The Clarion Hotel Universal, Orlando (7299 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida) is situated just across the road from the Wet n’ Wild water park and a few minutes’ walk from Orlando’s famous International Drive, so it’s a great place to stay if you want to explore the northern end of i-Drive.
The hotel also provides free shuttle buses to Universal Studios and SeaWorld (although there was only one bus running to SeaWorld each day when we stayed there, so make sure that you check the timetable available from the reception desk carefully). If you hire a car during your stay, you can also visit Walt Disney World – the Downtown Disney area is about 20 minutes’ drive from the hotel.
The Clarion Hotel Universal is a mid-range hotel, with average room prices starting from $99 per night, but you can get some great deals by booking through sites like Expedia. There are three types of room available: the Deluxe Guest Room, the Leisure Guest Room and the Mini-Suite.
Some parts of the Clarion Hotel Universal look like they could do with some renovation – the room doors and some of the decor looks slightly tired, and there was occasionally a slightly peculiar smell in some of the corridors - but our room was clean, bright and comfortable, and overall it was great value for the price that we paid.
The hotel has a heated outdoor swimming pool, two hot tubs, a sun deck, a tennis court and a basketball court, all of which were in good condition and being used regularly by guests. It also has a business centre with free internet access and a deli, where you can buy salads, drinks, newspapers, cakes and a range of toiletries and other products.
If you fancy a drink or something to eat in the hotel, you can visit Sharky & Jack’s Bar and Grill, on the ground floor. The food on offer in the evening is somewhat expensive compared to the i-Drive diners and restaurants, but it’s excellent quality and the portion sizes are large. The best thing about Sharky & Jack’s, however, is the range of cocktails on offer. Each night we were there, there was a cocktail special available for $5 and they were delicious!
We tried breakfast there one morning, which was a buffet, and unfortunately it was slightly disappointing, but according to the staff, the hotel is changing to an a la carte breakfast menu in the near future, which may be better.
A few words of warning – every day when we returned to our room, we were greeted by a heap of pizza delivery leaflets which had been put through the room door. Other guests told us that they had ordered from these and were all very ill the following day, and we have also since heard stories of people having their credit cards cloned by some of these companies. Don’t, under any circumstances, order from them! The hotel offers room service and there are plenty of places nearby where you can eat, so there are much safer options available.
The Clarion’s main selling point is its staff. Everyone from the receptionists to the security guards were helpful and chatty, and by the time we left we felt like they were old friends. Particular thanks go to the following people, who made our stay at the Clarion relaxed and memorable: Mindy, Mike, Kara and Erika at the bar; Chris the chef; and Tracey at reception.
All in all, we had a fantastic time at the Clarion Universal Hotel and if we go back to Orlando, we will definitely stay there again.
Tags: Clarion Universal Hotel, Hotel Reviews, International Drive, Orlando, Orlando hotel, SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Boulevard, USA, Walt Disney Resort, Wet n Wild Orlando
