Rosen Plaza Hotel
9700 International Dr., Orlando, Florida, 32819, United States, Orlando, Florida, USA
Why We Like It
This hotel has generous guestrooms, several choices for dining and drinking onsite and the central location offers lots of nearby entertainment and dining, quick access to Universal and SeaWorld, and a 20-minute drive to Disney.
Fodor's Expert Review
Close to the Convention Center, this 14-story hotel caters to its corporate clientele--BAGS service, for example, lets you check suitcases in the hotel lobby so you can go straight to the gate at Orlando International--but leisure travelers also like the prime location and long list of amenities, including a heated swimming pool, fitness center, babysitting services, and a vibrant nightclub that opens onto the pool. Deluxe linens and upscale furnishings, including ergonomic chairs and workstations, join flat-screen TVs and mini-refrigerators in the rooms. The hotel is owned by Harris Rosen, Orlando's major independent hotel owner.
You Should Know This hotel caters primarily to corporate travelers and leisure guests, and offers sophisticated restaurants, bars and entertainment. It is not particularly geared for families.
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Room
Standard rooms have two double beds, with white duvet-style linens, and a single bedside table between the beds. The furniture includes an armchair, a dresser with coffeemaker on top, along with a 32-inch flat screen TV, free Wi-Fi.
Bathroom
Pretty standard fare on offer here, with a tub/shower and WC separated from the vanity by a door. The single sink vanity, while separated from the bedroom by a wall, is actually open to the space. Toiletries are by Crabtree & Evelyn La Source.
Lobby
The spacious, marble-columned lobby offers room for groups and individuals to check in, ample seating in living-room like arrangements, and access to the restaurants, lobby bar, and shops.
Pool
An unfussy pool, surrounded by greenery and palm trees, lounge chairs, and a few umbrellas. The '39 Poolside Bar & Grill serves burgers, salads, and drinks.
Spa
No spa on-site, but access is available to the nearby Spa at Rosen Centre, (5-minute drive) a full-service health spa, offering massage therapy, body treatments, facials and skin treatments, hair, makeup, nail care or waxing.
Gym
A state-of-the-art fitness center offers equipment for cardio and free weights for weight training.
Dining
Owner Harris Rosen's father worked at New York's Waldorf Astoria and drew portraits of many of its famous guests. The caricature art in Jack's Place restaurant, open for dinner, is worth checking out, as is the food. Café Matisse offers breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, as well as full-service menus. Perched next to the pool, ’39 Poolside Bar & Grill serves up gourmet burgers, salads and more, including a bounteous Sunday brunch. 3NINE nightclub offers a chef-inspired menu in addition to drinks and music.
Drinking
Sunday brunch at ’39 Poolside Bar & Grill offers a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar with about 40 goodies to choose from, in addition to live music. The Lobby Lounge is the place to meet up for a daily happy hour special with tasty appetizers. 3NINE is the hotel's night-life central, where music and drinks are available until the wee hours.
Golf
Guests have access to the nearby, award-winning Shingle Creek Golf Club, which was redesigned in 2017 by the Arnold Palmer Design Company.
What's Nearby
Getting Around
The hotel offers much in the way of transportation: free shuttles to Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica, (although none to Disney World), and specially priced transportation to and from Orlando International Airport. Its location on International Drive means guests have access to the very reasonably priced I-Ride Trolley, which has dozens of stops the length of I-Drive. Orlando's regional bus system, Lynx, connects the I-Drive area with downtown Orlando, and with Disney World. Ride-sharing and taxi services are also readily available, so a car is not necessary. But if you wish to explore farther afield, say to Kennedy Space Center, or plan on multiple trips to Disney, a car might be more efficient.
Restaurants
International Drive offers a wide range of food experiences, from fine dining to chain burgers. Pointe Orlando (2-minute walk) is home to dozens of restaurants, including The OceanAir Seafood Room, where seafood is king; Capital Grille, a classic chop and steakhouse; the atmospheric Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar. Farther along I-Drive, The Boston Lobster Feast (10-minute walk) is exactly what its name implies, an all you can eat seafood feast, including lobster. Look for the giant, red lobster consuming a small car. Shake Shack (12-minute walk) is a popular American burger spot.
Bars
Pointe Orlando (5-minute walk) offers a wide variety of drinking establishments, from rustic pubs to stylish martini bars. For those looking for a place to chill out, two bars offer a decidedly icy atmosphere: at minus5° Ice Experience, the whole interior is made of ice, and coat rentals stave off frostbite; ICEBAR Orlando, which has a bar made of ice, and a warm room next door for dancing. The Pub Orlando is a pleasant, British-style spot, where staff wear kilts and you can pour your own beer. Blue Martini offers martinis and bubbly, along with tapas-style small plates. Farther along I-Drive, you'll encounter endless opportunities to lift a pint or sip a tequila or a beer. One quite vibrant spot is Mango's Tropical Cafe (5-minute drive) a multi-story nightclub, with spectacular shows, dance floors, and multiple bars.
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