out as very good value. For example out trip the BWI worked out at $700 per night, the HRH was $400. (this was peak Christmas). We did have free dining so for us that's about $300 per night (5 disney adults). That brings them close, but TBH booking FP+ at 60 days and EMH does not really match FOLP and early entry in Universal. If you didn't have Free Dining or only had 2/3 in the room, the value is completely different. Either is vastly more expensive than off-site, but I don't think that's a fair comparison.
We would absolutely consider the HRH again, though we do want to try some of the others too. |
December 2014 |
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Proud to wear my Ears
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Cannot rave more about this hotel. All staff were helpful and friendly throughout the hotel. Even noted how friendly they were with other guests and children included.
Décor was of course impressive. Really well laid out. Spacious. Pool area was very impressive. Relaxing and fun even when busy.
Room service was epic! Location wise you cannot beat it either. Would stay again. |
November 2014 |
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Excited about Disney
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The HRH is in a great location for both the parks and also Citiwalk with its shops and restaurants, it's only a 5 or so minute walk from the hotel to US but you can also get a boat or jump a rickshaw bike (for a few dollar tip). Being a family that loves music we find the constant playing of music in all the public areas (yes you can even hear it underwater in the pool) great, it's just like having a radio on. Rooms are in keeping with the atmosphere of the rest of the hotel, they are bright and well themed. The pool is fantastic with a zero entry beach side and a normal pool deck side and they have a film night where you can bob in the pool whilst watching. Food and drink choice is good but not the cheapest but then again prob on par with deluxe Disney hotels. The pool bar does great salads and if youv'e got kids ask about deep fried Oreos for dessert! The Kitchen has a decent menu and the breakfast buffet is fantastic. The Palm steakhouse is fantastic but def not cheap. We always spend at least a couple of nights here every trip as the FOL access is a fantastic time saver, but we have also spent a fantastic 14 night stay. The FOL access means you can easily do a park a day and also allows you to see more of the parks than just the rides. Overall I would def recommend the HRH. |
August 2014 |
![Cleanliness [4]](images/rating/cleanliness4.gif)
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Getting Excited
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Stayed here for 2 nights, we thoroughly enjoyed it, from the party atmosphere round the pool to the rock memorabilia adorning the walls. The room was spotless and big enough for our party of 3, but what really makes this place worth staying at for us is the front of the line passes.
Will definitely return here. |
August 2014 |
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Imagineer
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We stayed mainly to benefit from the FOLP. There were four of us me, DH, DD12 and DD9. We all shared a room which was spacious and immaculate. The bathroom was huge and had everything we needed. All the staff were friendly and helpful and I was pleasantly surprised at how laid back it was. We could have walked easily to the parks but the water taxi was simple and easy. It allowed us to have a meal and for my husband to have an alcoholic drink. I wouldn't hesitate to go back but think we would go for more than one night in order to benefit from the pool and other amenities. |
August 2014 |
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Imagineer
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We stayed for the FOLP and early entry. It was worth it for that but without those benefits I wouldn't bother. The room was small and cramped. The restaurants within the hotel expensive. The service at the poolside restaurant was good but the food was average. I was charged on my card for something I had already paid for by cash. Took them 3 days to sort it out. |
July 2014 |
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Imagineer
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Stayed here for FOLP, I find the location fabulous however if I'm to compare rooms to Disney then Disney would win. Rooms are small so I always go for the queen deluxe with extra space drawback for this is the price £350 approx a night in July. Pros are location and FOLP especially in July. |
July 2014 |
![Cleanliness [3]](images/rating/cleanliness3.gif)
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Imagineer
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Stayed here for 1 night on our current trip and was not impressed. Room was nice but small, staff at check in very helpful, no wifi anywhere and the pool area was filthy. I know its meant to be themed as a rock hotel but serving drunk people with kids even more drinks in the pool is not good to me. There were empty plates and drinks everywhere and no one cleaned up in the 2 hrs we were there. The DJ was getting a group of drunk women to dance very provocatively in front of everyone and people were smoking everywhere. We also found that the FOLP were not needed for most rides as it was fairly quiet for this time of year. We will not be returning to HRH. |
May 2014 |
![Cleanliness [1]](images/rating/cleanliness1.gif)
![Child Friendliness [2]](images/rating/childfriendliness2.gif)
