Margaritaville Resort Orlando
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
This resort's primary appeal lies in its 'awesome pool' area, which provides a 'resort-like' atmosphere, and its highly convenient location. Guests appreciate being within walking distance to a variety of off-site restaurants, shops, and ice cream options.
Key Highlights
- ✓Awesome and resort-like pool area (Review 1, 3)
- ✓Extremely convenient location with walking distance access to numerous external restaurants, shops, and ice cream (Review 1, 3)
- ✓Clean hotel rooms (Review 1, 4)
- ✓Positive feedback on the quality of breakfast food, specifically breakfast sandwiches (Review 1, 4)
Standout Features
- ⭐The 'awesome' and 'resort-like' pool area is a strong positive (Review 1, 3)
- ⭐The proximity and walkability to external dining, retail, and entertainment options (Review 1, 3)
- ⭐Cleanliness of the assigned rooms (Review 1, 4)
- ⭐Quality of breakfast food in the restaurant (Review 1, 4)
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Verify your reservation details and confirmed room type immediately after booking and again shortly before arrival, as cancellations and room changes are reported (Review 2, 4).
- →Bring your own towels and toiletries, or be prepared to visit the front desk multiple times to request these items, as housekeeping can be inconsistent (Review 4, 5).
- →Manage expectations for water park hours; plan to visit earlier in the day as it may close as early as 5:00 PM (Review 4).
- →Thoroughly review your bill for any promised discounts or correct charges, as billing errors and unapplied discounts are reported (Review 5).
- →Be prepared for potential difficulties and frustration if issues arise, as customer service and management responsiveness are frequently criticized (Review 2, 5).
Things to Consider
- ⚠High risk of reservation cancellations days before arrival without proper notification or resolution efforts (Review 2)
- ⚠Severe issues with unhelpful, unprofessional, and uncommunicative staff and management, leading to unresolved complaints and billing problems (Review 2, 5)
- ⚠Inconsistent and unreliable housekeeping: rooms skipped entirely, doors left open by staff, and frequent need to request basic items like towels and toiletries at the front desk (Review 2, 4, 5)
- ⚠Uncomfortable beds and low-quality, 'unbreathable' sheets (Review 2)
- ⚠Aggressive and rude maintenance staff, even when 'Do Not Disturb' signs are displayed (Review 2)
- ⚠Rooms not ready upon arrival, with guests sometimes assigned a different, less desirable room type than booked (e.g., hotel room instead of cottage) without compensation or clear communication (Review 4)
- ⚠Shower drainage problems causing water to flood the bathroom floor (Review 4)
- ⚠Promised discounts and booking rates not applied to accounts, with staff offering 'runaround' instead of resolution (Review 5)
- ⚠Perceived severe lack of on-site activities beyond the pool, making the resort feel like a 'ghost town' (Review 5)
- ⚠Water park closes early (5:00 PM described as too early for full enjoyment) (Review 4)
Price & Value
The perceived value is generally low for many guests, with multiple complaints about the 'steep cost' or not being 'worth the money.' Guests feel that for the price, amenities like free breakfast should be included (implying it is not), and the lack of services, activities, and billing issues further diminish value (Review 4, 5).
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accessibility accommodations were mentioned in the provided reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Breakfast is available in the resort's restaurant; however, it is not complimentary, which contributes to negative price-value sentiment (Review 1, 4). No information on outside food or other specific food policies was mentioned.
🚗Parking Info
- •No specific information regarding parking availability, cost, or convenience was mentioned in the reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Reviews are mixed; some experiences imply a pleasant, uncrowded pool environment (Review 1, 3), while one review explicitly describes a 'ghost town' feel regarding activities (Review 5). No specific peak or quiet times are definitively indicated for the pool or common areas.
🛡️Safety Features
- •A negative safety concern was raised regarding housekeeping leaving room doors open (Review 2). No explicit positive safety features (e.g., lifeguards, secure entry, first aid) were detailed in the reviews.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If you rely on guaranteed reservations, the specific room type booked, or consistent, high-quality customer service and management support (Review 2, 4, 5).
- • If daily housekeeping and room service are crucial for your stay (Review 4, 5).
- • If you expect a wide array of on-site activities beyond the pool to entertain your family (Review 5).
- • If your family plans to use the water park extensively in the late afternoon/early evening due to its early closing time (Review 4).
- • If you are on a strict budget and cannot tolerate billing discrepancies or unexpected charges (Review 5).
Pricing/Package/Events
What People Say
What's Great
- Clean and well-maintained facilities (mentioned in 2 reviews)
- Friendly and helpful staff (mentioned in 6 reviews)
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 6 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Gabriella Marino
2 weeks agoWas very thrilled with my experience at the hotel. Checking in was a breeze. The location is so convenient with restaurants, shops, ice cream right across the way, walking distance. The hotel rooms were clean, the pool was awesome. We did breakfast in the restaurant and the food was fantastic! I would say my experience with kids was a great time. Would recommend this place to stay!
JP Crowley
a week agoAVOID AT ALL COSTS!! This leaderless ship of unprofessionals will cancel your reservation days before arrival and then not call or email you to try and work though the issue. Housekeeping will leave the door to you room open when they leave. The maintenance team will knock aggressively on your door with the do not disturb sign illuminated and then catch attitude when you send them away (Jorge). You will sleep on severely uncomfortable beds with unbreathable cheap sheets. The best part is that if you have ANY complaints their automated voice message carousel will keep you on hold, drop your call, you will be rerouted to people who cant/won't help (Liz in reservations). I spent 5 days trying to get a hold of anyone of management to address these things and Liz told me to give them 1 star because it wouldn't make a difference. Leonardo will deflect blame on lower employees and claim HE wasn't personally around so he can't speak on anything. He took my number and said his boss would MAYBE reach out. I have more confidence on a glass tables ability to support an elephant then that coming to fruition. Everyone in management there should be ashamed. Do not give them your business. They don't deserve it and they don't respect you.
Sam McDonald
a week agoHad a great stay here in February. The pool area is nice and they do a great job making it feel like a resort rather than a hotel. Service wsa good and there are lots of good restaurants in walking distance. We enjoyed it so much we extended our stay by a day once we got down there.
Nicole G
a week agoWhen we arrived , our room was not ready. We had to wait hours until we were told that the cottage that we booked was not available and was given a hotel room instead. We tried to get it resolved, however the front desk workers were not knowledgeable and I did not see a manager available to help. Our room was clean , however housekeeping was not cleaning every day like the website advertises . I had to go down and request towels. Our shower did not drain well and water seeped all over the bathroom floor having to utilize far too many towels to wipe up water from the shower. I can say the breakfast sandwiches were very good and the view is pretty however for the price , there should be a free breakfast of some sort . The water park seemed to close very early . In my opinion , 5:00 is early when you’re at the park all day and want to cool off / enjoy the water park .
K S
3 weeks agoI had high expectations for Margaritaville Orlando Resort, but unfortunately, my stay was far from relaxing or enjoyable. From the moment we arrived, the front desk agents were unhelpful and seemed annoyed by even basic questions. Their attitude set a poor tone for the rest of the trip. Room service was practically nonexistent our room was skipped entirely, and we had to visit the front desk multiple times just to request basic things like towels and toiletries. Not only is that inconvenient, but for a resort that markets itself as high-end, it's completely unacceptable. To make matters worse, discounts that were promised at booking were never applied to our account. When we brought it up, the staff gave us the runaround and ultimately didn’t fix the issue. On top of that, there was a serious lack of activities available at the resort. For the price we paid, I expected far more. It felt more like a ghost town than a vacation destination. Between the poor service, missing amenities, and billing issues, it’s hard to justify the steep cost. Definitely not worth the money, and I won’t be returning. There are far better options in the Orlando area.