Opinions HOLIDAY INN THE CASTLE Orlando

Stayed at the Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection in Orlando for a business trip. Its location is perfect for hitting all the key spots in Orlando, including the convention center and theme parks. The rooms are comfortable with great beds and workspaces, though I didn’t try the pool or restaurant. The valet staff were notably friendly, but be aware there’s a $25 nightly parking fee and no lounge access for Marriott members. The hotel doesn’t quite live up to its luxurious billing, but it’s a solid choice I’d return to.

The pool is no longer heated as the heater has been down for a month now. Twice I have called the hotel and both times the front desk stated the pool was currently heated. The water is at 60 degrees . This information needs to be made available prior to a patron making a reservation. Honesty is key.

Update. Posted this review in n fb as well yesterday and guess what they just deleted it. #falseadvertising

I will 100% stay here again. The staff are friendly & efficient. I loved the landscaping around the pool, the quiet little seating nooks scattered around the pool. It has a very warm, fun vibe I absolutely love!

I recently planned a networking event for the Central Florida wedding industry at Castle Hotel and it was such an amazing experience! Amanda Palmer was an absolute dream to work with. She was so helpful, enthusiastic and professional through the entire process. Her entire team on the day of the event went above and beyond. The event spaces are unique, modern and elevated. The food and beverage was delicious! We cannot wait to go back!

This hotel was such a disappointment!!! I'm part of the Marriott loyalty program Bonvoy and I used 2 upgrades to get a "Tower" room, which I thought would be up in a tower and have a nice view since it was supposed to be an upgrade. I've uploaded the photos but as you can see, all the upgrades got me was a view of the broken lights on the side of the building, the pool and awning, and the ladders hidden behind the bushes. Apparently the turret room is the one on the top - I have no idea how you get one of those rooms since I would have happily paid for it if I had seen it as an option any where because I had told my family we would be staying in a tower at a castle. Like I said, incredibly disappointed by Marriott and the Bonvoy loyalty program, and I brought this up at checkout and all they said was thank you for letting us know. My family agreed we'd never be staying there again.

In addition to the tower room being a disappointment, the room did not include robes like the room description said it had, and the bathroom did not have the walk-in shower shown in the room pictures. Our room was not cleaned daily. There was no free breakfast for Platinum Loyalty members - it was a choice between $10 coupons for breakfast (which did not cover the cost of the buffet) or 1000 points, which was supposed to be the welcome gift anyway.

As others have mentioned, parking seemed to be on the honor system which meant there was no armguard or passcode to get in or out. Parking fees at $25 seemed to be another money grab from this hotel, especially as 2 cars speeding through the parking lot nearly nailed us on our way out.

I also went around 1 pm to check in and the room wasn't ready, even though I had received a text from the hotel and it said the room was ready. Since we had limited time to visit the theme parks, we just went and didn't return until late. Before checking out, we went up to the rooftop, which had a nice view, but was covered in glass and pretty unwelcoming with no chairs or the like.

A little dated but clean and good spot.

Decent rooms

The Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection in Orlando offers a unique blend of modern convenience and fairytale charm. Here's a quick rundown:

Themed Decor: If you're looking for something different from the standard hotel experience, the castle theme hits the mark. Expect quirky decor, colorful accents, and nods to royalty throughout.
Great Location: Conveniently located near I-4 and the Orange County Convention Center, with easy access to major theme parks like Universal Studios and Walt Disney World.
Boutique Feel: While part of the Marriott chain, the Castle Hotel boasts a more intimate atmosphere with personalized service.
Clean and Comfortable: Guests consistently praise the cleanliness and comfort of the rooms, featuring pillow-top mattresses and marble bathrooms.
Amenities: The hotel offers a rooftop terrace, pool, fitness center, on-site restaurant, and free Wi-Fi.

Limited Kid-Friendly Amenities: Despite its fairytale theme, the hotel might not be ideal for families with young children. There's a lack of dedicated childcare services or specific activities geared towards kids.
Potentially Pricey: While some guests find the price reasonable, it can be on the higher side compared to standard chain hotels.
Decor Tastes Vary: The over-the-top, whimsical decor might not appeal to everyone.
Overall:

The Castle Hotel is a solid choice for adult travelers or couples seeking a unique and charming stay near Orlando's attractions. If you prioritize a themed experience with a touch of luxury and don't mind potentially paying a bit more, this hotel could be a good fit. However, families with young children might want to consider options with more kid-focused amenities.

