Hilton Grand Vacations Club Las Palmeras Orlando

I came here for the Hilton Grand Vacations pitch. When I booked, I explained that I need medical baths and asked whether the hotel had a bathtub I could soak in. The agent said to tell them on arrival and they'd put me in the same room level with a tub. Instead, they downgraded me because none of the upgraded rooms had bathtubs. I'm on the third floor with a terrible view, and the tub they gave me is barely deep enough to cover my thighs, more like an oversized sink. The air quality is awful. Since day one, the room has smelled like stale cooked food, to the point of being nauseating. It was 61 degrees in the room when it was 74 outside. The lobby air is fine, but the hallways and rooms aren't. My sleeping heart rate is 10 beats per minute higher here. I have several work calls tomorrow and dread taking them in this room. The fitness room is the warmest place in the complex, warmer than both my room and the lobby. The property tour was also terrible. They ignored my consent, my no, and my time, and kept me so long I was 19 minutes late for a work call, even though I had left an hour open after the two hours I'd agreed to. They said I'd lose the hotel discount if I left without checking out. They did tell me the check-in agent should have looked for nearby hotels with proper baths and that I could call to ask about relocating. When I called, I was told it had to happen before check-in, which I couldn't have known. I'm glad I didn't sign up for the timeshare. I made a direct medical request for a stay that was meant to show off their service, and got incompetence and callous disregard. Why would anyone commit to a lifetime of smelly rooms, bad air, and broken promises that affect guests' medical health? I regret agreeing to the discounted trip. It wasn't worth it. If I could move to another hotel now without losing what I paid, I would. I might even give this space to homeless folks and stay with a competing brand. The staff seem nice in general, though. It's Hilton Grand Vacations that doesn't care beyond getting your money.

We stayed three nights, and kept talking about how nice the place was. After spending earlier in the week at a budget Disney World resort, the accommodations here felt much better. We arrived around midnight after a full day at Magic Kingdom, but I'd called Las Palmeras ahead to let them know. Two very friendly employees welcomed us at check-in and gave us a few bottles of water. The room was spacious and impressive. I took the master bedroom with a king bed, and my friend used the queen pullout in the living room. There's no oven, but we didn't need one. The fridge and freezer, microwave, and roomy kitchen setup worked well. We also had a nice downtown Orlando view from the balcony. The pool and hot tub were great, too. The best part is how close it is to Epic Universe, probably the closest non-Universal hotel, just a turn off the street. It's also near The Pointe Orlando, with its shops and restaurants. On our rest day between Disney World and Epic Universe, we saw a movie at the giant IMAX theater there. I'd definitely stay again for a future Epic Universe trip and recommend it, especially for two people. I was told all rooms have a king bed and a queen pullout sofa.

There was a lot to like about the property. The room was nice, with a very hard bed and a pullout sofa in front of the living room TV that made a good place to relax. The view over the pool, with the parks in the background, was lovely. The lobby and bar were beautiful, the little shop had snacks, and the restaurant menu catered to different needs. The pool area had a hot tub and kids' water slide, and there were so few people around each day that it was easy to enjoy at any time. There's also a full gym overlooking the pool, an activity center with video games and a pool table, and activities like bingo by the pool. The event staff were amazing. It's a real gem in the Orlando area. The problem was the reservation information. We were assured the kitchen had an oven, so we bought food for our four-night stay, including frozen food. What we got was a dented mini fridge with a small freezer, a coffee station without a pot, a microwave, and a stovetop with no oven. We'd have brought different food if we'd known. They also told us there was a washer and dryer in the room, but it was actually down the hall past the elevators. That wasn't a big deal, but I wish they hadn't misled us. Still, it's a beautiful place to stay.

There were some clear strengths: the public areas and grounds were well cared for, and the building felt secure because key access was needed for different sections. But I had problems with the room, getting around, and the service. At check-in, nobody mentioned that the parking garage wasn't connected to the hotel. I parked there and only later found out the bell carts were at the front entrance, so after a full day of travel I had to go back around to unload my luggage. Based on other Hilton properties, I'd expected a connected garage with carts, and this didn't meet that expectation. The room wasn't thoroughly cleaned. I could see dust under and behind the bed, and one towel had noticeable stains. The bed was uncomfortable and made a cracking noise. The hotel also seemed strained operationally. Only two of its three elevators were working, which caused congestion and delays, especially at busy times. On Friday morning, the front desk staff in the event area weren't as courteous or professional as I expect from this brand.