ROSEN PLAZA HOTEL ORLANDO CONVENTION CENTER

PROFESSIONALLY RUN PROPERTY WITH MULTIPLE DINING OPTIONS      AT GOOD PRICE NEXT TO ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER

Tip of the hat to Rosen management for rapidly posting a custom reply to my concerns – it demonstrates a commitment to excellence:

We appreciate your candor regarding the parking fees and the situation at our poolside bar and grill.

Your insights are invaluable, and we are committed to improving our guests' experiences.

We will certainly review the issues you highlighted with our management team to enhance the quality of our services and ensure our guests' needs are met efficiently.

Thank you once again for your constructive feedback.

We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back and provide an even more pleasant experience in the future.

ROSEN PLAZA HOTEL ORLANDO CONVENTION CENTER

PROFESSIONALLY RUN PROPERTY WITH MULTIPLE DINING OPTIONS        AT GOOD PRICE NEXT TO ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER

Tip of the hat to Rosen management for rapidly posting a custom reply to my concerns – it demonstrates a commitment to excellence:

Hello Steve, thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback following your stay at Rosen Plaza.

We are delighted to hear that you found our accommodations to be spacious, clean, and comfortable, and that our team was able to fulfill your request for a quiet room with a view.

It's wonderful to know that you enjoyed our breakfast buffet and had such a positive experience with Brahim; he will be pleased to receive your commendation for his exceptional service.

ROSEN PLAZA HOTEL ORLANDO CONVENTION CENTER

PROFESSIONALLY RUN PROPERTY WITH MULTIPLE DINING OPTIONS      AT GOOD PRICE NEXT TO ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER

My other small issue with Rosen Plaza Hotel Orlando Convention Center was the pool side bar and grill.

I met a colleague for a burger and fries there. We had some business to go over before my speech.

The music was way too loud.

We asked to sit farther from the bar -- in a lowered area next to the pool -- with tables for the bar -- but were told the pool was closing soon so we could not sit in the very seating area that was created for the very place were were patronizing.

Of course, we were there two hours, paid for a lot of food and drink -- and the pool never closed, so we could have easily sat in the more tranquil area.

It is poor management to blast music and fail to accommodate the simplest request to move to an already designated seating area that is less loud.

ROSEN PLAZA HOTEL ORLANDO CONVENTION CENTER

PROFESSIONALLY RUN PROPERTY WITH MULTIPLE DINING OPTIONS       AT GOOD PRICE NEXT TO ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER

International Drive in Orlando is NOT a crowded urban area.

If something is as dense at Manhattan, I expect to pay to park.

So it was not fun to pay nearly $25, including tax, per day, for a self park spot in a huge -- uncovered and barely shaded -- surface lot.

In fairness, I do understand that virtually all properties in the area charge for parking and some charge much more than Rosen Plaza Hotel Orlando Convention Center.

ROSEN PLAZA HOTEL ORLANDO CONVENTION CENTER

PROFESSIONALLY RUN PROPERTY WITH MULTIPLE DINING OPTIONS      AT GOOD PRICE NEXT TO ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER

The Rosen Plaza Hotel Orlando Convention Center breakfast buffet was fresh, warm and extensive -- even though less than 10 people were at breakfast when I went to it.

My server was fabulous.

He poured coffee frequently.

He also politely explained that juice came with the $22 buffet.

Often, it is extra and I would not have enjoyed a tall glass of OJ without his making things clear.

The man's name, on my receipt, is Brahim.

He brought extra napkins and was highly professional.

I hope he gets a bonus when/if the property reads this review.

ROSEN PLAZA HOTEL ORLANDO CONVENTION CENTER

PROFESSIONALLY RUN PROPERTY WITH MULTIPLE DINING OPTIONS     AT GOOD PRICE NEXT TO ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER

I was speaking at a conference nearby.

The host hotel was too expensive.

I wanted something for under $150 --fully loaded (as in room, tax, parking) and Rosen Plaza Hotel Orlando Convention Center fit the bill.

The room was large, super quiet and very clean.

The bed was very comfortable.

I emailed the property to place me far from the elevators, as that usually is a noisy area.

They complied, but I still had a view of International Drive.

The pool was large and nice, but it was rainy so I did not use it.

HASH HOUSE A GO GO

 UNMATCHED SERVICE...BUT SHARE A PLATE, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE

When we realized this is a chain of about 10, we almost didn't go.

But we were park weary and breakfast food sounded comforting.

We were a bit surprised to also find out that a large part of the breakfast menu disappears around 5 pm (note to corporate, when your name is hash house, serve the full menu the entire time you are open -- even McDonalds has caught on that a lot of us find refuge in getting breakfast for lunch, dinner and late night).

So with these bits of trepidation, how did it earn 5 stars?

The manager, who became our server. I believe his name is Vince.

There were two huge parties being attended to by the wait staff. We went at an odd time, so the place wasn't very full but also didn't have much staff.

I'm a big eater, but when I read the stuff on the menu item -- tractor something such, one of the breakfast items available all day -- I thought I better share.

Then we thought about pesky sharing charges. We started our usual plotting.

The wife would order a biscuit or something and I'd order the big meal and we would pretend we weren't sharing, so we didn't get stuck with some stupid $6 sharing charge.

Then Vince told us you each get a giant biscuit, with all sort of jam and honey butter, on the house.

My wife said, uh, then, I guess order with a plate to share -- we'll pay the sharing charge. No charge for sharing, said Vince.

He didn't try to upsell us at all. No, well with saving money by splitting, you can afford an expensive drink...or order a cake or whatever. Just a mention that you really get four waffle square, meat, taters, eggs and those giant biscuits before the main comes out.

Even though it was not his table and we were probably making an order than brought in one 20th of the revenue the big parties were bringing in (we saw kids at those table ordering giant baskets of food they couldn't consume in a week), we got prompt service.

Vince even caught me out of the corner of his eye and brought more rich maple syrup so I could properly drown my share of those fluffy waffle chunks. We didn't have to dance or hollar to get the check -- as the country food hit us hard and demanded a rush to the hotel for a nap prior to I-Drive nighttime roaming.

He was prompt, efficient...even held the door to the parking lot so I could steer my wife's wheelchair without crooking my shoulder to catch the door.

Vince (and I sure hope you got your name right) you gave us the gold star service of a $100 per plate gourmet room -- for a bill that I'm pretty sure came in under 20 bucks even with a healthy tip. Good man.

THE ORLANDO EYE

 FIVE STARS FOR WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

The wheelchair access is great at the Orlando Eye.

It starts with free surface parking right next to the wheel (drive around behind the parking deck to get these if you have the parking placard).

As a companion to wheelchair user (my wife), I got a free ride "or flight," as they like to call it. 

Add in Florida resident discount and we were riding for less than half price.

The area where you watch the video on the wheel is super wheelchair accessible.The lobby gets high points for a family restroom, where a spouse can assist his partner in transfer from wheelchair in privacy.

The ride is smooth and the cars are big.The attendants don't make a fuss or make the wheelchair user feel awkward.

The wheel lights up at night and is quite beautiful.The only drawback is well, the view is Orlando.

No offense, but you see the tops of a bunch of mega hotels, the parking lots of I-Drive then the last of the scrub land beyond...that has let to be developed into a mall, theme park, or hotel complex.

You ride the London Eye, you see all the famous buildings in London.

No offense to Orlando, but the scenery doesn't match Big Ben and the Thames. From the Orlando Eye, even the Epcot dome looks a bit like a golf ball far off the the south.