![Location to Attractions [4]](images/rating/location4.gif)
![Overall Impression [2]](images/rating/overall2.gif)
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slightly serious Dibber
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Arrived at check-in at about 9am, an were surprised to find our room was ready for us, although it states on the website that rooms should be ready for 4pm. We hired a rollaway bed for the 1 night we were staying for $25 and this was brought straight to our room. Printed off our Express Passes from the kiosks in the lobby and went to US for the day. The express passes come in so handy! Returned back to the HRH and used the pool until it closed at 11pm. The were also screening a movie, so you could chill in the pool/hot tub and watch that! As HRH is so close to US, we sat in the hot tub and watched their evening fireworks, it was magical! Only one disappointment, we were told you would be able to get wi-fi in the lobby and pool area, but we couldn't get on to it anywhere! :( Got up early to go to WWOHP, and still queued for around 1hr, only to find that at 8am, the open the express line, and people were walking past us. Bit miffed to say the least. Returned from our early visit to IOA to go to breakfast at The Kitchen restaurant, as they serve till 11am. Restaurant was very quiet at this time and the food was beautiful. Checked out of our room and left our bags in the car on HRH car park. 1 nights car parking cost $14. |
June 2013 |
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Imagineer
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We stayed here for two nights during our easter 2013 trip. Checkin was smooth and even though it was only 7am our room was ready. We loved the room although agree the mini bar are crazy prices so we had to warn our son about helping himself to what he called the 'free' snacks! We all loved the pool area and agreed we could happily have spent a week there just chilling at the pool and slowly doing the parks. Best thing about the stay was the FOLP and proximity to the parks... we loved having a meal at citywalk and strolling back to the hotel each evening. |
April 2013 |
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Excited about Disney
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Returned for our second visit here, this time with the kids. Stayed on the Club level again and were just as impressed as our first visit last year. The guys in the club lounge were awesome and totally made our stay more amazing (we are still in touch now!)
The whole hotel has a luxurious feel to it and DH loved lounging by the pool and ordering scrummy food. Kids loved the games room and the pool but aside from the hotel itself, what keeps us returning is the distance to the Universal parks and the bonus of unlimited Fastpasses. Cant wait to return again someday! |
January 2013 |
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Imagineer
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This was our second stay at the Hard Rock Hotel. We stayed for 3 nighs at the beginning of our holiday, whereas the prvious visit was only 1 night in the middle of our fortnight holiday!
I cannot speak highly enough of this hotel. We love everything about it from check-in, hotel room, pool, food, service to the perks you get (FOTL).
One of my favourite memories was on our first night we hoped to get in the pool, but the rain meant we couldn't. So we sat at the bar and got talking to the barmaid. We ordered 2 rounds of a bluemoon beer and a cocktail. The next day whilst sitting round the pool, the same waitress came over to us... asked if we enjoyed our drinks last night and asked if we wanted the same again. The same drinks were brought out 5 mins later. Very good service!
We will be staying for 3 nights again next time we come! |
July 2012 |
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Excited about Disney
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First time at HRH. Very nice swish hotel. Rooms are very clean and a good size. Pool area was relaxing yet entertaining too. Nice scenic walk or boat ride to and from city walk. However, HRH is generally more expensive per night than RPR and I don't see where the extra moneys worth is. In my opinion they are exactly the same, just some different decorations. |
May 2012 |
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Imagineer
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We stayed here last November and loved it,can't wait to stay again.It really has the wow factor.Having stayed at Disney before we was impressed with the room size,a lot bigger than the rooms at Disney.We had a club level room theme park view which was breathtaking,we could see the Hulk ride and even Hogwarts from our room,we wouldn't actually pay extra for the club level access again though as this wasn't as good in our opinion to Disney club level,although the free beers etc some people would benefit from but we don't really drink and the whole club level must have been booked by some kind of kids sport club as there were tweenies tearing around everywhere which did get a bit tiresome. |
November 2011 |
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Imagineer
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Very nice hotel.
I can imagine it is a big hit with teens and the music memorobilia is fab.
The pool is lovely and has a nice waterslide and movies showing at night. We watched spiderman whilst having a swim!
Room was very clean and modern. The staff were very kind.
Just a short boat ride or walk to the theme parks. The walk itself is very pretty.
Loved the inroom pet menu - very rock n roll!
