Hotel Eleo at the University of Florida

The hotel's team was the best part. Everyone, from the front desk to the restaurant staff, was kind, supportive and incredibly helpful. The room was spacious, the bathroom was roomy too, and the amenities felt thoughtful and complete. I picked Hotel ELEO mainly because it's close to the University of Florida, and the location was perfect. But the room fell short. The photos showed wall-to-wall windows overlooking a pretty pond, while mine had two narrow windows facing the garbage area. That was a major letdown because the view was one of my main reasons for booking. The sheets and covers were heavily wrinkled, which made me wonder whether the bedding was fresh. On the second floor, there was a persistent old smell in the halls and room. The AC struggled as well, and even with the thermostat set low, the temperature never went below the 70s. If you're booking for the view in the photos, check which floor or room type you're assigned. The staff felt five-star, but the difference between the online description and the actual room made this disappointing.

The Eleo made us feel welcome as soon as we arrived, with its lovely driveway, valet parking and attentive team. The rooms were spacious and modern, and everything was up to par. Its location is perfect, close to the Interstate and yet near campus, with tons of restaurants around. Madison, Antoine and Eshon did a great job at check-in. Ben and William at the restaurant were fantastic too. All five stars!

Getting to Shands Hospital in the golf cart shuttle was great. The rooms were spacious and clean, the staff were sweet, and the restaurant had a great food selection. This place was perfect.

The staff made everything easier and helped take away a lot of stress. My surgery was pushed to early afternoon, so instead of waiting around at the hospital, they extended checkout from 11:00 to 1:30 pm. I'm very grateful to everyone who helped us. I was an out-of-town patient sent here by my Neurosurgery Team so I could be ready when the earliest Table Time opened. The hotel is on The University of Florida Campus, directly across from the Neurosurgical Hospital and within walking distance. From outside it looks upscale, with well-kept gardens and several valet attendants coming and going. Inside, it was beautiful, very clean and smelled good, with a chic modern finish. I noticed security features throughout the building and in the elevators. We booked a King room and were surprised by how roomy it was. The open-style layout had a large foyer and floor-to-ceiling windows stretching about 35 feet from the bedroom nightstand down to the end of the hallway. The bed had clean, crisp white linens and comfortable pillows. There were two TVs, one in the bedroom and one in the office-style workspace, which had a couch, desk and refrigerator. The bathroom was excellent, with a glass-walled walk-in shower and plenty of room on the vanity for my things. The L’Occitane shampoo and body wash smelled amazing. We ate at the on-site restaurant. It prefers reservations but will seat you when space is available, and we got a table within 30 minutes. The menu was smaller, as upscale restaurants often are, but the Executive Chef's concept menu was beautifully presented and well executed. We left satisfied, and the wine suggestion was excellent. The full-service bar also makes craft specialty cocktails with great service and enthusiasm. I can't recommend the St. Alice Martini enough. It's one of the best cocktails I've tried, even compared with all the places my husband and I have traveled.