When we decided to move to the Kissimmee/Orlando area, Assistant Laura came ahead to check things out. She stayed at the Holiday Inn Main Gate East (please visit my blog & travel column for full reviews – and for full disclosure of media rates – RoriTravel Blog & Orlando Florida Vacation Examiner.com)
She loved this hotel, finding it to be located in the heart of where she was visiting and looking. It was also a comfortable and pleasant place to stay.
The hotel is convenient to Walt Disney World, only a couple miles from the Main Gate and World Drive, so a stay here allows one to visit WDW daily with little drive time expended.
Want to be central to WDW plus Universal, SeaWorld, and others, yet still get to the coasts? This is a great place. You’re only minutes to each of the WDW parks, a short ride up highway 4 to Universal and Sea World, and about an hour-hour and a half to Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater. (We’ve not been to the east coast yet, so I can’t speak to that). This is the definition of location, location, location.
A great view, but quiet too. (Photo by Laura Paul, copyright 2009)
Holiday Inn Main Gate East, aside from having an enormously long name, is a larger hotel, with a resort-esque feel. The pool is large and nice. Okay, we haven’t had a swim; it’s been too cold, but it looks great. There’s the whirlpool, workout room and for the kids, a game room and kid’s theatre, with Disney playing all the time.
This is a real kid-friendly spot. From the pool to the food, the kid’s theatre to the bunk-bed rooms, kids are on their minds. We got to tour a bunk-dbed room just this week, and wow, if I were a kid again, I’d want to be on the top bunk. A great set up for mom and dad too.
Assistant Laura’s room was overlooking the pool, but she was never bothered by sound. She enjoyed an evening break on the patio, watching others, looking out at the night, enjoying a light meal, but never bothered. Ok, the overhead sliding glass door spooked her a couple times, but nothing too bad. She thought it was fireworks.
She used the free Internet and had no issues. Our experience with hotel Internet service ranges from doesn’t work and you paid for it to this; good and free. Internet is not a guarantee at this point with all hotels, but the Holiday Inn Main Gate East was fast, and free.
A variety of food choices include Pizza Hut and A&W. (Photo by Laura Paul, copyright 2009)
There’s a food court for your dining pleasure, and plenty of restaurants within an easy walk or drive. The food court offers “regular” cafeteria type food along side Pizza Hut and A&W, so you do have choices. (kids are going to love those choices)
There’s a gift shop with everything from food to t-shirts to key chains (key chains are big in this tourist mecca), so you can eat, drink, and wear Mickey Mouse if you stop in.
And, considering what we paid for our not so great hotels during our cross country move in the middle of a lot of USA no-wheres, the prices at this Holiday Inn are pretty decent. (based on a web search)
The room Laura enjoyed was comfortable and she was very happy. Hers had a small fridge that she used. There was a little issue when she found out that it was plugged into a switch that when turned off, turned the fridge off. She lost her first round of food, but the hotel fixed it and offered to replace. She didn’t take them up on it, but at least they offered.
Assistant Laura found her room to be comfortable and the free internet worked great. (Photo by Laura Paul, copyright 2009)
The room is “normal”, like a Holiday Inn, but comfortable, quiet, and clean. For a place to lay your head, change into your swimsuit, or do work, this is a worthy contender.
There are two towers that bookend the pool, so many rooms have that view, while one side looks out to the green area next door or parking lot with greenery all around it. Or, you may be on the front and looking over 192 and Old Town across the way. Whatever your view, they’re some of the nicest in the area.
Aside from the overall feel of the place, which is comfy and familiar – you know, it;s a Holiday Inn like you know and enjoy, you’re really close to all of the area attractions. Perhaps that’s its greatest offering, letting you get places and enjoy all of Central Florida while having everything you’ve come to expect from a Holiday Inn.
So, for your next visit to Central Florida, I recommend checking out the Holiday Inn Main Gate East, for its long name, great location, and comfy stay.
Thank you for staying with us and writing about your experience. We appreciate it and we hope you come back to visit us again.
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