Cheap but decent hotel in Orlando?

[phaedra]

Hi all :)

Just looking around for next Xmas, it looks like I'll probably not be going (due to ongoing health problems) so it looks like a villa is out of the question. I'd still like my wife & kids to go, as she doesn't drive we need a cheapish hotel preferably near I-Drive or with shuttle service to Universal/Seaworld. Best rate I've found is very cheap :D, it's for the Howard Johnson Kissimmee Hotel at 2323 Highway 192 East, I know it's not near I-Drive but I think there's a pretty good Lynx bus service to/from.

The other cheapy I've found is the Days Inn Lakeside at 7335 Sand Lake Road which is about 20 mins walk from Universal.

The Howard Johnson is under £16 a night! and the Days Inn is about £23.

Has anyone stayed at either of these or have any other suggestions?

[Andy & Arlene]

I can recommend the Quality Inn Plaza on I Drive right across the road from the Pointe Orlando shops. We stayed there a few years ago before we bought our villa. It was very central for everything. Another good one is the Howard Johnstone on Kirkman Rd (Just off I Drive) - used to be called the Gateway Inn. I know that one definately does free buses to all the theme parks. It is up near the top of I Drive and is very close to the Belz outlets.

Arlene

[phaedra]

Thanks Arlene, we stayed at the Q.Inn Plaza in December 2000, no problems with it apart from rather noisy aircon!. No doubt they'll be running there "value dates" program again and they're on out list of possibles, having thought about it the other problem we had was them trying to charge us a higher rate than I booked at as we had a semi-suite (fridge & mirowave!) but after I showed them the email confirmation I they adjusted the rate without a problem, we had a worse problem at the Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista, no fold away bed unless we paid an extra $10 a night even though it was listed on the confirmation plus charges for "telephone availability" etc. etc., it added about 20% to our bill, luckily we only stayed 4 nights.

[orlandobabe]

That's very cheap for a Howard Johnson. We stayed at one and paid $70. Never again. The bedrooms were all dingy brown and it reeked of smoke.

[bellaepovera]

Ramada Inn charges $49 a night 192 and Poncianna. Best Western by downtown disney charges $69 a night if that helps.