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Member since:17.01.2006
Reviews:13
Members who trust:3
Location
Quality Inn International (locally known as "The Low Q" - but don't let that put you off, I think it is more about the location than the quality of accommodation!) is on the northern end of I-Drive about 10 minutes walk from wet'n'wild, and the rear car park backs on to the big McDonalds. Transfer time from Orlando International airport is about 25 minutes. I understand that travelling from Sanford takes about 40 minutes.
Accommodation
There are 728 "rooms" arranged in 3 blocks, which are reminiscent, at first glance at least, of council maisonettes. We stayed in the "1000" block, which seemed to be entirely allocated to those travelling with Virgin (but possibly also Thomson). The 1000 block had only two floors (with no lift), but the other blocks had up to four floors with lifts to all.
The room itself was basic, but more than adequate as a base for a family holiday - who wants to travel thousands of miles and spend all their time in a hotel room? All rooms are air-conditioned and have a coffee maker, microwave, fridge, TV
and safe. Ours also included an iron and ironing board and a hair dryer. The room had two double beds, which were actually more comfortable to sleep in than I expected. My only gripe about the room was the lack of hanging space for clothes. The hanging rail was about as long as one you would find in a standard double wardrobe, which meant that once the missus had hung all her stuff up (and some of the kids') I was left with two hangers, so it was a good job we had an iron really, as my clothes stayed in the case. A maid came in every day with fresh towels, and made sure the consumables were topped up, probably doing just enough to be worth a tip.
Facilities
Parking provision is good, but you do need to make sure you have got a pass from reception and display it in the car, otherwise you will be clamped. There is a security man at each entrance, and staff do patrol throughout the night. The main hotel building contains a restaurant (The Apothecary), a bar with a British theme, a shop, internet stations and payphones, plus the lobby/guest services and the main reception. Virgin Holidays have a service centre on site, which happened to be the room below ours, so we were spared the possibility of noisy neighbours at nighttime.
We had several breakfasts in the hotel restaurant, and they were on par with the offerings of Ponderosa and Sizzler etc in terms of quality. Kids eat free, so buffet breakfast for five worked out at about $17.50 including drinks and tip. We had one evening meal here, and it was far nicer than the equivalent buffet we had at Sizzler. Service in the restaurant was very good, and the staff were extremely friendly and helpful.
On a practical note, there are three laundry areas dotted around the hotel. The one nearest us (also the only one on the ground floor) only had 2 washers and two dryers (though it was not uncommon for one of each to be broken when you trailed your washing to it). For those who like mountain climbing, I found the best option was to use the one on floor 4 of the 3000 block. This had four of each appliance, and if you picked your time right, could take your pick of machine rather than queue. The hotel also offers a service laundry if you are that way inclined.
Guests have use of three pools on site, though one of those is really just a paddling pool. We only used them a couple of times, but had no problem getting a lounger.
General
The grounds were kept extremely well groomed, and the whole site was clean and pleasing to the eye (despite my initial "maisonette" comment, it actually grows on you and you realise it is just a practical building design). I felt safe and secure wandering around at any time of day or night.
Getting to The Theme Parks
For those not hiring a car, there is an I-ride trolley stop just outside (stop 22), plus free shuttles to Universal Studios and Sea World. Getting to Disney is possible without a car from here, but is either time consuming (two buses) or expensive if you have a large family with you as I did. Anyone wanting to try "driving on the wrong side" is within easy reach of both the Dollar (five minutes walk) and ALAMO/National (a good 15 minute stroll or a five minute trolley/bus ride, but is much cheaper for an "all inclusive" package) rental offices.
Useful Information
You are spoilt for choice where restaurants are concerned. In addition to "Mickey D's" at the back of you, there is a Denny's next door if you like the traditional American Diner, or at the other side of the hotel, there is Salt Island, which I would recommend to those who are not budget conscious - the food and service were both excellent. Also within easy reach are several all you can eat buffet restaurants (Sizzler, Ponderosa, black angus etc, plus the very nice lighthouse lobster feast if you are a seafood lover - how much lobster could you get at home for the equivalent of 17 quid per adult?). There are also two TGI Friday's within walking distance - get more and better quality than you could at home for around half the price. There are also two main dinner shows within easy reach. "Pirates" is 10 minutes walk away, and Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede is a relatively short trolley ride (or drive) away. I can highly recommend Dixie Stampede for entertainment, value for money and quality grub.
International Drive is also a shopper's paradise. You have malls at several points along its length, interspersed with gift shops, electrical and camera outlets and "everything a dollar" stores. Again, for those without cars, there are grocery stores, but I feel the prices are inflated a bit to suit the clientele.
The Bottom Line
I really enjoyed staying at Quality Inn International, and would not hesitate doing so again. I would probably be more inclined to recommend it for families rather than individuals or couples, but it is an excellent base with very good facilities and is very good value for money for those who need to stick within a budget.
Sep 13th, 2006
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