Orlando - Hotel near Busch Gardens

We are leaving WDW JAN08. We will have some shopping in the area and then head to Busch Gardens. Will arrive to Busch Gardens area around 8PM.

Will do Busch the next day (JAN09) and then at 7PM start driving towards FLL.

Any hotel recommendation near Busch gardens for the night of the 8th? It will just be B&B, we are 4 adults and a toddler and we appreciate clean hotels with nice beds.

Also, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold.

Thank you!

it doesn't match your elite statuses, however, the Embassy Suites USF is very close by - you could potentially (with the hotel's OK) leave your car in the hotel lot and ride the hotel's shuttle to the Gardens. Free breakfast, too :)

http://embassysuites1.hilton.com/en_US/es/hotel/TPAFRES-Embassy-Suites-Tampa-USF-Near-Busch-Gardens-Florida/index.do

Thanks-- Hilton Gold also :) (got it with AA, never used...) worth something?

The usual Gold benefits like free breakfast are meaningless at ES locations, since all ES guests receive the free breakfast. Here's a recap of the Gold benefits at ES:

At Embassy Suites Hotels® choose from:
Gold VIPs choose two:

* Sweet Tooth (two Candy Bars)
* Two Bottles of Water
* Two Regular Colas
* Two Diet Colas
* Two Regular Lemon-Lime Sodas
* Two Pieces of Fruit
* Salty Snack (popcorn, pretzels, etc.)

or

Gold VIPs choose one:

* Gold VIPs earn 500 HHonors bonus points.
* Complimentary high-speed internet access.

I've stayed at the Embassy Suites on 2 trips and liked it very much. The rooms are two room suites with frig & microwave. My last stay there was several yrs ago, but it is very close to Busch Gardens. As I recall there is an outdoor pool & hot-tub. Parking is free. I also enjoyed meals at Shells which is a local FL seafood chain, and is very close to the Embassy Suites.

I also enjoyed meals at Shells which is a local FL seafood chain, and is very close to the Embassy Suites.Unfortunately the company which owned the Shells chain recently closed (Chapter 7 bankruptcy). The problem wasn't thefood (it was good) - they expanded too agressively, and then got caught in a cash/credit squeeze.

I just spent 2 days a bit farther out, at the Embassy Suites downtown. About 15 mins from the park driving, and for the adults, it put us closer to Bern's steakhouse, and on the trolley to Ybor City for drinks.

Unfortunately the company which owned the Shells chain recently closed (Chapter 7 bankruptcy). The problem wasn't thefood (it was good) - they expanded too agressively, and then got caught in a cash/credit squeeze.

Wow, sorry to hear that. I really enjoyed their calamari.