There are three or four Marriotts in Orlando that have "UCF" in their title. They are all running very good promotions for a few days that we will be in Florida in January.

Has anyone stayed at any of these? Are they nice places? We are most interested in the Residence Inn, but there is also a Courtyard and a TownePlace Suites (I think) there as well.

We like their general location on the map since we are visiting family and don't care about being near theme parks. (We actually like being away from the theme parks.) Just want to get a feel for how new or nice the properties are and what kind of neighborhood this is? (e.g., Is it totally suburban/office park-ish, or is there some flavor and character to this area?)

Edited to add: there is another nearby property that is also running the same promotional rates: Residence Inn Alamonte Springs. Anyone have any experience with this property?

[This message has been edited by pinniped (edited Dec 05, 2003).]

There is a lot more in the Altamonte area than around UCF. Also, Altamonte has access to I-4 if that matters. Having said that, UCF would have quicker access from the airport by taking the Greenway.

I think that the R.I.s are both a little older at both locations, but they would be fine based on the outside. In terms of what's around UCF, it's just the usual chain restaurants (Applebees, etc.) whereas Altamonte would have all of these plus some other options. Both would be 10 -15 minutes from Winter Park, which would have really good dining options.

Does UCF have any sort of "college town" feel to it? Or is it more of a commuter school in a suburb?

Is there anything remotely charming about Altamonte, or it is also just a suburb with stripmalls, a Super Target, office parks, etc.?

Charm? In Orlando? That has to be one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time!

All of central florida is one charmless, soulless hell-hole that our creator has clearly neglected.

The UCF area has no 'college feel' whatsoever (there is a very small amount of tis around Rollins College in Winter Park, however.) A couple of decent non-chain restaurants on the way up towards Oviedo, however. Altamonte is a highway exit with a mall to the East and multiple strip malls both sides of the highway. In fact, I don't think that there is a 'downtown' A.S.

Sorry to be so negative, but I lived ther for 7 years, and the finest site I ever saw was Orlando in the rear-view mirror!

Okay, okay...I get the point.

We picked A.S. because it's closer to where these aunts/uncles and grandparents live. And the rates are crazy-cheap: right around Priceline levels.

Good restaurant in Alt.Sprgs.--Maison Jardin, a little pricey but great food and service. Also Lee Road (2 exits south on I-4) has good bar-b-q (Bubbalou's). You could find several Mom and Pop breakfast lunch places nearby and you may want to go to Don Pepe's for a good Cuban dinner. Go west on 436. No charm in Orlando, but no snow either!

I have stayed at the TownPlace Suites from the day it opened in 2002 for about 95 days (long term project). The manager is exceptional. With this being an extended stay hotel, the rooms are cleaned twice a week. It does have a full kitchen which if you're only there for a couple days, doesn't really matter. We had co-workers stay at the Residence Inn for months at a time, and they were quite pleased with that hotel as well. The manager of the Town Place was the assistant manager for the Residence Inn.

I stayed in the Courtyard this last summer. It was nice, typical Courtyard. When I showed up I was elite member of the week. They had a give basket for me and the employees knew who I was.

I wouldn't say that there was much if any college atmosphere, but I was their for business.

If the price was stellar, I would stay there again, but the 3 times I been back, I've stayed somewhere else.

swps