Rodeway Inn International Drive

Orlando Metropolitan Resort is best described as a motel and resort hybrid. It's essentially a huge five-story block with rows of external corridors leading to identical rooms, half of which face out on a large pool area and the other half of which look out over a big parking lot. The corridors here are dirty, with stains on the walls, leaky air-conditioning units that leave small puddles next to rooms, and shabby elevators that look like they haven't seen a refresh since the Reagan era. The lobby and reception area of the hotel is a tad nicer, with stone floors and high ceilings, plus a wooden floor area set with a few leather sofas. A small coffeeshop sits off to one side and there's a mini-mart on the other side. While this space is fairly busy much of the time, the bulk of the activity takes place poolside. Note that check-in can be a bit confusing to find at first as it's shared with the adjacent (and slightly nicer) Allure Resort International Drive and all the signposting is for Allure. This property attracts all sorts of visitors, most of whom are on tight budgets. During our visit, there was a solid mix of couples, families, and young groups of friends in town for an electronic music festival. 

Orlando Metropolitan Resort is located just off International Drive across the street from the giant Orlando Eye Ferris wheel, in an area with tons of chain restaurants, B-grade attractions, and kitschy souvenir shops. The nearest Walmart Supercenter is a nine-minute drive away, on Turkey Lake Road. The hotel is around a 15-minute drive to the parking lot to Universal Island's of Adventure and Universal Studios as well as the Universal City Walk, where there are tons of restaurants and nightlife options. SeaWorld is a 15-minute drive away. Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom takes around a half-hour to reach by car, depending on traffic. Epcot is around 25 or so minutes away by car, as is the Orlando Airport. It takes about a half-hour to reach downtown Orlando without traffic. Factor in about an hour to get to Cape Canaveral or the Kennedy Space Center by car.

The rooms at Orlando Metropolitan Resort -- while air-conditioned and relatively well soundproofed -- leave a ton to be desired. If you're planning on spending a lot of time in your room, you'll probably want to avoid this place. Although the walls are fresh, with yellow and blue paint and much less staining than found in the common areas), rooms here still need work. They have dated, worn furniture and brown carpeting that seems precarious to touch with bare feet. Amenities in Standard Rooms include flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and hairdryers, but no safes or coffee- and tea-making facilities are provided. Wi-Fi is available for a fee. Pet-friendly rooms are available. Bathrooms feature shower/tub combos and there are sinks both in the bathrooms and in second vanity areas just outside them. Soap is provided. Note that rooms categorized as Deluxe Rooms are deceiving. They appear on the hotel's website to be in better repair, but they're really just a little bigger and add sofas, coffeemakers, and microwaves. When we visited, our room had hairs (of all sorts) in the sink and on the bathroom floors and even the sheets on the beds seemed questionable -- we actually asked for a new set just to be sure. Other guests have complained of cockroaches and general filth. You've been warned. 

The features at Orlando Metropolitan Resort are about its only redeeming factor (besides the location). All guests get access to the adjacent YMCA, which features a huge gym with free weights, all sorts of machines, and treadmills, not to mention an Olympic-size swimming pool. However, it closes early on Saturdays and doesn't open on Sundays. Other features worth noting include a large outdoor swimming pool with plenty of lounge chairs and an adjacent whirlpool hot tub. There's also a sports court and a sandy playground for kids with a slide and grassy space for playing. Dining options include the Cargo Bay Cafe, which serves Starbucks coffee and snacks. The adjacent Cargo Bay Bar & Grill serves American-style meat-heavy dishes and sandwiches. There's also a gift shop in the lobby with a few small snack items for sale. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel but it costs extra. There's no real business center, but the front desk can print boarding passes for guests free of charge. Note that outdoor parking is free and there's a free shuttle to area attractions.