Element by Marriott Orlando Universal Blvd.

The birthday touches for my husband made our visit especially memorable. We found a card signed by the employees, balloons, and chocolates in our room. We'd chosen this hotel to celebrate him, and the staff went above and beyond to make it feel special. We can't wait to return. From arrival on, the service was warm and attentive, the food was delicious, and our spotless, nicely prepared room helped us settle in and relax. It was a five-star experience. Thank you to the team for the hospitality and care.

The location is fantastic, the price was very cheap when I booked, and the bed was comfortable. The bathroom is modern, and the hotel felt clean apart from a stain on the room sofa. I would probably stay again for those reasons. But there was no hand soap during flu season. I called the front desk and was told they'd run out and couldn't provide any. That's unacceptable for a Marriott hotel, especially one that says it cares about guests' health. I contacted corporate, but no hotel manager ever got back to me.

The hotel is conveniently located about 2 miles from the new Epic Universe theme park, and the free breakfast was delicious. The rooms were beautiful, spacious, and had full kitchens. Everything was impressively clean, and the staff were friendly and attentive. I also spoke with the general manager after my visit, and we connected over our shared love of the Florida Gators, which made the stay more memorable. I had a wonderful two-night visit, left with no complaints, and would recommend the hotel. I look forward to coming back.

I'm staying here now, and the comparison with the Element on International Drive is hard to ignore. That one has a bigger pool, better breakfast, and, when I stayed a couple of years ago, cheaper parking, though that may have changed. For Universal or Disney, I'd recommend staying there instead. It's only five minutes farther and the quality difference is huge. This place is about 10 minutes from Universal, while the International Drive hotel is only 15 minutes away. Breakfast here is miserable. The International Drive location serves something different each morning, but here they put out a sad Eggo waffle or French toast and present it as edible. The rooms are similar, except for a pulsing or humming noise at night that's been hard to deal with. They offered to send a technician, but we're out most of the day and get back too late. I'd have preferred to have it sorted before settling in. The pool is so small that I don't understand why they have one at all. The International Drive pool is much better, bigger, and has a splash pad for kids. They also use quarters for laundry, like it's the 90s. I turned it into a history lesson for my five-year-old about laundromats and quarters, but you'd expect an Element to have a card reader. There's an ATM, though, so you can pay an extra fee to get cash exchanged for quarters. If you're Platinum, you get two Aquafina bottles on the first night. That's it, no points. Amazing. There are two elevators, but one randomly, or maybe on a schedule, stops operating in the evening and stays on the fifth floor. That leaves one elevator for the whole building. I added a photo of what I saw. The choice is easy. Don't make my mistake and pick the Element that feels like a Motel 8 in disguise.