Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel & Convention Center
8101 World Center Dr., Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32821, USAWhy We Like It
Convenient to Disney World, SeaWorld and Universal, this sprawling resort has enough to do on property to fill any downtime after theme park hopping. Suites and villas offer a family enough space to spread out, and the price is reasonable for the amenities on hand.
Fodor's Expert Review
This big, all-suites pink palace, on 53 tropical acres just 10 minutes from Disney, melds luxurious decor, family-friendly ingredients, and business-traveler amenities with an affordable price. Huge meeting rooms attract corporate conferences, but families are catered to with a separate tower of suites and a children's recreation area. The main pool has a 65-foot slide, interactive water-play area, and waterfalls. Guests can rent cushy cabanas, use the on-site spa, play tennis or basketball or rent a bike.
You Should Know The resort fee of $23 a night pays for WiFi, fitness center access, shuttle services and more.
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Room
Suites and two-bedroom villas offer generous space for families, and have fully equipped kitchens with refrigerator and stove. Decorated in neutral tones, with green and turquoise upholstered couches and chairs, traditional wood dressers and armoires, the rooms have flat-screen HDTVs and ergonomic work areas. Some suites have furnished balconies.
Bathroom
Some of the suites have two bathrooms, a plus for a family. Most have bath/shower combinations.
Lobby
Sun pours through a huge hexagonal skylight into a multilevel lobby, with lots of greenery, couches, and seating areas, and a pleasant, open lounge area.
Pool
The resort's big pool has a 65-foot slide, interactive water-play area, cushy cabanas, and waterfalls. Villa guests have a separate pool. Cabana rentals come with free Wi-Fi, two free drinks, and a discount at the spa.
Spa
The resort's Island Spa offers the usual massages and body treatments along with nail, waxing, and facial services.
Gym
The well-equipped fitness center overlooks the pool, so you can imagine plunging into the turquoise waterfall while you burn off the calories.
Dining
The resort has several eateries, but the jewel in the crown is the Venetian Chop House. As its name might suggest, the restaurant offers traditional dining at its award-winning best. Holder of the sought-after AAA 4-Diamond rating for more than a decade, the restaurant serves up steaks, chops, and seafood at a leisurely pace, with impeccable service. Intimate booths allow for romantic dining, but families are also welcome. Other restaurants in the resort are The Tropicale and Java, both serving fairly pedestrian hotel-style food.
Tip The Venetian Chop House is famed for its heavenly souffles.
Drinking
Two lounges, The Loft Lobby Bar and The Falls Lounge, overlooking the waterfalls in the pool, offer sophisticated spots for cocktails or wine before dinner; cool drinks can be ordered poolside from Calypso's Pool Bar and Grill.
Activities
The resort offers guests a wide range of activities in addition to swimming: Basketball, tennis, fishing, biking (you can rent bikes to make use of the mile and a half running and cycling trail).
What's Nearby
Getting Around
The resort offers scheduled shuttles to Disney and to the nearby outlet shopping mall. There's little nearby but highways, and not much within walking distance, so if you are interested in exploring, a car or ride-sharing would be necessary.
Restaurants
The resort sits on a busy highway, with little of note within walking distance. A car or ride-share opens up a treasure trove of eating and dining opportunities at Disney Springs, about 10 minutes away. There you can enjoy one of several celebrity-chef owned restaurants, including Morimoto Asia, Raglan Road and Frontera Cocina. Or, in the opposite direction, Pointe Orlando on I-Drive offers equally varied fare, from Copper Canyon Grille to steaks at The Capitol Grill or seafood at The Oceanaire Seafood Grill.