I can’t believe I have made this many post and still have not made one about Orlando vacation hotels! I think that’s because trying to pick out a hotel is such a long, confusing process and I’m not sure where to start. So, in this post I’m just going to give you a general idea of what types of hotels there are in Orlando.
Now, The three big theme parks have their own hotels you can stay at. Disney World has a bunch of hotels and resorts to stay at. Universal Studios has several, and even Sea World has a few within walking distance of the park. So why not just stay at those then? Well, many do of course and they are fine.
All hotels at the parks are nice and clean with all the extras. They reflect the parks themselves, so they bend over backward to keep you happy. BUT, everything has it’s price, and with park hotels it’s exactly that, the price. For the most part you end up paying more than you would if you got a hotel outside the parks. Most of the time, but not always.
Also many of those hotels right in the parks are booked up a year ahead of time, so getting one can be a pain. Outside the theme parks there are thousands of hotels, motels, condos and vacation homes to rent. The selection is overwhelming, it really is. So the best way to decide what to get is what your looking for.
Are you the type that wants to spend good money on a good hotel, or the budget type that wants the cheapest room you can find? Do you have a rental car so you can drive to the restaurants and shopping, or are you relying on cabs and the theme park buses? Do you want all the amenities, or content with the basics?
You must know all the answers to those questions before you can decide what you want to get for a hotel. Also do you want just a regular hotel room, or a suite with different bedrooms and a kitchen? That also is a big deal. In Orlando you can find hotels everywhere, side by side and all saying they are the best!
Every brand, chain and name of hotel is in Orlando. Many have a dozen of the same brand hotel all over the place. So rest assured you can find your favorite hotel chain here, plus many more you never heard of. There are many mom and pop hotels, private ones with their own name. Some of the cheapest prices are to be had at those.
So what kind of prices are we looking at for a hotel in Orlando? Well, like rental cars, you can get some very cheap prices here. Much competition between hotels means lower prices. Having said that, the prices vary very widely. I know at any time I can find a basic hotel room for $18.00 per night. Yes, $18.00 per night.
I also know I can drive from that hotel 4 miles and go to another one that charges at least $280.00 a night and up to $1,800 per night! Uh,,, quite a difference huh? Again it all depends on what your looking for. Most hotels are within walking distance of several fast food joins and restaurants, some more than others.
Of course many have their own restaurant or at least breakfast buffet, but after a while you want to have a change. If you have a rental car how close they are does not matter. But if you are relying on theme park buses to pick you up and so don’t have a car, it’s nice to find one within walking distance of several places to eat.
Wow, all this and I’ve just covered the basics, see what I mean! I’ll write many more hotel post. For now just take away this: Decide just what your looking for in a hotel, and how much you want to spend per night. You will find every hotel chain here, plus many you don’t know about. Decide if you want a hotel room, or a suite.
Then figure out if your going to have a rental car or not. Having one gives you more freedom. But if all your really going to do is take in the theme parks, then you want to get a hotel with several restaurants within walking distance, which is not hard, trust me.
Visit Hotels.com at the top of this post and compare hotel prices. That will give you a good feel for what you can expect. If you see one you really like, make a reservation and lock it in so you have one less thing to worry about! 
