5.26.2006

The only place to stay when visiting Orlando

I've learned that when we're traveling with kids, we need to have a suite if the trip is to be enjoyable and for everyone to get a good night's sleep. My definition of suite requires a door between the bedroom and living area which has a pull-out sofa sleeper, whereas a studio implies there is no physical barrier (door or otherwise) between different funcional areas in the room.

Many hotel chains use the term "suite" in their name when what they really mean is "studio", including Homestead Studio Suites (you may as well drop the "Suites" since all of their rooms are studios), Staybridge Suites (yes, most of their rooms are suites but usually 1/3 of the rooms are only studios), and AmeriSuites (no door between kitchenette, living, and sleeping areas).

Examples of all-suite hotel chains are Homewood Suites and Residence Inns, and these two chains even offer complimentary breakfast!

For our Orlando vacation, we discovered that an alternative to these all-suite hotel chains is a timeshare/condo. Timeshare developers never sell out their development; there are always unsold weeks, and there are always timeshare owners who drop out of the system by not paying their annual maintenance fees. To maximize revenues, many timeshare/condo resorts have gotten wise and are now renting out their excess inventory through sites like Expedia and Orbitz. We decided that for Orlando, timeshare/condo resorts are the only places to stay.