Note: Our price was an online special.
Three Diamond AAA rating.
All units are roomy open suites with TV/VCR full kitchen (full-size fridge, dishwasher, range, microwave & coffee maker), two queen or king size beds, and a queen sleep sofa, separate vanity w/hair dryer, bean bag chair!, kitchenette set.
Complimentary shuttle to parks, complimentary grocery service, complete office amenities if needed, guest laundry (only complaint here, dryers all working, only one washer operating), iron, ironing board, same day dry cleaning.
24 hour gourmet coffee bar with real cream, complimentary breakfast (not really impressive, but edible) seasonal fruit, and baked goods. Exercise room, heated outdoor pool and spa, courtyard patio w/barbecue grills. Light daily housekeeping (bed towels trash) full-service weekly.
The staff was friendly. They do stick to their 4:00 check in. Our flight got us there early and we thought we'd try our luck. We could have had a handicapped unit but it did not have a full size refrigerator and that was one of the reasons I chose this hotel. They did offer to hold our luggage in a storage area, gave us directions to the Florida mall and we went shopping. We went to the grocery store and Walmart to stock our kitchen which helped budget our meals.
There is a deposit for the safe key which you get back at check out. The safe is located in one of the two roomy closets. We had plenty of room to unpack everyone's clothes either in the closets or dressers. My son is used to the small cramped rooms we stay in on hockey tournament trips and we overheard him on the phone to a friend the first night telling him how huge our room was!
We enjoyed the space with kids at 15 and 10. For the price you really couldn't beat it. We checked out the "castle" next door because my daughter loved the look of the exterior. The rooms cost a lot more, were much smaller and no kitchen. Plus they were dark where our room at Sierra Suites was so bright and airy.
The pool was certainly not olympic size, but big enough, nicely maintanined, and clean. They also have a hot tub by the pool and a small exercise room with weights and a couple exercise machines. There is a small game room with an air hockey machine and a couple pinball/video games. They have movies to rent in the laundry room along with a couple vending machines for snacks.
Location was great. Within walking distance to the Mercado Shopping Center, various restaurants and activities. We were literally minutes from Universal. Almost a straight drive from the hotel. Wet 'n Wild was practically around the corner.