A lovely stay and well worth the money for the express tickets and early entry into WWOHP! Wouldnt do it any other way now... |
October 2011 |
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New Member
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I loved it, the pool was amazing and had an underwater sound system and it was only a two minute walk away from the universal parks. |
July 2011 |
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VIP Dibber
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I love this hotel! Admittedly this maybe because I envisaged 'Rock Star Service' to comprise of the staff sporadically shouting at me 'yo dude' but I was pleasantly surprised.
During the two nights we stayed here the service was fantastic, around the pool area the bar staff are very quick to serve drinks and bar snacks. Also in comparison to other hotels in Orlando and Clearwater staff here are the fastest to re-open the pool following an electric storm.
We eat in The Palms restaurant, around the pool for kids meals and had one breakfast at The Kitchen here during our stay and everything was very good quality. Notably starters are more than enough for two people and the cocktails can be especially strong.
Entertainment around the pool is the best feature of this hotel (after the FOLP), if you fancy going to a hotel which still has a busy partying pool area late into the evening this is the hotel for you.
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July 2011 |
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Excited about Disney
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Overall a great Hotel, we stayed here primarily for the ease of accessing Universal Studios / Island of Adventure. The pool was very busy, though large there wasn't a great deal of space to move about.
The rooms were well appointed and as you would expect for this price. The additional features of staying here make it a great selling point, boats to and from citywalk or walk, front of line access to rides etc.
Would recommend! |
July 2011 |
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Excited about Disney
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We stayed here for one night having stayed at the Royal pacific previously we decided to go one better this year and stay at the HRH, I have to say I don't think the extra cost was worth it for one night. The dining options were limited it seemed to be full service restaurants or nothing so we ended up with very costly room service. The pool area was lovely and the kids enjoyed watching a movie whilst swimming. The rooms were ok but in comparison we also booked one night at the Dolphin for less than half of the cost of the HRH and we felt this was far superior.
all in all if we wanted to do a one night stay at a Universal hotel again I would book the Royal Pacific and save the extra money! |
June 2011 |
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VIP Dibber
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We stayed here for 1 night to take advantage of the FOTLP. Checked in at 7.30am. Because it was off season our club level room was ready for us! The room was lovely, not terribly big. Wouldn't have wanted to stay for 2 weeks. There was 5 of us so we needed a roll away. When this was up there was not alot of room left. Anyway club access was great. Free snacks at certain hours. Free beer and wine between 5.30pm and 7.30pm. We got to take it back to our room too which was great. Continental breakfast in the club access room the next day made the expense for the 1 night stay good too. Grabbed a tea/coffee and croissant, etc and off to the park again. We were told at reception to feel free to use the hotel pool and changing room until our taxi picked up us later in the evening. They were in no hurry to throw us out. Really enjoyed our 1 night stay. If we go back would stay here again. Kids loved it. Would like to spend more time at the pool though next time. |
January 2011 |
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Imagineer
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We stayed here for 1 night during our stay in a club room. We checked in at 8am so we could use our FOLP and was told we could go straight up and have breakfast in the club 7 room! The kids were given a blow up guitar at check in too. The hotel was fab we really enjoyed our stay there, but I wouldnt pay for club again as I diddnt think the food was worth it. The pool was fab the kids loved the slide and underground music. The room was big and we managed 3 kids in 1 bed without any difficulty but any more than 1 night would advise to buy a blow up bed. The toiletries are fantastic and smell so good...
The folp make you feel like a rock star too in the parks we did really enjoy this perk the only trouble is now...is that dh wants to stay for longer next time! |
October 2010 |
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Serious Dibber
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Fantastic looking hotel. Pool is fantastic if lacking in proper areas to have a decent swim. We did the club 7 and that was brilliant. Asked when we arrived if any upgrades availible and got a free upgrade to their top package. So worth asking. Rooms however were a little disappointing in comparison to rest of the hotel. Expensive but a nice choice for a night or two. And the express passes are a fantastic bonus! |
October 2010 |
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VIP Dibber
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Stayed for 2 weeks, was fantastic, all the staff were very friendly and helpful. Rooms were very clean and tidy. A little bit over priced for the standard rooms but being so close to the parks and the having that wow factor it was worth it! Would love to stay again. Only bad point was $12 a day to park. |
October 2010 |
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Imagineer
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This hotel is amazing stayed for full 2 weeks, everything you could ever ask for, the hotel staff are extremely friendly, infact they noticed it was my birthday the night we arrived they brought up a cake with a candle and a hard rock pin, cake was delicious and pin was beautiful, the pool is okay, not very deep, but had read this before we went so was fully aware, the food in the 'Kitchen' is average priced if you are comparing it to what you would spend in a restaraunt in the uk but compared to floridian restaraunts a little pricey, e.g breakfast was $20 all u can eat, and there wasnt that much choice. Just a little tip, if you are buying anything from the hard rock hotel gift shop, pay $25 for a hard rock all access card first, and they give you $20 on your card to spend, and you get 10% off in the 'Kitchen' well worth it as we must have spent $200 in that restaraunt xxx |
September 2010 |
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Apprentice Imagineer
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Booked in for the one night in a standard room, pricey for what you actually get, but as we only did it for the park passes, we found it worth it. The room itself was rather small and I certainly wouldnt stay there for any longer than two nights tops. I ate in the ice cream kitchen in the basement lovely ice cream but at a price.
All in all not that impressed tbh but that hasnt stopped us booking there again this year. Really just for the passes and early entry to WWOHP. |
September 2010 |
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Proud to wear my Ears
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This is the second time we have stayed here, the first time there were 4 of us the second time 3. We found the room fine for size,we stayed for 2 weeks both times, but I suppose that could be because we have teenagers and most of the time they were at the pool or eating ice cream! The whole atmosphere we found great and the staff were superb including the entertainment around the pool. Being able to walk to parks and citywalk is a perk and we went everyday even if it was just for the first/last hour. We will definately stay again (when we can afford it!). |
August 2010 |
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Imagineer
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We stayed in the Hard Rock for my birthday and it was a fantasic treat! We checked in at 7.40am so we could get early entry to Harry Potter and although we didn't get an ungrade the hotel was nearly fully booked they gave me a birthday pin and a voucher for a free ice cream sundea!
The Hotel itself it amazing especially if your a old rock chic like me loved all the memoribilia and the rock music playing everywhere.
Our room was really big and the beds really comfy although the view of the car park was a bit wick.really well sond proofed didn't hear anyone during the night. You also get lovely spa toliteries which we took home with us.
The pool was busy but we managed to get a few loungers. Towels are in plenty supply. The poolside bar is very handy but VERY expensive! We stayed on a Friday and they had a live rock band at the pool which was pretty cool.
We didn't eat at the hotel but found the boat a relaxing way to get to and from the parks. Well worth the $184 we paided for the nigght |
July 2010 |
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Apprentice Imagineer
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We stayed here December 2009 and December 2008 largely for front of the line access. The rooms are fine. It's convenient to be able to take the short walk or boat to the parks. We like the memorabilia in the lobby. DD enjoyed the pool with its slide, underwater music and video screen. |
December 2009 |
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Very Serious Dibber
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So impressed with hotel. DH and I had a pool view room. The drive up to the hotel is excellent. The lobby is impressive - plenty of memorabilia to look at.
The room was large, clean and the beds were huge. Being able to walk to the theme parks was a big plus. We didn't eat at the hotel as on the doorstep was CityWalk with a large choice of restaurants.
Overall a big thumbs up |
November 2009 |
![Location to Attractions [1]](images/rating/location1.gif)
![Overall Impression [1]](images/rating/overall1.gif)
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Imagineer
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Lovely hotel, theming great as you would expect, only stayed there to take advantage of the FOTL passes but were glad we did & would stay there again.
Our room was really nice but once we got out of the lift on our floor we had a really long walk to get to our room.
Pool area nice although there was a battle of the bands contest on the night we stayed & it was really loud (OMG i'm sounding old) & the staff are really friendly. The boat shuttle service doesn't take long but to be honest it's quite a nice walk over to Universal so if you can be bothered walk in the morning & then get the boat back to the hotel in the afternoon/evening. |
October 2009 |
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Imagineer
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Very polite staff, comfortable rooms, so-so pool and eateries. Clean and tidy. Hotel is not as close as is made out, but is closer than the other hotels. The theme is a bit absent in places and the hotel is hard to navigate - particularly when you're trying to go from the pool to the Studios. |
October 2009 |
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Imagineer
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We stayed here in October 2009 for one night and really enjoyed our stay. The room was gorgeous and the pool was lovely. We will choose this Universal hotel again next time. |
October 2009 |
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Very Serious Dibber
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The main perk of staying at a Universal hotel has to be the unlimited front of the line pass that can save you a lot of time and allow you to use the amenities at the resort.
