Just got back from our stay at the Gaylord Palms Resort and I thought I would give a review: The Gaylord Palms Resort was very nice. However, you need to be aware of surcharges that will quickly add up. The $126 price I got through Hotwire was only the beginning. There is a $10 a night resort fee that covers High-Speed Internet access, water in refrigerator, and daily newspaper. Then you need to add the parking fees. We got there late at night and the self-parking was rather confusing so we used Valet Parking. The next day we found out that there is a $17.50 a night Valet parking charge in addition to the tips. So we switched to self-parking and there was still a fee of $10.70 per day. So when you added the taxes, resort fees, and parking fees, we paid approximately $165 a night for our stay. The food in the restaurants onsite was also very pricey. My husband and I ate breakfast at the Villa De Flora buffet and paid $43.00 for the two of us. Needless to say, we didn't even try dinner at the hotel. The 4-acre Atrium was very cool and I really liked that each room had a computer provided with Internet Access. You could also check you hotel account online and order any housekeeping services online. We were impressed with the service we received at this hotel. We had put on the electronic "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door while my husband was working from the hotel room and guest services called him around 4 o'clock that afternoon and asked him if there was anything that we needed. He told them that we needed towels and they were at our door within 3 minutes. The housekeeper also used that opportunity to empty the wastebaskets and do a quick bathroom clean up. Be forewarned that Frommer's is not correct in stating that every room has a balcony. Our room did not have a balcony but the hotel did accommodate my request for a non-smoking room. All in all, a nice stay in a comfortable, clean room with great service and pricey restaurants and spa services. If you are not there for a convention or spa vacation, then I think I would stay at a less pricey hotel. My husband who travels a lot on business said that the Embassy Suites rooms are as nice as the one we stayed in at the Gaylord Palms. Just out or curiosity, I wandered around various floors in different wings and peaked into the rooms that the housekeeping staff had left open while working. The room we got through Hotwire was just as nice as any regular room in the hotel. The hotel rooms off the atrium had balconies, though. I hope this review helps anyone who is considering a 4 star stay at the Orlando Disney Main gate. ~Kathy
