Resort pools at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. Credit: Waldorf Astoria.
By Derek Brown
Cheap luxury hotels exist if you find the right deal. The Waldorf Astoria Orlando, which offers direct access to the Walt Disney World resort, has rates for less than $170 per night this summer. A recent deal allowed me to enjoy the Waldorf’s airy marble entrance, refined rooms and relaxing pools during the Memorial Day weekend.
The hotel, along with its sister property the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, is relatively new and in excellent condition. The room was spacious and furnished quite nicely. Frankly, I’m not sure the bed could have been dreamier. Heavy room doors help block noise from the hallway. However, it was an adjoining room and the neighbors could easily be heard laughing.
Early summer temperatures made a dip into the two pools refreshing. One pool is flanked by cabanas that are available by reservation. The other is quite large and includes a sloping entry and play area for children (the Hilton pool is a short walk away and includes a number of kid friendly features). Lounging poolside could easily have been an all-day affair had it not been for theme park visits.
There was a splurge on juicy steaks and a bottle of good wine at Bull and Bear. Of course, I chalked that up to all the savings on the room. Don’t cross luxury off the cheap summer vacations list. Just do a little research to find a great deal.
Related resources:
Derek Brown, a member of the Orbitz editorial team, just returned from a weekend stay at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando.