Looking for inside tips on Orlando places to stay, play and eat? Become a fan of the UpTake Orlando Local Getaway Crew on Facebook! This week they’re talking about Orlando hotels that are great vacation destinations for locals.

When I travel, a fancy hotel is pretty low on my list of things to spend money on.  I want a clean, cheap hotel in a convenient location.  I don’t plan on spending much time in the room, after all.

But sometimes it’s nice to get away from your own kitchen and piles of laundry and enjoy a mini-vacation at a local hotel.  Whether it’s a weekend alone, a romantic getaway with my husband, or a family vacation with the kids, a visit to a great local hotel can often provide the same fun and relaxation of a trip to another city without the cost of gas or air fare.

Here are a few ideas for Orlando hotels that make great local vacation destinations!

3 Orlando Hotels That Make Great Vacation Destinations

1.  CoCo Key Water Resort

This hotel is best visited on a warm weekend when you can enjoy the pools, water slides and massive bucket dump!

2.  Gaylord Palms Resort

It’s true that I have a little bit of an obsession with this hotel.  I love it to bits and pieces.  Friends of ours recently spent the weekend in the executive suites here and I am more than a little bit jealous.

3.  Nickelodeon Suites

To be honest, the idea of spending a weekend here gives me a headache – but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make on occasion for my kids.

Do you ever take a mini-vacation in a local hotel just to get away from day-to-day life?  What’s your favorite Orlando hotel to actually spend time at?

Photos by Britt Reints

Sannibel Seaside Inn Room, Florida

Sanibel Island on the west coast of Florida is one of the hidden gems on the Gulf of Mexico. Sanibel Island isn’t crowded with high-rise condos and hotels. The pristine beach has been preserved around the island for visitors and families to enjoy its nature. White sandy beaches and calm Gulf waters are the backdrop of Seaside Inn at Sanibel Island.

Staying at Seaside Inn gives you access to the shell-covered 14 mile stretch of sandy beach. Tropical foliage houses nature at its best with pelicans and herons and in nearby waters you’ll find manatee and dolphins. Show your family the nature of Florida just out the front door of your hotel.

You don’t have to skimp on your lifestyle with in-room internet access, cable TV, and DVD player. Relax in your room on the Gulf with the breeze blowing through your doors and window while your surf the internet! Your family will have plenty of room to enjoy your weekend getaway in a standard room, a suite, or one of Seaside Inn’s beachfront cottages.

This tropical getaway is available year-round, and with rates in the Spring around $200/night, it’s a must-visit for your weekend away from home.

Sannibel Seaside Inn - Gulf of Mexico, Florida

Address: 541 E Gulf Dr, Sanibel, FL 33957 | Phone: 866-48-74355
Website: www.seasideinn.com

Photos courtesy: Seaside Inn

Once upon a time, the PR moguls who run Las Vegas marketed to families encouraging us to bring our kids out to the center of all things hedonistic and sinful. It didn’t last long.

Las Vegas, Nevada, is not typically known for being a kid-friendly travel destination. HOWEVER, it is possible to bring your kids to the casino-laden city and they will actually enjoy themselves. However, however, the choices for leaving your kids in a supervised hourly care center is slim.

There are two centrally-located, highly-rated supervised child care facilities in Las Vegas on or near the strip.

Kids Tyme at The Orleans Hotel & Casino

Kids Tyme Children Activities - Orleans Hotel - Las Vegas

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Kid Friendly Hotels

Picking the right hotel for your vacation is about much more than finding the best price.

When looking for a hotel, it’s a good idea to consider the kind of vacation you’re taking, who is staying with you, and what kind of hotel amenities are best suited for your unique vacation.

In other words, the best hotel for a romantic getaway may not be the best hotel for a family vacation with two small children.

Kid Friendly Hotels – What Amenities to Look For

1.  Continental Breakfast available on-site.

Small children don’t need an elaborate meal three times a day.  They do, however, need something for breakfast.  The more easily accessible, the better.

While a nicer hotel may have a restaurant that offers a full buffet and omelet bar, I much prefer an inexpensive hotel with a simply stocked continental breakfast when I’m traveling with my kids.  It’s generally a lot easier to set little kids up with a bowl of cereal in a small dining area that accepts footie pajamas as part of their dress code.  Traveling with kids means a lot of time spent in restaurants, and any chance to avoid that stress while still getting a decent meal is worth watching out for.

2. A pool is a plus.  A jacuzzi is completely unnecessary.

Little kids love to swim.  Or, at the very least, they love the idea of swimming – even if the reality is sitting on the pool steps for hours in their swimsuits.  But their expectations are low when it comes to a good hotel pool.

Water?  Great.  Shallow end?  Fantastic.  Clean?  If mom says so.  A jacuzzi and sauna room are less than an afterthought and should, in fact, be avoided by small children if possible.

3.  Extra sleeping area available – pullout couches, cots, massive floor space.

I always underestimate how much sleeping room my children are going to need when we travel.

“Oh, the little one can sleep with us.”

“Hey, the two little ones can bunk together.”

And then the little one is jammed between two big people in a double sized bed and the two big people end up with very little sleep.  Or the two little ones decide that this is the night that they cannot stand anymore of her touching me!

I’m all about giving up a little convenience to save a few bucks, but a good night of sleep when you’re on vacation is much more than a convenience.  Check with the hotel before you book to verify the size of the beds and the availability of cots.

4.  A bathtub.  Not just a shower – an actual bathtub.

If your kids are used to showering at home, than this is a non issue.  But if you’re traveling with a toddler, you may not want to introduce showering and water in the eyes on your oh so perfect family vacation.

Some hotels offer stand up showers only in some rooms, but have regular sized bathtubs in other rooms.  If you book your reservation by phone, ask about a room with a tub.  If you book your room online to save money, call the property you’re staying at after you’ve booked and request a room with a tub.

Ironically, you’ll usually find these amenities in a less expensive hotel.  Luxury is, apaprently, reserved for adults.  But when you’re on a family vacation, the best luxury is being able to stay some place where everyone in the family can feel relaxed and at home.