| PassPorter.com Feature Article Original article at: http://www.passporter.com/articles/hyatt-regency-orlando-airport-review.html Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport: A Hotel Reviewby Mary Augustine, PassPorter Guest ContributorLast modified 04-05-2012 When sailing with Mickey Mouse from Port Canaveral, we've stayed at a nearby Port Canaveral hotel, in Orlando, and at a Walt Disney World Resort. Recently, we spent that highly anticipated night before the cruise at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando International Airport. It was a wonderful experience! The convenience, amenities, and ambiance were the perfect beginning to our Disney Cruise Line vacation. This will be our taking off point for future Disney Cruise Line vacations departing from Port Canaveral. Why? Read on. The Hyatt Regency is located in Orlando International Airport, and can be accessed via elevators, stairs, or escalators from the main lobby of the terminal building. It couldn’t be more convenient! The most obvious reason to select the hotel is the convenience of leaving your tagged cruise baggage in your room, where it is picked up, delivered to Port Canaveral, and then to your Disney Cruise Line stateroom, all without your hoisting even one bag. In addition, you are able to check in at the Disney Cruise Line desk at the airport (level 1, side B, adjacent to the Disney Magical Express check-in area) early enough to receive a boarding pass with the number 2 on it! Of course, this applies only if you are taking Disney Cruise Line transportation to the port. We checked in with Disney at about 8:30 am, received our boarding number and Key to the World cards, and then had a quick breakfast while waiting for the first Disney Cruise Line bus to board for Port Canaveral. Even without this amazing perk, the Hyatt Orlando International Airport has much to offer: comfortable beds with luxury bedding, terminal or runway views with balcony, spacious rooms, a heated outdoor pool with waterfall and sundeck, free WiFi (airport provided), iHome alarm clock/charger/radio, comfortable sitting areas in public spaces, two restaurants, and online check-in. The fitness center is open 24/7, and was well equipped, including Life Fitness™ Cardio machines, treadmills, elliptical cross training bicycles, exercise balls, and free weights. The fitness center also offers some nice extras such as cold water, chilled towels, and headphones. I wish I could say that I had a great workout there, but I must admit we went shopping instead! The airport shops and restaurants are just steps away, and did I mention that the Orlando International Airport has not just one, but two Disney Stores? We had a delightful dinner at McCoy's Bar and Grill, an informal restaurant located on the lobby level. They serve sandwiches, brick oven pizzas, salads, and soups, as well as small plates (wraps, lemon hummus, bacon wrapped scallops, fried calamari, shrimp cocktail, pot stickers, soft pretzels with white cheddar-gouda cheese, emparedado de platano y pollo, and more). I can recommend the arugula salad with Bosc pear and shaved Reggiano, as well as the Mediterranean flat bread, topped with Kalamata olives, tomatoes and arugula. Within McCoy's Bar and Grill is a sushi bar, Hiro’s Sushi. Another dining option is the more formal Hemisphere restaurant, which offers steak, seafood, and panoramic views from the ninth floor of the Hyatt. Lobby South, a bar on the lobby level, features appetizers, along with cocktails, in the late afternoon and evening. Sushi can be ordered at the Lobby bar as well. It was very popular the evening we stayed at this Hyatt! One important consideration when booking accommodations at the Hyatt Orlando International Airport is the cost. Standard rates are upwards of $300 per night or more. There are several ways to get a significantly lower rate. Discounts that may be available include military/government rates, AAA discounts, senior rates, and corporate rates - some offering rooms at just over $100 for a double. Rooms can be booked up to one year in advance. I found that our discounted rate was readily available when booked at the one year window, but had difficulty obtaining it at 2-3 months out. Perseverance paid off, and a discounted rate appeared on the Hyatt website about one month prior to our most recent stay. Another option is to purchase Hyatt Stay Certificates (Choice level), available on the Hyatt website. However, it is necessary to confirm that the Stay Certificates are accepted on the date(s) of your stay. Some have reported acquiring last minute discounts via the Hotwire or Last Minute Travel websites, but alas, for us, waiting until 24-48 hours prior to travel to secure a hotel room is not a comfortable option, particularly when the hotel night precedes a vacation as expensive and anticipated as a Disney cruise! If you have two or more days prior to your cruise, you may prefer lodging at Walt Disney World, Port Canaveral, or other nearby Florida destinations. But if you are arriving in Orlando the day or evening prior to a Disney Cruise Line voyage from Port Canaveral, and using Disney Cruise Line transportation to the port, the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport offers a luxurious and relaxing beginning to a Disney Cruise Line vacation. Bon voyage! About the Author: Mary Augustine is retired. She has been a Disney fan since the original Micky Mouse Club was on television! This article originally appeared in the PassPorter newsletter -- subscribe to our popular newsletter today for free at http://www.passporter.com/news.htm Updated 04-05-2012 Check for a more updated version at http://www.passporter.com/articles/hyatt-regency-orlando-airport-review.html |