We stayed here for 2 nights @ club level which I had bought as DBF birthday present. We had a room with a king size bed and a garden view. The club level rooms are located on the 7th floor of the hotel which can only be reached by swiping your card in the elevator. Room wise I believe there is not much difference in the size or style between club and normal rooms but we had plenty of space for 2 people.
The main perk of club level is the lounge! they offered a breakfast service, snacks and drinks throughout the day, In the evening there was a more appetizer selection buffet including things like chicken wings, sausages, cheeses - this was later replaced by a desert selection. However in the evening you can also get beer in the lounge - max 2 per person - per time. i.e. drink 2 and get another 2. Which we took full advantage of! |
June 2009 |
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Imagineer
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Loved our stay. 2 Adults/2 children shared a standard room. Rooms clean and nicely themed. Slightly weird the bathroom sink being in the bedroom. Very busy as Easter so lack of sunbeds but staff willing to assist guests to find them. Drink prices a little high. We all loved the memorabilia. Would definitely stay here again. Very close to US which was a bonus. |
April 2009 |
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Imagineer
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We love this hotel, it's our favourite out of the 3 hotels in Universal. It's very, very cool, has great decor and lots of rock memorabilia. The standard rooms are an OK size, and you can just about squeeze a rollaway in there, I wouldn't advise it for long stays, but it's fine for a couple of nights. Great pool area, the pool could be a bit deeper, but the slide is great fun, as is the volleyball court, and various games around the pool area. You can rent cabanas by the pool, including a Stevie Wonder one, and also a yellow submarine themed one, they're not cheap but definitely great! Must do is to get an ice cream from Emack and Bolio in the basement, they also have snacks, fruit, fridges with milk and stuff in, so very handy, especially for those with young children. Rock on! :D |
April 2009 |
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Imagineer
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We stayed here for 1 night to take advantage of FOL passes. So impressed we're staying for 1 night twice in August to benefit from 4 days FOL! Breakfast was lovely but had to restrict myself as didn't fancy going on rides with full stomach, haven't taken breakfast option for this year. Very clean & my son loved the pool area. We all enjoyed the ice cream parlour. |
March 2009 |
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VIP Dibber
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we stayed here in december and were well pleased fantastic place,clean friendly exciting,made a different staying here than the one we stayed on i drive,id highly recommend anyone to do it and we will be going back for a longer stay when we go back,food was good and the front line passes were the added bonus,it was nearly cheaper to stay here for a night than it was to buy fastpass tickets,you got to stay there and try it :)in one word awesome ! |
December 2008 |
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VIP Dibber
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This is our favourite of all of the 3 on site hotels at Universal. We stayed at Royal Pacific at the start of our last holiday as it was the only one we hadn't done. Have to say we were really dissappointed with the staff there with the exception of the Club room staff who were great so we decided to go to Hard Rock later in the holiday as a walk in. Well strictly speaking we walked in but had to phone reservations to get AAA discount . Got reservation number while standing in the lobby and went to check in desk. This was our second time and as before we got straight up to our room to dump our stuff have breakfast in the club room then off to the parks.
Room wasn't as big as in Portofino but was better than RPR. Had a fab view overlooking the pool.
Liked the fact that we were not that far from club so girls could nip in for a drink and come back to the room. Unlike Portofino where club room on a totally different floor from bedroom.
Staff were excellent and engaged with the girls having a bit of fun with them.
Theming is great girls although quite young loved looking at all the different costumes and had to have numerous photos beside the Elvis ones as well as numerous ones outside with the guitar fountain.
Easy walk to the park no need to take the water taxi.
Far less formal than Portofino ,staff much friendlier and all in all we thought it worth the extra money to stay here as opposed to RPR.
Shame it doesn't participate in Loewes first anymore although that too has changed. Now we no longer get any perks for having qualifying stays as we are now downgraded to start again. |
October 2008 |
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Imagineer
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This hotel was a major disappointment for us all. The hotel was dark and minimalistic, although I suppose that is very rock n roll. The music was loud and was everywhere except the bedroom. This became tiring after a while. The bathroom floor was filthy when we arrived and the furnishings were chipped. The pool view was a joke. It was one dot of blue between the drainpipe and the trees. The hallways were always full of linen carts and rubbish and they never seemed to be moved. The pool was so shallow that none of us could swim there. We soon left. There was nowhere to eat where the music wasnt playing. The Kitchen was another disappointment and one where I would never want to eat again. I would never ever stay at Hard Rock again. |
August 2008 |
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Imagineer
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Stayed her for one night to make use of the FOTL access , so can t really give the HRH a fair review but what we did see was,
Friendly Staff , well kept and clean pool area. Room was a bit on the small side and the beds a bit on the hard side but no real concerns.
