Element Hotels in Orlando

This hotel is in a great location and if you are lucky, you can get a room with an ICON Park View (a view of the huge wheel next door). I used the BonVoy app to check in and it also provides you a virtual key to check in so there is no need to wait in the lobby to check in with a person. The lobby was clean and in order and the first room I stayed in was well-maintained and clean. I was on the 4th floor facing the back of the property and the parking lot and restaurants behind the property and I discovered quickly that I could hear conversations from the parking lot a lot more clearly than I liked so I asked to be moved. I was moved to an 8th floor room that luckily for me had a view of ICON Park. Also, I requested no-feather pillows/comforters and the staff easily accommodated that request in both my original room the room to which they moved me. I found the bed to be comfortable, the bathroom/shower was clean and functional with hot water and overall, it was what I expected. I never used to pool or gym while I was there and did not take advantage of the free breakfast. Additionally, there are several restaurants very close by and it is a great area for walking as you can stroll down Universal Boulevard and then up to I Drive or you can simply walk through ICON Park to I Drive. Although it was a nice stay, here are some things to note before you choose to stay: 1. This property does not have dedicated parking. You will be competing for spaces with everyone who visits ICON Park or any of the restaurants behind the property. Surface parking can fill up quickly and the only other alternative is a parking garage which is free. I stayed on a Thursday night, so it was not an issue but I have been to ICON Park on a Saturday night and it usually warrants parking in the garage. 2. The ICON Park view rooms are great but the hotel sits directly behind one entrance to the park and all the restaurants behind the property so there is a lot of traffic, some periodic loud music from cars and horns blowing as cars try to get back out onto Universal Boulevard. 3. As it relates to the noise from traffic, I was surprised that after I was moved to an 8th floor room, the noise was still as noticeable as it was from the 4th floor. While I was not disturbed by noise from other guests in the rooms next to me or from the hallway, the noise from outside permeated the room easily. I could also hear people in the pool very easily. 4. I chose to have breakfast at a local cafe I love, so when I left at 6:45am I was met with loud music as I walked toward the parking lot the left of the hotel. It appeared as if someone was hosting some type of outdoor exercise class in the area next to Cafe 34 Istanbul. The parking lot was packed, cars were circling the lot to find spaces and it was not something I expected to deal with so early in the morning. I am not sure if that was a one-off situation or if it occurs daily, but I would recommend a higher floor

Great experience overall, the hotel was very clean, the breakfast was tasty and the staff friendly. Me and my spouse felt really comfortable and satisfied with the attention provided by Alejandro, the receptionist. The Thai restaurant he recommended for us was top tier :)