Sheraton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Resort

Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort is a large, upper-middle-range resort spread out over four buildings with an outdoor pool area at the center. Guest check in takes place in tower one, in a large lobby with a few separate reception desks and a mini-mart set. Decor is simple and practical -- sparse, even, with the exception of a few potted plants -- with recessed lighting and tile floors. A long blue rug with a few sofas and chairs and knotty-pine coffee tables sits off to one side. Common areas in general here are kept very cool, and the powerful air-conditioning may be a bit much for some. There are parking lots surrounding the hotel so that guests can park close to their rooms, and each building has one or two of its own elevators.The hotel attracts a mix of business travelers and tourists alike, including plenty of families in town to visit Disney parks. 

As the name suggests, this Sheraton is located in Lake Buena Vista, around a six-minute drive from Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets (with stores like Adidas and Coach). The hotel is on the corner of two busy roads, across from a souvenir shop, in an area with tons of chain restaurants (Chili's Grill and Bar, Pizza Hut, and Denny's) and a few big supermarkets. This hotel is particularly convenient to Disney attractions: Disney Springs is a 10-minute drive from the hotel, as is Epcot. Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom takes closer to 15 minutes to reach by car. Nearby golf courses include Falcon's Fire, a 10-minute drive from the hotel, and the Waldorf Astoria course, about 15 minutes away by car. Further afield, it's a 10-minute drive to SeaWorld, around 10 minutes to Universal's theme parks, and 20 minutes to downtown Orlando and to the Orlando International Airport. It takes around an hour to get to Cape Canaveral or the Kennedy Space Center by car.

This resort offers four types of rooms: 336-square-foot Traditional and Deluxe Rooms or 516-square-foot Florida Parlor Rooms and Family Bunk Bed Rooms. All have similar, business-standard decor, with two-tone double patterned carpeting, soft lamps, and light-wood desks, dressers, and headboards. Amenities include 42-inch flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers with Starbucks coffee, mini-fridges, and electronic safes. Microwaves, cribs, and rollaway beds are available for a fee and all rooms are stocked with two free bottles of water per day.  Traditional and Deluxe Rooms are more or less identical, except that the latter have pool views rather than views out over the parking lot and the busy (and noisy) street outside. Bathrooms are split into large vanity areas right by the doors and small rooms containing shower/tub combos and toilets. Basic toiletries are provided. Note that the hotel's website claims that the king versions of both of these room types include sleeper sofas, but during our stay we found that was not at all the case. Florida Parlor Rooms feature separate living areas with dining tables plus bedrooms with king-size beds and desks. The Family Bunk Bed Rooms have sleeper sofas, two bunk beds, and a main bedroom with one king or two queen beds, making them ideal for groups or large families. These rooms have external corridor entrances, while the other rooms in the hotel are accessible through internal hallways. Pet-friendly rooms are available (for dogs under 40 pounds).While rooms seem modern and fresh, there may be some housekeeping concerns -- during our visit, we found a past guest's dirty sock right on one of the chairs in our room, which was alarming. And we're not the only ones -- a few past guests have complained of maintenance and housekeeping issues at this property.

At the heart of this resort is a large courtyard featuring two lovely pools surrounded by lounge chairs, personal cabanas, and palm trees. On one side, The Falls features a waterfall feature along with a 79-foot waterslide. The Beach pool has a beach-style graded entry and a games section with a volleyball net. There's also a whirlpool, as well as the 27 Palms Pool Grill for lunch, snacks, drinks, and a fire pit. The other main dining option at this hotel is Zest, which serves breakfast and dinner items inspired by citrus fruit. Room service is also available for breakfast and dinner and there's a minimart, Springboard Marketplace, in the lobby selling toiletries, pastries, and grab-and-go items. Other hotel features include an excellent fitness center with free weights, cardio machines, a few resistance-training machines, and a Power Plate whole-body vibration exercise machine. Massages, wraps, facials, and general beauty treatments are available at the Top of the Palms Spa.This hotel also offers a range of meeting spaces (including a couple of ballrooms) with a total capacity for 800 guests. There's also a business center in the lobby, though it's really just a few computers and a printer. Parking is available on-site, but it costs extra and isn't included in the hotel's daily resort fee, tacked on at check-in. The hotel also offers free shuttle service to nearby Disney theme parks. Wi-Fi here is free and fast.