I have stayed at many Autographs all over the world and this is far from what I have come to expect from an “Autograph” hotel. I give it 5 for the parking and location, 5 for the people, all of them were fantastic. The hotel itself is a 2, more on par with a lower end brand, such as a Fairfield.

Great visit to the Castle! Leaned on ResortPass due to a long layover and selected Castle to kill some time. Beautiful pool weather and room access was great to clean up. David, our pool bartender, was very kind.
Would return and recommend!

I purchased in full months in advance, Monday through Friday the week after Thanksgiving. It occurred to me that we were landing at 11:45 p.m. Monday evening, which means we would not check into The Castle until past midnight the next morning. I called the hotel to make them aware of our actual check in. I spoke to Ariel, who made it clear that if we didn't check in via the app, we would lose the room. I was astounded. As I paid for the room in full in advance, how is this even an issue? Her response, "This isn't about you. It isn't fair if you aren't in your room and other individuals require your room." I was astounded. I paid in full in advance for the room for four days checking in on Monday to avoid an issue checking in early Tuesday morning at 1:00 a.m. How is this an issue?! I was outraged. Ariel's response was that she would check us in on Monday, "Only if you guarantee you are coming in on Tuesday morning." I assured her we were. She acted as if she was doing us a favor for a room I paid for months in advance for a four day stay versus the actual three day stay. Tuesday, after I slept in the bed, I went to grab my phone to walk out to a dinner meeting and I noticed the fitted sheet was not changed prior to my arrival as there was makeup all over it, (see photo). Cherry on top of a disturbing experience with a Marriott property.

Everyone is so friendly! Beautiful castle and decor. Checked out the pool even though it was chilly outside and raining. Plenty of parking and close by to everything you want to visit. Loved the king size bed, large tv, the relaxing shower and views out the window. Wish we had more time to use more amenities but one night was excellent.

Great location, service is very good. Rooms are ok, not upscale but clean and cozy

It is preposterous to call this an Autograph Collection Hotel, and if this is an AAA four diamond, I’m not sure that designation carries value any longer. Read and believe the other negative reviews of this hotel- I wish I had.

The issues started upon arrival at my room:
-Food (crushed almonds) and pills (Advil) strewn across the rug in the middle of the room. I’d be very upset if an economy hotel called my room clean with food on the floor, let alone what Marriott calls their “boutique to luxury” collection.
-Couch stained all over with over a dozen crusty white spots that I hope were milk.
-The shower smelled like a wet gym towel. Clearly it had been left damp and then the room closed up. It was overpoweringly unpleasant, so I opened the window and ran the room fan on high until housekeeping could clean it properly (remember this detail).
-A tear/ hole in the bed’s fitted sheet right at head level. Impossible to miss with even the quickest glance.
The rug and shower were quickly remedied by the hotel, but at 11:30 PM, after a long day of travel and work, standing in the hall while my room is cleaned is not a “luxury” experience.

Next, the breakfast: a few trays of soggy eggs, potatoes, breakfast meat, etc…with the only a la carte offerings being omelets or other egg preparations. The average Residence Inn/ Fairfield Inn, etc…has more diverse offerings that also taste far better. Every Autograph Collection at which I have to date stayed has had a fantastic restaurant, always well above average. It was unexpected to be offered such bad food and no “menu” choices.

Finally, and worst of all: on the morning of my checkout I was woken (despite a do-not-disturb sign) at 7:30 am to a phone call from the front desk. Despite the fact that my room’s window freely opens (and even has the common hotel “stopper” so that it can only open a few inches), despite the fact that nowhere in the room is a sign asking guests to not open the window, and despite the fact that the window has been opened for the past three days straight, apparently an employee had noticed my open window from the pool deck and decided that at 7:30 in the morning is was essential that I close it immediately, due to an unpublished “engineering rule”.

Is it a “luxury” or “boutique” experience to be woken at 7:30? Is it a luxury or boutique experience to have an employee argue with you that you are not allowed to open a second floor window (that only opens three inches) on a dry 65 degree day? Did this need to be addressed at that hour, considering I was checking out just three hours later? I am still stunned that this occurred.
It completely cheapens the Autograph brand that this hotel is allowed to retain membership.

Excellent Hotel and the atencion with the Room and the Pool

tupac is the man