Location couldn't be faulted and the atmosphere was good , this not a quiet hotel so dont book this if expect a tranquil stay. |
October 2007 |
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Imagineer
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Really enjoyed our 1 night stay here, booked for the FOL access. We checked in early 8am & a room was available but we declined it as we'd requested a higher floor. No problem with this.
FOL access was great & we did the parks in 2 days & didn't bother with the 3rd day on our tickets as we felt we'd done all we wanted.
Ate breakfast in The Kitchen & it filled us up for all day, great service too.
Disappointed with the pool as coming from a villa I'd been looking forward to a good swim but it's only a max of 4 ft something deep.
But pool area good with loads of sunbeds even in August. If we had stayed longer we'd have tried out the pools at the other 2 hotels which is allowed.
We got a Beatles room on the 6th floor with a view of the pool. Enough room for 4 of us. We booked a rollaway bed for DS as he & DD didn't want to share a bed. Think it cost us £12. Lots of toiletries & towels.
my 2 teenagers loved the theme especially DD 16, think the constant rock music would grate if staying a longer. Would choose another hotel for that reason if staying without the kids.
Would object to paying for parking but for some reason we weren't charged!
Would definately stay again. |
August 2007 |
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Imagineer
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Had 1 night here in August 07 and althought we only went to utilise the FOTL passess it was not a bad place. not the best i have stayed but if using it only for a bed to get the FOTL passess its fine. Wouldnt want to speand all my holiday there. Sadly the weather was not nice to us and rained the two days we had there, but the kids still used the pool and loved it, admitidly their pool is huge. |
August 2007 |
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Very Serious Dibber
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The first room we had was on the basement level, big room but was damp. We asked to move on D2. They moved us to a new room which was great, same as the previous without the problems. The park is a short walk, don't bother with boat, its 5mins tops, you'll spend far longer waiting for the boat. Good size pool but did get busy at times.
The memorabilia at the hotel is a bonus and easy to get up close. |
July 2007 |
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Excited about Disney
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We stayed for nine nights. This was our second trip to the HRH, and we will definately go there again. Rosetom's comment about the maid's trolleys is still valid, but it didn't bother us. The concierge service is amazing - they even managed to repair my wife's spectacles! It is true that it is not cheap, but we knew that before we went. Parking could be a problem as it was frequently busy - but we never failed to find a space. I can't really comment on child-friendliness as we had no children with us. |
May 2006 |
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Getting Excited
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Fantastic Hotel as said above. Always stay here for one night when over to get the two days front of line. Join the Loews club before going and get a freeby on arrival. Its expensive but the FOL makes it a bargain, as you can do both parks twice in two days. |
December 2005 |
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slightly serious Dibber
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overall we were very dissapointed in this hotel,the maids were always cluttering the corridors with there linen trolleys and service trolleys and room service trays left out side rooms for the biggest part of the day , did I mention dogs, yes the furry type they do allow dogs sometimes four to a room, in any room, although there was no trace in our room. also you would of thought being a loaws hotel and four star rateing the walls would be solid, not very private! you could hear everything. the hotel is well positioned for the parks and transport and the pool is fun. |
October 2005 |
![Value for Money [1]](images/rating/value1.gif)
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First POST
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Very cool hotel, great for the parks, either a short pleasant walk or a 3 minute ride via water taxi to Citywalk, we stopped on the on the Club level which was great but didn’t seem to bring many extras other than access to the club lounge which was full of savvy Americans 30 minutes before opening time, so no chance of getting a seat then! Rooms were kept clean and tidy by the maids daily, we had very little interaction with staff at the hotel so can’t really give a fair comment other than the little contact we did have was “pleasant”. I really do like this hotel but the one thing that niggled me was having to pay a daily rate (about $7) to park the hire car in the hotels car park. Overall a cool hotel but cool can sometimes get in the way of friendliness! |
September 2005 |
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(4.4)
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