Ramada Plaza Resort & Suites by Wyndham Orlando Intl Drive

The lobby of this busy, two-tower mid-range hotel makes a classy impression. Located in the newer North Tower, the spacious lobby/registration area features beige tile floors that are partially covered by floral pattern rugs in red and brown shades. Red upholstered chairs with brown leather ottomans continue the color scheme. Wood columns match the registration desk and walls behind it, while modern, oval chandeliers emit a warm yellow glow, and tasteful framed artwork hangs on some columns and walls. Flowers and tropical plants in large planters warm the space as well. The cozy lobby bar has the same red and brown motif, with oval booths and tables overlooking the lovely pool and large lake adjacent to it. The breakfast room gets quiet busy at times, but it offers plenty of seating at four-seat tables. It, like the lobby, is modern and well maintained. As the hotel is convenient to many of Orlando's theme parks, most guests are tourists with children in tow, though it does attract business travelers, too. 

 The Ramada is situated on International Drive, adjacent to a large lake. It’s surrounded by other hotels and shops, and there are several restaurants within a two- to four-minute walk. The hotel operates a free shuttle service to Universal Studios (five minutes), SeaWorld (15 minutes), and Magic Kingdom (21 minutes). The Orange County Convention Center is 12 minutes away by car or 22 minutes via public transportation, and Orlando International Airport is a 21-minute drive or 90 minutes via public transportation.

Guest rooms at this Ramada Plaza Resort vary greatly depending on which of the two 12-story towers they're located. The older South Tower features Standard Rooms and the newer North Tower offers Suites with separate living room and bedroom areas. Standard Rooms have darker, more dated decor, with worn dark-wood furniture and drab carpeting with brown-and-gold square patterns. The white bedding is accented by dark-brown throws with orange-and-yellow floral patterns that match the drapes. The matching, reddish-brown wooden furniture in the Suites is of higher quality and better condition that the furniture in Standard Rooms, and decor is a bit fresher, with details such as metallic drum pendant lights. Both towers offer views of the lake and nearby parks. Standard amenities include microwaves, mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, and coffeemakers. Safes are provided, but there's a daily fee to use them. Both Standard Rooms and Suites offer either a king bed or two queens, and Suites also have sleeper sofas, additional TVs, and kitchenettes with two-burner stoves and sinks. Both categories are generally spacious and have desks and two-person tables with chairs. Bathrooms have shower/tub combos, and Suite bathrooms have black-granite vanities instead of the tan acrylic vanities in Standard Rooms. Past guests have praised the Suites for being clean and well maintained, but many of those staying in the Standard Rooms have reported maintenance and general housekeeping issues. Guests of the North Tower’s top four Club Floors also get access to a lounge with free afternoon snacks and free beer, wine, and soft drinks. Club guests also get exclusive access to the North Tower’s rooftop pool and bar area. 

This hotel clearly gears its amenities toward leisure travelers, and rates include a continental breakfast. However, there's no on-site restaurant, so guests will need to arrange for other meals off-site. The lobby bar is open to everyone, but the rooftop bar in the North Tower is open only to club-level guests. The smaller rooftop pool is also for Club guests only, but the spacious lobby-level, lakefront pool is open to all and has plenty of lounge chairs, umbrellas, tables, and a whirlpool. The hotel also operates a free shuttle service to the Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld. Concierge services include assistance with securing park tickets and valet laundry and dry cleaning, and there's a coin-operated laundry room guests can use freely. The fitness center is small, but does include both cardio and weight-training equipment. Meeting space is available for rent and there's a business center with three PCs and a printer. An ATM and free newspapers are available in the lobby, and there are various vending machines for snacks and soft drinks. Free ice water is also offered in the lobby and there's plenty of free parking on-site. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property as well, though it can be spotty in places.