International Plaza Resort and Spa Traveler Review

I loved this hotel!

A coworker and I recently traveled to Orlando, FL on business and chose to stay at International Plaza Resort and Spa. Before booking this hotel we read numerous bad reviews and were hesitant about making a reservation here, but decided to give it a shot after seeing a response on a review site from the hotel's Director of Sales. The fact that he took time to respond to reviews showed us that he cared about the success of his hotel and that they were working on fixing the problems brought up in some of the earlier reviews.

Upon arriving at International Plaza we were very impressed with the hotel lobby. It had so much character and was nicely furnished. We went up to the counter and were greeted by Anna, who was very professional and courteous. We checked in at 10:00 am on Monday morning, (much earlier than the check-in time of most hotels) and were expected to be told that there were no rooms ready and that we'd have to wait until the afternoon, but Anna smiled and handed us a key to one of the tower rooms. The bellhop was also readily available to assist us with getting our bags to our room, which admittedly was a short walk away from the front desk.

When we arrived at our room we were hesitant to open the door due to some of the poor reviews we had read. However, we were pleasantly surprised when we entered the room and found a well-decorated room with two queen beds (each with 4 pillows), a nice desk, and a mini refrigerator. The beds were very comfortable and we got a great night of sleep every night we were there.

After checking in we took a quick stroll around the property and were very pleased. There were three beautiful pools amidst lots of gardens. The main pool was where we spent our free time (thanks to the convenience of having the pool bar there), but the two other pools were inviting as well. They were more intimate and quiet than the main pool, allowing someone to get away from it all and enjoy a good book or a quiet nap. There were fountains with chairs setup around them that provided a wonderful setting for small group gatherings. There were two oversized hammocks placed in a shady lawn that called my name several times (though I didn't have enough free time to enjoy them unfortunately). We also saw the "motel type" lodging that surrounds the tower, and though we didn't see the inside, they looked quaint and not at all like how they were described in earlier reviews.

The fitness center was pretty nice with a good mix of cardio and weight exercise options. I took morning walks around the property and enjoyed the many beautiful flowers and birds that I came across. The spa had a lot of nice amenities as well, such as facials, massages, manicures and pedicures. Again, I didn't have enough free time to enjoy these services but I would have loved to take advantage of them.

We only ate in the restaurant one time, but they happily made substitutions to my meal (I wanted a grilled fish sandwich which was not on the menu). I got the best blackened Mahi Mahi sandwich I've ever had! The server was very friendly and chatted with us about our stay and seemed genuinely happy. We did partake in beverages from the pool bar throughout our stay and the Bloody Mary was as good as I make at home (complete with celery salt, worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and olives)- not the typical watered down bland Bloody Mary that one typically gets from a hotel bar. The only downside is that two days in a row the housekeeping staff failed to leave coffee in our room. We called the front desk though and they gladly sent us up replacement coffee packs and apologized for the inconvenience.

We stopped at the concierge desk because we had a little free time and they were also very friendly. They told us of several options and even gave us discount passes to some of the local attractions. We ended up going to Universal City Walk and had a wonderful time.

When we checked out we were impressed with the genuine concern for our stay exemplified by the representative (Julio) when he asked about our stay. We were very sad to leave because we had thoroughly enjoyed our visit and both of us agreed that this is definitely the place to stay when traveling to Orlando. The hotel was close to most of the attractions, though a car is still required for ultimate flexibility, (however, the I Ride Trolley stops right out front of the hotel and is pretty convenient for those without their own transportation). I definitely plan on returning to the International Plaza Resort and Spa again, although I hope to bring my family along next time and to enjoy some of the spa amenities that are offered.

I give International Resort and Spa "two-thumbs up" for its hospitality, uniqueness, furnishings, features and amenities and I strongly encourage you to book your Orlando stay at this hotel.

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