FL Orlando Radisson Resort Orlando Celebration WDW

[erinys]

I was very disappointed by my stay at the Radisson. I have to first say that part of the issue was that I smoke, but it may have simply been a problem with a new employee whose first language was not english, and a lazy or busy manager. Perhaps as a Priceline customer I shouldn't expect a clean or mold-free room at a 3* hotel, but I do.

The girl seemed sweet but stupid and had to check with her manager three times rather than think it through and use common sense. Her lack of common sense suggested she was new.

I wanted a Smoking room - know it's not guaranteed, but except at non-Smoking facilities it's usually available and they don't repeatedly throw the Penalty for Smoking in your face.

That area/wing was 'under renovation' after she checked in the back with her manager, I told her I'd take a room in that section because workmen noise wouldn't bother me, she checked again in the back with her manager, said he had refused to give it to me because he said I "wouldn't enjoy my stay." She couldn't figure out what an alternative would be, so she went in back again to talk to the manager, and came back suggesting a first floor room near an exterior door. Guess I have to give her credit for trying to find something that would be somewhat acceptable. Somewhere in there she claimed or was told that the hotel was booked full, although I'd gotten a priceline room with less than a week's notice. Ok, sure, fine, whatever. I didn't get a their advertised Sleep Number bed, but that's an extra charge even for direct booking customers.

I got in the room, and while the lamp shades had been changed, from the smell, ashes/burns on wall and headboard and burns on the carpet, it was obviously a former smoking room. But as I'd been told repeatedly there was something like a $250 fee for smoking in a non-smoking room. I immediately called the front desk and said it had been a smoking room and I better not be charged for the smell or burns when I checked out. Offered to let them send someone to come and confirm that it smelled and had indications of smoking so that I could not have been responsible for in the 5 minutes I was in the room before calling. No, no one needed to come - I haven't seen what is on the credit card bill, so we shall see.

It is as difficult for a smoker to be in a smoking room that they can't smoke in as it is for a non-smoker to be in a smoking room and disgusted. But I went outside to smoke and talk to the ducks in the ponds. After a long day traveling, I needed to relax and tried to take a bubble bath in the shallow tub. Once that low, I saw that the rim under the sink was completely solid black with mold. After seeing that, I looked more closely at the tile, toilet, and air conditioner - there was mold everywhere, probably dead but never cleaned off. I took photos for proof. The room next to mine was quietly and for certain empty, even though the hotel was 'full.'

I was deeply frustrated and tired of dealing with Ms. Dumb at the front desk with the Hidden Manager. I pricelined again aiming for the 4* Peabody, ended up paying $108/night (plus numerous valet and resort fees) more for two nights. I told the more experienced young lady at the front desk that I was leaving for 3 days because it was awful, but had to return for the 5th day scheduled and I BETTER have a smoking room in that 'under reservation' wing, and I didn't care about anything except smoking, a bed, a bathroom, and no mold.

I already knew I'd be leaving the Radisson for a night at a Best Western (which I forgot to look for an affiliate link for here) in the sticks. Even though I was leaving for a night, I had wanted and paid for a night I wouldn't be there to have the consistency of one hotel and a place to keep my stuff so I wouldn't be hauling 50 lbs of girl stuff and a huge laptop across the state. I lost that, and with the schedule only up staying more than one night in Tampa, the Peabody (when I was paying for two nights at two hotels), and at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (left me broke but a great experience). Packing and hauling big heavy stuff for 12 days was no fun, especially since I was losing valuable time packing and hauling constantly.

The last day of my scheduled stay I returned to the Radisson and was immediately given a room in the 'under renovation' wing. The 'under renovation' wing was so much 'under renovation' that there were plants missing and pictures off the walls of the hallway. I saw workman once, they were walking elsewhere, and there was no work noise. I got a nice room with a sleep number bed. It was fine, roomier and probably nicer than the initial room. They were so 'booked full' that there was one other couple on the entire floor in my wing. When I checked out, i was billed the resort fee for all 5 nights, when I only used one of their rooms for two nights and they knew it. I just wanted out, and paid it.

The moral of this story is they have a lot of international employees who may not understand English well, and must have rapid turnover. If there's a problem and the clerk keeps running to the back for instructions, just demand to see the manager directly before you're so frustrated you go elsewhere. Given enought time and vehement insistence someone can/will/should fix it. After the first night, perhaps during the first night, I should have persistently requested what I wanted, at minimum, a non-stinky, non-moldy room, but I was so frustrated by Ms. Dumb Non-English comprehender (I am less troubled by people whose first language is other than English than most Americans, and am very good at understanding what is being said - this hotel employee didn't understand my discussion of basic hotel issues) and Mr Hiding Manager that I couldn't bear to deal with the front desk again. If you have NO special requests, can handle mold, and don't mind being in an interiorly 2.5* hotel that's rated a 3* due to lovely grounds (which means a longer walk to your car), you'll probably be very happy here. It's probably great for families with young children who can't handle a full day at parks but will enjoy the pools here. Otherwise, RUN to another bidding zone or star level to avoid the chance of this place. For my next trip 5 weeks after this, I aimed for the I-Drive area for safety, and got a 3* room there for half the price through Hotwire (although most Hotwire 3* are more like 2.5* in Priceline terms).

[Ihearthotwire]

We had three rooms at the Radisson Celebration. We stayed from Sept 26 - October 1 (four nights, three rooms). This is a large property with many buildings. We were assigned to the fifth floor of the building right behind the Registration desk near the pool. The rooms were spacious and the beds were comfortable. Also you could make the rooms pitch black which I love. On the down side, the carpetings looked/felt sort of dirty and sticky. Also, any time I set the A/C above 68 degrees the room would smell musty/moldy. It was fine at 67/68 degrees but at 70 degrees it would smell musty. Other than that, it was fine and I really can't complain for $49. I should mention there was an added fee of $11.30 directly to the hotel after paying hotwire which added 25% to the cost, so it was really $60.30 per night, not $49 as advertised by Hotwire. Not to mention the taxes/fees. There was no way around this. However, the hotel did not charge for parking and offered free in room wireless Internet which other hotels often charge for. One other annoying thing is that every time I would come to my room, there were four or five menus shoved under the door from nearby companies. It didn't make me feel too secure that companies were coming by my door and shoving menus under it. The hotel is conveniently located to Disney -- just a mile or two from the main gate. Also, just a short drive to Celebration which has a very cute little town center with good restaurants including a great and inexpensive one for breakfast. Disney was pretty empty, probably because of it being September and the market crash.

[Hotel_Consultant]

I knew right away what kind of hotel this was when I saw the

[Jax4]

UPDATE upon arrival at Radisson Celebration - Walt Disney Maingate (Wed., February 23, 2011):

Received bid at $39 - $51.40 w/Priceline fees + add'l $11 + 13% tax resort fee for around $64 inclusive. Direct book $79 + tax + resort fee on this date that I stayed (Wed 2/23/11).

Room closer to a 2* as expected. Sleep number beds typically aren't offered with Priceline bookings; however, I was fortunate to receive the requested upgrade. Tub was full of water and table lamp had a short (ugh); however, problem was fixed quickly. Too tired to mess with an attempt to change rooms. Yes, knew the tub was just the drain; nevertheless, I wanted the front desk to know about it. Toilet didn't flush properly - haven't worked on fixing that yet. 2 double beds were no more than 12" apart. Wired internet in this room only - parts of the hotel are wired only. No explanation on whether they intend to upgrade.

Didn't use fitness center. Restaurant looked clean and decent. Pool/whirlpool look clean and recently renovated. Very large property with 718 rooms. Parking area gated. Building 1000 seems to be recently renovated; however, counter above frig chipped badly. Furniture shows moderate wear. Older furnishing in both room and bath. Sleep Number beds are new - the only redeeming feature of the room. Old 25" color sets. Carpet spotted with moderate wear. Water pressure in shower solid. Coffee/refrigerator. In room safe. Parking & internet included in $12.50 resort fee. I'm sure the soft Orlando market makes it tough to ccompete. Better values appear to be available in multiple markets - especially with a couple 4* properties regularly hitting in the mid-$40 range at this point in time in the area.

Best of luck all with your bidding.