Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Near Universal Orlando

I stayed for a conference at Loews Portifino Resort, and it was an easy walk of under 10 minutes to the conference center. It took about 15 minutes to walk to the water taxi for Universal, and there are several restaurants nearby. The staff were really friendly and accommodating. Breakfast was better than average and well stocked. My only small complaint was that the pool water felt a little chilly, but it didn’t affect my stay. I’d definitely return and recommend it as a good value.

We were a family of five staying Sunday to Sunday for a Universal vacation. The front desk man was very kind and patient, and I’d stay here again. We seemed to be the only ones with this issue, and I don’t think it happened on purpose. Their kindness made up for it, though it was a pretty crazy experience. On Friday, we finally came back from the parks to a clean room. Before that, housekeeping hadn’t followed the every-other-day cleaning schedule we’d been told about. On Monday night we asked for extra towels, a room cleaning, and the trash to be taken out. We went to the park Tuesday and returned to find nothing had been done. The desk gave us towels and toilet paper when we asked, and the man apologized and said he’d note our request for the next day. On Wednesday we came back to another messy room. We asked again for towels, and he apologized and said he’d make sure it was cleaned. The next day, we were still short on towels, and the trash was overflowing. We asked for a bag so we could tie it up ourselves and leave it in the hall for pickup in the morning. He was surprised that we hadn’t been given any trash bags, apologized, and brought us bags and towels.

The rooms were clean, the bed and pillows were comfortable, and the staff were friendly and attentive. Breakfast is included, and there are restaurants and a Walgreens within walking distance. Universal Studios is about a three-minute drive away. The hotel also has a complimentary shuttle to and from the Universal parks, though guests need to schedule it ahead of time. I was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness and would highly recommend staying here.

The staff have been wonderful each time I’ve stayed here. They’re personable, and you can tell they care about guests. I’d recommend the hotel, but for meals I’d drive somewhere else instead of eating the subpar food at KOBE. Be careful if you park in the shopping area near the KOBE steakhouse. There’s a hidden paid parking lot without signs at each entrance, and you could get hit with a large fine.