Residence Inn By Marriott Orlando At Seaworld

“Beautiful apartment hotel with fantastic staff who are truly a great team.”

Beautiful apartment hotel with fantastic staff who are truly a great team. Between November 2025 and the beginning of January 2026, I spent a total of 22 nights at the Residence Inn by Marriott Orlando at SeaWorld across three stays. With this hotel, I found an excellent alternative to the Hilton … more

Beautiful apartment hotel with fantastic staff who are truly a great team. Between November 2025 and the beginning of January 2026, I spent a total of 22 nights at the Residence Inn by Marriott Orlando at SeaWorld across three stays. With this hotel, I found an excellent alternative to the Hilton Grand Vacation SeaWorld across the street. There, after 15 years and over 500 nights, the prices for a one-bedroom apartment had more than doubled to over $180 for a stay of two to three months. Add to that the years of problems with smokers, especially timeshare owners, against whom management never took any action. Ultimately, it was good for me because the three-plus weeks I spent there provided a wonderful vacation. The entire hotel team is truly exceptional; their friendliness isn't forced, but genuinely warm and friendly to each other and to the guests. A truly great team; a vacation here is truly enjoyable and relaxing. After arriving in Miami from Germany, I drove to Orlando that same night in my rental car. I arrived at the hotel shortly before midnight. Reatha gave me a warm welcome and kindly selected a lovely apartment for me with two single beds on the top floor overlooking the pool. My apartment was just one room away from the emergency exit, so I could easily walk up and down the five floors. The stairs led me quite close to the lobby, which was perhaps even faster than taking the elevator, which is located at the very end of the hall. The apartment was a beautiful, large, open space and looked freshly renovated. It was perfectly furnished for an extended stay. There were two large beds, a chest of drawers, and a long desk right by the window, which was perfect for working. A television that could be swivelled from the sleeping area to the living area was a clever idea, allowing me to watch it from bed, from the comfortable corner sofa, and even while cooking in the kitchen area. The corner sofa could be converted into a bed, so four people could have comfortably stayed there. There was a table with two chairs right next to the kitchenette, and a dishwasher which I never used. I've always washed my dishes by hand. There was also a microwave, a two-burner stove, a toaster, a coffee machine, a range hood, a sink, and most importantly for my ice cream: a large refrigerator with a freezer compartment. Dishes, cutlery, and pots were provided—everything you need for cooking. To the left of the bathroom, which had a bathtub with an integrated shower and toilet, was a large vanity. Directly opposite was a built-in wardrobe with an iron and ironing board. I requested a safe at reception, and it was installed in the wardrobe shortly afterward. I never use housekeeping; I only have the bed linen changed if I'm staying longer than two weeks. I take my trash to housekeeping in the large garbage bag, or I dispose of it in the bins outside. This way, I help out a little with the nice housekeeping staff, who surely have the most demanding job in the hotel. Some guests simply leave their trash in the hallway, which isn't very hygienic. A few extra steps shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't want to clean a hotel room when I see the state some guests leave them in. My room is always clean and tidy, just like at home. You could also have free breakfast downstairs in the restaurant. The selection was very good by American standards. There was coffee, water, various juices, a selection of cereals, shredded coconut, blueberry compote, walnuts, apples, oranges, and bananas, which changed regularly. Toast, bagels, and waffles were already toasted and prepared—perfect; you didn't have to spend a lot of time preparing them yourself. At the hot buffet, a wonderful and friendly team warmly welcomed and served you every morning. There were boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, omelets, hash browns, bacon, and sausages, with a rotating selection. There were also other side dishes like grated cheese, hot sauce, cream cheese, jam, cream, ketchup, mayo, etc. And of course, various types of tea. But the best thing for me was simply the team that served us. Always cheerful, helpful, and happy. Just like everywhere else in the hotel, at reception, Angel, Ashley, and all the others, and in housekeeping, Gina and her team. Many thanks also to Josilyn, who manages this fantastic team as Assistant to the General Manager. Thanks also for your help with the luggage. Downstairs, next to the lobby and the restaurant, there was a well-equipped gym and a laundromat with dryers. There was also a large pool, which I never really saw much use during my stay; probably because many people use the parks and shopping malls in the area or attend various competitions and events. There was also a whirlpool, which, interestingly, is quite popular in the USA. I only ever rent a car for one day at a time to change hotels and buy heavy items and groceries for the next few days. Otherwise, I use the trolley on the green line; the stop is right in front of the hotel. At 67 years old, I only pay 25 cents—the authorities in Germany could learn a thing or two from that. The LYNX bus station is also just a few meters away. I got a free photo pass at the main station downtown, so I only have to pay half the fare. A monthly pass costs only $25. Otherwise, the trolley costs $2 per trip for adults and slightly older children. There are also cheaper multi-day passes available, with prices tiered by the day. A rental car doesn't make sense for me, and I save on hotel parking fees. Although, depending on the length of your stay, there are different rates. There's a free shuttle bus to SeaWorld, but I've never used it for that short trip. I walk those few hundred meters, of course. The cheapest groceries are naturally at Aldi on Regency Village Drive, and the cheapest clothes are at Ross, just a few meters from Aldi. There's also a trolley bus stop there, and another one on the next street over for the Lynx bus. Two stops before the trolley bus stop, there's a Premium Outlet and a McDonald's. The trolleys run on two different routes: the green and the red lines. You can transfer at SeaWorld, for example; don't forget to ask the driver for a free connecting ticket. The Lynx bus also goes to Disney Springs, but you have to use the bus stop down by SeaWorld across the street. You can track the trolley bus on their website, so you always know where it is. You can search for the Lynx bus route on Google Maps. For frequent SeaWorld visitors, I recommend a FunTicket. I always buy it around Thanksgiving when it's a bit cheaper. It's usually valid until the end of the following year, with a few blocked days. I paid $99 plus tax for my last one in November, and it's valid until December 31, 2026.

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